- My Forums
- Tiger Rant
- LSU Recruiting
- SEC Rant
- Saints Talk
- Pelicans Talk
- More Sports Board
- Fantasy Sports
- Golf Board
- Soccer Board
- O-T Lounge
- Tech Board
- Home/Garden Board
- Outdoor Board
- Health/Fitness Board
- Movie/TV Board
- Book Board
- Music Board
- Political Talk
- Money Talk
- Fark Board
- Gaming Board
- Travel Board
- Food/Drink Board
- Ticket Exchange
- TD Help Board
Customize My Forums- View All Forums
- Show Left Links
- Topic Sort Options
- Trending Topics
- Recent Topics
- Active Topics
Started By
Message
Question about lasagna
Posted on 5/15/14 at 8:16 am
Posted on 5/15/14 at 8:16 am
I've never made one to freeze, but need to put one up for next week. Do you bake before freeze or just put it all together and bake the day of eating?
7
Posted on 5/15/14 at 8:40 am to MDTiger 13
Maybe somewhere in the middle. Half cook it and it won't be crusty or overdone when reheating
Posted on 5/15/14 at 8:58 am to MDTiger 13
Par bake, or just freeze. Either way.
Posted on 5/15/14 at 9:22 am to BRgetthenet
Cook the sauce(meats and veggies etc), mix the dairy products in cheeses/bechamel you plan to use the day of cooking and freeze them separately Day of cooking set out on counter to defrost while at work. At home again use no cook noodles and mix the whole thing up as in layers needed in steps(bechamel last ifyou like to roll that way.
Posted on 5/15/14 at 9:35 am to MDTiger 13
Cook it, freeze it, thaw it, warm it, serve it. Most recipes are better when made ahead, and a brief freezing won't change this.
Posted on 5/15/14 at 10:16 am to MDTiger 13
I usually freeze a sauce and put one together the day of eating.
If I put it all together and freeze it casserole style, I do not pre-bake before freezing. I don't find that twice baked cheese maintains a good texture. The sauce is already cooked. I defrost and bake it as I would the day of making it.
If I put it all together and freeze it casserole style, I do not pre-bake before freezing. I don't find that twice baked cheese maintains a good texture. The sauce is already cooked. I defrost and bake it as I would the day of making it.
Posted on 5/15/14 at 10:50 am to OTIS2
quote:
Cook it, freeze it, thaw it, warm it, serve it. Most recipes are better when made ahead, and a brief freezing won't change this.
+1
Let it thaw completely and reach room temp. Then reheat and serve. It'll be fine. You can also chop up the cooked lasagna into whatever portions you want.
Posted on 5/15/14 at 11:17 am to MDTiger 13
I would say cook your noodles and sauce and layer it, then freeze it and bake it as usual once you thaw it the day of eating.
Agreed.
quote:
If I put it all together and freeze it casserole style, I do not pre-bake before freezing. I don't find that twice baked cheese maintains a good texture. The sauce is already cooked. I defrost and bake it as I would the day of making it.
Agreed.
This post was edited on 5/15/14 at 11:18 am
Posted on 5/15/14 at 11:22 am to OTIS2
For those of you who cook it ahead of time, why do you do that? To save time to reheat? It still has to get very hot to re-melt the cheese in the middle and heat the middle, plus the pasta gets pretty mushy for my taste. I don't understand pre-cooking it to freeze it.
Posted on 5/15/14 at 11:24 am to Gris Gris
quote:
For those of you who cook it ahead of time, why do you do that? To save time to reheat?
Yes. When I freeze it, it's individually for quick, microwaved meals, honestly.
Posted on 5/15/14 at 11:29 am to Gris Gris
quote:
For those of you who cook it ahead of time, why do you do that?
I've never had a "fresh" lasagna that I thought was as good as one that had sat a day. The dish just lends itself to a better flavor, and texture, if it sits awhile. IMHO.
The pasta isn't mushy on reheating unless one cooks it twice...and too long. I don't cook it twice. It'll be drawn from the freezer, brought to room temp, and then reheated to "hot"...not cooked for 30 to 45 more minutes.
