# Freezing lasagna: pre-cook or not?



## Kat

so i am making lasagna for the first time this weekend.  most of the recipies i've found use a 9x13 pan.  since it's just me and my boyfriend that will eat it, i was planning on splitting it into two pans and freeze one for later. my question is should i underbake the one taht i'm going to freeze, or leave it raw?  i have barilla no boil lasagna sheets and i'm not sure if freezing the pasta sheets dry will mess up the texture.  also, waht's a good ratio of cheeses, i have ricotta, parmesan and mozzarella?  thanks alot


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## GB

I would leave it raw. Line your baking pan with aluminum foil and build your lasagna in it, then fold the foil over and pop it out of the pan. Wrap it up well and put it in the freezer. Then when you are ready to cook it pull out the same pan you used to make it and just pop it right in and then in the oven.


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## Chef_Jimmy

agreed, lasagna is a perfect candidate to freeze and then cook, there is not much of a difference at all


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## CharlieD

I disagree.

I always cook my lasagna first (I too use Barilla pasta), then cool it down cut into portions and freeze it individually in the Ziploc freezer bags. 
What is the point of freezing uncooked pasta? 
You can freeze ingredients and then defrost them and assemble new lasagna, if that is what you want to do, but to freeze uncooked pasta makes no sense what so ever. Then you can reheat it (as much or as little as you need/want) in the oven or for a quick fix through into the microwave.


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## Lizannd

*If I was freezing in individual portions like Charlie I would do*

it his way and cook it first. This does warm up nicely in the microwave if it is in small pieces.
It always seems to dry out the lasagna when I try to reheat a large piece.  Since you are using no boil noodles then I would cook both pans then make sure I froze the extra in smaller portions not the whole pan.


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## GB

CharlieD said:
			
		

> What is the point of freezing uncooked pasta?


The point would be that you do not have to double cook anything. Your way you cook it, freeze it, then cook it again. My way you assemble it and freeze it, then when you are ready to cook it all you have to do it pop it out of the freezer and into the oven.

That is not to say your way is not right too. Both ways have their advantages and disadvantages.


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## BreezyCooking

I completely agree with CharlieD. I always make a big pan of lasagna (using Barilla pasta), & then, AFTER cooking, I cut up the leftovers into individual portion-size squares & wrap each one tightly in plastic wrap, then put all the individual portions into a Ziplock bag & freeze. 

They thaw/reheat beautifully in the microwave as fresh as ever.

I don't understand the point of making a pan of lasagna & freezing the whole thing uncooked. Where, exactly, do you save the time? And what do you do with the leftovers, since after they're cooked you are, in essence, freezing them twice. I can't see how that contributes to the quality.

Everyone is truly entitled to their own opinion, but really, freezing something twice is not conducive to good quality the 2nd time around.


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## GB

LOL you are assuming there will be leftovers


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## CharlieD

GB said:
			
		

> ... assemble it and freeze ...


 

 So, why not simple assemble it before cooking. Like I said freeze the ingredients, but not he pasta. And again, we do not know what ingredients she is using. Besides, according to your way then you should only cook two little pieces, because "it is only her and her boyfriend". 
 And you really do not have to cook it twice; all you have to do warm it up. You do warm up soup the second day, do you?   

(We seriously lacking a wink here)


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## GB

OK I think I missed the part about it being just her and her boyfriend, but I still think either way would work.

What is wrong with freezing uncooked pasta vs freezing cooked pasta?

By assembling it ahead of time you do not have to do it when you want to eat it. It is just a way to save a little time on the eating end as opposed to saving that time somehwere else.

Yes I reheat soups, but soup and lasagna are not the same thing. Not all foods are as good reheated as others. I am not a fan of reheated meats personally. If the lasagna has a lot of meat they reheating it will compromise the taste and texture IMO. 

Again this is just my opinion. I am not saying it is right or wrong. This is just how I would do it.

And yes Charlie we really do need a wink smily


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## CharlieD

I do not like Lasagna period, or I should say I used to not like lasagna, as well as many other Italian dishes. Meat and cheese is just not my cup of tea.

