Cottage Cheese in place of ricotta cheese for lasagna??

hope516

Hi everyone. I am not much of a cook and was wondering if it would be a good idea to use cottage cheese in place of ricotta cheese in a lasagna recipe?

Does the cottage cheese melt?

I don't even know if the calorie count would be beneficial I just have cottage cheese at home and not ricotta. Does anyone know if this trade would be better calorie wise, or if ricotta would be better.

any tips and advice is greatly appreciated.

tomatosoup3

i always make it with cottage cheese and it tastes great to me, but hey i am not much of a cook either!

missbossypants

I have always made mine with cottage cheese. It does not melt, but it does soften a bit. Think of the cottage cheese as ricotta "nuggets" rather than a layer of ricotta cheese you would normally have! Enter the amount of ricotta you would use, then enter the cottage cheese to see if the switch is beneficial. My guess would be yes.

x311Tifa

Being part Italian, I would tell you don't do it and just buy part-skim ricotta. The type I buy is fairly comparable to the type of cottage cheese I buy. HOWEVER, you can make the cottage cheese creamer (since it's not really melty) by mixing it up with a hand mixer.

hope516

thanks to you both...

so do you use a 1/1 ratio...

if the recipe calls for a cup, use a cup of cottage cheese instead?

UpEarly

Personally, I think cottage cheese is awful in lasagna. It's saltier, it doesn't melt, and the curd texture is unpleasant to me. Odd - because I like cottage cheese on its own. Maybe try processing the cottage cheese to be a smoother texture, like ricotta.

hope516

x311Tifa wrote: »

Being part Italian, I would tell you don't do it and just buy part-skim ricotta. The type I buy is fairly comparable to the type of cottage cheese I buy. HOWEVER, you can make the cottage cheese creamer (since it's not really melty) by mixing it up with a hand mixer.

thanks. I can't imagine the texture will be the same. I am just being lazy lol. I dont want to have to run to the store again. but I like the idea of mixing it with the mixer. thanks

ames105

I've made it both ways. I kinda prefer the cottage cheese. I mix mine with an egg first so its not quite so runny. Yes, I just use the equivalent amount to ricotta. (I actually don't measure the cheeses when I cook. When I make lasagna, I just go for it, lots of cheese and sauce.)

nikkit321

I do a 1:1 swap with cottage cheese. I tend to just smash it up, and I use an extra egg because cottage cheese has more liquid than ricotta. Taste-wise I don't notice a difference.

CyberTone

My mother always used 16 ounces of cottage cheese mixed with two beaten eggs in place of ricotta cheese, so that's what I do. The eggs provide bonus protein.

Lounmoun

hope516 wrote: »

Hi everyone. I am not much of a cook and was wondering if it would be a good idea to use cottage cheese in place of ricotta cheese in a lasagna recipe?

Does the cottage cheese melt?

I don't even know if the calorie count would be beneficial I just have cottage cheese at home and not ricotta. Does anyone know if this trade would be better calorie wise, or if ricotta would be better.

any tips and advice is greatly appreciated.

I grew up eating lasagna with cottage cheese. It is okay taste wise but texture is different. I prefer ricotta.
Calories are going to depend on what fat percent cottage cheese vs ricotta you have. Might be different amounts of sodium.

Afura

My mom always made ours with cottage cheese. They don't like the ricotta texture mostly and the cost secondly . Small curds is the way to go. I'll go either way, usually cottage cheese just out of family tradition.

hope516

thanks everyone, this has been extremely helpful.

My recipe did not call for the egg...is it highly suggested?

ETA, sorry I know I am helpless. lol

Need2Exerc1se

I usually make mine with cottage cheese because I almost always have cottage cheese but rarely have ricotta and it's fairly long trip to the store for me. I put the cottage cheese in the food processor so that it's creamy instead of curdy.

Afura

hope516 wrote: »

thanks everyone, this has been extremely helpful.

My recipe did not call for the egg...is it highly suggested?

ETA, sorry I know I am helpless. lol

The egg is to help be a binder so it doesn't fall apart, but I never find it to be necessary myself. Extra protein though.

Need2Exerc1se

hope516 wrote: »

thanks everyone, this has been extremely helpful.

My recipe did not call for the egg...is it highly suggested?

ETA, sorry I know I am helpless. lol

I've never used an egg but considering I always have too many eggs maybe I should.

browneyes1520

Being half Italian, don't do it. It's sacrilege lol. Just my opinion, obviously others like it but I'd go buy the ricotta it males such a better lasagna.

NaturalNancy

Low fat ricotta cheese, I've always used eggs with my ricotta. I've used farmers cheese before too, it came out good.

Thowe92

You can mix the cottage cheese with some parmesan, oregano, and an egg.

kathleenmaynard10

I've always used small curd cottage cheese and everyone loves it.

Need2Exerc1se

browneyes1520 wrote: »

Being half Italian, don't do it. It's sacrilege lol. Just my opinion, obviously others like it but I'd go buy the ricotta it males such a better lasagna.

Most of the Italians I know use cottage cheese.

browneyes1520

To each his own. I know of zero Italians who use cottage cheese.

kgirlhart

I would only use cottage cheese if you want to ruin your lasagna. I always use ricotta cheese. You can use part skim if you want, but never cottage cheese. It really makes a difference if you want the lasagna to taste right. I've never met an Italian who would use cottage cheese.

ETA I always use egg in mine.

Felecia1923

Amazing with cottage cheese.

mpat81

I like it both ways! My mom always used cottage cheese, so I am used to it. I use ricotta unless I'm feeling cheap. Never had a complaint from my hubby. Save the trip...

Need2Exerc1se

browneyes1520 wrote: »

To each his own. I know of zero Italians who use cottage cheese.

Well, to be fair, I only know 2 families with members actually born in Italy. The first time I ever had lasagna with cottage cheese was as a teenager at a friend's house when his Italian grandmother was visiting and made it.

maforte40

hope516 wrote: »

Hi everyone. I am not much of a cook and was wondering if it would be a good idea to use cottage cheese in place of ricotta cheese in a lasagna recipe?

Does the cottage cheese melt?

I don't even know if the calorie count would be beneficial I just have cottage cheese at home and not ricotta. Does anyone know if this trade would be better calorie wise, or if ricotta would be better.

any tips and advice is greatly appreciated.

I'm Italian and I can't get myself to use cottage cheese. My ex husband did and I told he would never make it again. I used the family receipt. Everyone has their own taste.

caroldavison332

Equal parts,cottage cheese can be substitued. I beathink an egg into mine. Many many things can be substitued in cooking. I describe it as a physical change. Cakes and shuffles I describe as chemical changes where you must follow the recipe.

KellieTru

Thowe92 wrote: »

You can mix the cottage cheese with some parmesan, oregano, and an egg.

⬆️ Yes. I do this also
I've used cottage cheese, I've used ricotta, and honestly I don't feel that there's a difference in flavour.

PearBlossom9

I actually can't stand cottage cheese except for in lasagna. It's how my mom always made it.

WinoGelato

PearBlossom9 wrote: »

I actually can't stand cottage cheese except for in lasagna. It's how my mom always made it.

I am exactly the same. I like cottage cheesw in lasagna for the nostalgia but also I think it makes it saucier, ricotta is too dry.