Ingredients
Scale
- 2 lbs Lean Ground Turkey or Beef (93% lean recommended)
- 2 jars (24 oz each) Marinara Sauce
- 1 box (16 oz) Penne or Rotini Pasta (dry)
- 1 container (16 oz) Low-fat Cottage Cheese
- 2 cups Shredded Part-skim Mozzarella Cheese
- 1 cup Water or Beef Broth
- 1 tablespoon Italian Seasoning
- 1 teaspoon Garlic Powder
- Red Pepper Flakes (optional, for heat)
Instructions
- Place the raw lean ground meat into the bottom of your crockpot. Break it up into small chunks with a wooden spoon. Pour both jars of marinara sauce over the meat. Add the Italian seasoning, garlic powder, and the optional red pepper flakes. Stir the mixture slightly to ensure the meat is submerged in the sauce. This allows the meat to cook thoroughly and absorb all the herbal flavors.
- Cover the crockpot with the lid. Set the temperature to High for 3 hours or Low for 6 hours. Because we are using lean meat, you do not need to worry about excess grease pooling at the top. The meat will cook directly in the sauce, resulting in a tender, flavorful base that mimics a long-simmered bolognese.
- Once the meat is cooked through, open the lid and stir the mixture to break up any remaining large chunks of meat. Pour in the dry pasta and one cup of water or broth. Stir well to ensure the pasta is mostly submerged. Replace the lid and continue cooking on High for about 30 to 45 minutes. Check the pasta at the 30-minute mark; you want it to be al dente, as it will continue to soften in the next step.
- Open the lid and stir in the entire container of cottage cheese. The cottage cheese melts into the sauce, creating a creamy, high-protein texture similar to ricotta but with better macros. Top the entire mixture with the shredded mozzarella cheese. Cover for another 5 to 10 minutes until the mozzarella is bubbly and completely melted.
- Switch the crockpot to the “Warm” setting. Serve the pasta directly from the crockpot into bowls. The heat from the ceramic insert will keep the food at the perfect temperature for guests to grab seconds throughout the game. Garnish with fresh parsley or extra red pepper flakes if desired.
- Cook Time: 4 hours 5 minutes