15 Best Cheeses for Lasagna Recipes

Lasagna is one of the most beloved comfort foods, and for good reason – it’s deliciously cheesy, hearty, and filling.

But what cheese makes the best lasagna?

The best cheese for lasagna is a combination of ricotta, Parmesan, and mozzarella. Ricotta gives the dish a creamy texture, while Parmesan adds flavor and depth. Mozzarella provides creaminess as well as that classic cheesy taste. Cottage cheese can be used in place of ricotta if desired.

It’s a question that has been debated for years.

The type of cheese you use in your lasagna can make all the difference between a clumpy, gooey mess or creamy perfection.

With so many options available at your grocery store — from mozzarella to parmesan — how are you supposed to know which one is right for you?

Fear not!

In this blog post, we will be answering that very question with an extensive list of our top 15 cheeses designed specifically to help keep your recipes looking (and tasting) amazing.

Whether it’s Ricotta or Feta, we’ve got something delicious ready just waiting to be added into your next lasagna masterpiece!

So get inspired and let’s get cooking!

15 Best Cheeses For Lasagna Recipes

Lasagna is the ultimate comfort food – it’s warm and creamy, filled with delicious layers of cheese and sauce.

The best lasagnas are made with the right type of cheese, so when it comes to selecting your cheeses for lasagna recipes, it’s important to choose wisely.

Here are 15 of the best cheeses for lasagna:

1. Ricotta
2. Mascarpone Cheese
3. Parmesan cheese
4. Mozzarella cheese
5. Fontina cheese
6. Cottage cheese
7. Pecorino Romano
8. Cheddar
9. Provolone cheese
10. Gruyere
11. Asiago
12. Manchego
13. Feta Cheese
14. Blue Cheese
15. Gouda Cheese

Each one adds its own unique flavor to your lasagna dish.

Let’s dive into these cheeses one by one…

Ricotta

Ricotta cheese is a staple for lasagna recipes and it’s not hard to understand why. This fresh Italian cheese is mild in taste, creamy in texture and has a great balance of moisture that helps create a delicious lasagne.

It also provides important proteins, calcium, phosphorus and zinc which are all essential minerals when cooking up the perfect lasagne. You’ll want to use low-fat ricotta if you can as it will help keep your dish light but still flavorful.

You can always add flavors like garlic or herbs to give some extra zestiness to your ricotta layer before you assemble the layers of your lasagna. If you’re feeling creative, even pesto makes an excellent addition!

Mascarpone Cheese

Mascarpone cheese is a creamy, soft Italian cheese that’s perfect for making lasagna. This cheese has a buttery flavor and velvety texture that adds richness to any dish. It can be used as both a topping and an ingredient in many recipes, including lasagna.

Mascarpone cheese is made from cream and is one of the creamiest cheeses available. It melts easily in the oven and has a mild, sweet taste that pairs nicely with other ingredients like tomatoes, vegetables, meats, and herbs. The creamy texture of mascarpone also helps bind together all the ingredients in your lasagna recipe creating layers of cheesy goodness!

Parmesan Cheese

Parmesan cheese is one of the most popular choices for lasagna recipes. It has a hard texture and a sharp, salty flavor.

It pairs well with other cheeses, adding a savory dimension to your dish without overpowering the rest of the flavors.

When shopping for Parmesan cheese, look for an aged variety as these tend to be richer in flavor than younger versions. Grate or shred it yourself if you can; pre-grated varieties usually don’t have quite as intense flavor.

Parmesan works best when used sparingly and added at the end of the cooking process – otherwise, it will become too brittle and hard to blend into your dish properly. Try sprinkling some over each layer before baking for extra depth of taste and texture!

Mozzarella Cheese

Mozzarella cheese is a must for any lasagna. This creamy and elastic cheese lends a lot of flavor to the dish, and it melts nicely too.

Many people like to use fresh mozzarella for their lasagnas, but pre-shredded varieties work just as well.

If you want to get the best flavor out of your mozzarella, try combining different types together — such as regular low-moisture mozzarella with smoked or aged varieties — which will give you an even more complex flavor profile in your final dish.

