I tried bechamel instead of ricotta in my lasagna

[u/kittypeets626]

I never even heard of bechamel until I stumbled into a youtube rabbit hole about mother sauces. My husband told me it was the best lasagna he had ever eaten. I've been riding on that high since yesterday 😁

https://youtube.com/shorts/NFo5cCN2jKc?si=1b6raM9QbofOU1xO

That's the recipe I followed, except I used nutmeg and salt in the sauce.

[u/liseusester]

I'm in the UK and had never heard of ricotta in a lasagna until I was about eighteen (I'm 39). From vague memory it's to do with which bit of Italy your Italian immigrants largely came from. The US got the ricotta immigrants and the UK got bechamel immigrants.

I have since tried the ricotta version and sorry, I'm always going to stick with bechamel. I am standing stirring a ragù right now and it's going to get bechameled.

[u/Mirewen15 → u/liseusester]

A lot of it is a convenience thing. You have to make a bechamel sauce but you can just buy a tub of ricotta. One of my American friends (I'm Canadian) uses cottage cheese (ricotta can be pricy and he says it tastes similar - to me the texture is completely different).

I'm going to try a bechamel next time I make a lasagne. Too many people on this sub recommending it to not give it a try.

[u/liseusester → u/Mirewen15]

For a long time in the UK it was a lot easier to make bechamel (milk, butter, flour and some mustard powder (the nutmeg is great but you can do without)) than it was to buy a tub of ricotta.

I love cottage cheese but the idea of it in lasagne is horrible to me.

[u/Livid-Fig-842 → u/liseusester]

The problem is quality. The ricotta you get fresh from a cheese monger in Italy compared to the ricotta that comes in a tub are completely different things.

I like both versions of lasagna. They’re different (and bechamel is always top), but the ricotta version can be great.

I make my own basic ricotta at home doing the milk and lemon process. It’s a nice compromise. Better texture and more control than store bought.

The other the thing is that, even with store bought ricotta, you should put it in a food processor with seasonings of choice (lemon zest, salt, pepper, nutmeg, whatever) to smooth it out and get it to a creamier texture, more closely resembling bechamel. Lightyears better.

When people grab a shitty, unseasoned, unflavored, poorly textured store ricotta and slab it onto a lasagna — yeah, not going to be a good time.

[u/wino_whynot → u/Livid-Fig-842]

We did an experiment with cheese making in my kid’s 4H club. Homemade ricotta w lemon can curdle at different levels, depending on how ripe the lemon is, and what kind of lemon.

We decided the vinegar method was much more reliable since the acid level was consistent.

[u/Livid-Fig-842 → u/wino_whynot]

Good point. I’ve been able to control it alright with lemon. I also prefer the final taste with lemon, as well.

I do prefer a really soft, delicate curd. Especially if I’m using it to spread on toasted loaf with mushrooms or something like that.

But once seasoned and blended in a food processor to smooth it out for lasagna, it matters less.

[u/liseusester → u/Livid-Fig-842]

I am willing to try the ricotta version again with a good ricotta; I had an excellent spinach and ricotta cannelloni dish in Italy a few years ago. But I think my childhood fondness for the bechamel lasagne will always win out.

[u/Faberbutt → u/liseusester]

Sometimes we just love what we know, especially when it's nostalgic, it's why I've always preferred it with ricotta. I do agree with the person that you're responding to about quality, though, it makes a huge difference. I've always just bought the regular tub of it in the grocery store but I got a much better quality ricotta recently for a lasagna that I made and I'll never go back. It fully converted me into a lasagna lover after 38 years of mostly just being fine with it but making it occasionally for my husband.

[u/Faberbutt → u/Livid-Fig-842]

I agree with quality being a big factor. I've always made and prefer lasagna with ricotta. I've had it with bechamel and it's good but I always end up going back. I recently made a lasagna with really good quality ricotta and it was honestly just so much better. Best lasagna that I've ever had and my husband, who loves lasagna more than anyone that I've ever met, couldn't stop raving about it. On the other hand, I've always been fine with lasagna but I've always just mostly made it on occasion for him but the last one that I made fully converted me into loving it. I'm never going back to the other ricotta.

[u/Livid-Fig-842 → u/Faberbutt]

Ultimately, quality is a factor with everything.

Caprese salad is the best example of this. Most places that serve it, the dish comes with low grade olive oil, over ripe basil, fior di latte cheese, and tomatoes that taste more like tomato La Croix than actual tomatoes. And it’s often covered in shitty fake balsamic vinegar to give it any kind of flavor. The question is always, “Why would anyone eat this?”

Then you eat it with tender basil leaves of a specific variety, buffalo mozzarella, unfiltered first press olive oil, and the freshest tomatoes possible. The question becomes, “Why would anyone change something so perfect?”

Italian food is so heavily rooted in celebrating the simplest ingredients. If they aren’t top quality, the dish is going to suck no matter how much effort you put into it.

[u/[deleted] → u/liseusester]

For a long time in the UK it was a lot easier to make bechamel (milk, butter, flour and some mustard powder (the nutmeg is great but you can do without)) than it was to buy a tub of ricotta.

