How to Reheat Lasagna Without Drying it Out

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As a pasta lover, I taught myself how to reheat lasagna without drying it out. If you're like me, then you have also strained to find out how to enjoy your lasagna again. Other pasta dishes seemed to be easy to reheat.

Lasagna always proves to be a challenging dish to bring back to life. It is a one-tray dinner that you cannot stir or toss in some sauce to keep it from drying up. I understood the frustration, so I tried my best to find out the best tricks to revive the cheesy, decadent lasagna deliciousness after at least a day in cold storage.

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Reheating lasagna without drying it out
Reheating Lasagna Safely
Reheating Lasagna More Than Once
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Frequently asked questions

You should know that reheating lasagna needs more detail than placing a portion in the microwave and reheating it. The process involves more attention. There are certain steps and tips you need to consider if you use the microwave. If you don't do it correctly, you will lose the moist cheesiness of the dish.

According to the Barilla pasta experts, the temperature should reach 160°F when reheating lasagna. That's why it is always best to have a thermometer ready.

Reheating lasagna without drying it out

1 1st Method: Microwave

Using a microwave to reheat your lasagna is convenient and quick. It's a perfect way to reheat a portion or two of lasagna at one time. Although this may seem stingy to some, it is ideal.

A big slab of lasagna in the microwave will not reheat properly. By the end of the heating time, you will end up with a large block of lasagna with solid cheese parts and melted gooey sections.

When you serve it, some of your guests will be happy, and others won't. To avoid this, here are some useful tips for reheating smaller servings with your dependable microwave:

Reheating lasagna from the fridge:

Get a microwavable container. In it, place a serving or two of lasagna.
Take some leftover sauce and drizzle some over the lasagna portions. You can also put one or two tablespoons of water on the portions to keep them moist as they reheat.
With a microwave-safe lid, cover the dish and heat at medium setting for about 60-90 seconds.
Check the lasagna of it is heated through. If the lasagna has a cold center, cut it in half and separate the layers, and heat it again for a minute in your microwave. Check the doneness after 30 seconds.
Take the fully-heated lasagna servings and enjoy it!

What about the frozen lasagna?

If you have some lasagna that has been in the freezer for months and you just remembered it, you can pull it out and reheat it. Do so with these two options:

Put the frozen lasagna in your fridge to thaw overnight. Follow the instructions above.
Place your frozen lasagna in your microwave and follow the given instructions using your microwave. Let the lasagna thaw a bit longer and then heat it again.
If there is a defrost button in your microwave, use it for a few minutes to let the lasagna thaw gently. Then heat it using the heat settings.

Ensuring Lasagna Is Heated Through
Most people complain that reheating lasagna in the microwave does not heat it through thoroughly. It might be a challenge to reheat your lasagna in the microwave because of its dense and cheesy layers.

You might leave the lasagna in the microwave for longer than it should. When this happens, you dry out the pasta and the cheesy top. Some people do this to heat the middle.

You can try a trick I've learned to prevent this.

"Get an apple corer and remove the center of the lasagna."
It might be tempting to throw that piece away but don't. Just put it beside the rest of the lasagna as you heat it.

If you reheat your lasagna with the hole, the heat of the microwave reaches all the lasagna areas, including the middle.

2 Reheating Lasagna in the Oven

Using the oven is great for large casseroles and single portions of lasagna. Oven heating needs more patience, but the rewards are huge. You get cheesy and bubbly yumminess.

The oven takes longer to heat up than your microwave. You can only put your lasagna in the oven once it is hot enough.

When you use your oven, you can get your reheated lasagna is as great as when it was freshly cooked.

Turn on your oven and preheat it to 375° F.
Get an oven-friendly dish. Put your lasagna serving in it.
Place a couple of tablespoons of water on and around the lasagna, depending on the portion size. You can also add a quarter cup of marinara sauce to keep the lasagna from drying.
Cover the lasagna with aluminum foil.
Heat it in your oven for about 15 minutes if it is a single serving, and you took it out of your fridge.
Heat it for 30 – 40 minutes if you are heating frozen lasagna. After heating it, your lasagna will be melty, cheesy, and soft.