You can also layer slices of mozzarella along with other cheeses in between the pasta layers for extra creaminess and cheesy goodness!

Fontina Cheese

Fontina cheese is an Italian cow’s milk cheese that has a creamy texture and a savory flavor. It melts easily, has a mild taste, and pairs well with other ingredients like garlic, herbs, and vegetables. Fontina can also be added to sauces for extra flavor.

Fontina is perfect for lasagna as it melts quickly, making the dish smooth and creamy without having too much liquid from the melted cheese running out of it during baking. The strong nutty flavors of fontina remain in the lasagna after baking and give it a unique richness that you won’t find with any other cheese variety.

Fontina adds depth to the flavors of your lasagna while still being light enough so that you don’t get overwhelmed by its flavor in each bite. With its mellow taste, fontina acts as a great base layer between your layers of pasta, sauce, and meats or vegetables when making lasagna.

Cottage Cheese

Cottage cheese is a great cheese to add to your lasagna recipes because it adds a creamy texture that other cheeses can’t provide. It also has a mild flavor, so it won’t overpower the other flavors in your dish.

Cottage cheese adds moisture, while also packing some protein into your meal as well. To get the most out of this cheese in terms of texture and taste, make sure you use small-curd cottage cheese for lasagna; this type of cottage cheese will have fewer watery pockets than its larger curd counterpart.

You can layer cottage cheese between layers of pasta or mix it with ricotta and mozzarella for an extra creamy addition to the dish. If you want to go all out on flavor, try adding some herbs like parsley or basil along with the cottage cheese for extra zing!

Pecorino Romano

Pecorino romano is a type of hard cheese made from sheep’s milk, which gives it a slightly musky flavor. It has a sharp taste, and the texture is firm yet crumbly. Its salty taste adds great depth to lasagna recipes, making them even more delicious!

You can use pecorino romano in both red and white sauces as well as with vegetables like eggplant or mushrooms. It pairs nicely with rich meats like sausage and pork, creating an unforgettable combination of flavors in your lasagna recipe.

Pecorino romano melts quickly when cooked at high temperatures so be sure to add it near the end of your cooking time for best results! Sprinkle some over the top for extra flavor before you bake it too!

Cheddar

Cheddar cheese is a great choice for lasagna as it melts nicely and has a rich, nutty flavor. This semi-hard cheese is usually aged for several months to create an intense flavor that goes well with the other cheeses in the lasagna recipe.

It’s important to choose a high-quality cheddar when making lasagna, as lower-quality cheeses can be crumbly and grainy when melted. You can also opt for mild or sharp cheddar depending on your taste preferences.

When adding cheddar to your lasagna, you may want to mix it with another type of cheese such as mozzarella or ricotta.

Cheddar tends to have a really strong flavor so combining it with other types of cheese helps balance out the dish and gives it more depth of flavors overall.

Provolone Cheese

Provolone cheese is a mild, semi-hard cheese that adds great flavor to lasagna dishes. It is a unique member of the provolone family and has a distinctive taste and texture.

It’s made from cow’s milk and is aged for 6 months or more. The aging process gives it a hearty, nutty flavor that pairs nicely with other cheeses in your dish like mozzarella or cottage cheese.

Provolone also melts well, which makes it an ideal choice for many kinds of Italian dishes including lasagna. It can be incorporated into both the sauce layer as well as the topping layer making it incredibly versatile when creating your perfect lasagna recipe.

It’s important to note, however, that if you are using provolone on top of the lasagna do not add too much as it will make for an unpleasant texture once cooked!

Gruyere

If you’re looking for an intense and nutty flavor, Gruyere cheese is the perfect fit. It’s a semi-hard cheese that pairs nicely with sweeter vegetables like spinach or mushrooms as well as more savory ingredients like sausage in a lasagna dish.

Gruyere has a creamy texture that melts easily making it ideal for any type of hot dish. Be sure to grate the Gruyere before adding it so that it melts quickly and evenly throughout your dish. This cheese also does not have a strong smell or taste when compared to other cheeses, so if you’re looking for something mild yet still flavorful, this is your best bet!

