Freeze Lasagna

Freezing homemade lasagna is a great way to have ready-made meals on hand for nights when it's all you can do to turn the oven on and heat up dinner. When you make lasagna and freeze it for later, you'll have a homemade, healthy meal on hand whenever you need it. You can freeze lasagna baked or unbaked, but you'll need to thaw it overnight before cooking it to serve. See Step 1 to learn how to freeze lasagna so that it stays fresh-tasting.

Steps

Preparing the Lasagna

1. Make a freezer-friendly lasagna recipe. Some ingredients taste better than others when they're reheated after being frozen. Most lasagna recipes that call for fresh ingredients will be just fine after freezing, whether you freeze them unbaked or baked. However, if the recipe uses items that have already been frozen and thawed once, it's best not to freeze and thaw them twice. This increases the chance that the food could be contaminated by bacteria.
   • For example, don't plan on freezing lasagna made with sausage or ground beef that was previously frozen. Instead, use fresh meat or leave it out completely.
   • Food that is frozen and thawed more than once also suffers when it comes to flavor and texture. Choosing a recipe that calls for fresh ingredients will result in the best-tasting lasagna.
   • If your favorite lasagna recipe calls for a frozen ingredient, the final dish usually won't be too affected by substituting the fresh version instead. For example, instead of using frozen mushrooms, just use fresh. In most cases you will have needed to thaw them anyway.
2. Assemble the lasagna in a dish that can be frozen. Look for a "freezer-proof" label or be certain that the dish can be frozen as well as used for baking. Most glass or ceramic casserole dishes are fine for this purpose.
   • Avoid using an aluminum pan for long-term storage of lasagna. The food might end up picking up a tinny taste.
   • If you don't have a dish that can be used to both bake and freeze lasagna, you can bake it one dish and freeze it in a freezer-safe food storage container.
3. Decide whether to bake it first. Lasagna that has been baked before freezing will still taste great after it has been reheated. Lasagna that has been assembled and frozen before baking is delicious, too. Use whichever method is most convenient for you, since the final texture and taste of the dish won't be too affected either way.
   • You might decide to freeze pre-baked lasagna if you have leftovers after making a big batch.
   • If you'd rather freeze it before baking, consider making two lasagnas next time you're having lasagna for dinner. You can bake one and freeze the other to eat later.
4. Bring the lasagna to room temperature. If you want to freeze baked lasagna, it's necessary to make sure it has cooled entirely before you freeze it. Otherwise, the texture of the dish won't be as pleasant when it's time to eat it. After making the lasagna, set it aside for one hour to cool. You can also place it into the refrigerator to chill. Before placing it in the fridge, cover the lasagna with two layers of plastic wrap and one layer of kitchen foil.
5. Cover the lasagna with freezer-safe plastic wrap. Don't use aluminum foil, since it might affect the taste of the lasagna. Cover it with several layers of plastic wrap to keep it fresh in the freezer. You may want to wrap the plastic around the entire dish, rather than just over the top. That way, you can make sure there are no gaps in the wrap where air could get in and cause freezer burn.
   • Consider cutting the lasagna into individual portions and freezing them in bags. This way you won't have to reheat the entire thing if you only need a meal for one or two people. Cut the lasagna into serving sized-portions after it has chilled. This will help the pieces hold together better instead of falling apart. Put each piece in its own freezer-safe storage bag.
   • No matter what, make sure it is double wrapped to prevent the lasagna from drying out.
6. Freeze the lasagna. Label it and place it in the freezer. It can be frozen for up to three months, whether it has a meat or vegetable filling.

Thawing and Reheating Lasagna

1. Thaw it overnight. The night before you intend to have the lasagna for dinner, thaw it overnight. If you try to bake it while it's still partially frozen, it will cook unevenly and the taste and texture will be affected. It will also be more difficult to determine whether it's done or not. You can thaw either the entire lasagna or portions in the refrigerator overnight.
2. Preheat the oven to 180ºC/350ºF. This is the standard cooking temperature for lasagna. No matter what recipe you used, this is a good temperature for baking your lasagna to perfection.
3. Ready the lasagna for baking. Unwrap all of the plastic wrap, and cover the baking dish with aluminum foil. This will keep the top from getting too brown while the rest of the lasagna cooks. If you're cooking an individual portion of lasagna, take the piece you want to bake out of its storage bag and place it on a suitable baking dish, then cover with foil.
4. Bake the lasagna. Put it in the oven and cook it half an hour to 40 minutes, or until heated through. You may need to test a small piece from the center to make sure it isn't still cold in the middle. During the last 10 minutes of baking, you can remove the foil to allow the heat to reach the top if you want a brown, crispy crust on your lasagna.
   • If you're just reheating an individual piece of lasagna, you can do it in the microwave instead of in the oven. Place it on a microwave-safe dish and microwave on high for 2 - 3 minutes, or until it's hot and bubbly. Do not use aluminum foil in the microwave.
5. Serve the lasagna. Since it has been in the freezer for awhile, you might want to freshen it up by sprinkling some chipped basil or oregano on top.

Tips

• Always label and date frozen food so that you know how long it has been frozen.
• Lasagna is easier to cut into individual size portions when it is cold.
• To heat individual portions, place the wrapped lasagna in a microwave on high for 3 minutes. Pierce the plastic with a knife to let steam out. Or place on a plate, and cover the plate with plastic wrap. You want the steam to work for you.

Things You'll Need

• Freezer-proof dish or plastic bags for portions
• Plastic food wrap
• Aluminum foil wrap
• Knife
• Labels if wished (for dating and identification of food item)
• Baking dish for portions, and baking paper

Related Articles

• Cook Lasagne
• Cook With Uncooked Lasagna
• Make Macaroni Lasagne Cross
• Make Lasagna with Bechamel Sauce
• Make Pumpkin Lasagna
• Make Vegetarian Lasagna
• Rescue Overcooked Lasagna

Sources and Citations

• Based on advice in Australian Good Taste, December 2009, p. 62

See also

• Make Macaroni Lasagne Cross
• Make Lasagna with Bechamel Sauce
• Make Ravioli Lasagna
• Thaw Frozen Fish
• Make Vegetarian Lasagna
• Freeze Cauliflower And/or Broccoli
• Freeze Hot or Sweet Peppers
• Freeze Butternut Squash
• Freeze Celery
• Freeze Broccoli

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