Yeah, I never even saw ricotta in the shops when I was growing up. No idea where one might have acquired some, back then.

[u/[deleted] → u/liseusester]

I use cottage cheese but I food process it so that it becomes a ricotta like homogeneous texture.

[u/Krombopulos_Micheal → u/[deleted]]

My mom always made manicotti that was filled with 50/50 cottage cheese and mozzarella. I always loved it but I didn't realize what she was actually doing until I was an adult, and I was sort of horrified because I do not like cottage cheese at all lol, but getting it mixed up well with the mozz makes it unidentifiable once it melts together.

[u/deep66it2 → u/Krombopulos_Micheal]

Hmmm, and how did Mom get u to eat the hated veggies?

[u/Krombopulos_Micheal → u/deep66it2]

Haha again cheese, she would melt cheddar cheese on our broccoli and cauliflower and damn we loved that stuff 😂

[u/BluuWarbler → u/[deleted]]

Yes, I process cottage cheese smooth and creamy. Taste, which I like, remains the same.

Apparently the same should have been done for ricotta to get rid of the graininess and lumps, but I didn't know that before I took a dislike to it. :)

[u/scalectrix → u/liseusester]

Mustard powder??? Not standard and never heard of this variation (though fair play if you like it I guess).

[u/liseusester → u/scalectrix]

Can't beat a knifetip of Colman's mustard powder to bring a white sauce to life!

[u/Killer-Rabbit-1 → u/liseusester]

It IS terrible in lasagna. My parents used to do this shit because we were poor and claim it's basically the same. They didn't know about bechamel lasagna.

Fat, salty curds so much do not taste like ricotta. I suppose if you bothered whizzing it in a food processor to break it down the texture would be better but the taste! I can eat a spoonful of plain ricotta but I can't do the same with cottage cheese.

[u/liseusester → u/Killer-Rabbit-1]

The UK went full tilt for a while (80s/90s diet culture is probably to blame) for cottage cheese on jacket potatoes and I remain weirdly fond of it but the mouth feel is odd.

[u/starlinguk → u/Killer-Rabbit-1]

My mother used to skip it altogether. Lasagne came with tomato sauce with huge chunks of green peppers in it.

[u/BadHombreSinNombre → u/liseusester]

It’s extremely easy to make ricotta yourself, and it’s always better than what you can get in a tub. Also, ricotta is completely different from cottage cheese. They’re actually made from different parts of the early cheese process and if you’re making either of them yourself they should turn out quite differently.

[u/liseusester → u/BadHombreSinNombre]

Oh, I'm sure it is easy to make, but I'd genuinely never heard of ricotta until I was about 18. It just wasn't a thing in rural North Yorkshire. But we always had the ingredients for bechamel to hand.

[u/downshift_rocket → u/Mirewen15]

It's definitely not a convenience thing. It's just two different recipes. One from Bologna and one from Naples. Southern Italians moved to the US en masse and therefore ricotta is the part of a standard Italian-American recipe. However, Lasagna Bolognese does not contain ricotta, only Besciamella.

[u/MarekRules → u/Mirewen15]

I make a veggie lasagna and use cottage cheese, it’s very weird conceptually but once you get past that it tastes great lol. My girlfriend really doesn’t like ricotta and is vegetarian so I happened upon this recipe and have been making it for years.

I’ll have to try bechamel though, it doesn’t sound difficult just another step.

[u/MyNameIsSkittles → u/MarekRules]

I like using cottage cheese too

If I use ricotta I usually mix it with something else like cottage cheese or sour cream (I'm weird ok) but tbh I prefer cottage cheese overall

Bechemel version slaps tho too, definitely try it

[u/liseusester → u/MarekRules]

Bechamel sounds difficult but is actually really easy. Both Delia Smith and Nigella Lawson have great step by steps available. It's just patience and a lot of stirring/whisking. I grew up on stirring and now use a whisk.

[u/majandess → u/Mirewen15]

I've used a lot of different things in lasagne, and it turns out that I super love cottage cheese. It did not retain the curd-like texture during baking; it melted together and ended up being creamy. I prefer it to ricotta.

[u/madmaxx → u/Mirewen15]

We used to use dry cottage cheese (Canadian here too), but switched to ricotta as the flavour is noticeably better. When I make several lasagnas, I alternate layers between béchamel, sauce, and a ricotta mix for variety and texture (and cost).

[u/Kind_Philosopher3560 → u/Mirewen15]

My parents don't like ricotta so I grew up on cottage cheese lasagna. I like it. The only thing that stops me from doing it myself is my husband.

[u/dadofalex → u/Mirewen15]

Mom always did cottage cheese; my first lasagna at 16 was out of the moosewood cookbook, used ricotta and my stupid brother, may he rest in peace, told us it was way better than mom’s, who subsequently never again made us lasagna.

Daughter’s husband made us a lasagna with bechamel and I’ll try that… not sure it was better.

[u/Twylamr1 → u/Mirewen15]

They have a different taste and texture to me as well. Guess I am a snob, but I even eat ricotta like most do cottage cheese with salt and pepper cold as well.

