Why You Should Stay Away From The Microwave When Reheating Lasagna

So you've finally perfected your lasagna. You know the 12 ingredients that can take lasagna to the next level, and you even know the most common lasagna mistakes to avoid. While sitting at the table and enjoying your freshly baked, cheesy pasta casserole literally feels like heaven to you, you probably also know that packaging it up and enjoying it again tomorrow can come with complications — why is reheated lasagna never right!? Well, it could be the way you're reheating your leftovers. For example, if you're popping a slice of lasagna into the microwave to enjoy the next day, the only thing you'll enjoy is the overwhelming need to toss it in the trash.

In fact, using the microwave to reheat lasagna almost never works. This is because leftover pasta tends to absorb moisture and dry out in the fridge, and microwaving it the next day only dries it out even more. And if your lasagna contains ricotta (an ingredient more common in Italian-American lasagna than traditional recipes), mozzarella, or other creamy ingredients, the microwave serves as another nemesis. In this case, it can separate the oils and fats in the melted cheeses, causing them to split under the intense heat.

But don't fret. Although you should stay away from the microwave when reheating lasagna, you can still get the job done using other kitchen appliances. While it might take a little longer, you'll get a much better result — and that's what matters when it comes to proper lasagna.

In order to reheat your lasagna to get the best result, you'll want to use your oven. Preheat your oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit and take your lasagna out of the refrigerator to sit on the counter as the oven is warming up. If you're reheating frozen lasagna portions, make sure to let that thaw overnight in the refrigerator. You can let it reheat in the oven straight from frozen, but you may not get the best result (and it'll take much longer to cook).

To ensure your lasagna doesn't dry out, add a splash of water to the top of it before covering the entire dish tightly with aluminum foil. Let it reheat until it's hot and bubbly. Depending on how much lasagna you're reheating (and whether or not it's from the fridge or straight from frozen), this could take anywhere from 20 minutes to 90 minutes. If you want the top to brown again, feel free to remove the foil in the last 10 minutes of reheating.