The Best Way to Reheat Lasagna so It Never Dries Out

Enjoy perfectly reheated lasagna, whether it’s stored in the fridge or freezer. Dreamstime/TCA

By Lauren Salkeld and Andrea Rivera Wawrzyn From TheKitchn.com

Unless you’re feeding a crowd—or have a very hungry family—when you make lasagna, there’s a good chance you’ll have leftovers. Most lasagna recipes are baked in a 9-by-13-inch baking dish and yield somewhere in the range of eight to ten servings. But leftovers—especially lasagna leftovers—are not something to be sad about. Lasagna keeps and reheats like a dream, and with a few easy tips, you can maximize your results. Read on for everything you need to know to take your lasagna leftovers from good to great.

The Best All-Around Method for Reheating Lasagna: The Oven

For a leftovers experience that’s as close to the original as possible—and to guarantee a browned and crispy top—reheating in the oven is your best bet. Individual servings or larger portions of lasagna can be reheated in a 325 degrees F oven.

1. Place your leftovers in an oven-safe dish, sprinkle with a little water or sauce, wrap in aluminum foil (you can use what it was wrapped in or start fresh). If you are heating a lasagna that wasn’t previously baked and it was made with no-boil noodles, wrapping it in foil is especially important, as a tight seal creates the steam needed to cook the noodles.

2. Bake at 325 degrees F until the lasagna is heated through, which could take up to 45 minutes for larger portions.

3. To brown the top, remove the foil and bake for another five to 10 minutes. Hopefully there’s enough cheese on top to deliver some of that beautiful browning we all love, but you can always sprinkle a little extra on top.

The Best Method for Reheating Individual Portions of Lasagna Quickly: The Microwave

One to two servings of leftover lasagna can be reheated in the microwave instead of heating up the oven for just a slice or two.

1. Place the leftovers in a microwave-safe dish and sprinkle with a little bit of water or sauce.

2. Cover and heat on medium power for one minute. Check to see if the lasagna is heated all the way through and if not, heat for another 30 seconds to one minute. That’s it!

The Best Method for Reheating Lasagna If You Like Crispy Edges: The Stovetop

If you’re a fan of the crispy edges at the top of a lasagna, this method is for you. This only works for individual servings and does produce a slightly different spin on lasagna, but is perfect if you want to maximize crispiness.

1. Heat a bit of olive oil in a cast iron skillet over medium-high heat and cut your lasagna into thick slices.

2. When the pan is hot, add the lasagna and cook, flipping and adjusting the heat as needed, until the lasagna is heated through and both sides are crispy. These leftovers will be drier than the others, so ideally, you’d serve them with a bit of sauce on the side.

The Best Method for Reheating Frozen Lasagna

Whether your frozen lasagna was previously baked or not, reheating it is the same.

1. Start by thawing the lasagna in the refrigerator overnight.

2. The next day, let your lasagna sit at room temperature for about 30 minutes—this is a good time to preheat the oven.

3. Remove any plastic wrap, then wrap the lasagna in aluminum foil and bake according to the original recipe (for lasagnas that were not previously baked) or at 375 degrees F until heated through, which will likely take about an hour.

4. To brown the top, remove the foil and bake for another five to 10 minutes.

Can I Reheat Frozen Lasagna Straight From the Freezer?

If you don’t have time—or forgot—to defrost your frozen lasagna, it can go straight in the oven, but keep in mind that frozen lasagna can take up to twice as long to get to that ooey-gooey bubbling stage. You’ll also want to be careful if using a glass or ceramic baking dish. If tempered, they should be fine, but glass and ceramic are more sensitive to extreme temperature changes and can shatter or crack.

Be sure to remove any plastic wrap and wrap your lasagna in foil until you’re ready to brown the top. If you’re ever concerned that you haven’t reheated your lasagna sufficiently, you can always pull out an instant-read thermometer—the internal temperature should be at least 165 degrees F.

Tips for Reheating Lasagna

Serve with extra sauce. If you have extra sauce, warm it up and serve it alongside the leftovers. You could also go in a different direction and serve your lasagna with a drizzle of pesto or even an infused olive oil.

Add a little extra cheese. Sprinkling a little extra cheese on top of leftover lasagna can help with browning and give leftovers a cheesy boost.

Sprinkle with fresh herbs. Chopped fresh parsley or basil can add both visual appeal and a bit of freshness to leftover lasagna.

Let it rest. Once your lasagna is hot and bubbling, let it sit for 10 minutes before serving. This will allow the ingredients to all settle in and will make the lasagna easier to cut!

Lauren Salkeld is a contributor and Andrea Rivera Wawrzyn is associate food editor for TheKitchn.com, a nationally known blog for people who love food and home cooking. Submit any comments or questions to [email protected].)

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