Who doesn’t love a big, hearty lasagna? As a kid, I waited all week to taste it at my aunt’s Sunday gatherings. But did you know that, for the most part of my life, I always had lasagna without ricotta cheese?
That’s right! While ricotta lasagna is absolutely delicious, it is more of an Italian-American thing. On this side of the pond, we’re more used to making it with béchamel sauce.
If you want to try it out, you’re in for a treat! I’m sure it will become a new favorite! And for those of you looking for a lactose-free option, don’t worry – I’ll be sharing some alternative ingredients as well.
What You’ll Need
In Bologna, a classic lasagna recipe is made with bolognese ragu, bechamel sauce, parmesan cheese, and lasagna noodles. Let’s say a few words about all of them.
Bolognese ragu: or ragù alla bolognese, to be more correct. This rich meat sauce is made with soffritto, ground beef, pork sausage, wine, tomato sauce, milk, ground pepper, and fresh herbs.
I recommend using homemade sauce for best results, as most store-bought options are always more acidic and less flavorful for some reason. If you want to try making your own, Chuck has written a delicious bolognese sauce recipe. However, note that it takes about 3 hours to make. I usually prepare it in big batches and freeze it for when I need it – but if you don’t have time, feel free to go with your favorite store-bought option.
Parmesan Cheese: it brings a salty, nutty flavor to our lasagna, adding a delicious contrast to the savory meat sauce. While parmesan is the traditional choice, you can also experiment with other cheeses like pecorino romano or asiago for a different flavor profile.
Lasagna Noodles: These wide, flat noodles are the foundation of lasagna layers. To save time, you can use oven-ready lasagna noodles that don’t require boiling, or if you prefer a homemade touch, boil regular lasagna noodles until al dente before assembling your dish.
Bechamel Sauce: my favorite alternative to ricotta. Made with butter, flour, and milk, bechamel sauce is simple to prepare and delicious to taste. As for bolognese sauce, I recommend making your own, as I have always struggled to find good store-bought options outside of Italy. Plus, it takes only 3 ingredients and a bunch of minutes to make, so you can improve your lasagna game with nearly zero effort!
Ingredient substitutes for a lactose-free lasagna
If you were looking for a lactose-free lasagna, you’ll have to swap all the ingredients except the lasagna sheets for something lactose-free. Here’s what you can do.
Alternatives for parmesan cheese: active dry yeast is usually listed as a good alternative for parmesan cheese, but for this recipe, I recommend checking out vegan almond parmesan.
Alternatives for bolognese sauce: if you’re making your own bolognese sauce, replace the milk with soy milk and the parmesan cheese with one of the alternatives listed above. Otherwise, Sunday gravy is a very valid substitute. Ultimately, if you’re feeling lazy, you can make a simple gravy with meat and either marinara sauce, spaghetti sauce, or tomato paste.
Alternatives for bechamel sauce: if you’re making your own bechamel sauce, you can refer to my recipe and swap the milk with soy milk (or any other plant-based milk) and the butter with any of its vegan substitutes. Otherwise, feel free to use your favorite dairy-free white sauce from the grocery store.
Now that we have it all set, let’s see how to assemble a delicious lasagna in just a few minutes!
Method
First, gather all the ingredients at room temperature, and start by boiling the lasagna noodles.
Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil and cook the lasagna noodles according to the package instructions until al dente. Drain and set aside on a plate, separating each noodle with a piece of paper towel. To save time and simplify the preparation process, you can use pre-boiled/uncooked lasagna noodles that will cook perfectly in the oven as the lasagna bakes.
In the meantime, preheat the oven to 375°F (190°C).
Now, it’s time to assemble the lasagna. Spread a thin layer of meat sauce on the bottom of a baking dish.
Arrange a layer of lasagna noodles on top, followed by a layer of bechamel, another round of meat sauce, and a sprinkling of parmesan cheese.
Alternate between layers of noodles, meat sauce, and bechamel sauce, ensuring even coverage and distribution of ingredients.
Repeat the layers until all ingredients are used, finishing with a layer of bechamel and an abundant amount of parmesan cheese on top of the sauce.
After that, cover the baking dish with aluminum foil and bake in the preheated oven for 45 minutes. After the first 30 minutes have passed, remove the foil and keep baking.
When the time has passed, take the lasagna out of the oven, garnish with some fresh basil, and voilà, there you have it! Let it cool for 10 minutes before slicing and serving.
How To Store This Lasagna
Leftover lasagna can be stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days or frozen for up to 3 months. Reheat in the oven or microwave before serving.
This lasagna without ricotta cheese is the ultimate comfort food! With a few simple ingredients and a little patience, you can assemble a culinary masterpiece. Check the recipe card below for the precise amounts of each ingredient and concise instructions, and let me know what you think of it!
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Easy Lasagna Without Ricotta or Cottage Cheese
- Total Time: 1 hour
- Yield: 6-8 1x
Description
This creamy lasagna without ricotta cheese will become a new family favorite! Create the ultimate comfort food!
Ingredients
2 cups parmesan cheese
16 lasagna Noodles
2 cups bechamel Sauce
2 cups bolognese sauce
Instructions
- Boil lasagna noodles until al dente.
- Preheat the oven to 375°F (190°C).
- Layer lasagna noodles, meat sauce, bechamel sauce, and parmesan cheese in a baking dish.
- Cover with foil and bake for 45 minutes, removing the foil after the first 30 minutes.
- Garnish with fresh basil.
- Let cool for 10 minutes before serving.
- Prep Time: 15 Minutes
- Cook Time: 45 Minutes
- Category: Pasta
- Cuisine: Italian
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 Slice
- Calories: 589
- Sugar: 4.8g
- Sodium: 746mg
- Fat: 18.8g
- Saturated Fat: 7.5g
- Carbohydrates: 75.8g
- Fiber: 0.6g
- Protein: 30.4g
- Cholesterol: 69mg
