Lasagna is one of the most staple pasta dishes out there. Most of the time, we really cook more than we could consume for the day because frozen lasagna is a very underrated meal. But frozen food can get very hard and if this happens, you will certainly want to know how to cook frozen lasagna faster. Fortunately, in this post, we will teach you how.

Table of Contents

What is the best way to cook frozen lasagna?

There is no one way that we can consider as the best way to cook frozen lasagna. It involves thawing and defrosting for a considerable number of time. The only way to make cooking frozen lasagna faster is if you can defrost it the night before you cook it. At best, frozen lasagna is cooked for about an hour.

Cooking frozen lasagna

Cooking frozen lasagna is extremely doable. You must plan ahead of time though, because it requires at least 90mins to cook frozen lasagna. You must take note also that if you are cooking a large batch of frozen lasagna, you should add another 20-30 mins to your cooking time.

Related: Can You Freeze Chicken Salad?

How long to cook a frozen lasagna?

As have been mentioned, it takes at least 90 minutes to cook frozen lasagna. 30 mins is allotted for thawing and 60 mins is for the cooking time. Having a convection oven really is beneficial when cooking frozen lasagna compared to the traditional oven. Because of better heat concentration and distribution, it lessens the cooking time for frozen lasagna in between 15-20mins.

How to cook frozen lasagna quickly

Now that we know the basics of cooking lasagna, it is time for the step-by-step guide into preparing one (and as fast as possible):

First, take out the frozen lasagna from the freezer and pre-heat the oven at 400F.
Next, cover the lasagna dish snugly with foil. This is essential so that the top part of the lasagna does not have charred areas.
Bake the frozen lasagna for 60mins. If it is an extra-large batch, cook it for 75-90mins.
After this, remove the foil and check if the top is golden brown and if the cheese has completely melted. Continue baking it for at another 20mins.
Now that it is completely cooked, let cool for 10mins. Slice, and serve warm.

How do you cook frozen lasagna on the stove?

Cooking frozen lasagna on the stove requires non-stick pan or skillet. It may not be as fast as the magic of microwave, but it is a faster solution compared to baking it in the oven. Here is how you do it:

Place two to three square slices of lasagna in the skillet. Add moisture to the pasta by drizzling each slice with ¼ cup of water.
Heat the skillet at medium high heat. Wait for the water to start bubbling.
Cover the skillet and let it simmer for about 20mins. You need to shake your skillet occasionally for the lasagna to absorb enough heat and moisture.
For a crisp bottom, remove the cover during the last 5-7mins of cooking time.
Let cool for at least 10mins before serving.

How to cook frozen lasagna in a glass dish

Glass dishes are not good heat conductors but they can be used in cooking frozen lasagna or any frozen meal for that matter because when it does get hot, it will distribute the heat more evenly.

Glass dish from freezer: When you are cooking frozen lasagna in a glass dish from the freezer, you must defrost it first. Its temperature must be cool not cold when put in the oven. Bake it like how you bake unfrozen lasagna; cover it with plastic lid or foil and then bake.
Glass dish from cupboard: If you intend to transfer frozen lasagna to a glass dish from the cupboard, you can directly put in the oven for baking without thawing the lasagna in it.

Can I cook frozen lasagna using an air fyer?

Absolutely. You just have to set your air fryer at 375F. Cover the container with foil and leave it there for about 20mins. Lessen the heat every five minutes after the 10minute mark. You want to maintain an internal temp of 165F here to get the desired moisture and softness of your frozen lasagna.

Can I cook frozen lasagna using an oven toaster?

This is another yes. Even if you do not have a baking oven, your oven toaster will do. Pre-heat it at 350F and prepare your frozen lasagna. Cover it with foil. Before putting in the lasagna pan, turn down the heat to 325F. Bake it there for 30-45mins or until the center is at 165F. If you do not have a thermometer at hand, check for the sizzling edges and fully melted cheese on top.

Can you cook frozen lasagna without defrosting?

Defrosting is not required but the cooking process for frozen lasagna would be faster if it is defrosted first. When you are cooking frozen lasagna from a glass dish, defrosting is required. There are handy options in defrosting your frozen lasagna but the best one would be transferring it in the fridge and letting it thaw there overnight.

Another thing that you can do to defrost your frozen lasagna is by putting it in the microwave for a couple of minutes. When doing this, make sure that the foil is removed, and that the container do not have metal handles.

Is it better to thaw frozen lasagna before baking?

It depends on how you prepared it. For example, unbaked and frozen lasagna may not require thawing before baking but you will have to bake it at 60mins and lower the temperature by 25 degrees to continue baking it for 30mins.

If it is baked and frozen, yes, you have to thaw it first before it is baked in the oven. If it is store-bought, you will most likely get it straight to the fridge for thawing.

Can you re-freeze and reheat thawed frozen lasagna?

Yes. Just store it in an airtight container. You can enjoy your frozen lasagna for at least three weeks. You also must take note that if you have baked a large batch of lasagna, it would be better to divide them in portions for freezing. This way, you do not have to take the large pan in and out of the freezer every time you want to reheat one.

How many times can a frozen lasagna be reheated?

There is no definite number of times for as long you can maintain an internal heat of 165F each time you reheat it. The next question might be when you should discard it. Frozen baked lasagna could last in the fridge for 3-5 days but up to three months when left to be freezed.

Conclusion

Having frozen lasagna is never a bad thing. It is one of the dishes that you would be grateful for its leftovers. There are a lot of ways to cook frozen lasagna and a handful of considerations to follow.

The cooking time is important as well as if it needs to be thawed first before cooking it. Nonetheless, cooking frozen lasagna is very doable and you should start seeing it for yourself today.

How To Cook Frozen Lasagna On The Stove Faster

Prep Time: 30 minutes

Active Time: 1 hour

Total Time: 1 hour 30 minutes

Difficulty: Medium

Materials

Lasagna

Tools

Skillet
Non-stick pan

Instructions

Place two to three square slices of lasagna in the skillet. Add moisture to the pasta by drizzling each slice with ¼ cup of water.
Heat the skillet at medium high heat. Wait for the water to start bubbling.
Cover the skillet and let it simmer for about 20mins. You need to shake your skillet occasionally for the lasagna to absorb enough heat and moisture.
For a crisp bottom, remove the cover during the last 5-7mins of cooking time.
Let cool for at least 10mins before serving.

How To Cook Frozen Lasagna Faster