Preheat your oven to 350°F. Lightly grease a 9×13-inch casserole dish and set it aside.

Bring a pot of water to a boil and cook the penne pasta according to package instructions, but stop about 1 minute early so it stays al dente. Drain and set aside.

Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the olive oil, then toss in the ground beef, chopped onion, garlic powder, Italian seasoning, salt, and black pepper.

Cook the beef mixture for 7–8 minutes, stirring and breaking up the meat with a spoon, until the beef is browned and the onions are soft.

Reduce the heat and stir in the cottage cheese. Mix it in well until everything is combined.

Pour the pasta sauce into the skillet and stir until everything is coated and well mixed.

Add the drained penne pasta to the skillet. Stir to coat the pasta with the sauce and meat mixture evenly.

Transfer the entire mixture into the prepared casserole dish and spread it out into an even layer.

Sprinkle the shredded mozzarella cheese generously over the top of the casserole.

Bake in the preheated oven for about 15 minutes, until the cheese is melted, bubbly, and starting to brown around the edges.

Remove from the oven and garnish with chopped fresh basil before serving.