Why You Shouldn't Use Cottage Cheese In Lasagna

Cottage cheese in lasagna? Ugh, the very thought gives me agida; I grew up in an Italian American household where it was ricotta or nothing. It's gratifying to know that Chef Joe Isidori of New York City's Arthur & Sons agrees with me on this. When The Takeout asked him if he'd ever consider using cottage cheese in his lasagna, he replied, "No way!!! Not even close. Cottage cheese and ricotta are totally different — [it's] like comparing an apple to an orange." As Isidori explained, "Cottage cheese has a much looser, wetter consistency with noticeable curds, whereas ricotta is smooth and creamy." 

So, what do you get if you do use cottage cheese as a substitute for ricotta? Isidori told us, saying, "The texture of lasagna would suffer, becoming grainy instead of velvety." He also warned that it would affect the flavor, saying, "Ricotta has a mild, slightly sweet taste that complements the richness of the dish, while cottage cheese is tangier and doesn't blend the same way." His recommendation? "Stick with ricotta or find another way to elevate your cheese game."

As Joe Isidori noted, lasagna in Northern Italy is typically made with béchamel sauce, but in Southern Italy ricotta is a main ingredient. Isidori speculates that "In the U.S., ricotta became the go-to because of its availability and how well it balances the acidity of tomato sauce." Its ubiquity might also have to do with the fact that about 80% of Italian immigrants who came to the United States between 1880 and 1921 were from the southern Mezzogiorno region, which includes Abruzzo and Basilicata (where my people came from) as well as Sicily (ancestral home of just about every other Italian American I've met). Still, rich and flavorful béchamel sauce makes a perfectly acceptable ricotta substitute even if it lacks such deep roots here in the U.S. Some people even argue that, in lasagna, béchamel is better than ricotta.

If you don't want to go through the bother of making béchamel, Isidori advised, "If you're skipping ricotta, the best move is to amp up the other cheeses. Mozzarella, pecorino, and provolone can all step up and deliver big on flavor." Many recipes, including our stovetop lasagna, call for mozzarella, which Isidori endorsed since it melts so well. "Layer these cheeses in just as you would ricotta," Isidori instructed, adding, "making sure to balance moisture levels so everything melds together beautifully." That being said, you could always opt for something a bit more unexpected. For example, Ina Garten adds goat cheese to her turkey lasagna. Just don't go telling any lasagna purists that you plan on taking such liberties with the dish.