What Are Lasagna noodles and How Can I Use Them?

If lasagna noodles have turned up in a recipe or caught your eye at the store, here's what you need to use them with confidence and how to choose them, cook them, store them, what to substitute, and 182 recipes to try them in.

What are lasagna noodles?

Lasagna noodles are wide, flat sheets of pasta, the broadest shape on the shelf. They are not made to be sauced and twirled. Instead they are layered, stacked between sauce, cheese, and filling, then baked into the casserole that shares their name.

A standard dried sheet runs about two inches wide and seven or eight long, often with a ruffled, wavy edge. That ruffle is not just decoration: the ridges grip the layers above and below so the stack holds together when you cut it.

Boil or No-Boil

The single decision that defines cooking with lasagna noodles is whether to boil them first.

Regular dried sheets need a quick parboil, about 8 to 10 minutes, until they are flexible but still firm. They finish cooking in the oven as they soak up moisture from the sauce. This is the route for a classic Best Lasagna.

No-boil (oven-ready) sheets are thinner and pre-cooked, then dried, so they go into the pan straight from the box. They rehydrate from the surrounding sauce as the dish bakes.

The trade-off is real: they save a step and a pot, but they demand a wetter, looser sauce because they pull liquid from it.

That is the most common failure with no-boil noodles. A thick, dry sauce leaves them chalky and stiff at the edges. Add extra sauce or a splash of water, and cover the pan with foil for the first part of baking to trap steam.

Building a Lasagna

Whichever noodle you use, the layering logic is the same. Start with a thin film of sauce on the bottom so the first sheet does not stick, then alternate noodles, sauce, cheese, and filling.

Overlap the sheets slightly rather than leaving gaps, and do not skimp on sauce between layers, especially at the top, where a bare noodle dries out and curls.

Lasagna noodles are also good beyond the stack. Boiled sheets can be spread with filling and rolled into lasagna rolls for single-serving portions, the same idea as a spinach lasagna reorganized into tidy spirals.

Substitutes

If you are out of lasagna sheets, fresh pasta sheets rolled thin are the best stand-in and need no boiling. For a no-bake shortcut, oven-ready sheets broken to fit work in most recipes.

In a real pinch, a loose layered bake built with wide egg noodles, as in this wild mushroom lasagna approach, will scratch the itch, though you lose the clean sliceable layers. There is no true substitute for the flat sheet in a formal lasagna.

Buying and Storing

Dried lasagna sheets keep for a year or two in a sealed box in a cool, dry cupboard. Check the box for whether they are regular or no-boil, since the two are not interchangeable without adjusting your sauce.

Fresh lasagna sheets, sold refrigerated, last only a few days and freeze well between sheets of parchment so they do not fuse. A baked lasagna keeps four or five days in the fridge and freezes well, which is why it is a classic make-ahead dish.

Nutrition

Quick facts

Where to find lasagna noodles: Lasagna noodles are usually found in the pasta section or aisle of the grocery store or supermarket.

Food group: Lasagna noodles are a member of the Cereal Grains and Pasta US Department of Agriculture nutritional food group.

In Chinese

烤宽面条面条

British (UK) term

Lasagna noodles

en français

lasagnes

en español

fideos de lasaña

How much do lasagna noodles weigh?

Related

Cereal Grains and Pasta

Recipes using lasagna noodles

There are 182 recipes that contain this ingredient.

Spinach Lasagne

Spinach lasagne layers a creamy ricotta-parmesan-spinach filling with no-boil noodles and tomato sauce, all under bubbling mozzarella and Monterey jack. A vegetarian classic that skips the noodle-boiling step.

Lasagne Italia

Pork ragu lasagna layered with a slow-cooked tomato and herb sauce, plenty of grated cheese, and a milk-brushed top that bakes golden. A hearty homemade lasagna built on ground pork instead of beef.

Favourite Lasagna

Great comfort food. Its simplicity makes it a dish loved by many. The ingredient that makes this recipe special is the cottage cheese, which is not traditionally used in lasagna.

Spinach Roll Ups

Although quite good with using cottage cheese, I prefer to make the rolls with part-skim ricotta. They are delicious!

Cheesy Vegetable Lasagna

Nobody will say no to this delicious lasagna. Layers of great flavors and very filling. Perfect to make ahead, then reheat it at the dinner time.

Italian Veggie Rolls

These were delicious! I don't like mushrooms so nixed those and used a broccoli/cauliflower mixture. Loved it; the added wine and garlic with all the veggies....yum. I believe I used 11 lasagna noodles; putting 1/3 cup of the mixture in each noodle was perfect.

