The Best Way To Reheat Lasagna For A Deliciously Crispy Top
So you made a delicious classic lasagna, it turned out great, and you have plenty of leftovers. Then, the next day you go to heat up your tasty creation in the microwave, and it turns into a mess. It's hot on the outside and ice cold on the inside. Plus, it's somehow both dry and soggy at the same time. Who knew that was possible? This exact scenario is why it's best to avoid reheating lasagna in the microwave entirely. In fact, the best way to reheat lasagna for an evenly heated and crispy-top experience is to use the oven.
Of course, the oven can sometimes be a pain. You have to preheat it, and it takes more time. However, if you truly want your leftover lasagna to taste the same as the first day you made it, the oven is the best way to go. While this method is more time-consuming, it might just be worth it because it will cook the lasagna to the same temperature all the way through, you can heat the entire lasagna at once, and it will prevent your pasta from getting too dry and tough.
How to get perfect reheated lasagna in the oven
Now, let's talk about how to heat up the perfect lasagna in the oven. This process will likely take between 30 and 45 minutes but will give you the best results. The first step is to preheat your oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. It's the perfect oven temperature for leftover lasagna because it will heat it thoroughly without drying it out. Once the oven is preheated, go ahead and cover the lasagna with aluminum foil. The foil will help the dish heat evenly and also prevent any extra moisture from escaping. Then, once you're ready, pop the lasagna in the oven for at least 30 minutes.
Bigger lasagnas may need more time to cook, but one sure way to tell that it is ready is if you look at the sides and can see the tomato sauce bubbling up. To really make sure the lasagna stays perfectly moist and delicious, you can also sprinkle a tiny bit of water on top of the dish before putting it in the oven. If you like a more crisp top, you can briefly crank it up to broil, just stay in the kitchen in case your lasagna starts to burn.
How to perfectly reheat frozen lasagna
If you have stored your leftover lasagna in the freezer, the oven is still the best way to warm it up. If possible, leave your lasagna on the counter the night before so it thaws completely before baking. Then, just follow the directions from earlier. For those who forgot to let the lasagna thaw the night before, you can also pop it in the microwave on the defrost setting for around five minutes and then wrap it in foil and put it in the oven at 350 degrees for around 30 minutes. If your lasagna is still slightly frozen at the time of baking, you can raise the oven temperature to 375 degrees Fahrenheit.
It is also possible to take a lasagna directly from the freezer and heat it up in the oven without the need to defrost or thaw it. For this method, follow the same steps outlined previously and let the lasagna bake for a little longer, or until the center of the dish reaches 165 degrees Fahrenheit. But no matter which way you choose to store and defrost your irresistible lasagna, using the oven to reheat it will make it as good as new — your dinner guests will never know you actually made it yesterday!