So about the lasagna, i did not like it until i was given this recipe for vegetarian lasagna, it is out of this world.

Recipe:

TRICOLOR LASAGNA

(Courtesy of chef Rich)

"Lasagne al Forno Tricolore con Quattro Formaggio" (13 x 9 x 3 baking dish)

~preheat oven to 325 deg. F.~

***********************************************

------- The Filling --------

3 lbs. part skim ricotta
3 C. grated parmigiano reggianito from Argentina (cheaper version of Parmigiano Reggiano if desired)
3 extra large whole org. eggs
2 tsp. sea salt

1 lb. frozen chopped spinach, squeezed very dry
1 lb. roasted red peppers, drained and squeezed very dry

15-16 Barilla brand No-boil lasagna noodles

Blend the ricotta, parmigiano, eggs and salt in a mixer or food processor until light and fluffy. Divide this filling into three
equal portions. Puree the roasted peppers in the food processor bowl and whisk into one of the filling mixtures (red) until thoroughly mixed. Rinse the food processor bowl and dry. Puree the drained spinach and whisk this into another one of the filling mixtures (green) until thoroughly mixed. Leave the third filling mixture white.

-------- The balsamella --------

2 T. butter
2 T. xv olive oil
4 T. org. white rice flour (or AP flour)
6 C. 2% low fat milk
2 tsp. sea salt 
1 1/2 tsp fresh grated nutmeg
1 tsp. white pepper

Melt the butter in the olive oil in a heavy 3 Qt. saucepan. Stir in the flour and cook over medium heat for 2 minutes, stirring constantly. Remove from the heat and whisk in the milk, slowly at first, until all the milk is added. Return to the heat and bring to a scald, still stirring constantly. Lower the heat and simmer for 15-20 minutes until thickened, stirring often. Season with the salt, pepper and nutmeg. Stir, check seasonings and correct if necessary and remove from the heat. Yields about 5-5 1/2 cups.

-------- The topping --------

1 C. parmigiano reggianito
1 1/2 T. dried Turkish oregano
1 1/2 C. shredded fontina cheese
1 1/2 C. shredded asiago cheese

To assemble and bake the lasagna, spray the bottom and sides of the baking dish with Pam olive oil spray. Ladle about 1 cup of the balsamella in the bottom and spread around evenly. Place 3-4 noodles over the white sauce, not overlapping too much as the noodles expand somewhat. Spread the red ricotta mixture over this layer of noodles. Top with another cup of balsamella and a layer of 4 more noodles (typically the sides of the pan slope outward so you can fit more noodles on the upper layers). Spread the white ricotta mixture on this layer and top with another cup of balsamella. Place 4 more noodles over this layer and spread the green ricotta mixture on top of these noodles. Cover with another cup or so of the balsamella.
Top with 4 more noodles and the remaining balsamella. Mix the parmigiano and the oregano and sprinkle over the white sauce. Spread the shredded fontina and asiago evenly over the top and spray with a little more olive oil Pam until glistening.

Place in the middle rack of the preheated oven and bake for about 1 hour until set (knife comes out clean) and top is golden brown and crispy. Cool for 15 minutes before serving or serve at room temp. Cool completely, wrap and freeze for reheating later.

**********************************************

I usually oven bake peppers, as it is simply easier, and easy to remove skin before chopping them up. Also I add stewed mushroom to the cheese layer. I sauté some onion add mushrooms, when mushrooms let out the liquid I stir and add some sour cream and let it cook till soft, add spices of your liking. I try to cook till all the liquid is gone, than puree the mixture in the same manner as peppers and spinach. Also I add couple of tablespoons of tomato paste to pepper/ricotta mixture to make it look redder. Also none of those cheeses are available in kosher variety so I adapt to what is available. Of course, it goes without saying that spices could be adjusted to your taste, i.e. I like some garlic added. Oh yean and I double the portion so I can freeze the leftovers and just warm them up.


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## jennyema

I'm with Charlie and Breezy and Liz ....