Asiago

Asiago cheese is a great addition to any lasagna recipe. It has a semi-firm texture, full of flavor and smooth taste. Asiago is made from cow’s milk or mixed with sheep or goat milk, and can be used as an all-purpose cheese with excellent melting properties.

Its mild flavor pairs nicely with the other ingredients in lasagna recipes and its ability to remain creamy even when melted makes it a wonderful choice for cheesy pasta dishes like lasagna. It adds a great depth of flavor that can easily be adjusted depending on your desired level of pungency.

Asiago comes in young, medium-aged, and extra-mature varieties so you can choose the one best suited for your dish based on the intensity you are looking for. The younger versions have a nutty quality which works particularly well when combined with tomato sauces while more mature versions offer sharper flavors perfect for enjoying on their own without accompaniments.

Manchego

Manchego is a traditional Spanish cheese made from sheep’s milk and is known for its firm texture and unique flavor. This semi-hard cheese has a nutty taste with hints of butterscotch, caramel, and even hazelnut.

It melts easily when heated so it is an ideal cheese to use in your lasagna recipes as it will give the dish that creamy, melt-in-your-mouth consistency while also adding depth of flavor. The slight hint of sharpness adds a nice balance to the rich flavors already present in your lasagna dish.

Manchego also pairs well with many other ingredients commonly used in lasagna dishes such as mushrooms, tomatoes, bell peppers, onions, garlic, basil, oregano, and parsley – making this an incredibly versatile cheese to use when preparing lasagnas!

Feta Cheese

Feta cheese is a great addition to lasagna recipes. It adds a nice salty flavor and creamy texture that compliments the rest of the ingredients. Feta can be crumbled over the top of your dish or mixed into the layers for an extra kick of flavor.

Feta cheese is high in fat, so it’s best to use it sparingly if you’re watching your diet. However, it is also rich in other nutrients like calcium and vitamin B6, which makes it an excellent choice as part of a balanced meal.

When using feta in lasagna recipes, look for blocks rather than pre-crumbled varieties as they tend to have better consistency and flavor when melted. You can also mix in different types of cheese such as ricotta or mozzarella for added creaminess and depth of flavor.

Blue Cheese

Blue cheese is a great addition to lasagna recipes, giving it that extra kick of flavor. It has just the right amount of saltiness and you don’t need to use too much because of its strong taste.

Blue cheese is creamy and pairs especially well with roasted vegetables like mushrooms or zucchini. It’s also great for adding some depth when mixed into your favorite ricotta filling or bechamel sauce.

The best part about blue cheese in lasagna recipes is that it creates an interesting contrast with the sweet tomato sauce while still maintaining the classic Italian flavors you love in all lasagna dishes.

If you want an even richer flavor, try mixing equal parts blue cheese and ricotta together!

Gouda Cheese

Gouda cheese is a semi-hard cow’s milk cheese from the Netherlands. It has a yellowish color, and when aged it develops a mild nutty flavor. When used in lasagna recipes, it adds some complexity to the dish because of its unique sweet yet salty taste.

Gouda cheese is usually sold as an aged variety which means that it can stand up to longer baking times without becoming too soft or stringy like other cheeses might. It also melts nicely when added to the lasagna recipe so you get an amazing cheesy flavor with every bite!

If you’re looking for something with more of a bite, try adding some smoked gouda. The smokiness will add another layer of flavor and make your lasagna even tastier!

Conclusion

There you have it! You are now equipped with fifteen of the best cheeses for creating a delicious lasagna.

Whether you’re looking for a classic cheese blend or something more unique, there’s definitely an option on this list that will make your lasagna just right.

Be sure to experiment with different combinations and add in other ingredients to make your dish truly one-of-a-kind! With these fifteen cheeses, you can create some truly mouthwatering dishes that everyone will enjoy. Just remember to always use high-quality cheese and store it properly so the flavor isn’t compromised.

Happy cooking!