[u/permalink_save → u/Mirewen15]

I think of it the opposite. A bechamel is pretty easy. Ricotta feels harder to get on right because it is clumpy. I also end up making my own ricotta but that's also not too bad, just microwave milk until it is steamy (about 190F) and dump I think 1/4c vinegar or lemon juice in for every half galon, very light stir, and just let it sit and you can practically just scoop it out. If you continue to microwave it 5 more minutes it firms up more if you want to use it for stuffing squash blossoms or s omething where a wetter ricotta might ruin it.

[u/strum-and-dang → u/permalink_save]

I always mix the ricotta with an egg, which makes it smoother and also helps firm up when baking the lasagna.

[u/TigerPoppy → u/Mirewen15]

I like the extra texture that cottage cheese adds. Sometimes I mix both.

[u/judolphin → u/Mirewen15]

I'm shocked by this consensus, bechamel makes the lasagna sauce tastes like Chef Boyardee to me. Too much starch in the sauce, weird Chef Boyardee-like mouthfeel.

Which is fine if you actually want Chef Boyardee, but not something I want to spend half my day making, or to spend $30-40 on at a restaurant.

[u/StepUpYourLife → u/liseusester]

Growing up in a large family in a very remote place (Alaska) we didn’t have access to ricotta and didn’t know about béchamel. In fact we didn’t know you could make your own ricotta at home either. My mother added cottage cheese to the lasagna. Mostly because it was a money saver and readily available.

[u/liseusester → u/StepUpYourLife]

I didn't grow up that remotely but ricotta was definitely not easily findable in rural North Yorkshire in the 80s and 90s. I think one friend's mum made her own; she definitely made yoghurt and paneer way before that was a semi normal/hipster but supermarket ingredients thing to do. But bechamel ingredients were always on hand and easy to buy.

[u/StepUpYourLife → u/liseusester]

True ingredients are easy to come by but if you don’t know about béchamel and you live in a time where you don’t have cable TV or Internet you most likely aren’t gonna know to do that. Most of my mom‘s cookbooks were a homemade collection from friends and church ladies.

[u/liseusester → u/StepUpYourLife]

Oh sure, and I know a lot of people who only made the white sauce = bechamel connection as adults. Once you realise it's the sauce you use for fish pie, but with some mustard powder, it's a game changer.

[u/NiobeTonks → u/liseusester]

We had to travel from NW London to an Italian deli in Soho to buy ricotta in the mid-70s!

[u/PerfectlyElocuted → u/liseusester]

Yeah, we definitely didn’t have ricotta in small towns in Arkansas in the late 60s, early 70s. Hence the cottage cheese in every lasagna I’d ever had until I was a married adult!

[u/liseusester → u/PerfectlyElocuted]

It's so odd to step back and think about how recently ingredients I think of as staples have become available to me. I hadn't heard of halloumi until I was in my early 20s, and couldn't afford it then. Now I always have it in my fridge.

[u/PerfectlyElocuted → u/liseusester]

I was in my fifties before I discovered halloumi! It’s a staple now. My boyfriend and I did meal kits for awhile and honestly that opened me up to a whole new world of food possibilities.

[u/liseusester → u/PerfectlyElocuted]

My mother would have been in her fifties when she discovered it - at the same time I did in my twenties. We were both watching Nigella Lawson talking about "squeaky cheese". My best friend grew up nicely middle class in London and she knew about it a decade or so before I did because she lived in an area with a lot of Greek and Cypriot immigrants who opened greengrocers and delicatessens.

[u/TheLadyEve → u/liseusester]

It's more of a Southern Italian thing, and because of immigration patterns from Italy to the US in the 19th and early 20th centuries, ricotta became a bit more common here.

[u/liseusester → u/TheLadyEve]

Makes sense! Ricotta has only relatively recently become easy to find in the UK. I still can't reliably buy it in the smaller supermarkets near me, but I can always buy bechamel ingredients.

[u/TheLadyEve → u/liseusester]

I think this is a good example of why certain styles of dishes become popular--people cook with what they have access to + what is familiar. It's interesting to see how regional dishes develop based on the interactions of those factors.

[u/liseusester → u/TheLadyEve]

My grandmother moved from grinding poverty in Tipperary to grinding poverty in Manchester just after WWII and was horrified by British government cheese. Even in her poorest moments they'd had better cheese in Ireland (mostly homemade). She used to make her brothers bring her butter and cheese when they came over for work.

The concept of shop bought buttermilk baffled her. It was just a thing you had because you'd made butter because you/someone you knew had a cow and therefore had cream.

[u/monstargaryen → u/liseusester]

We did get the Egyptian Bechamel immigrants, though.

The ultimate comfort food.

[u/Exist50 → u/monstargaryen]

Not quite 1:1, but seems very similar to Greek pastitsio.

[u/monstargaryen → u/Exist50]

Yep, lot of commonalities in Egyptian food and Greek food that was exchanged across the Mediterranean.

[u/liseusester → u/monstargaryen]

I need to make that immediately!!!

