No-Boil Lasagna.

Shermie

Well-known member
Site Supporter
Also called Oven-Ready Lasagna. Prince and other co's make it.

How many of you use this type of lasagna? I find it to be very convenient and it helps save tremendous steps over boiling it, since it is going to cook in the oven anyway.

Boiling it means that you have to wait for the water to boil, put the noodles in, drain it and wait for it to drain and cool slightly. What a time-consuming process THAT is?! My mom used to do it that way.

I just layer the noodles between the sauce and ricotta cheese and shredded mozzerella and it's ready for the oven! I'll NEVER go back to boiling it again! :applause:
 

Shermie

Well-known member
Site Supporter
I make my own sauce. I start off by sauteeing the onion, green pepper and celery in some oil. Then I add some hamburg or meatballs, tomato paste, crushed tomatoes and tomato sauce and sesomings, plus some burgundy wine.

I love the challenge because it allows me to tweak the flavors & add different things according to my personal taste.

I like to let it just barely simmer for about 5 - 6 hours. It is then slightly reduced and thickened.
 

Mama

Queen of Cornbread
Site Supporter
I tried those one time...I think they were made by Barilla. I didn't care for them. I like the ones you boil better.
 

chowhound

New member
I used to follow a sauce recipe that was on the back of a carton of lasagna noodles. Now that I regularly make my own sauce I'd probably still refer to that recipe (if it's still there) just to get a rough idea on quantity. It's been probably ten years since I've made lasagna and like I said in another thread, I am long overdue.
 

Sass Muffin

Coffee Queen ☕
Gold Site Supporter
I've never tried the lasagna Sherm, but have had the tortellini that is pre-cooked.
Perhaps I'll try the lasagna sheets, as mine always stick together and tear no matter what I do. lol
 

CharlieD

New member
I too use no-boil, though with all the time that I put into making my tri-color lasagna, I think I could boil them noodles too.

I use barilla brand, but I think "cremate"(sp?) Brand also makes it. I’ll see if I can dig the recipe if anybody wants to see it.
 

CharlieD

New member
I've never tried the lasagna Sherm, but have had the tortellini that is pre-cooked.
Perhaps I'll try the lasagna sheets, as mine always stick together and tear no matter what I do. lol

All you have to do is use big pot, the bigest you have in your house, and stir it for first few minutes when you dump noodles into boiling water.
 

High Cheese

Saucier
I make my own sauce.

You could boil the noodles while the sauce is simmering.

Put water on for the noodles, prep for the sauce, simmer the sauce, water should be boiling by now, cook the noodles and prep for building the lasagna, sauce should be done, build lasagna and put in the oven, clean up and wait for the lasagna to finish.
 

QSis

Grill Master
Staff member
Gold Site Supporter
I haven't used the no-boil pasta, but my neighbor does and she loves them.

One of my customers recently asked for help in unclogging her kitchen drain because she threw some leftover uncooked no-boil lasagna noodles down there, and turned on the HOT water while running the garbage disposal. She claims the hot water cooked the noodles and they stopped up her drain.

Says it's the third time she's done the same thing in 2 years.

(where's the "hand slapping the forehead" emoticon that Jeeks uses?)

Lee
 

Shermie

Well-known member
Site Supporter
Thanks, guys.

I just try to make some short cuts in the kitchen when making meals that require some time.

And to me, the no-boil lasagna is a time saver. And I've also come to the realization that since the lasagna sheets are going to cook in the oven anyway, why boil them in the first place. One less hassle.

As a boy, I often watched my mom do lasagna, and it all seemed like an all-day project before it was all done. Today, times have changed and making baked lasagna now seems easy to do. Works like a charm!
 

High Cheese

Saucier
How are you gonna make these?

LasagnaRolls001.jpg


lol...just kidding.
 

Shermie

Well-known member
Site Supporter
That looks good!

And also, guess I'd have to boil the lasagna to do those.

Looks almost like manicotti.

But I didn't think of that. You just gave me an idea! I'll use the leftover ricoota cheese, meat sauce or make some marinara and uncooked lasagna to make this. Don't have any frozen spinich though.
 
Last edited:

Tuscan Chef

New member
Here the use of non boiled versus boiled is more on the sauce. The more stiff is the sauce the more we tend to use boiled lasagna. When we do homemade pasta for Lasagna, we use it both way, again, depending on how much watery is the sauce.
I believe that most of the comments who hate it is because they had a stiff sauce or used cheese (which we don't use). Also depends on the use. If you are planning to preprare in advance, use the non boiled as it would keep texture.
 

Shermie

Well-known member
Site Supporter
I've noticed that when I used the no-boil lasagna, that it "drank up" quite a bit of the sauce and that the corners of the pasta was not completely soaked with the sauce.

Kind of funny though;

If you use too much of the sauce, then the dish is too loose. Too little or not enough, and it's too dry. It has to be pinned down just right where there is just enough, but not too much or too little sauce.

Also, I've seen events where as soon as the lasgna is done and it is taken from the oven, hungry kids and adults just 'dig in' immediately! The dish is loose and runny.

This is almost similar to slicing into a hot roast right from the oven, knowing that all the juices are going to run out, leaving the meat dry and tough later.

It (lasagna) needs time to 'tighten up' and become solid so that it is much less runny or loose. This, more importantly, also helps the crowd savor the flavor and enjoy all of the lusciouness that this often time-consuming dish has to offer.
 

FryBoy

New member
You don't need the "no boil" stuff, which I agree aren't great. Regular lasagna noodles can be used uncooked. The trick is to add sufficient water to the pan and seal it with foil or a tight-fitting lid. It cooks up quite nicely.
 

Shermie

Well-known member
Site Supporter
Yeah, I've also used the regular noodles as well.

Problem with that is, if you're using a half foil pan or a half hotel pan, you have to break the noodles to fit - paving the way for many broken small pieces.

And I HAVE covered the pan with foil during most of the cooking.
 

FryBoy

New member
Ah, here's what I was looking for -- didn't have the recipe on my computer for some reason, although this is something we've been making for about 100 years:

Lasagna Florentine -- Easy Spinach Lasagna

(Printable PDF copy attached -- scroll down below photos.)
 

Attachments

  • Spinach Lasagna #1.jpg
    Spinach Lasagna #1.jpg
    74.7 KB · Views: 432
  • Spinach Lasagna #2.jpg
    Spinach Lasagna #2.jpg
    43.9 KB · Views: 333
  • Spinach Lasagna, Easy.pdf
    34.7 KB · Views: 252
Last edited:
While sometimes (rarely) I'll use regular lasagna noodles (primarily for rollups, etc.), Barilla's "no boil" lasagna noodles remain my hands-down favorite.

Lasagna always comes out absolutely perfect - not dry or partially uncooked; not soggy - just perfectly tender noodles every single time.
 

CharlieD

New member
Gosh, once again I agree with Breezy ;) , exelent point. I do the same thing and yes it is always great. Couldn't agree more.


BTW, this does make difference in the fact of cooking or not, if I had used boiled noodles, it might be that I would not cook lasagna first. I've never done it, so I do not know, but with "no boil" noodles, the result is always perfect when I cook it first. I always make a lot, usually 5 half foil pans (that what the amount of the recipe works out to be) and I keep it in the freezer sometimes up to 6 month.
 

CharlieD

New member
No-no, Breezy, you are not missing anything, I agreed with you 100%. I also always cook my lazagna with no boil noodles and then freeze. I must be speaking some other lenguage here. ;)
 
Top