I now always use Barilla no boil noodles and I freeze leftovers in portioned containers and microwave them for lunch or dinner later.​


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## Constance

When I make lasagna, I make a big batch and put it in 2-3 containers. We cook one, give one to my daughter, and freeze the other for later. 
If you cook it first, then freeze, then reheat, it gets too dry.


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## Gretchen

Charlie and others are talking about apples and oranges. Of course, if you want individual portions you MUST cook it first.
It is fresh, bubbly and golden when cooked fresh for the table after being frozen uncooked.


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## jennyema

I don't have room in my freezer for a whole uncooked lasagna


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## BreezyCooking

Which is another WONDERFUL reason for cooking it & then freezing it in individually-wrapped portions.  I can't tell you how lovely it is to have a taste for lasagna for lunch or dinner & just be able to pull out one or two portions, unwrap them, stick them in the microwave, & about 4-5 minutes later have it hot, delicious, & ready.


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## vyapti

I'm surprised at the number of people that use no-boil noodles.  I use regular noodles, add some extra tomato sauce.  The noodles cook while they bake.  I've never done it any other way.  I guess I'm in the minority.


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## Kat

thanks for the tips guys. i should clarify, the reason i was thinking of assembling it then freezing is because i work overnights a few nights a week, then go straight to college classes after work in the morning. by the time i get home, i just want to take a long nap, rather than make dinner  my boyfriend would starve then though, and by the time i wake up i'm starving too becuase i probably haven't eaten lunch at all. so i figure by assembling then freezing, he can put it in the oven to cook, then wake me up when it's done. it's amazing how the extra half hour or hour of sleep keeps the crabby mood away  . i wound up making a big batch of meat sauce, so maybe i'll try a couple of the different suggestions, though i like the idea of freezing individual portions, pure genious  .


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## Gretchen

I have heard from very reputable chefs that with just a little extra liquid you can use regular noodles and they will cook with the lasagna.


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## amber

I freeze it unbaked.


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## jennyema

Kat -- ever consider a crockpot?  Seriously, those things were made for people with schedules like yours.


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## mish

Kat said:
			
		

> so i am making lasagna for the first time this weekend. most of the recipies i've found use a 9x13 pan. since it's just me and my boyfriend that will eat it, i was planning on splitting it into two pans and freeze one for later. my question is should i underbake the one taht i'm going to freeze, or leave it raw? i have barilla no boil lasagna sheets and i'm not sure if freezing the pasta sheets dry will mess up the texture. also, waht's a good ratio of cheeses, i have ricotta, parmesan and mozzarella? thanks alot


 
Hi Kat.  Welcome to DC.

I would not undercook/half-bake or freeze raw lasagna.  There are many easy recipes for no boil noodles lasagna, most are submerged in sauce and covered to steam & cook the noodles/dish thru.  If you would like a recipe, send up a flare.   You can easily adjust the pan size, but need to adjust the cooking time as well.  Best solution, cook the lasagna thru, let cool, wrap and freeze.


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## BreezyCooking

Guys - please forgive me ahead of time if this sounds snippy, because I know it will, lol.  We're talking about LASAGANA here.  Not curing cancer.

For God's sake - do what you want.  Whatever suits you best.  I can't believe this thread has gone on as long as it has.  Let's face it  - there are two variations.  You make, bake, & then freeze the lasagna.  Or you make it & then freeze it raw & bake it later (personally, yuck).

The raw vs. cooked folks are NOT going to change their minds.  I know that I'm not about to.

Now we're getting into crockpots & partially cooked lasagnas?  IT'S LASAGNA!!!!!   It's been made for several DECADES without requiring pages & pages of instruction.

Again - I'm sorry ahead of time for the tirade, but these sort of threads over something that's been made easily & successfully nearly since time began drive me nuts.