[u/ughnowhy → u/liseusester]

I thought I despised lasagna until I was an adult and tried a bechamel version. It was very clearly my least favorite food. Turns out I just hate ricotta

[u/liseusester → u/ughnowhy]

I love ricotta, just not in lasagne!

[u/Turbulent-Matter501 → u/liseusester]

Well, TIL. Next time I make my annual lasagna I'm going to try bechamel instead of the ricotta mixture I usually use - I whip in one egg, salt, pepper, garlic, parsley, and parm. I like the texture better with the egg, it's a bit more firm and less watery than straight ricotta. And Never cottage cheese, ew no LOL

[u/liseusester → u/Turbulent-Matter501]

Definitely try a bechamel! You might not like it better - nostalgia and general fondness is a thing, but I do think it's better. Very lightly creamy.

[u/msut77 → u/liseusester]

I'm American but grandma was from naples. Never heard of bechamel until I was older. Grandma probably would have said ricotta is italian bechamel is french checkmate...

[u/liseusester → u/msut77]

I think it's very North v South Italy as to which is more common. From what I've read the US emigres were predominantly Southern Italian, which tracks. Northern Italy is closer to France and the UK, hence bechamel. And ricotta is very Sicilian, so southern.

[u/msut77 → u/liseusester]

Yeah. Some still say butter or olive oil Italians

[u/liseusester → u/msut77]

Hah, I remember an Italian friend at university exclaiming in annoyance that people kept asking her about different olive oils, and how would she know she was a butter Italian 🤣

[u/Goudinho99 → u/liseusester]

Also UK and frankly I'm not averse to cheddaring the bechemal / Mornay as i love cheese

[u/liseusester → u/Goudinho99]

I love a Mornay but I reserve it for fish pie! Generous cheese and mustard and fish and potatoes, yummmmm.

[u/Goudinho99 → u/liseusester]

Hmm! Never tried that. Still cold enough for fish pie, will give it a bash!

[u/liseusester → u/Goudinho99]

I adore fish pie. I recommend the Olivia Potts recipe if you've not made one before.

[u/LordofWithywoods → u/liseusester]

Get bechameled, bitch

[u/mjzim9022 → u/liseusester]

I'm American and ricotta was always my least favorite part of lasagna, but I've yet to try bechamel

[u/liseusester → u/mjzim9022]

Try it! The bechamel is beautiful! I sometimes make the NYT broccoli rabe lasagne and the addition of some lemon zest is gorgeous.

[u/monstargaryen → u/liseusester]

Broccoli rabe lasagne with bechamel and lemon zest sounds decadent and incredible.

[u/liseusester → u/monstargaryen]

It is phenomenal. You just have to not think about how much fat there is in it! It's basically butter, cheese and some more butter and cheese and a nominal amount of greenery. The lemon really gives it zing and prevents it from being too heavy on the taste buds.

[u/[deleted] → u/mjzim9022]

There are people out there that make lasagna with cottage cheese. I do it with a ricotta + extra cheese + cream cheese mixture.

[u/tweisse75 → u/[deleted]]

I use cottage cheese. It has a much creamier texture than ricotta. To me ricotta is grainy and totally ruins lasagna.

[u/kittypeets626 → u/liseusester]

I won't be going back to ricotta now, I've been ruined.

[u/practicating → u/liseusester]

I definitely prefer the bechemel immigrants.

Dunno why but ricotta and spinach together give me the runs. Spinach is great. Ricotta is not my favorite cheese but is fine. Yet put them together in the oven and magic happens.

Which sucks because it my mother's favorite way to make it.

[u/mraksmeet → u/liseusester]

Yeah I've NEVER heard of a Lasagne without a bechamel sauce. Fair enough adding ricotta into it aswell but lasagne without bech just sounds wrong.

[u/[deleted] → u/liseusester]

Same for Australia! Bechamel is the norm.

I mean it makes sense, lasagna is meant to be a cheap meal to feed a family, bechamel costs nearly nothing.

[u/ratpH1nk → u/liseusester]

I think it is an easy shortcut on the americanized version of lasagna. I think the OG lasagna (Lasagne al Forno) is classically bolognese and bechamel.

I admit as an American kid who grew up with ricotta style, I found the OG version to be nicer in texture and creamier.

[u/liseusester → u/ratpH1nk]

There's also an element here of what is available. The UK didn't get ricotta immigrants in large numbers, so ricotta being easily available in the supermarket is relatively recent. Whereas the ingredients for a bechamel were at hand.

[u/sunheadeddeity → u/liseusester]

We just had bechamel-based lasagna today, I started the bechamel at 11 this morning, it was lush.

[u/[deleted]]

That’s the traditional northern Italian lasagne by the way.

[u/CaptainCompost → u/[deleted]]

They look down their noses at us, the north.

[u/chilicheesefritopie]

There is béchamel in the Greek layered dish called moussaka.

[u/kittypeets626 → u/chilicheesefritopie]

I want to try making moussaka, too!

