Love lasagna but don’t love ricotta cheese? This Easy Lasagna Recipe without Ricotta Cheese is a must make! Use my simple, secret ingredient to get the perfect creamy texture for homemade lasagna without ricotta cheese.
Nothing says comfort food to me like a big, hearty, plate of homemade lasagna. It’s one of my favorite meals to make because my family loves it and it’s one of those dishes that looks like it took more effort than it really did.
Most lasagna recipes call for ricotta cheese, but there’s just something about the texture that ruins it for me. I’m coming around, there’s a really yummy stuffed shells recipe that uses ricotta and I love it, but I just don’t seem to like it in my lasagna.
What is Ricotta Cheese?
Ricotta is a creamy white, mild, fresh cheese with a soft texture and a slightly sweet flavor that is commonly used in pasta dishes and even desserts. It’s like a fine-textured cottage cheese and can be eaten as is with a little salt, pepper and fresh herbs.
Ricotta can be added to salads and dips, used as a filling for pastas like Ravioli and Tortellini, served as a dessert cheese with honey and fruit, or added to Cannoli and cheesecake recipes.
Ricotta translates to “re-cooked” and gets its name from the way it was originally produced using leftover whey from making Mozzarella and Provolone.
Easy Lasagna Recipe Without Ricotta Cheese
I may use Ricotta occasionally and welcome it in certain recipes, but I have never liked it in my lasagna. Something about the texture disrupts the whole dish for me. I want smooth and creamy bites of cheese that melt in with the hearty sauce and tender noodles. Ricotta, especially when done poorly, comes off as more chunky than creamy.
The secret to deliciously creamy homemade lasagna is a hidden milky egg mixture that goes between the layers. Something about mixing eggs with evaporated milk makes this lasagna magical.
No need to worry that you’ll have “scrambled eggs” in your lasagna… it all bakes up bubbly and perfect. You won’t even have to tell anyone there’s a secret ingredient in there.
How to Make Lasagna
Fully cook the meat, add the sauce and let simmer while your noodles cook. Once the noodles are fully cooked, layer the ingredients in a baking dish in this order: sauce on the bottom, followed by noodles, egg mixture, sauce, cheese and repeat for three layers.
Tips for Freezing Lasagna and Reheating
- Fully cook the lasagna as directed below and allow to cool before freezing.
- Freeze in an airtight container. We typically eat 1/2 of the pan first and then freeze the remainder.
- To reheat: place the frozen lasagna in the refrigerator to thaw overnight. Cover with foil and bake at 350 for 20 minutes. Uncover and bake an additional 10-15 minutes, or until fully heated through.
- To reheat from frozen: Cover with foil and bake at 350 for 45 minutes. Uncover and bake an additional 15-20 minutes, or until fully heated through.
- Never put a cold glass pan into a hot oven!
Creamy Lasagna
Ingredients
- 1 lb ground beef
- 24 oz jar of Marinara Sauce
- 12 Lasagne Noodles
- 4 cups mozzarella cheese
- 3 eggs
- 3 tbsp evaporated milk
- Italian Seasoning to taste
- Salt & Pepper to taste
- Garlic Powder to taste
Instructions
- Brown the meat over medium heat in a large skillet.
- Once the meat is fully cooked, drain and add the sauce.
- Add the spices and simmer over low heat. (Start with 1/4 tsp and adjust as needed, how much you add will depend on your preferences and how seasoned the sauce you use already is.)
- Cook the noodles as directed on the package.
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.
- Once the meat and noodles are cooked, whisk the eggs and milk together in a small bowl.
- Add a thin layer of meat sauce to a 9x13 glass pan.
- Layer with noodles, egg mixture, sauce, and cheese.
- Repeat this for a total of three layers.
- Top the final layer of noodles with the remaining egg mixture and cheese.
- Bake for 30 minutes, or until bubbly and melted.
Notes
Nutrition
Originally Published December 11, 2013 | Updated August 29, 2018
Looking for more lasagna? Try this delicious Lasagna Soup recipe!
Nancy says
April 10, 2019 at 11:45 amCan you make this with the no boil lasagna noodles? Should I go ahead and boil them first?
Emily Grace says
April 11, 2019 at 4:49 pmHmm, I’ve never tried that. Let me know if it works out!
