I tried lasagna recipes from Ina Garten, Ree Drummond, and Giada DeLaurentiis, and the winner used cottage cheese instead of ricotta

Terri PetersJan 15, 2024, 15:59 IST

I found three very different lasagna recipes from popular celebrity chefs. Terri Peters

My family loves lasagna, so I tried recipes from Ina Garten, Ree Drummond, and Giada DeLaurentiis.
I thought DeLaurentiis' dish lacked flavor, and Garten's was a little too cheesy.

As a busy mom with one pretty picky eater, I find lasagna to be a straightforward dish with familiar ingredients that pleases my family.

I have a standard family recipe I always use. But I recently tested out lasagna recipes from celebrity chefs Giada DeLaurentiis, Ina Garten, and Ree Drummond.

Here's how the unique recipes stacked up.

Garten’s recipe asks for interesting ingredients, like goat cheese.

Ina Garten's lasagna had ground turkey and a mix of cheeses.Terri Peters

This base sauce has ground turkey and crushed tomatoes.

I made the sauce first.Terri Peters

Garten's recipe combineds goat cheese and ricotta for a flavorful mixture.

I don't usually put goat cheese in my lasagna, but I was willing to give it a try.Terri Peters

The chef then tops it all off with even more cheese.

I love adding fresh mozzarella to my lasagna. Terri Peters

Garten's lasagna would be the winner if I were giving awards for the cheesiness.

Ina Garten's lasagna ended up being super cheesy. Terri Peters

DeLaurentiis’ lasagna recipe calls for lots of spinach.

Giada DeLaurentiis has a fresh take on lasagana. Terri Peters

I cooked the meat separately from the sauce.

Giada DeLaurentiis doesn't add her meat to the sauce right away. Terri Peters

I needed a lot of ricotta and eggs for DeLaurentiis’ lasagna.

The recipe called for 1 ½ pounds of ricotta cheese. Terri Peters

I think the large amount of spinach detracted from the dish's overall flavor.

I don't think I'll continue adding spinach to my lasagna.Terri Peters

DeLaurentiis’ lasagna took the longest and was our least favorite.

I'm not planning on making Giada DeLaurentiis' lasagna for my family again. Terri Peters

Drummond's recipe calls for 3 pounds of meat.

Ree Drummond's lasagna was heavy on the meat. Terri Peters

Drummond’s sauce was full of ground meat and fresh herbs.

I liked the addition of basil and parsley. Terri Peters

The recipe requires cottage cheese instead of ricotta.

I couldn't tell the difference between the lasagna with ricotta and this one with cottage cheese. Terri Peters

Drummond’s meaty lasagna had the most flavor, hands down.

I've never put this much meat in my lasagna before, but it was delicious. Terri Peters

Of the three dishes, Drummond’s is the one I’d absolutely make again.

I can't wait to add Ree Drummond's lasagna to my dinner rotation. Terri Peters

My mom's easy mince pies are my go-to dessert — and they never fail to impress

Cookies on the Business Insider India website