The recipe I put in the RT above works very well...I use dry pasta in it. Cooks in the sauce, easy to handle, no problems at all.
Posted on 5/15/14 at 11:42 am to OTIS2
quote:
The recipe I put in the RT above works very well...I use dry pasta in it. Cooks in the sauce, easy to handle, no problems at all.
I use regular lasagna pasta, but I soak mine in cool water for >10 mins. before layering them in the casserole dish. I don't boil mine ahead of time.
Either way, i agree lasagna tastes better the day(s) after. And I microwave to reheat, not bake. And it's super easy to just grap a frozen bagged portion and bring it to work and heat for lunch. I don't want to re-cook that damn lasagna every time I pull it out of the freezer.
Posted on 5/15/14 at 12:00 pm to BayouBlitz
I make my sauce ahead of time so it already tastes better the day after. 
I understand cooking it ahead to be able to cut portions to freeze and reheat. I don't care for microwave heated lasagna, though. I also don't portion freeze cooked lasagna. I have made it in small serving loaf pans for freezing, though.
I understand cooking it ahead to be able to cut portions to freeze and reheat. I don't care for microwave heated lasagna, though. I also don't portion freeze cooked lasagna. I have made it in small serving loaf pans for freezing, though.
Posted on 5/15/14 at 12:05 pm to Gris Gris
quote:
I understand cooking it ahead to be able to cut portions to freeze and reheat. I don't care for microwave heated lasagna, though. I also don't portion freeze cooked lasagna. I have made it in small serving loaf pans for freezing, though.
Well, little miss organized. Not everybody's world is as well planned and efficient as yours.
And it's not just the sauce that is a day old, it's the pasta soaking up the sauce. Cheese is always better melted fresh the first time. So you could sprinkle some shredded parmesan on top and then nuke it.
Posted on 5/15/14 at 12:20 pm to BayouBlitz
No nuked lasagna for me, BB. I put too much love and care into it to nuke it.
Posted on 5/15/14 at 12:40 pm to MDTiger 13
I think I counted 37,455,203 different recommendations to your question listed above this post. I agree with all of them except one.
Posted on 5/15/14 at 1:05 pm to MDTiger 13
My suggestion:
Use this recipe, but make double the sauce and freeze in two parts
1. Make only the sauce a week ahead of time.
2. Go to the store the day before and get all the ingredients besides for the sauce(which you already made).
3. Don't boil the noodles, soak them for 10-20 minutes in warm water and then assemble.
It will take you max of 30 minutes to assemble, I don't understand why you would freeze the whole thing. Just freeze the sauce a week ahead, two weeks ahead or whatever, then thaw and assemble a day ahead and let the flavors meld, then bake when needed.
ALSO, since you made double the sauce and froze in two parts you have some great red sauce to use for whatever you want down the road.
Use this recipe, but make double the sauce and freeze in two parts
1. Make only the sauce a week ahead of time.
2. Go to the store the day before and get all the ingredients besides for the sauce(which you already made).
3. Don't boil the noodles, soak them for 10-20 minutes in warm water and then assemble.
It will take you max of 30 minutes to assemble, I don't understand why you would freeze the whole thing. Just freeze the sauce a week ahead, two weeks ahead or whatever, then thaw and assemble a day ahead and let the flavors meld, then bake when needed.
ALSO, since you made double the sauce and froze in two parts you have some great red sauce to use for whatever you want down the road.
Posted on 5/15/14 at 1:16 pm to KosmoCramer
I'm in the minority when it comes to leftover lasagna tasting better. I don't think it does, mainly due to the reheated cheese. I'll eat it, but it's not as good as fresh baked. I've never liked nuked cheese. The texture doesn't appeal to me. Lots of folks have no issue with that, though.
Posted on 5/15/14 at 1:21 pm to ladytiger118
quote:
I would say cook your noodles and sauce and layer it, then freeze it and bake it as usual once you thaw it the day of eating.
This is what I've always done, always works
Posted on 5/15/14 at 2:04 pm to Gris Gris
quote:
I've never liked nuked cheese. The texture doesn't appeal to me.
A little of this might be a mental thing in your head
Page 1 of 2
Popular
Back to top
Follow TigerDroppings for LSU Football News