How To Reheat Lasagna
Lasagna is great comfort food that is loved by so many. It’s a common make-ahead meal for a meal train or even just to have some dinners prepped for the week.
Between the layers of pasta sheets, sauce, and gooey melted cheeses, moisture is what makes this dish tricky to reheat. You don’t want soggy, soupy lasagna or dried-out crunchy lasagna either.
I have all the tips and tricks up my sleeve to show you just how to reheat lasagna and have it taste as if it just came out of the oven freshly baked.
Reheat lasagna instructions
When lasagna sits in the fridge the noodles absorb the moisture from the cheese and the sauce. This can make the flavors meld but it can also make for chewy lasagna when it’s not reheated correctly.
The key is to add moisture so that it doesn’t dry out during the reheating process and also reheat your lasagna covered for two reasons. One, to help keep in moisture, and two, so that the cheese doesn’t burn.
Each method has its pros and cons whether you are using the oven, stovetop, or microwave. According to the USDA, you want to reheat foods with meats to 165°F to reduce the risk of food poisoning.
If your looking for a recipe check out my lasagna recipe without ricotta cheese.
Oven
Reheating lasagna in the oven is the best way to mimic the way it was originally cooked. Although reheating in the oven might take the longest, it’s going to taste like it was just freshly baked.
Take your lasagna out of the fridge and leave it on the counter to allow for the dish to warm up a bit while your oven is preheating to 350°F. This will just allow for the chill to leave the dish a bit.
Cover your lasagna with heavy-duty aluminum foil and put it in the oven for 30 minutes. The foil is going to help it to heat up while retaining the moisture.
Remove the foil from the top of your lasagna once you have about 10 minutes left to brown the cheese a bit.
Either check the temperature for doneness with a food-grade thermometer and remove it when you have reached 165°F or you can also tell but looking at it.
You want to look for bubbling sauce along the sides of your lasagna dish, this is a good indicator that it is reheated.
Remove from the oven and let it sit for 5 minutes before serving it up with some of my delicious homemade texas toast garlic bread!
Summary
Stovetop
I bet you never thought about cooking lasagna in a skillet never mind reheating it? Well, you can absolutely make lasagne on the stove, therefore you can reheat this way too!
If you have a slice or two of lasagna that you want to reheat, grab yourself a pan with a tight-fitting lid.
Simply place your pan on the stove on medium heat and then add your leftover lasagna. Add in 2-3 tablespoons of water to the bottom of your pan.
Once the water starts to simmer go ahead and place your lid on your pan. Cook for about 20 minutes checking it every 5 minutes or so to make sure that the bottom isn’t burning. If it is add another tablespoon of water.
Keeping the lid on is going to be key to getting your lasagna reheated all the way through. Remove from the heat and serve once you have an internal temperature of 165°F.
Summary
If you are stuck wondering what to serve with lasagna you are not alone. I have made a list of great sides to serve with your savory lasagna.
Microwave
As always the microwave is great when you are in a hurry or maybe it is your only option to reheat your leftover lasagna. The advantage is that it is quick and easy.
A little tip that will help you reheat your lasagna without drying it out is by building a canopy over the top. Use a couple of toothpicks and either a damp paper towel or plastic wrap.
This helps cover it without the cheese melting and sticking to the paper towel or plastic wrap.
Place the lasagna on a microwave-safe dish and stick 3-4 toothpicks into your lasagna leaving an inch sticking out.
Then drape your paper towel over the toothpicks. Or you can cover the whole plate with the plastic wrap loosely. Not only will this help reheat your lasagna it will keep your microwave clean of sauce splatter!
Cook of high for one minute at a time checking the temperature in between or looking for bubbling sauce and cheese. Enjoy!
Summary
Pros and cons for reheating lasagna methods
| Pros | Cons | |
| Oven | Taste like it was freshly cooked and is easy to do | Takes the longest and heats up the kitchen |
| Stove-top | Fairly quick and adds great moisture | Can only reheat 1-2 pieces at a time |
| Microwave | Fast and convenient | Noodle can be rubbery and not evenly reheated |
FAQ
In order to reheat lasagna without drying it out, you want to cover it while reheating it. Depending on how you are reheating it you can use heavy-duty aluminum foil, plastic wrap, or an oven-safe lid.
Also, sprinkle a little bit of water over the lasagna to add moisture to the cheese so that it doesn’t dry out or become burnt.
If you do not have a microwave and you want to reheat your lasagna you can do so easily in the oven, toaster oven, or even on the stove. Read my post above for step-by-step instructions on how to use this method.