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## mish

BreezyCooking said:
			
		

> Guys - please forgive me ahead of time if this sounds snippy, because I know it will, lol. We're talking about LASAGANA here. Not curing cancer.
> 
> For God's sake - do what you want. Whatever suits you best. I can't believe this thread has gone on as long as it has. Let's face it - there are two variations. You make, bake, & then freeze the lasagna. Or you make it & then freeze it raw & bake it later (personally, yuck).
> 
> The raw vs. cooked folks are NOT going to change their minds. I know that I'm not about to.
> 
> *Now we're getting into crockpots* & partially cooked lasagnas? IT'S LASAGNA!!!!! It's been made for several DECADES without requiring pages & pages of instruction.
> 
> Again - I'm sorry ahead of time for the tirade, but these sort of threads over something that's been made easily & successfully nearly since time began drive me nuts.


 
Breezy I agree to a certain extent...yep folks tend to meander, and not read the question. Since it's Kat's first time making Lasagna, I think folks here were trying to be helpful. Something that may be obvious to you or I, may not be clear to a beginner -- or anyone that has a question. And no way would I recommend freezing raw or half-cooked lasagna


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## Gretchen

With all due respect, I think the crockpot suggestion was for other dishes that might help simplify the OP's busy life that she described further on--not necessarily for lasagna.
But TOTALLY agree that it can be done either way--uncooked or cooked. I just much prefer baking it fresh when I am serving it and therefore freeze uncooked. It does very well.


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## BreezyCooking

Oh Lord - I wasn't even going to enter the "half-cooking" debate.  That just goes beyond my cooking/safety sensibilities - lol!  Anyone who wants to venture into that is on their own - lol!

And if you really want to make true "lasagne", cooked or not, put the crockpot away.


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## Kat

well, i cooked one pan up last night and it turned out pretty good. i kinda improvised it a bit, used a bolognese sauce i like and found a good mixture of cheeses. i put the other half in the freezer unbaked, we'll see what happens when i cook it, maybe next week. i know it may seem like a no brainer to some, but no one in my family has ever made lasagna (i know, hard to believe), so i didn't really have any basic knowledge on how to make it. i'm kinda teaching myself how to cook too, since my mom worked 70 hours a week for the family business and my dad just didn't cook anything interesting, so there's probably some basic things i just haven't figured out yet, but this forum has really helped. 

also, i did the slow cooker thing for quite awhile until both me and the bf got sick of things slow cooked. i don't know if i was just looking in the wrong places/websites, but it seemed that every recipe called for cream of mushroom/chicken soup, onion soup packets, canned veggies. now, not to sound hoity toity, but i prefer to only use canned veggies (tomatoes excluded) and canned soups as a last resort. i wasn't really brought up on canned/boxed/frozen food, so i don't have much taste for it. nothing against it, it's just not for me. and i'm trying to eat healtier with fresh fruit and veggies, didn't seem like any recipe i found was terribly low fat/nutrient rich.

anyway, sorry for the rant, but thanks for the tips. i know there's different ways of doing things, i was just looking for opinions. food people are like car people, they have their way and that's the best and there's no arguing. no offense to anyone intended.


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## GB

Don't give up on Crock Pot cooking just because you do not like using canned veggies, soups, and soup packets. There are TONS of great slow cooker recipes out there that do not use any of the above. I do not think any of my slow cooker recipes use anything like that (again with the exception of canned tomatoes). My favorite slow cooker recipe uses lentils, fresh celery and carrots, canned tomatoes, but you can certainly use fresh if you want, beef stock, kielbasa, and maybe some other stuff. 

If the only slow cooker recipes I found called for a can of soup and canned veggies then I would probably want to give up on them too


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## Constance

Mish, I haven't followed this discussion very closely, so excuse me if I'm being redundant.
Are you worried that freezing raw or half-cooked lasagna might be a health issue?


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## mish

Constance said:
			
		

> Mish, I haven't followed this discussion very closely, so excuse me if I'm being redundant.
> Are you worried that freezing raw or half-cooked lasagna might be a health issue?


 
Hi Connie.  Now that you mention it, maybe a frozen an uncooked egg/cheese mixture might not be healthy.  Hadn't thought about that, since  I wouldn't freeze a raw or half cooked noodle mixture.  But, hey, that's just me.  There are some very quick no-boil noodle lasagana & baked ziti recipe links I posted on the forum, if one is in a hurry or wants to try a different cooking method.