Take Note:

Check the serving of lasagna if it has heated through and put it back for 5 minutes more if it has not reached that point yet.
Get a kitchen thermometer to see if you have reached the internal temperature of at least 165 degrees Fahrenheit. At this temperature, the lasagna is ready to serve. You can also opt to warm the lasagna at a lower temperature but expect a longer preheating time.

Reheating your lasagna using the oven method is ideal for a refrigerated and frozen lasagna, but it takes a lot longer than using a microwave.

Reheating Lasagna Safely

The proper handling of lasagna is crucial, even if you're going to use your microwave. You can get a quick meal from leftovers, but you should store them properly. If you skip proper storage practices, your lasagna could make you sick.

Place your lasagna within just two hours after cooking if it has poultry or meat.
Make sure you cover the container tightly in a food-safe container before storing it in your freezer or fridge.

Leftover Safety

Refrigerate the leftover lasagna at about 40° F. Do this within two hours of first serving the dish.
Make sure you use the leftovers within three or four days. Leaving food at room temperature encourages harmful pathogens to start growing in the food. If the lasagna has been left out for more than two hours, toss it out.
If you placed your lasagna in the freezer at a constant 0° F or lower, it would be good for up to four months.

Take note that the quality of your lasagna will deteriorate after four months of cold storage.

Reheating Lasagna More Than Once

Ideally, reheat lasagna once. You have to cook the lasagna first. Then, you freeze or refrigerate it. After a time, you will reheat the lasagna again to enjoy it the second time.

If you don't want to eat all of the leftover lasagna portions in your cold storage, do not reheat all of it. If you reheat the entire batch, discard what's rest of it if no one's going to eat anymore. This is to prevent the growth of bacteria that can cause foodborne ailments.
To prevent wasting a lot of leftover lasagnas, refrigerate or freeze it in single-serving portions. Do this, so you don't need to thaw and reheat your entire batch of lasagna to enjoy a small slice of it.

This sure applies to all dishes. Only reheat what you want to eat to avoid waste. The unheated portions will be safe in the freezer or fridge.

Reheating lasagna is easy if you know how to do it. You can still achieve the same cheesy and herby experience even after a day or two. Make sure that when you reheat your lasagna, you do so in small portions and that you reach the ideal temperature of 165°F.

This makes sure that your lasagna serving is heated through in the center as well. Whether you use a microwave or an oven, you should be patient and vigilant in watching your lasagna. Of course, don't forget to let it rest before you enjoy it. Now you know how to reheat lasagna without drying it out.

Frequently asked questions

Can you reheat lasagna without drying it out?

Yes, it is possible. You can reheat your lasagna from drying as you reheat it. To accomplish this, you should place a few tablespoons of sauce or water on the lasagna. Cover it with plastic wrap before you reheat it in the microwave.

The extra liquid prevents the lasagna from drying out by providing more moisture. Cover the lasagna with aluminum foil if you want to reheat it in the oven.

Do you need to rest the lasagna before serving it?

Although you want to eat the lasagna as soon as it comes out of the oven, it is best to be patient. Let the lasagna rest without a cover for about 15 to 20 minutes. Let it set. Resting the lasagna prevents it from being soggy.

That is why some people prefer reheated lasagna more than the newly cooked one. The reheated lasagna has the chance to set, and the layers are separate and delicious. It prevents the lasagna from becoming some thick porridge.

Why does lasagna taste better the next day?

Like other dishes, lasagna's flavors become more combined a day after it was cooked; all those herbs, spices, meats, cheeses, and vegetables infuse the pasta. The béchamel and the marinara sauces, even the wine you added, penetrate every ingredient.

Cooking these ingredients together, cooling them in the fridge or freezer, and then reheating them improves your lasagna's taste significantly.

Reheating lasagna is easy if you know how to do it. You can still achieve the same cheesy and herby experience even after a day or two.

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