Lasagne - freezing and defrosting questions

Fen1

Cook everything as you would for fresh, but don't put the final grated cheese topping on to cook before freezing - it will overcook when you reheat and go tough.
Put the grated cheese on when you reheat. If you look at shop-made lasagnes the grated cheese is always raw.

piggybankrupt

how long do you reheat it & what gas mark??

Penny-Pincher!!

I cook mine, layer it etc then portion and freeze into enough for the 3 of us.

HTH
PP
xx

EmmaJ_3

I do both!

When I make a lasagne I always make a big one (6 portions) even if its just the 2 of us, so the remaining already-cooked portions will be frozen individually as 'ready-meals' which can be reheated easily in the microwave.

Or occasionally, for example if I know I'll want a lasagne but won't have time/want to spend the time preparing it on the day, ahead of time I'll make it up ready for the oven and freeze the whole thing in the big lasagne dish. That way it'll be ready to pop in the oven without any preparation.

hth

lil_me

If I use dried pasta I cook first then freeze, if using fresh pasta I freeze before cooking (prepared up), if I am making one for us I usually make extra to freeze cooked. Agree with leaving the cheese topping if you use it until cooking it to eat, if you're freezing just leave it off when cooking and put on when reheating.

Lord_Lardington

I too have done it (and like it) both ways. Sometimes I'm in the mood for Lasagne that is soft and creamy (frozen uncooked) and sometimes I really love a really "crusty" one where the cheese has gone hard on the top layer of pasta (frozen cooked).

If I've frozen a cooked one and want it a bit softer/moister I wet the top with water and cook it under foil to protect it a little.

kazzaw

I'm just making a lasagne for tomorrow night and decided to make 2 and freeze one. At what stage should I freeze it?

I'm assembling tomorrow's up to the oven stage then putting it in the fridge ready to pop in the oven when I get in.

If I freeze the second one after cooking it in the oven will it dry out when I reheat it?

I've been lurking on OS for ages and as I've been forced to work full time due to a colleague's illness I'm trying to be organised and not spend the extra money on ready meals or takeaways. I'm also trying to lose weight and eat healthily.

Poet_2

I always freeze mine after cooking it, that way it retains its shape. Always been delicious when reheated but I reheat in the microwave. If it's a big one in a dish then I'd freeze it before cooking, the oven will make the pasta crispy I should think, if it's already been cooked.

kazzaw

Poet wrote: »

I always freeze mine after cooking it, that way it retains its shape. Always been delicious when reheated but I reheat in the microwave. If it's a big one in a dish then I'd freeze it before cooking, the oven will make the pasta crispy I should think, if it's already been cooked.

I was hoping to freeze it in a square foil tray with lid that I picked up cheap so the microwave could be a problem.

Clutterfree

I freeze mine uncooked.
I just layer the pasta and cooked meat sauce and top with the cheese sauce. Then pop it in the freezer (once cooled). The only thing I don't do is put the grated cheese on the top before freezing - I do this when I cook it to eat.
Defrost first though.
HTH