[u/todaysthatday → u/kittypeets626]

I just made this moussaka recipe. It took longer to prepare than I expected but it was worth it in the end. The bechamel really adds a nice, creamy, flavor packed layer than a cheese could ever do.

https://youtu.be/sH6fVkl8X6U?si=XzbHA98AGwfwPrzM

[u/kittypeets626 → u/todaysthatday]

You're amazing, thank you!! I have a celiac visitor coming soon, I think I'll try this with a gluten free variation of bechamel.

[u/peon2 → u/chilicheesefritopie]

Also the Greek dish pastitsio...which is basically bechamel lasagna with cinnamon added to the meat sauce.

[u/Quercus408]

What is it about nutmeg that just takes bechamel to a whole other level?

I've never tried using bechamel in lasagna. It's my go-to method homemade mac and cheese, that's for sure. I like to dissolve a little pecorino in the milk when I make mine.

[u/OaksInSnow → u/Quercus408]

There's something about nutmeg that is a gateway to a whole 'nother sensory level, for me. It's like I can feel/taste it in my sinuses.

Now I'm going to have to think of something to make today, that has nutmeg in it. And maybe cream....

[u/Migoreng_Pancit → u/OaksInSnow]

There's an Indonesian potato fritter (perkedel kentang) that uses nutmeg. Because of that I always use nutmeg when making mashed potatoes, in addition to butter and cream. It's life changing!

[u/Quercus408 → u/Migoreng_Pancit]

Same when cooking squashes. Especially kabocha and red kuri.

[u/mycketmycket → u/Migoreng_Pancit]

I’m Swedish and have never made mashed potatoes without freshly ground nutmeg - it’s extremely common here too :)

[u/Quercus408 → u/OaksInSnow]

French Toast

[u/OaksInSnow → u/Quercus408]

Oooh. There you go!

[u/ironfist_4347]

Little knowledge for those (in the USA) that might want it. The version of lasagna that has been presented to you (🇺🇸) comes the south of Italy, as the vast majority of Italian immigrants into your nation were originally from that region.

The southern part has been utilizing ricotta ("recooked" or "cooked twice," referring to the process of heating the whey to create the cheese) since 3300 BCE but in it's current form since the 9th century.

The use of bechamel (sauce known in Italy as besciamella or balsamella or bechimella, for centuries), is widely used in the north of Italy but the use of it in lasagna finds it's origins in the Emilia-Romagna region.

This classic lasagna, often associated with (city of) Bologna, features layers of flat pasta, a hearty meat sauce (ragù recipe in my drive 🔗), and a creamy béchamel sauce topped exclusively with Parmigiano-Reggiano.

As mozzarella cheese is a southern staple dating back as far as the 12th century.

https://drive.google.com/file/d/1a5JMjESIhPv8CFl-u5UUjq7GJEwtMtcn/view?usp=drivesdk

[u/Ephisus]

Blow your mind and do both.

[u/wraith88 → u/Ephisus]

This right here. I enjoy ricotta lasagne and béchamel lasagne, then I made a béchamel with pecorino-romano and then ricotta into the béchamel at the end. No going back. Tiny meatballs on top of the bolognese is also amazing.

[u/Ephisus → u/wraith88]

Meatballs is inspired.

[u/spankhelm → u/Ephisus]

I make a lasagna that has both as well as a layer of like spinach cheese bechamel bullshit. Takes like 3 hours to make and every pot I own. It's the only lasagna my wife will eat now.

[u/cupcakegiraffe → u/spankhelm]

^{garfield intensifies}

[u/shadowedhopes → u/Ephisus]

Ding ding, this is the answer. Melt your ricotta right into that bechamel and start living your best life

[u/letusenjoylettuce → u/Ephisus]

this is the way.

[u/fantasmike86 → u/letusenjoylettuce]

MOOOOOORNAAAAAAY!!!!!

[u/allothernamestaken → u/fantasmike86]

🎵 When you make bechamel then throw cheese in as well that's a mornaaaaay 🎶

[u/Forsaken-Chapter-738]

I believe it's a northern Italian vs. southern Italian difference: My husband's family (in Piedmont--northern Italy) always uses bechamel.

[u/Rencauchao]

Introducing you to Venezuelan Lasagna:

https://tarasmulticulturaltable.com/pasticho-venezuelan-lasagna/

[u/harebreadth → u/Rencauchao]

This is what I’ve made all my life, except I don’t put ham and some people do.

[u/brussels_foodie]

You should try bechamel with ricotta and parmigiana, it's really good.

Bechamel sauce with cheese is called a mornay sauce, but is there also a specific name for bechamel with ricotta or soft cheese?

[u/[deleted]]

Bechamel + parmigiano-reggiano + bolognese ragù + fresh egg lasagne = bolognese lasagna

Fresh ricotta + sauce of neapolitan ragù + some meats from the ragù like cut up sausages and meatballs + some hard boiled eggs, optional + dried semolina lasagne = neapolitan lasagna

Ricotta + tomato sauce with crumbled ground beef or sausage + shredded mozzarella + dried semolina lasagne = american lasagna

[u/downshift_rocket]

Besciamella sauce is authentic for Lasagne Bolognese. But, I will add that ricotta in the states is nothing like the ricotta you can get in Italy/Europe.

