There really is little that beats a warm serving of lasagna. If you are wanting to serve up some leftover lasagna, and have it taste exactly as it did when it first came out of the oven, you will need to know exactly how to reheat it.
Reheating lasagna is not as simple as throwing a slice into the microwave, so how do you reheat it back to its original taste and texture? It is best to reheat individual slices of lasagna in the freezer, rather than a larger portion. Reheating lasagna in the microwave is quick and convenient, but you need to know how to do it right.
There are a few tips and tricks, and certain steps to follow when reheating lasagna in the microwave. If not done right, the lasagna might lose some moisture and all of its delicious goodness.
Reheating Lasagna In The Microwave – Step By Step
The microwave is great to reheat lasagna from the fridge, and from frozen. There is no doubt that the microwave is one of the most popular methods used to reheat lasagna, as it is quick to do and you are still able to enjoy some great tasting lasagna.
If you are reheating lasagna from the fridge, here is what you need to do:
- Place a slice of lasagna on a microwave-safe dish or Tupperware (I like these from Amazon).
- Spoon around two tablespoons of water onto the top of the lasagna.
- Cover the lasagna with some plastic wrap.
- Heat the lasagna in the microwave for 5 minutes, but do so in 60-second increments.
- Remove the lasagna from the microwave, but be careful as the plate or dish will be hot.
- Leave the lasagna to sit for a minute, as this will allow the heat to distribute evenly throughout the dish.
- Cut a piece of the lasagna to ensure that it is heated all the way through. If it has not, then place it back into the microwave in 30-second increments until heated throughout.
If you are wanting to reheat frozen lasagna, you have two options. You can choose to leave the lasagna in the fridge to thaw overnight and follow the above steps.
Alternatively, you can place the frozen lasagna in the microwave, following the above steps, but allowing for a longer heating time to thaw the lasagna and then heat it up again.
You can also use the defrost function on the microwave for a few minutes to gently thaw the lasagna, before turning the microwave on to heat.
Ensuring The Lasagna Is Heated Through
One of the common complaints of reheating lasagna in the microwave is that it does not heat through completely. It can be difficult to evenly reheat the lasagna in the microwave, due to its cheesy and dense layers.
You can end up leaving the lasagna in the microwave for too long, drying out the top and the pasta, just trying to get the middle to heat up.
To combat this, there is a little trick that you can try. Using an apple corer (this one from Amazon is perfect), you can remove a small-sized hole from the center of the dish.
Do not throw this small piece away, which would be a waste, instead, place it on the side of the dish to heat up with the rest of the lasagna. Reheating the lasagna with the hole in the middle helps the heat reach all areas of the lasagna, even the harder-to-heat middle.
Safely Reheating Lasagna
While it is easy enough to pop a piece of lasagna in the microwave, you need to ensure you handle the lasagna properly. Leftovers can be great for fixing up a quick meal, but if the proper storage steps are not followed, you could land up sick from spoiled leftovers, including lasagna.
If your lasagna contains meat or poultry, it is even more important to follow all safety guidelines. Lasagna needs to be placed in the fridge or freezer within two hours of cooking.
To safely package the lasagna, it should be tightly covered, or placed in a safe storage container. It should be then placed directly into the fridge or freezer.
Lasagna, if stored properly, can be kept in the fridge for up to four days. However, if the lasagna is placed in the freezer and is kept at a constant temperature of 0 degrees Fahrenheit or below, it will be fine to eat within four months. While the lasagna will still be safe to eat after the 4 months, the quality will slowly deteriorate.
Reheating Lasagna More Than Once
As with all foods, lasagna should only be reheated once. The lasagna will obviously need to be cooked first, and then refrigerated or frozen, and then the time will come to reheat the lasagna to eat.
If you are not planning on eating all of the leftover lasagna, you should not reheat the whole batch. Once reheated, any leftover lasagna should be discarded.
This is due to an increase in bacteria growth, which if left, can cause foodborne illness. To save yourself from wasting leftover lasagna, you should freeze it or refrigerate it in smaller portions, so you will not have to thaw and reheat the whole batch, only to enjoy a slice or two.
This rule extends to all foods, once reheated, any leftovers should be thrown away. Avoid wasting lasagna leftovers by only reheating what you plan to eat, and leaving the leftovers safely packaged away in the fridge or freezer.
How To Reheat Lasagna In The Oven
While reheating lasagna in the microwave is undoubtedly the quickest way to get it done, you are also able to reheat lasagna in the oven.
Unlike the microwave, the oven takes quite a while to reheat the lasagna, as you need to wait for the oven to warm up, and then only can you place the dish inside to be reheated.
However, using the oven, you can achieve a reheated lasagna that is almost as good as when it was first cooked.
You can reheat lasagna in the oven from the fridge or the freezer, the only difference being how long the lasagna is left in the oven to heat, with frozen lasagna obviously taking a while longer, and needing around 10 minutes more.
Here is how to reheat lasagna in the oven:
- Preheat the oven to 375 degrees Fahrenheit.
- Place the lasagna into an oven-safe dish (like this).
- Place two tablespoons of water onto the top of the lasagna.
- Cover the entire dish with aluminum foil.
- Place the lasagna in the oven and allow it to heat for 15 minutes if from the fridge or 25 minutes if frozen. You will need to check if it has heated all the way through, and place it back for 5-minute increments if it has not.
- If you have a kitchen thermometer, check to see if the internal temperature of the lasagna reads 165 degrees Fahrenheit or more, and if it does, it is ready to be served.
You can choose to keep the oven at a lower temperature, but you will have to adjust the cooking time to make up for this.
The oven method works great for both frozen and refrigerated lasagna, but it will never have the lasagna reheated as quickly as what a microwave would.
Related Questions
Can you reheat lasagna without drying it out?
It is completely possible to reheat lasagna without drying it out. To do so, you should cover the lasagna with plastic wrap, and drop of few tablespoons of water onto the top of the lasagna, before placing it in the microwave.
This gives it some extra moisture and prevents any moisture from leaving the lasagna. If you are reheating the lasagna in the oven, you should cover it with aluminum foil.
How long should lasagna be left to rest before being served?
As eager as you might be to dig into your freshly cooked lasagna, you need to be patient. You should leave the lasagna to rest uncovered for 15 to 20 minutes, to allow it to set. Allowing it to set for this time will prevent it from being a soggy mess.
This is often why people enjoy leftover lasagna more than the freshly cooked type, as it has had time to set, and the layers are all kept beautifully separate, instead of mixing together to form a lasagna soup.
Reheating Lasagna In The Microwave
Luckily, it is totally possible to reheat lasagna in the microwave, so you can give yourself a quick fix at home or at work, without having to wait for ages for the oven to heat up.
However, to ensure the lasagna has the best quality and taste, you should give it some extra moisture by placing a few tablespoons of water onto the top layer, and cover the lasagna with plastic wrap before placing it into the microwave.
This prevents any moisture from seeping out of the lasagna, and you will be left with a moist, delicious, and quickly-reheated meal.
Up Next: Can You Freeze Moussaka? – The Best Way
