To enjoy lasagna, you don’t need to be of Italian descent. In reality, lasagna has gained popularity as a typical home staple both in the United States and internationally, mostly because of how tasty and healthy it is.
We can all agree that it is not always practical, especially on weeknights, to create lasagna from scratch since you need to buy and prepare all of the components. Additionally, not everyone possesses the culinary talents necessary to make the ideal lasagna.
The good news is that lasagna freezes quite well and will keep its taste, texture, and quality for months in the freezer, despite the fact that some people typically dislike frozen dishes.
This entails that you can either make a large quantity and store it for later use, or you can purchase ready-made frozen lasagna to always have a satisfying supper on hand.
If you have one or more frozen lasagnas in your freezer, you can rest assured that you will have a meal that everyone will enjoy, even if you need to work late or have errands to run and limited time to prepare dinner.
The best news is that you don’t necessarily need to thaw the frozen lasagna in order to cook it.
Read on to find out how to cook lasagna straight out of the freezer and what the frozen lasagna cook time is. We have also added some useful tips on the best ways to cook and serve frozen lasagna too.
Cooking Frozen Lasagna
Cooking frozen lasagna is so easy that just about anybody can do it.
You can take the time to thaw the lasagna first prior to cooking it, but if you are in a hurry, you can pop it into the oven straight out of the freezer.
If you are going to be cooking frozen lasagna without letting it thaw, then you can expect the process to take about 90 minutes.
In case you have had the time to thaw the lasagna or have just prepared it yourself, the cooking time will be about 60 minutes.
So in each case, you will need to wait for at least an hour before the lasagna is ready to be served.
In case you are cooking extra-large lasagna, the cooking may take about 20 minutes longer.
If you have a convection oven, then the lasagna may be cooked faster.
It is recommended to cook it at a higher temperature for the best results.
How to Cook Frozen Lasagna ASAP?
If you are in a hurry and the kids are hungry, you can do the following to speed up the process of cooking frozen lasagna:
Take the lasagna out of the freezer as soon as possible, and turn on the oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit to preheat.
Use some aluminum foil to cover the lasagna dish or pan tightly. This will allow for the heat to penetrate to the frozen parts but without burning the delicious cheese on top of the frozen lasagna.
A useful tip is to place a baking sheet under the pan to prevent spillage of juices to your oven bottom and racks.
Bake it in the preheated oven for about 60 to 75 minutes.
Take it out and remove the foil, and then put it back in the oven uncovered until the cheese is golden brown and melted, and the juices become bubbly and have soaked the pasta and other ingredients. This should take another 30 minutes.
Let the lasagna cool for a bit, and then serve it.
Please keep in mind that if your frozen lasagna is in a glass dish, you cannot place it directly in the hot oven from the freezer. Instead, you will need to thaw it completely, or if necessary, place it in the microwave to defrost prior to cooking it.
Do You Have to Defrost Frozen Lasagna First?
So, the good news is that it is possible to cook frozen lasagna without having to defrost it first.
If you like to plan ahead, it will be better to take the lasagna out of the freezer the previous night and put it in the refrigerator to thaw overnight. This will shorten the cooking time on the next day.
If the lasagna is in a glass pan, then it will need to be completely defrosted before you place it in the hot oven because the glass can shatter from the drastic temperature change.
If the frozen lasagna is in a container that is not metal or foil, you can defrost it in the microwave oven. But make sure that you do this carefully to prevent the lasagna from starting to cook in the microwave.
Final Thoughts
Even freshly made lasagna takes about 60 minutes to cook, so don’t expect wonders when cooking frozen lasagna.
Still, you can have mouthwatering lasagna served on the table in about 90 minutes, even if you have taken it straight out of the freezer before that.
If you have had the time and have remembered to thaw the lasagna first, then you can expect it to be ready in about 60 minutes. You can defrost it in the microwave prior to cooking it as well.
In any case, having one or more frozen lasagnas in your freezer is a very good idea, especially on busy days and on days when you just don’t feel like running to the store and prepping one from scratch.
Good luck and enjoy your delicious lasagna!
Related: How to Reheat Frozen Lasagna So It Tastes Delicious