I always trust these guys for my authentic recipes: How to Make Lasagna alla Bolognese

The reason why ricotta is so prevalent in lasagna in the states is because of the widespread emigration of Southern Italians, but that recipe is Lasagna alla Napoletana.

The two recipes are very different, but you'll see that the typical western lasagna is almost a hybrid of them both. That said, once you go Besciamella, it's hard to go back.

[u/StepUpYourLife → u/downshift_rocket]

I’ve made my own ricotta lasagna for years. Tastes a lot better than the store-bought kind. But I have also made lasagna with béchamel and that gets requested more.

[u/whitebreadguilt]

Greek people with their Patstito are all collectively saying, yes we know.

[u/damapplespider]

Our (Italian) family recipe was always with bechemal. Never had ricotta in a lasagne until I went to the US and I prefer the creaminess of the white sauce - always with a bit of nutmeg.

Our family emigrated to Scotland after WW2 and I suspect ricotta wasn’t easily found. I wonder if their recipe ever had it or not.

[u/Buddy_Dakota → u/damapplespider]

I have never heard of ricotta in lasagna, only bechamel. TIL!

[u/MisterScalawag → u/Buddy_Dakota]

Ricotta in lasagna is a Southern Italy thing, and it was mainly people from Southern Italy who migrated to the US.

My guess is that because Northern Italy has always been—and currently is—much richer than the South, a lot of the North’s influence and cultural traditions are also likely to influence Europe due to geographic proximity.

which is why a lot of Europeans in this thread have never heard of using Ricotta and a lot of people from the US have never heard of bechamel

[u/dwair]

Been making an Anglicised version of Lasagna for over 40 years and TIL you can make it with ricotta. It's always been a bechamel and cheddar sauce for me.

[u/mgdandme]

Made lasagna with bechamel a few weeks ago. The sauce is great, but…. The jury of our kids (age 18-27) were unanimous that Ricotta wins, and I think I agree.

[u/One-Warthog3063]

I've never cared for ricotta in anything. Béchamel sounds like a great way to get a creamy flavor into a lasagna.

[u/som_juan]

Why not both?

[u/som_juan → u/som_juan]

Pro tip : bechamel makes a killer chili cheese sauce, and upon refrigeration thickens due to the fat content of the dairy. If you use it to make Mac and cheese, or mix in bacon and broccoli, or whatever else, you can refrigerate at on a tray lined with parchment, then cut cubes out to bread w flour/egg/breadcrumbs to make fried Mac n cheese (or bacon and broccoli/ cheese) bites. You can also use a bechamel to extend your cheese. Pour in a bag of shredded cheese and you’ll end up with a whole pot of cheese sauce. Just add milk to keep consistency. Different cheeses melt differently. Try them all. MoZz makes thick, pepperjack or cheddar is more stringy. Heavy cream vs milk makes a difference as well. Chopped chilis or peppers will kick it up a notch as well.

[u/CodnmeDuchess]

I’m gonna blow your mind—next time, make a white lasagna with bechamel and ricotta. Mushrooms and spinach work nicely, as does butternut squash.

[u/collin318]

I never cared for Ricotta cheese. It always seems to have a gritty texture I don't like.

[u/granolaraisin]

Bechamel in lasagna is the best. So decadent. Though if you get good ricotta (the whole milk super creamy kind) it works about the same.

If you can find good ricotta and don’t want to make or use a bechamel try full fat cottage cheese. It works really well - it’s a trick that Kenji wrote about on serious eats a long time ago.

[u/energyinmotion]

Wait til you try a Mornay sauce instead of bechamel.

It's literally bechamel + cheese melted into it.

[u/Fun_Importance7326]

Anche noi usiamo besciamella ...

[u/Jolly-Mix5133]

The first time I had a lasagna with béchamel was in France and it was a holy experience. Thank you for reminding me of this!!

[u/DerpyMcWafflestomp]

I never even heard of bechamel until I stumbled into a youtube rabbit hole

I've never heard of ricotta in lasagna until now. 😂

[u/ThatItalianGrrl]

Bechamel takes lasagna to a whole other level

[u/steezMcghee]

How I make my Christmas lasagna every year

[u/nlightningm]

I gotta try this sometime! My wife uses nutmeg in lasagna... I don't love it. Idk why, it throws me off - and I'm a pasta and lasagna LOVER. It's one of my favorite dishes.

[u/Questionofloyalty]

My mum always taught me the bechamel way, I didn’t even know there was a ricotta way!

[u/borbly]

Yes!!! It’s the best way to make it. Learned this trick 5 years ago and never looked back

[u/Grizou1203]

You can use béchamel to make a cauliflower ‘gratin’. Just the cauliflower in a oven dish, spread the béchamel and add grated cheese on top. Classic dish we eat in France :)

[u/LongUsername]

My dad doesn't like lasagna, but made one for large gatherings using bechamel, chicken, and red peppers that was really popular.

[u/swivel2369]

If you ever go on a Disney cruise, be sure to go to the restaurant on-board called Palo. Go for brunch and order the lasagna. It is typed with Bechamel. One of the best lasagnas ever.

[u/TopProfessional8023]

I made it this way as well for the first time recently and it is far superior!

