Lasagna's Cheesy Topping: Perfect Cheese Types And Tips

Lasagna is a classic comfort food, but what kind of cheese should you use to make it? The answer depends on your personal preference. Some people prefer the traditional combination of ricotta, mozzarella, and Parmesan cheeses. Others like to experiment with different types of cheese, such as mascarpone, provolone, or even cream cheese. If you're looking for a creamier lasagna, you can add mascarpone to the ricotta mixture. For a salty, savoury flavour, Parmesan is a good choice. Mozzarella is essential for a gooey, melty texture. Provolone is an excellent substitute for mozzarella and has a mild taste. Fontina cheese also melts beautifully and can be substituted with provolone.

Mozzarella, provolone, or any good melter

Mozzarella is a popular choice for lasagna, as it melts beautifully and gives the dish a gooey, stretchy texture. It pairs well with other cheeses, such as ricotta, parmesan, and fontina. If you're looking for a cheese that will add a creamy texture to your lasagna, mozzarella is a perfect choice.

Provolone is another excellent option for lasagna. It has a mild taste and melts very well. Provolone can be used as a substitute for mozzarella or in combination with other cheeses.

When choosing a cheese for the top of your lasagna, you want to select a good melter. This means a cheese that will become soft, smooth, and creamy when heated. Good melters will ensure your lasagna has a delightful, gooey texture.

Some other good melters to consider include fontina, which has a mild flavour and melts beautifully, and mascarpone, which adds a rich and creamy texture to the dish. You could also try a combination of cheeses, such as an Italian blend of mozzarella, provolone, Romano, and Parmesan.

Remember, the key to a great lasagna is finding the perfect blend of cheeses that complement each other and create a delicious, cohesive dish.

Bechamel sauce instead of ricotta

Lasagna is a classic comfort food with countless variations. While the traditional recipe calls for ricotta cheese, some cooks prefer to use béchamel sauce instead. Here are some reasons why béchamel sauce can be a great alternative to ricotta in lasagna:

Creaminess and Texture

Béchamel sauce, also known as white sauce, is made by combining flour, butter, and milk. This mixture creates a creamy and smooth texture that blends seamlessly with the other ingredients in the lasagna. On the other hand, ricotta cheese can sometimes be grainy or lumpy, which may not be as aesthetically pleasing. The béchamel sauce provides a velvety and decadent mouthfeel that perfectly complements the sauce, noodles, and other cheeses in the dish.

Ease of Distribution

One of the challenges with using ricotta cheese in lasagna is that it can be tricky to spread evenly across each layer. Béchamel sauce, being a liquid, distributes more easily and evenly throughout the dish. This ensures that each bite of lasagna has a consistent and harmonious blend of flavours and textures.

Taste and Flavour

Béchamel sauce has a more subtle flavour compared to ricotta cheese. This can be advantageous if you want the other ingredients in your lasagna, such as meat, vegetables, or other cheeses, to shine through. The mild taste of béchamel sauce enhances the overall flavour profile without overwhelming the dish. It provides a creamy base that balances the hearty flavours of meat sauce or the sharpness of cheeses like Parmesan.

Simplicity and Availability

Preparing béchamel sauce is a straightforward process that only requires a few basic ingredients: flour, butter, and milk. These ingredients are typically easy to find in most kitchens, making béchamel sauce accessible and convenient. In contrast, ricotta cheese may be less readily available in some regions or may require a trip to a specialty store.

Freezing and Make-Ahead Options

Lasagna is often prepared in advance and frozen for future meals. Béchamel sauce freezes well and can be easily thawed and reheated without compromising its texture or taste. This makes it a practical option for those who want to prepare lasagna ahead of time and store it in the freezer for busy days.

In summary, béchamel sauce is a versatile and tasty alternative to ricotta cheese in lasagna. It provides a creamy texture, distributes easily, enhances the overall flavour profile, and is simple to prepare with common kitchen ingredients. For those who enjoy experimenting with different lasagna variations, substituting béchamel sauce for ricotta cheese can be a delightful option worth exploring.

Parmigiano Reggiano, pecorino romano, mozzarella

Parmigiano Reggiano, pecorino romano, and mozzarella are all excellent choices for topping a lasagna. Each cheese has its own unique characteristics and will lend a different flavour and texture to the dish.

Parmigiano Reggiano, often referred to as the <*"King of Parmesan*", is a hard, flaky, grainy, and flavourful cheese made from unpasteurised cow's milk in several regions of Italy, including Parma and Reggio Emilia. It has a rich, fruity taste with hints of hazelnut and a crunchy texture due to the formation of calcium spots during the ageing process. Its sharp, savoury flavour and salty, umami notes make it an excellent choice for enhancing the flavour of the lasagna.

