What’s lactose-free lasagna?

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Lactose-free lasagna is an Italian pasta dish that is made without dairy products. Traditional lasagna is made with at least two types of cheese. Cheese is made directly from milk, which contains lactose, a complex sugar compound. Many people are allergic to this compound, a condition known as lactose intolerance. Dairy-free lasagna is the only way people with this affliction are able to enjoy the dish.

There are various ways to make dairy-free lasagna, but they all require some effort. Cheese is a staple ingredient, which means simply cutting it out isn’t usually an option. Cooks can look for non-dairy mock cheeses, which aren’t actually cheese at all, or they can choose to use totally different ingredients that mimic the texture of absent cheese. Tofu, a soy product, and boiled squash are common substitutions.

Lasagna is an oven dish made up of alternating layers of flat, wide noodles; sauce, typically marinara or in any case tomato-based; and cheese. Ricotta and mozzarella are the most common varieties, but blends are also popular as a means of adding flavor. Ground beef or chicken is usually incorporated as well. Dairy-free lasagna usually tries to keep the same layered look as traditional lasagna, but the flavor is often very different.

Imitation cheeses are usually available at vegan grocery stores. Vegan cooks avoid animal products in any form, which means that no foods certified vegan will contain lactose. Lactose exists only in milk and milk products.

Vegan “cheese” is usually made from soy or other natural bases. It often looks like cheesy and tastes a little cheesy too. Most melt very differently, however, which makes cooking more complicated. Cooks normally have to keep an eye on this type of lactose-free lasagna to make sure the ingredients are actually cooking and cooking together properly.

It is important to distinguish a vegan lasagna from one prepared for a lactose-free diet. Usually, lactose-free products are just dairy-free—they often contain other animal-derived ingredients like egg. Eggs appear in many lasagna preparations and are also important ingredients in most noodles. People who avoid animal products in their diets should examine all ingredients of lactose-free foods before deciding whether to participate.

Lactose-free meals may also depend on direct substitutions rather than imitations. Cooks looking to replace moist cottage cheese often turn to blended tofu or pureed vegetables like winter squash or eggplant. Aged olive oil is often used to replace the moisture lost by mozzarella cheese. A lactose-free lasagna made with these ingredients is bound to look and taste very different from the original, but can come in many pleasing, as well as healthy, variations.

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