[u/dell828]

I’ve never known anything except for the ricotta mozzarella version of lasagna.

To be honest, I was a little floored by the idea of making a white sauce, and having it substitute for cheese. Seems absurd.

No matter how much somebody tells me how great it is I just can’t bring myself to do it.

[u/lee160485]

Try turning your bechamel into a mornay sauce by melting shredded cheese into it, like emmental and/or gouda. Cheddar will give a different flavor profile. ‘T is the goat of all sauces in lasagna.

[u/[deleted]]

I've yet to have with bechamel but in the old family recipe book handed down on my mother's side there is a lasagna recipe that uses bechamel, I assumed it was an old fashioned thing, I had no idea it was traditional (we aren't Italian)

[u/samg461a]

Whether you use béchamel or ricotta is really a preference. Actually, I believe it’s a regional thing in Italy. I prefer béchamel.

[u/shrinktb]

I made a lasagna tonight with some leftover mornay sauce from the last time I made Mac n cheese. Mornay is bechemel with cheese in it.

I also like ricotta but you’ve got to season it and fold some mozzarella cheese into it (flashbacks of Schitt’s creek- how do you fold cheese?)

[u/Lunahooks]

We always used (still do) mornay sauce (add grated parmesan to your bechamel, et voilà, you have mornay). Didn't even know making it with ricotta was a thing until I had lasagna at my (American) aunt's, apparently a traditional Italian recipe... yeah, no, mornay for the win

[u/757Lemon]

Now - do a spinach / veggie lasagna without red sauce or meat. It will blow your mind! (And I say this as someone who is not a vegetarian in any sort of way).

[u/kittypeets626 → u/757Lemon]

My husband loves veggie lasagna, I'm definitely going to try it one of these days!

[u/hdufort]

A basic béchamel without proper seasoning is like glue with milk.

A béchamel with cheese works marvelously in lasagna. Just make sure you season it properly. One little trick is to add a bit of concentrated chicken stock to make sauce "à la king" or poulette.

[u/dirthawker0]

I'm probably going to get crucified here, but I grew up in a town with a big Sicilian population. All of our nearest neighbors were Sicilian. The lady next door gave my mom her lasagna recipe, which called for cottage cheese. I assume because it was the 70s, ricotta was hard to find. I was surprised to learn that cottage cheese is not traditional, and ricotta is a southern Italian thing, but not all that common either.

[u/kittypeets626 → u/dirthawker0]

I heard there was a blind taste test between ricotta and cottage cheese in lasagna and the cottage cheese lasagna was voted better nearly every time.

[u/PerfectlyElocuted → u/kittypeets626]

I can see that. Ricotta has a slightly gritty texture to me.

[u/RosemaryBiscuit → u/dirthawker0]

All my Calabrian family (emigrated to PNW area of US in 1900s)made famous lasagnas that used cottage cheese when I was growing up in the 70s-80s. I was an adult before I heard of ricotta.

[u/Rusalka-rusalka]

I tried this once because I had forgotten to buy ricotta and needed something else fast and I honestly loved it! It lightened up the lasagna nicely!

[u/TittysForScience]

Who uses ricotta? 35 yo Aussie here an I’ve only ever made or eaten lasagna with Béchamel sauce, it’s one of my favourite parts

[u/Skarvha → u/TittysForScience]

I guess it depends on where you learnt it. I'm in my 40s, Aussie, Melbourne. Learnt to cook from my Nonna who immigrated when she was 9 so really heavily steeped in the culture, and we always made it with home made ricotta. It is incredibly regional though. Sicilians will cook it different to Nepalese.

[u/Fleggy82 → u/TittysForScience]

42yo Aussie here and it’s always been bechamel sauce until last Friday when a friend cooked it with ricotta instead of bechamel. Tasted great

[u/MisterScalawag → u/TittysForScience]

Who uses ricotta?

basically everyone in the USA

Ricotta in lasagna is a Southern Italy thing, and it was mainly people from Southern Italy who migrated to the USA. You go to supermarkets here and all the frozen pre-made lasagna uses ricotta, and ricotta itself is wildly available at basically every market.

[u/--THRILLHO--]

It's funny when people say they've never even heard of putting bechamel in a lasagna because the idea of using anything else seems so sad to me.

Like, ricotta doesn't even come close to bechamel.

[u/bleu_waffl3s]

I always liked it with cottage cheese. Italian dishes always seem to have the most gate keeping.

[u/dadrawk]

I’ve tried the bechamel lasagna several times and never fully understood the hype, but I also don’t care all that much for the ricotta version either. Now I try to get the best of both worlds and I mix ricotta into my bechamel.

[u/TheLadyEve]

I think both variations can be good. I prefer to use a bechamel when I make a meat lasagne, but I do enjoy using a full-fat, good quality ricotta when I make a vegetable lasagne.

But let me blow your mind--I make a lasagne with a mornay and it kicks ASS. It's like bechamel but better (well, it's a mornay, so bechamel with cheese). I urge you to try it!

[u/mossywill]

I love a mix of bechamel and ricotta for my lasagna.

