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Original poster

What cheese do you use on your lasagna top?

134 replies

Dringo · 30/08/2024 13:00

Boring question alert 🚨

Had a 10 year old admonish me for using cheddar cheese last night! Her mother only uses buffalo mozzarella and Parmesan don’t you know.

I’ve always just used whatever cheddar we have knocking around as I really don’t like the after taste of Parmesan and find mozzarella bland. I know it’s not authentic

i think my lasagna is gorgeous.

OP posts:
AlwaysCoffee25 · 20/02/2025 10:02

Doodledogsaredoolally · 19/02/2025 18:16

My mum's lasagne is the best (in my opinion) and it has no additional cheese topping.

It's a Bolognese sauce made with beef mince, onions, garlic, passata and a bay leaf simmer for an hour, or better still, simmered the day before and then stored overnight. Then a white sauce with a whole big tub of Philadelphia full fat cream cheese and a bit of mustard powder stirred in too.

In a big pyrex dish, the meat sauce, then a layer of the creamy sauce, then a layer of dry lasagne sheets, repeat, then top with the remaining meat sauce and the remaining creamy sauce on top. Baked for about 45 mins.

It's saucy and sloppy, and the edges go dark and a bit bubbly and crispy. This are the bits I fight for. I don't like shop bought or restaurant lasagne because there's too much pasta for me.

Shop bought lasagnes are so naff.

Pickingmyselfup · 19/02/2025 19:14

For the sauce I put in cheddar, cream cheese, parmesan.

I sprinkle mozzarella and cheddar mix in between all the layers and then some on top.

It's a cheese abomination but I love cheese so the more the better in my opinion.

I also put garlic in the bolognese as well as red wine which I don't think is "right"

I often use cream and wine in my carbonara

I will never be allowed to live in Italy, they will turn me away at the airport.

Waitingfordaffs · 19/02/2025 18:50

I use cheese sauce and cheddar on top as that’s what I always have in - mozzarella for pizzas though

Greenisthebestcolour · 19/02/2025 18:46

@Doodledogsaredoolally Your mum's lasagne sounds delicious!

SandalsandPools · 19/02/2025 18:29

GladSatsumaShark · 01/09/2024 08:19

In a way, but creme fraiche doesn’t really go in a lasagne tbf. Although I use it often too in pasta dishes, and it’s very tasty!

Show quote history

I always use crème fraiche instead of making a sauce. I love it and find the sauce too rich for my liking. I don’t care if it makes Italians faint in horror.

Zanatdy · 19/02/2025 18:28

I just use bog standard cheddar too. How I like it.

SandalsandPools · 19/02/2025 18:27

A mixture of cheddar and mozzarella as I can’t bear parmesan or any cheese that tastes like it.

aSpanielintheworks · 19/02/2025 18:25

Grated mozzarella with a sprinkle of ground Nutmeg on

Doodledogsaredoolally · 19/02/2025 18:16

My mum's lasagne is the best (in my opinion) and it has no additional cheese topping.

It's a Bolognese sauce made with beef mince, onions, garlic, passata and a bay leaf simmer for an hour, or better still, simmered the day before and then stored overnight. Then a white sauce with a whole big tub of Philadelphia full fat cream cheese and a bit of mustard powder stirred in too.

In a big pyrex dish, the meat sauce, then a layer of the creamy sauce, then a layer of dry lasagne sheets, repeat, then top with the remaining meat sauce and the remaining creamy sauce on top. Baked for about 45 mins.

It's saucy and sloppy, and the edges go dark and a bit bubbly and crispy. This are the bits I fight for. I don't like shop bought or restaurant lasagne because there's too much pasta for me.

Greenisthebestcolour · 19/02/2025 18:04

I use cheddar or sometimes a cheddar and mozzarella mix.

AlwaysCoffee25 · 19/02/2025 17:42

Mozzarella, cheddar and Parmesan if we have them all in.

GladSatsumaShark · 01/09/2024 08:19

FanofLeaves · 01/09/2024 07:25

I’d argue that lasagne pretty much IS a pasta gratin 😆

Show quote history

In a way, but creme fraiche doesn’t really go in a lasagne tbf. Although I use it often too in pasta dishes, and it’s very tasty!

MissScarletInTheBallroom · 01/09/2024 08:06

I'm with the 10 year old. Mozzarella and parmesan. Cheddar is too strong for lasagne.

Eyestothewind · 01/09/2024 08:05

I use Parmesan and mozzarella but do sometimes put some cheddar on too...individual taste I guess!

HoppingPavlova · 01/09/2024 08:02

I use a combination of fresh mozzarella, parmesan and (pecorino)romano. Wouldn’t a cheddar bake crispy as opposed to nicely molten with just the right stretch?

WhereAreWeNow · 01/09/2024 07:30

Depends what cheese I have! Cheddar, parmesan, pecorino, grana padano... It's all good! I have used mozzarella before but personally I'm not crazy about the texture of it on a lasagne.

ZenNudist · 01/09/2024 07:29

buffalo mozzarella on top but usually only one ball and I mix the pre grated hard mozzarella (which i keep frozen for pasta bakes) and Parmesan

Parmesan gets sprinkled on each bechamel layer too.

I don't like it much with English cheese on.

HelenWheels · 01/09/2024 07:26

i dont like parmesan
cheddar
and if we have it, mozarella

FanofLeaves · 01/09/2024 07:25

GladSatsumaShark · 31/08/2024 11:56

That’s a pasta gratin though. Tasty, but certainly not lasagne.

Edited
Show quote history

I’d argue that lasagne pretty much IS a pasta gratin 😆

GladSatsumaShark · 31/08/2024 11:56

JaceLancs · 30/08/2024 18:43

I mix crème fraiche with soft cheese and add some grated cheese of whatever needs eating up first then sprinkle Parmesan on top

That’s a pasta gratin though. Tasty, but certainly not lasagne.

JaceLancs · 30/08/2024 18:43

I mix crème fraiche with soft cheese and add some grated cheese of whatever needs eating up first then sprinkle Parmesan on top

poetryandwine · 30/08/2024 18:22

RootToVictory · 30/08/2024 18:06

Same. This is what’s suggested in Silver Spoon as well.

That said, I’ve eaten lots of different lasagne in my life and loved them all, including some with cheddar. And IME Italian concerns about authenticity generally take the form of proclaiming that however it’s done in their home town is the authentic way and the next town along is getting it all wrong 😂

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You are so right! Actually it might be that every family has special Lasagne Secrets

My English friend who is a fab cook uses beef mince, cream and lots if cheddar in her lasagne. It’s a very different dish but a delicious one that I am always happy to eat

RootToVictory · 30/08/2024 18:06

poetryandwine · 30/08/2024 13:12

My (Italian) recipe calls for a light dusting of Parmesan and I’ve never had complaints.

Same. This is what’s suggested in Silver Spoon as well.

That said, I’ve eaten lots of different lasagne in my life and loved them all, including some with cheddar. And IME Italian concerns about authenticity generally take the form of proclaiming that however it’s done in their home town is the authentic way and the next town along is getting it all wrong 😂

dizzydizzydizzy · 30/08/2024 17:41

Whatever cheese I have in the fridge but I always add Parmesan

HowardTJMoon · 30/08/2024 17:04

I think next time I'll use Dairylea and listen for the sound of Italian nannas exploding in rage