Four Cheese & Spinach Lasagna with Mushroom Ragu

Four cheeses mixed with spinach is the cheese layers, baby portobello mushrooms, dried porcini mushrooms and tomatoes make this delicious ragu. The lasagna comes out cheesy, juicy and full of flavors.

Cheesy Spinach & Mushroom Lasagna

Cheesy and delicious! This lasagna will satisfy both of your palate and tummy. For a healthier result, use whole wheat lasagna instead.

Broccoli Shrimp Lasagna

Broccoli shrimp lasagna with creamy Monterey Jack white sauce, layered with cheddar, broccoli, and tender shrimp. A white lasagna for seafood lovers.

Asparagus Basil-Pesto Lasagna

This is the best lassagna I have ever tried, basil-pesto definitely gave the whole lasagna tons of tasty flavor, also used low-fat milk and cheese, reduced the amount of fat, but the sauce was still creamy, asparagus was tender-crispy between the layered creamy stuffed noodles.

The #1 Lasagna Recipe

I have tried many different Lasagna recipes over the years. This is the culmination of all that trial and error, a wonderful recipe that needs to be shared with the world. The ingredients and actual recipe are at the end of this article. I know you won’t be disappointed with my Best Lasagna Recipe!

Roasted Vegetable Lasagna

Roasted vegetables give lasagna amazingly good flavor!

Super Sunday Lasagna

I looovvve this recipe! I have been making it for years, with rave reviews from my family, but I lost it. I was able to find it again on this site! Thank you so much.

Easy Leftover Turkey Lasagna

An easy, cheesy, leftover turkey lasanga that's perfect to use up those turkey leftovers from Thanksgiving or Christmas dinner.

Best TVP Lasagna

TVP gives the lasagna beefy texture, the tomato sauce makes the lasagna juicy and flavorful; ricotta, mozzarella and parmesan cheeses add the creaminess and cheesiness . An absolutely delicious vegetarian lasagna that your meat lover friends may ask for second slice.

Absolutely Fab Mushroom Lasagna

Instead of tomato sauce, we use milk to make a creamy sauce, and with layers of mushrooms and cheese. It's just so easy for you to fall in love with this succulent lasagna.

Golden Onion & Zucchini Lasagna

Golden onion and zucchini lasagna with slow-cooked onions, sauteed zucchini, nutmeg bechamel, and Parmesan. A refined vegetarian lasagna with no-boil noodles.

Wild Mushroom Lasagna

Earthy wild mushroom lasagna layered with Marsala-sauteed fungi, creamy Fontina bechamel, and a golden mozzarella-Parmesan crust. Vegetarian comfort food at its most elegant.

Fresh Spinach Lasagna

Vegan spinach lasagna with tofu ricotta, miso, and nutmeg in a mushroom tomato sauce. A dairy-free lasagna with fresh blanched spinach and nutritional yeast Parmesan topping.

Jason's Broccoli Lasagne

Vegetarian lasagna with broccoli soup sauce, carrots, mushrooms, three cheeses, and eggs. A creamy white-sauce lasagna without traditional tomato sauce or meat.

Creamy Broccoli Lasagna

Creamy broccoli lasagna layered with Swiss cheese, cottage cheese, and a velvety bouillon-spiked white sauce. A meatless casserole that turns weeknight pasta into something hearty.

Three Cheese Vegetable Lasagna

A layered vegetable lasagna with ricotta, mozzarella, and Parmesan, featuring both spinach and mixed vegetable fillings in a creamy béchamel sauce. Feeds eight in about an hour.

No Fail Lasagna

Foolproof lasagna with ground beef in tomato sauce, layered with ricotta and mozzarella, then topped with a creamy parmesan béchamel for the crowning finish.

Lots of Vegetables Vegetarian Lasagna

Vegetable lasagna packed with broccoli folded right into the ricotta layer, stacked with a chunky homemade tomato sauce of peppers, celery and basil. A hearty meatless lasagna under bubbly mozzarella.

Mickey's Lasagna

Meatless lasagna with three cheeses: ricotta, mozzarella, and Parmesan layered with a garlic-basil tomato sauce made from canned tomatoes, paste, and sauce.

Old World Lasagna

Classic three-cheese lasagna layered with ricotta, mozzarella, and Parmigiano-Reggiano. The old-world method: thirds of everything, three layers deep, parmesan crust on top.

Mexican Style Lasagne

Mexican style lasagne with enchilada sauce, black beans, cottage cheese, and cheddar, layered with uncooked noodles that bake right in the sauce. Vegetarian, feeds 6 to 8, one pan cleanup.

Vegetable Lasagna Curls

Lasagna noodles rolled around a broccoli, mushroom, and cottage cheese filling, baked in marinara sauce. A fun vegetarian twist on classic lasagna that looks as good as it tastes.