Mackenzie says
December 22, 2018 at 9:21 pmThe taste all together is good, although I could not taste the milk/egg “magic”. Overall, I think this recipe is off base. I would double most of the ingredients. By the first layer, I was already out of meat sauce and had used two cups of mozzarella. For the second layer, I had to resort to tomato sauce and light mozzarella and the top/third layer only had about a cup of mozzarella. I had hardly any milk/egg mixture left by the final layer. Overall, just too little of everything for a 9 by 13 pan. Very surprised others haven’t given similar feedback. I’m bummed out because I purchased ingredients based on what is recommended on this page and it just wasn’t enough to have the full experience.
Emily Grace says
December 23, 2018 at 9:02 pmHi Mackenzie, sorry to hear you had disappointing results. It sounds like you need to scale back how much you put per layer to divide the ingredients more equally. You definitely shouldn’t be out of sauce by the first layer or use two cups of cheese per layer. The first layer of sauce should be very thin -basically only there so the noodles don’t stick to the bottom of the pan. Hope this helps.
Leah Parker says
August 8, 2018 at 5:59 pmWould you do steps 1-10, and then freeze?
Emily Grace says
September 19, 2018 at 11:47 amHi Leah, to freeze: Fully cook the lasagna as directed and allow to cool before freezing. Freeze in an airtight container. We typically eat 1/2 of the pan first and then freeze the remainder.
To reheat: place the frozen lasagna in the refrigerator to thaw overnight. Cover with foil and bake at 350 for 20 minutes. Uncover and bake an additional 10-15 minutes, or until fully heated through.
To reheat from frozen: Cover with foil and bake at 350 for 45 minutes. Uncover and bake an additional 15-20 minutes, or until fully heated through.
Brianne says
August 2, 2018 at 1:10 pmIf you freeze this, are you cooking it fully then freezing after cooked or not cooking and putting straight into freezer?? Different lasagna recipes say diff things.
Emily Grace says
September 19, 2018 at 11:47 amHi Brianne, to freeze: Fully cook the lasagna as directed and allow to cool before freezing. Freeze in an airtight container. We typically eat 1/2 of the pan first and then freeze the remainder.
To reheat: place the frozen lasagna in the refrigerator to thaw overnight. Cover with foil and bake at 350 for 20 minutes. Uncover and bake an additional 10-15 minutes, or until fully heated through.
To reheat from frozen: Cover with foil and bake at 350 for 45 minutes. Uncover and bake an additional 15-20 minutes, or until fully heated through.
Maurina Brown says
July 3, 2018 at 1:05 pmHi! I am using up extra meat and sauce from my freezer and have no ricotta. Saw your recipe and wondered what would happen if I add some squeezed out spinach and grated Parmesan into the egg and evaporated milk mixture. Any idea? I think I will try it tonight. Any feedback welcome!
Emily Grace says
July 3, 2018 at 11:50 pmSounds delicious! Would love to know how it worked out for you.
Robyn says
June 18, 2018 at 1:15 amWhat if i dont have evaporated milk. Will regular milk make it too runny?
Emily Grace says
June 18, 2018 at 9:33 amI haven’t tried it with regular milk, but the creamy magic is in the thicker evaporated milk.
Beth Lindsey says
December 17, 2017 at 4:30 pmWhat size jar of marinara do you use for the Lasagna w/o Ricotta recipe?
Emily Grace says
January 3, 2018 at 1:19 pm24 oz
Isabella Grace says
June 8, 2017 at 4:31 pmYum!
Jhanyz says
May 24, 2017 at 8:19 pmwhat are other substitutes for barilla sauce? will spaghetti sauce do?
Emily Grace says
May 24, 2017 at 11:14 pmYes, any of your favorite Marinara sauces will work
Maria Shaw says
April 23, 2017 at 11:09 amI love your recipe. Have made it a few times. Even though i like ricotta and cottage cheese I usually don’t have it on hand. This recipe has saved me, many a time. Only thing I do different is I add more than 3 tablespoons of evaporated milk. I have a large family and I make two trays. I add lots of meat too as my husband isn’t too fond of pasta. We all still enjoy it. Thanks so much for posting your recipe 😊
Emily Grace says
April 23, 2017 at 11:35 amSo glad you enjoy it, Maria! 🙂
Veronica Nix says
January 19, 2016 at 8:51 amWhat would the warm up directions be if you put this in the freezer?
Emily Grace says
January 21, 2016 at 12:44 pmTo reheat from thawed: place the frozen lasagna in the refrigerator to thaw overnight. Cover with foil and bake at 350 for 20 minutes. Uncover and bake an additional 10-15 minutes, or until fully heated through.
