How To Reheat Lasagna

Whether you use homemade tomato sauce or jarred marinara, grate the mozzarella by hand or sprinkle it from a package, or add ground meat or vegetables, it takes effort to make a great lasagna. But as any pasta lover will tell you, the time spent in the kitchen is worth it, especially because you'll likely end up with leftovers. Having delicious lasagna that's ready to reheat and serve will make you feel like a dinnertime hero. As long as you reheat it properly.

Don't Use the Microwave

Yes, reheating that great lasagna is not as simple as sticking the dish in the microwave on HIGH until it is steaming hot. As lasagna cools, the noodles start to absorb the moisture from the sauce and cheese, making it chewy and dry. You also lose the nice textural difference between the layers of noodles, cheese, and sauce. Although a microwave can reheat lasagna in minutes, this type of high-heat cooking will continue to dry it out, leaving you with dried-up sauce and noodles with tooth-shatteringly hard edges. Or something a little like an explosion.

Photo: Greg Dupree

Turn on the Oven

Avoid future lasagna disappointment by reheating it in the oven instead. Preheat the oven to 350?F and cover the lasagna (in an oven-safe dish) with aluminum foil. Place the dish in the oven for about 30 minutes, or until the lasagna is hot all the way through and the sauce is bubbling at the edges.

Turn to the Toaster

If you are reheating individual slices, a toaster oven will work well. Follow the directions above, but lower the temperature to 325?F. If you don't have a toaster oven, place the slices of lasagna in a foil-lined baking dish or sheet pan, cover the slices loosely with foil, and bake in the oven. Follow the directions above, checking the slices after 20 minutes for doneness.

Reheat Frozen Lasagna

If you have leftover lasagna in your freezer, set it in your refrigerator to thaw overnight and then reheat using the oven or toaster oven methods described above. If it's too late to thaw, don't worry. Frozen lasagna can also be reheated directly from the freezer. Place the slices or remaining leftovers in an oven-safe dish, cover, and bake as directed above. Just know this will add to your cooking time, so plan accordingly.

Need some recipe inspiration? Our Test Kitchen has more than a dozen lasagna recipes for supper tonight.