Lasagna, often thought of as a dish for a special occasion, has been around since the 14th century. When we think of lasagna, we often think of pasta, sauce, cheese, and maybe meat. However, one important ingredient in lasagna is eggs.
Eggs in your lasagna help the layers stay together. They also make your ricotta cheese creamier. So what do you do if you have everything ready, but you’re lacking eggs?
Some easy substitutes for eggs in your lasagna are yogurt, cream, mashed potatoes, and sour cream. If you’re looking for a more decadent substitute for eggs you can try bechamel sauce.
Easy Substitutes for Eggs
1. Yogurt
Having a similar taste and texture to ricotta cheese means you can substitute yogurt in place of eggs.
Yogurt is versatile and used in many baking dishes. You can use it with your ricotta cheese for a creamier texture. You can use it in place of both the ricotta and the eggs and still achieve a classic lasagna dish.
It’s just that adaptable.
2. Cream
If you’re a coffee drinker, it’s likely you keep some cream in your refrigerator. This makes cream another easy substitute for eggs.
The cream does take an extra step for maximum creaminess though.
You’ll want to whip it with a hand or stand mixer until it thickens. Adding a little cornstarch will help to bind the ingredients.
3. Mashed Potatoes
Sure, it sounds a little strange, but mashed potatoes are a fairly easy substitute. Especially if you have some leftovers just sitting around.
If you don’t add any butter or salt, you get a mostly neutral flavor that won’t alter your dish too much. Mix the mashed potatoes with the ricotta cheese in place of eggs. This will work to help bind your ingredients.
4. Sour Cream
Sour cream as a substitute for an egg will definitely change the flavor of your lasagna. But that doesn’t mean it’s bad. Don’t let a different taste scare you!
You’ll end up with a somewhat tangier flavor, but it will also help enhance the flavor of the cheese.
Similar to the cream, you’ll want to add a little cornstarch and whip it with a mixer.
Decedent Substitute for Eggs
5. Bechamel Sauce
If you’re feeling extra fancy, you can make a bechamel sauce to replace your eggs and ricotta. Bechamel sauce is similar to an alfredo sauce, but French, and made with milk as opposed to cream. Talking about alfredo sauce, it tends to separate when reheating. Learn how to stop alfredo sauce from separating while heating.
It’s a fancy-sounding dish, but it’s not nearly as complicated as it sounds. For a basic bechamel sauce, you only need four ingredients.
- 4 TBL butter
- ¼ cup flour
- 3 ¼ cups milk
- 1 cup shredded cheese (parmesan is a good choice)
Bechamel Sauce Recipe
This is easy, painless, and quick.
- Melt the butter in a pot on medium heat
- Remove from heat and whisk in flour until blended
- Return pot to stove and slowly whisk in milk over low heat one cup at a time or you can microwave milk until warm and add it.
- Increase heat to medium stirring occasionally until thick
- Add cheese and remove from stove
- Mix until cheese is melted
That’s it!
Once you have your bechamel sauce, remember it is also your ricotta cheese. You do not need to add more cheese, but extra cheese is rarely a problem. So if you want to, we won’t tell.
In Summary
Substituting eggs in your lasagna can be as easy or involved as you make it. You can simply add in some yogurt or take the time to make a quick bechamel sauce.
There are even substitutions that replace both eggs and ricotta cheese. Don’t let one (or two) missing ingredients keep you from your dinner!