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## Gretchen

Ummm, there are a lot of frozen uncooked lasagnas in the freezer section. It is FINE to freeze uncooked lasagna. Don't half cook it.


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## mish

Gretchen said:
			
		

> Ummm, there are a lot of frozen uncooked lasagnas in the freezer section. It is FINE to freeze uncooked lasagna. Don't half cook it.


 
I believe the frozen lasagna in the freezer section of the market may already be pre-cooked, frozen and packaged by pros --prepared in a certain way for marketing/freezing/shelf-life/cooking. Probably lots of preservatives added as well. Just my personal preference not to opt for uncooked or half cooked noodles in the freezer. That's the beauty of this forum. We can all give our opinions/likes & dislikes. BTW, Stouffer's is pretty good.


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## BreezyCooking

Supermarket freezer section lasagnas are ALL precooked. Where did you get your info that any brands are uncooked, Gretchen?

That said, I still don't see where there's any advantage whatsoever to freezing lasagna uncooked. You have to cook it eventually, don't you?? And quite frankly I'd feel much safer freezing a completely cooked product than I would an uncooked one. Especially, as someone else pointed out, one was using eggs as a binder in one of the layers. Not to mention you have to freeze it whole. You can't freeze it uncooked in portions - a major drawback as far as I'm concerned.

I really do not understand the advantage at all. Just bake the darn thing, portion it out, wrap well, & freeze it. What's the problem with that?  I mean, really, how long does it take to bake lasagna?  An hour tops?


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## GB

BreezyCooking said:
			
		

> I really do not understand the advantage at all. Just bake the darn thing, portion it out, wrap well, & freeze it. What's the problem with that?  I mean, really, how long does it take to bake lasagna?  An hour tops?


BreezyCooking, everyone has their own way of doing things. Just because someone does not do it your way does not mean it is not worth doing.


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## CharlieD

I have to agree everybody has their own way, it's just that my way is the right one and everybody who doesn't agree with it are simply wrong.


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## CharlieD

Mish, what did you mean by fresh pasta? Like the freshly home made pasta?


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## mish

CharlieD said:
			
		

> Mish, what did you mean by fresh pasta? Like the freshly home made pasta?


 
Don't know how to post double quotes. I like the way you think, Charlie. What I call using my noodle  

I started a topic about fresh store-bought pasta sheets to get some input, since I've seen it mentioned in many recipes. Sorry I deleted it, but thought it should have a different discussion/topic.


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## CharlieD

Well, not sure what you are talking about but you can pretty much use anything in lasagna, even spaghety if that is all you have.


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## BreezyCooking

CharlieD - actually no, you can't just use "spaghetti" to make Lasagna.

The reason it's called "Lasagna" is because it uses "Lasagna" noodles.  Just like a recipe calling for Farfalle uses Farfalle pasta; just like a recipe calling for Penne uses Penne pasta.

A baked pasta dish using "spaghetti" would be just that - a baked pasta dish using spaghetti.  It wouldn't be "Lasagna".


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## CharlieD

BreezyCooking, You are just way too serious. Your handle doesn't suite you.


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## BreezyCooking

I don't know what makes you feel that way at all, CharlieD.

The original poster said she doesn't have a lot of experience making lasagna.  I've been making (& freezing) lasagna (meat, vegetable, seafood, etc.) for over 30 years.

I'm just trying to save her time & give her what I've found to be the most versatile method of freezing it.  Nothing serious about it.  Just experience.

And as far as the spaghetti thing - what I've said is perfectly true.  It's called "Lasagna" because it's made with "Lasagna" noodles.  Lasagna noodles are thicker & hold up to baking much much better than spaghetti.  In fact, if you tried to use spaghetti in a number of lasagna recipes, it would disintegrate.

I'm sort of thinking you're the one who's a bit too serious here.


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## GB

I am locking this thread because Kat has gotten her answer and now this discussion is becoming unfriendly. 

Kat if you feel you did not get your answer then PM me and I will be happy to unlock this thread if that is what you want. Thanks.


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