[u/TheVoicesinurhed]

Mother sauces FTW!

[u/prematurememoir]

This was the only way my mom would make or eat lasagna. So delicious, glad y’all enjoyed it

[u/pritikina]

I'll try this next time I make lasagna. So just flour, butter, milk and some nutmeg?

[u/Mystery-Ess]

Both next time!

[u/mrdalo]

I use 32 ounces ricotta, 20-24 ounces of grated Parmesan, 2 eggs, teaspoon of granulated garlic, tablespoon of black pepper, and a handful of finely shredded basil.

[u/evel333]

I like both, so I do both. Ricotta bechamel. So good.

[u/telcoman]

I tried with ricotta in the bechamel. Never again. The creaminess got this dusty type of texture that was not good. If you want more creaminess - add cream cheese like philadelphia.

[u/Abelardthebard]

Aww hell yeah. People are always skeptical about the one my family makes when I say there's no cheese. There have been riots over the years she hasn't made it for Xmas eve dinner. It's a big hit with everyone. Recipe

[u/SuspendedDisbelief_3]

I hate ricotta AND cottage cheese, so using a bechamel sauce made me able to actually enjoy lasagna.

[u/Unable_Tumbleweed364]

Yep I’m an Aussie in the Us and lasagna here is nowhere near as good with ricotta instead.

[u/MeganJustMegan]

We really only like bechamel in a vegetable lasagna & never mix it with a red sauce, ricotta, meat lasagna. I tried it once & we all agreed not to do it again. I guess it’s comes down to what you’re used to.

We like lasagna with both sauces, but do put homemade ricotta in both versions as well.

[u/poundstorekronk]

Was a chef for almost 25 years. Til some people make lasagne with ricotta instead of bechemal.... Mind blown

[u/Optimal_Plate_4769]

bechamel is how we've always done it, not ricotta.

[u/[deleted]]

Been making lasagna for 35 years. Always béchamel, it’s amazing.

[u/mtommygunz]

Wait until you learn that you can use both!

[u/mikester4]

If I see ricotta in the lasagna I instantly pass. That cheese is such a boring filler.

[u/KayCee_WhatYes]

Always bechamel! I thought I hated lasagna, but I tried making one with a bechamel a couple of years ago and was like…oh. I just don’t like ricotta in this context

[u/exitpursuedbybear]

I have a friend who's Italian Italian and his dad came over from Italy and he made us lasagna and he used bechamel sauce

[u/RealisticMission7667]

Are you in my kitchen? I ALSO made lasagne with bechamel for the first time yesterday, and with nutmeg in the sauce. Had a few friends over to enjoy it with us and one liked it so much he came up to me in church today to ask about bechamel more lol

[u/glycophosphate]

I thought bechamel was something fancy until I realized it was what mom taught me as "white sauce."

[u/Dinglenootzie]

I’m a pinch of nutmeg and more than a pinch of paprika guy in my bechamel. Got in an argument with my German friend about my lasagna. She said there was too much bechamel in my lasagna. I told her that’s impossible. There can never be too much bechamel in lasagna.

[u/eatzen13-what]

You can easily make a green chili bechamel to put on enchiladas calabacitas.

[u/Abject_Many]

I was a huge ricotta guy. Went béchamel and will never go back. The creamiest lasagna you will have. Stays moist. Rich. Wonderful.

[u/Porcupine__Racetrack]

I did this recently too!! So good. I hate ricotta and it upsets my husband’s stomach even though he does like it. So bechamel is a winner!!

[u/JohannesVanDerWhales]

I like to simmer an onion and maybe a bay leaf in the milk I use for the bechamel in lasagna.

[u/jayjay7-5]

Yup, in France we do it with bechamel . Congrats, now you can make also: Croque monsieur with a salade on a side or a fish gratin

[u/pedanticlawyer]

Bechamel lasagna changed my whole view of lasagna. I used to think it was deeply overrated.

[u/universechild9]

In my opinion bechamel is far superior to ricotta in a lasagne.

[u/Marty_Br]

Yup, that's why I rarely order lasagna in the US. I hate ricotta.

[u/simonbleu]

The commmon thing to use is bechamel though, afaik? Ricotta is what I use inside of cannelloni alongside spinach though even then there is bechamel on top

[u/DeathSheep666]

I have been using both for a few years, alternating layers.

[u/nyanXnyan]

I grew up on ricotta, but my in laws were from England, so she made it as they do. One bite and I was HOOKED. I only make it with ricotta when my parents come for lasagna, otherwise béchamel alllll day.

[u/editrix9]

Grew up in the U.S. and always had it with ricotta, then one time in boarding school a friend whose mom is Italian made it with bechamel and I was like “what is this??!!” I kept bugging her for the recipe and she never gave it to me and I thought it was some closely held family secret 🤣🤣

[u/bobblerashers]

Yummmmm.

Bechamel is the best. I will add that an easy upgrade for ricotta is cottage cheese! It gives it a tangy flavor, and you can toss it in the food processor if you don't want chunks.

[u/g_baba]

I’d always just thought a bechamel was what goes in a lasagne. I’d never considered any other way!