To reheat from frozen: Cover with foil and bake at 350 for 45 minutes. Uncover and bake an additional 15-20 minutes, or until fully heated through.
Tammy says
October 4, 2015 at 6:27 pmThis definitely looks like something I want to try. I love lasagna but I do not care for the texture of ricotta or cottage cheese that recipes usually require. They are a bit mushy to me. I like the thought of creamy instead. Can’t wait to try this.
Liz says
April 20, 2015 at 6:56 pmCan I make this at night uncooked,then cook it the next day?
Liv says
November 12, 2014 at 11:11 pmReal lasagna actually does not call for ricotta. If you are from Italy, you’d use a bechamel sauce instead of ricotta. Italians will look at you as if you’re crazy if you use ricotta.
Tricia B. says
October 27, 2014 at 12:22 amJust searched the web for a creamy lasagna with no ricotta since I’m living overseas & they don’t have many cheeses and this turned out perfectly!
I added roasted cubed eggplant, lots of oregano and didn’t put as much cheese in since it’s expensive here, but it turned out so delish still!! Thanks for the tips!!
Wendy says
April 25, 2014 at 10:17 amAmazing! I had planned on making a Lasagna and spaced on buying ricotta. This recipe exceeded my expectations! Definitely bookmarking! Thanks xo
Whitney says
March 26, 2014 at 2:56 pmMade this tonight and it was wonderful! My 3 years old gobbled it up too! I don’t like ricotta and this recipe is spot on! Thanks!
Alina Hayes says
March 16, 2014 at 6:24 pmI am so glad I came across your recipe. Lazagna is one of my favorite dishes and I have not been making it because my husband hates ricotta. This solved my problem and I just made it for the second time tonight!
Thank you!
Emily Bruno says
March 19, 2014 at 1:34 pmSo glad you like it Alina!
katie says
January 11, 2014 at 2:00 pmcan this recipe be made ahead of time?
Emily Bruno says
January 22, 2014 at 9:37 pmHi Kate- I’ve never tried that, but I do think it tastes just as good reheated the next day!
Nightphyre says
January 8, 2014 at 7:49 amMy family started using Cottage Cheese instead of Ricotta – and now with the 2% Low Fat varieties, they work just fine. Just make sure it’s “small curd”. It melts great and no one has ever figured out it’s cottage cheese. (I hate cottage cheese – but it’s great in Lasagne)
Gail says
April 9, 2019 at 12:44 pmHmmm, is 3T of evaporated milk really enough to do 3 layers in a 9×13 pan…and end up with any “creaminess” in the final dish. Sounds like way too little liquid to me…..I saw this recipe as I was looking for freezer meals for a new mom; I haven’t made it yet….unsure about the cream mixture proportion….
Emily Grace says
April 9, 2019 at 12:51 pmThe evaporated milk helps to thicken but the real creaminess is from the three eggs. Eggs are a great emulsifier, combined with the fat in the milk, yields a creamy, smooth texture. (Similar to add egg in carbonara.) Hope you give it a try!
Cheryl says
December 23, 2013 at 3:05 pmI love lasagna and I was intrigued by the “no ricotta” idea. Thank so much for sharing on Weekend Potluck! Happy Holidays & HUGS!
Elizabeth @ Confessions of a Baking Queen says
December 14, 2013 at 12:00 amI love that you made Lasagna without ricotta, I have a love/hate relationship with Ricotta. I will have to try ricotta-less lasagna next! Gorgeous photos 🙂
Lisa says
December 13, 2013 at 9:00 pmI thought I was alone in my dislike for the texture of ricotta! I have always made my lasagne without and I’ve just added more mozzarella and provolone. I love your addition. I’m going to try this, soon!
Chris at Hye Thyme Cafe says
December 11, 2013 at 10:00 pmSounds odd with the evaporated milk, but that has definitely piqued my curiosity! Looks beautiful!! 🙂
Linda says
December 11, 2013 at 1:46 pmOn my to make list! I’ll link it back to you when I make it, thanks for sharing.
Heather @ French Press says
December 11, 2013 at 10:44 amlooks SO good Emily! LOVE all that cheese 🙂
Trish - Mom On Timeout says
December 11, 2013 at 8:55 amThis lasagna looks amazing Emily! And without ricotta too 🙂 Awesome! Pinned this one!
Lauren @ Hall Nesting says
December 11, 2013 at 8:50 amThis screams warmth and comfort to me!