Lasagna Cheesecake
For me, ricotta is what makes lasagna so good, so I decided to make a ricotta cheesecake inspired by lasagna. It might sound wacky but the flavors really work! I love making savory cheesecakes and I have made a ton on this website over the years. This one might just be my favorite!
The inspiration for this recipe
I just posted a free standing lasagna and it went viral on Instagram. I also posted a garlic french toast. A comment come through asking if I have ever made a savory cheesecake. I thought this comment was on the lasagna post, so my brain immediately went into overdrive. The comment ended up being on the french toast but it was too late. The train had left the station and lasagna cheesecake was inevitable.
Preparing the lasagna crust
Here I am using the mini springform pans again! Line with parchment and grease the pans. Preheat the oven and cook the noodles in Boiling water. Then cut them slightly so they fit perfectly in the pans. Bake for about 20 minutes to firm them up a bit but not too much.
Make the lasagna cheesecake filling
Ricotta, sour cream, egg, garlic, garlic powder, basil, oregano, salt, sugar, and chili flakes. Blend it up smooth!
It should be pretty runny at this point, not very thick.
Bake the lasagna cheesecakes
Some mozzarella first, then add the filling. Fill the lasagna cheesecakes all the way up to the top of the noodles! Then bake at 325 for about 30 minutes.
Fully cool the lasagna cheesecakes
I baked the lasagna cheesecake, then turned off the oven and let them stay inside a bit. Then they cooled more on the counter, and then finally in the fridge. This gentle cooling process helps them not crack too much on top.
Serving the lasagna cheesecake
Use a knife to make sure the sides aren’t stuck, then pop it out onto a plate. Top the lasagna cheesecake with some warm meat sauce. Then slice and serve!
I loved how these came out and they would be a really fun app for a fancy cocktail party.
The flavors of lasagna really come through in this cheesecake! The noodles are crispy on the edges and chewy at the bottom and hold everything in perfectly.
Twists on this recipe
This was great cold but you could also warm it up a little if you prefer. I liked how it was definitely a cheesecake with lasagna flavors and the cold helped that. The sauce warmed things up a little to balance everything. You could also adjust the seasonings in the ricotta filling if you want to make it a little different to your taste.
If you are interested in more savory cheesecake recipes, check out my everything bagel cheesecake, crab rangoon cheesecake, or this mac and cheesecake!
Lasagna Cheesecake
Ingredients
- 12 lasagna noodles
- 16 ounces ricotta cheese
- 1/4 cup sour cream
- 1 egg
- 1 egg yolk
- 1 tablespoon sugar
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 20 basil leaves
- 2 cloves garlic minced
- 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
- 1/4 teaspoon chili flakes
- 1 cup grated mozzarella cheese
- 1 cup meaty tomato sauce
Instructions
- Bring a pot of salted water to a boil. Add in the lasagna noodles and boil for 8 minutes until mostly cooked but still slightly crunchy in the center. Srain and lay out on a baking sheet coated with oil. Coat the noodles with more oil so they don't stick to each other.
- Prepare the mini springform pans with parchment paper on the bottom, and oil on the bottom and sides.
- Preheat oven to 400
- I had to cut about 1/4 off of each noodle so it would sit perfectly in the pan and go right up the the top of the sides. Measure and cut, then put 3 noodles into each pan so they fully cover the whole pan. Each noodle crosses the bottom in the center to form an overall sar shape of pasta. See photos if you need a guide.
- Bake the lasagna noodles for 20 minutes while you make the filling.
- To make the filling put the ricotta, sour cream, egg, yolk, salt, sugar, basil, garlic, garlic powder, oregano, and chili flake into a food processor. Blend until smooth, scraping down the sides if needed.
- Remove the springform pans from the oven and allow to cool for a few minutes. Turn the oven to 325.
- Split the mozzarella evenly into each pan with the noodles. Pour on the filling, filling each up as high as you can just to the top of the noodles.
- Put them back into the oven and cook about 30 minutes until set and just barely still jiggling in the center. Turn off the heat and crack the oven door. Let them sit in the oven another 30 minutes.
- Remove from the oven and let them sit on the counter for 30 minutes. Then into the fridge for about 2 hours to fully cool.
- Heat up the sauce. Remove the cheesecakes from the pans. top with sauce, slice, and serve.