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Are you making lasagna? If you are and you have no ricotta, then you’re probably looking for a good substitute for ricotta cheese in lasagna. Today, we’ve shared 10 of our favorites! You’ll wanna keep reading to find out what they are!
Lasagna is a delicious baked Italian dish made with wide strips of pasta that are layered with cheese, vegetables, meat, and tomato sauce.
Lasagna is usually made with ricotta cheese. This is a cheese that is smooth with a mild taste, is low in salt, and quite creamy, wet, and soft. However, it can also be air dried so it becomes harder and sharp tasting that can be grated.
Lasagna is usually made with a mixture of cheeses, and that makes it quite easy to replace ricotta cheese in a lasagna.
Although authentic Italian lasagna is made with ricotta cheese, not everyone likes using ricotta in their lasagna because it is quite wet and it does lack that salty flavor that many people enjoy in a baked lasagna dish. Also, some people actually just hate ricotta cheese.
Therefore, in today’s post, you will find types of soft cheese that are similar to ricotta that can be used as a replacement. You will also get other harder cheeses that have more flavor that can work wonders in this baked Italian dish too.
What to substitute for ricotta cheese in lasagna
The best substitutes for ricotta in lasagna include cottage cheese, goat cheese, Mascarpone, cream cheese, sour cream, Queso fresco, Feta cheese, mozzarella cheese, béchamel sauce and tofu.
It is important to note that no other ricotta cheese substitute will be an exact match for ricotta in a lasagna dish, but these are close alternatives that can make really delicious lasagna without ricotta.
Best substitutes for ricotta cheese in pasta
Cottage cheese
One of the go-to cheeses people grab when they’re making lasagna and have no ricotta is cottage cheese. Cottage cheese tastes quite similar to ricotta cheese save for the fact that this type of cheese is slightly salty, unlike the milder-tasting ricotta. Cottage cheese can also have a more milky flavor if it has a higher fat content while some can have a more sour taste like sour cream if they are lower in fat content.
Goat cheese
Goat cheese can also be used as a sub for ricotta cheese in lasagna. Goat cheese is any cheese that is made from goat’s milk and it works in lasagne because it is a soft spreadable cheese with a mild flavor that adds a nice creaminess to this dish.
Mascarpone
Another cheese with a spreadable texture similar to that of ricotta that can be used as an alternative for ricotta cheese in a lasagna recipe is mascarpone cheese. Mascarpone cheese is a lightly sweet, buttery, nutty flavor cheese made from fresh cream.
Like ricotta cheese, Mascarpone cheese isn’t usually used on its own when making lasagna. In fact, this cheese is often used in conjunction with other cheeses like Parmesan cheese, mozzarella cheese, and even eggs to make a creamy, spreadable egg and cheese mixture that can be used to layer lasagna.
Cream cheese
Another great ricotta cheese alternative for lasagna is cream cheese. Plain cream cheese is the best option and this cheese has a flavor that is mildly sweet with a slight tang and it is very creamy and spreadable.
Sour cream
Queso fresco
Another cheese that can be used quite effectively to make a creamy, cheesy lasagna is Queso fresco cheese. This cheese has a soft, moist, and crumbly texture unlike the wet, smooth texture of ricotta. Nonetheless, with a few other ingredients, Queso fresco cheese makes a really great dish.
To use Queso Fresco cheese in a lasagna dish, you will need a mixture of Queso Fresco cheese, mozzarella cheese, grated Parmesan, and eggs mixed together to form a creamy mixture for layering.
Feta cheese
While not very popular, feta cheese is another type of cheese that makes a good alternative to ricotta cheese in a lasagna. Read more about feta cheese alternatives here.
Mozzarella cheese
Another type of cheese that can be used in place of ricotta cheese when making lasagna is mozzarella cheese. Mozzarella cheese is not the best substitute for ricotta as its textures are very different. i.e mozzarella cheese has a semi-soft to firm texture while ricotta cheese has a smooth, thick texture.
Mozzarella cheese isn’t very popular in lasagna dishes, nonetheless, when used together with another cheese like parmesan, it can make a delicious lasagna.
Béchamel sauce
Besides ricotta cheese, you can also use béchamel sauce in a lasagna dish. Béchamel sauce works in place of ricotta as it adds creaminess and cheesiness, but also because it lends a bit of moisture to the lasagna as well.
Tofu
If you’re looking for a dairy-free substitute for ricotta cheese in lasagna, then tofu is your best option.
To make a vegan lasagna with tofu, add some tofu, your spices of choice, and some lemon juice to a blender, then simply blend all the ingredients until a smooth mixture results.
Use this mixture in place of ricotta cheese for a great vegan substitute for ricotta cheese in lasagna.
FAQs about ricotta substitutes in lasagna
Can you substitute plain yogurt for ricotta cheese in lasagna?
No, you cannot. While plain yogurt is not used to make lasagna, it is possible to use greek yogurt to make lasagna. Recipes that use greek yogurt instead of ricotta cheese often use a combination of yogurt and grated cheese to make a yogurt sauce that replaces ricotta cheese layers in a light lasagna recipe.
What is a vegan substitute for ricotta cheese in lasagna?
There are a few vegan alternatives for ricotta cheese in a lasagna dish. These include tofu, cashew cream made with cashews, water, lime juice, and mustard, and vegan ricotta such as this almond milk ricotta cheese replacement.