Pecorino Romano, on the other hand, is a traditional Italian hard cheese made from sheep's milk. It has a salty, sharp, and crumbly texture with a fat content of 32%. This cheese is produced in the Lazio and Sardinia regions of Italy and is dry-salted by hand during the ageing process, which takes between 5 to 12 months. Pecorino Romano offers a delightful balance of salty, sharp, and bitter flavours, with strong nutty notes. Its granular texture when melted allows its flavour to shine through in hot dishes. Adding it towards the end of cooking will ensure its flavour remains pronounced.

Mozzarella, a well-known and beloved cheese, is essential for achieving a gooey, melty, and stretchy texture in your lasagna. It pairs well with other cheeses and enhances the overall creaminess of the dish.

When choosing which cheese to use, consider the desired flavour profile and texture of your lasagna. Parmigiano Reggiano will add a savoury, nutty, and fruity touch, while pecorino Romano will contribute a saltier, sharper, and nuttier flavour. Mozzarella is perfect for creating a stretchy, melty texture. Combining these cheeses in your lasagna can also be a great option, as they complement each other well.

Remember, the key to a delicious lasagna is finding the right balance of flavours and textures, so feel free to experiment with different combinations of cheeses to discover your perfect blend!

Whipped cream cheese with garlic, mozzarella and parmesan

Lasagna is a classic Italian dish that can be made in a variety of ways, depending on personal preference and regional variations. While there are several types of cheese that are commonly used in lasagna, such as ricotta, mozzarella, and parmesan, some people like to experiment with different types of cheese to add their own unique twist to the dish. One such combination that has been suggested is whipped cream cheese with garlic, mozzarella, and parmesan.

Ingredients

• 2 large blocks softened cream cheese
• 3 eggs
• 1 teaspoon of salt
• 2-3 teaspoons of garlic powder
• 2-3 teaspoons of onion powder
• 1 teaspoon of pepper
• 1/2 cup of milk
• 1 large pack of chopped frozen spinach, thawed and drained
• 2 cups of shredded mozzarella
• 1 cup of shredded parmesan
• 1 cup of shredded provolone

Instructions

Start by whipping the cream cheese with the spices, eggs, and milk. Once it's light and fluffy, stir in the shredded cheeses and spinach. This mixture will create a savoury and creamy filling for your lasagna.

For the remaining ingredients, you can follow a traditional lasagna recipe, substituting your whipped cream cheese mixture for ricotta or another soft cheese. Here's a basic lasagna recipe outline that you can use as a guide:

Lasagna Assembly

• Preheat your oven to 350°F (175-177°C).
• Grease a large, deep baking dish, such as a 9x13-inch pan or a deep-dish lasagna pan.
• Prepare the lasagna noodles according to your preference. You can boil them, soak them in hot water, or use no-boil noodles.
• Spread a thin layer of your favourite tomato-based pasta sauce on the bottom of the baking dish.
• Add a layer of lasagna noodles, slightly overlapping them.
• Spread a layer of your whipped cream cheese mixture over the noodles.
• If desired, add a layer of cooked ground beef or Italian sausage.
• Sprinkle with shredded mozzarella.
• Repeat the layers of sauce, noodles, cheese mixture, and meat (if using) a few more times, ending with a layer of sauce.
• Top with the remaining shredded mozzarella and parmesan.
• Cover the dish with greased foil and bake for about 30-45 minutes, until the cheese is melted and bubbly.
• Remove the foil and bake for an additional 10-25 minutes, until the top is golden brown.
• Let the lasagna rest for at least 10 minutes before serving.

Feel free to customise the recipe by adding more spices, herbs, or vegetables, such as spinach, zucchini, or mushrooms. You can also experiment with different types of meat sauces or pasta sauces to find the combination that suits your taste buds best!

Parmesan, Romano, and provolone

Parmesan is a classic lasagna cheese, providing a salty, savoury flavour. It is a key ingredient in many lasagna recipes, and for good reason—its sharp, salty taste pairs perfectly with the rich, meaty tomato sauce and creamy cheeses that are typical of lasagna. Parmesan is also a good melting cheese, which means it will blend beautifully with the other cheeses in your lasagna to create a cohesive, gooey topping.

Romano is another Italian cheese that can be used in lasagna. It has a similar sharp, salty flavour to Parmesan, so it can be used as a substitute or in combination with Parmesan. Romano is also a hard cheese that melts well, making it an ideal choice for lasagna.

Provolone is a mild-tasting cheese with excellent melting qualities. It can be used as a substitute for mozzarella, which is another classic lasagna cheese. Provolone will provide a similar gooey, stretchy texture to mozzarella but with a more subtle flavour.

When using Parmesan, Romano, and provolone as a lasagna topping, it is important to grate the cheeses before adding them to your dish. This will ensure that the cheeses melt evenly and create a cohesive, bubbly topping. You can also mix the grated cheeses together before adding them to your lasagna to ensure that the flavours are well combined.

In addition to using these cheeses as a topping, you can also incorporate them into the layers of your lasagna. For example, you can sprinkle a mixture of Parmesan and Romano between the layers of sauce and noodles, or you can use provolone slices as a layer on top of the ricotta cheese filling.

Frequently asked questions