Freezer Lasagna

Freezer-friendly lasagna layered with spaghetti sauce, ricotta, mozzarella, and Parmesan in a disposable pan. Assemble ahead, freeze, and bake when needed.

Asparagus Lasagne

Asparagus lasagne with a lemon-nutmeg white sauce, ricotta, Swiss cheese, and Canadian bacon. A spring twist on classic lasagna with make-ahead steps for easy entertaining.

LASAGNE

The procedure is a bit long if you have to do the ragù but once you made it you can freeze and use just by puttig it in the oven cover with aluminium for the first 40min at 180 degrees and then uncoverit and bake until the top is reddish

Light & Easy Lasagna

Light vegetarian lasagna with a from-scratch tomato herb sauce simmered two hours, layered with part-skim ricotta, mozzarella, and Parmesan. No meat, no oil in the sauce, still deeply satisfying.

Roll Out the Lasagna

Lasagna roll-up filled with cottage cheese, cream cheese, garlic, and Parmesan, baked in a cream of tomato sauce with oregano. A fun twist on classic lasagna.

Seafood Lasagne

British-style seafood lasagne with haddock, cod, and prawns in a cheddar bechamel sauce with sweetcorn, hard-boiled eggs, and parsley. Baked golden for one hour.

Tracey's Mushroom/Tofu Lasagne

No-boil mushroom and tofu lasagna with cottage cheese, ricotta, mozzarella, provolone and parmesan. Hearty meatless pasta bake that freezes and reheats beautifully.

Pumpkin & Mozarella Lasagne

Pumpkin and mozzarella lasagne layered with sage-spiced pumpkin mash, melted mozzarella and Parmesan, topped with chive sour cream and toasted flaked almonds. A vegetarian autumn lasagne with no red sauce.

Green & White Lasagne

Green and white lasagne with spinach, ricotta, mozzarella, and Parmesan in a creamy white sauce with olives and nutmeg. A meatless lasagna with no red sauce in sight.

Tofu Lasagna

Tofu lasagna with mashed tofu standing in for ricotta, layered with mushrooms, mozzarella, Parmesan, and your favorite sauce. A lighter, protein-rich vegetarian lasagna.

Lasagne Rolls

Lasagne rolls stuff cooked lasagna noodles with a three-cheese ricotta filling, then bake them under tomato sauce and Parmesan. A portion-friendly twist on classic lasagna.

Lite Lasagna

Light lasagna roll-ups filled with part-skim ricotta, broccoli, spinach, and scallions, topped with tomato sauce and melted mozzarella. A low-fat vegetarian twist.

Freezer Mix Lasagne

Freezer-mix lasagna layers cottage cheese, mozzarella, Swiss, and Parmesan over a make-ahead beef-tomato sauce base. A retro time-saver dinner pulled from the freezer.

Tex Mex Lasagna

Lasagna on no not that! So hard to cook...what a MYTH! I love to make lasagna and I came up with this recipe by combing several recipes I found on line.

Easy Day Vegetable Lasagna

Vegetable lasagna with tofu, spinach, mushrooms, and melted mozzarella layered with no-boil noodles. A hearty meat-free dinner for six with only 10 minutes of prep.

Florentine Lasagna

Florentine lasagna layers savory Italian sausage meat sauce with a creamy spinach-ricotta filling and melted mozzarella. Hearty, cheesy, and built for Sunday dinner.

Asparagus or Spinach Lasagne

Quick asparagus or spinach lasagne with ham, mozzarella, and a garlic-thyme white sauce, finished in the microwave. A versatile weeknight pasta bake ready in 35 minutes.

Cheddar Vegetable Lasagna

Cheesy vegetable lasagna loaded with zucchini, bell peppers, and spinach in a rich tomato sauce. This meatless comfort food satisfies even the heartiest appetites.

Rock Lobster Lasagna

Rock lobster lasagna: decadent lobster tail meat layered between lasagna noodles, tomato sauce, mozzarella, and parmesan. A special-occasion Italian-American upgrade on classic lasagna.

Sneaky Vegetable Lasagna

Sneaky vegetable lasagna: shredded zucchini, eggplant, and spinach simmered into the sauce until they vanish, then layered with ricotta and gobs of cheese. A veggie-packed, kid-approved lasagna.

Mike's Lasagne

Mike's lasagne layers hot Italian sausage, ground beef, ricotta, and mozzarella between noodles with a red wine-spiked tomato sauce. Hearty, slow-simmered Italian-American lasagna.

Spetzque

A unique lasagna layered with seasoned ground beef, spaghetti sauce, olives, corn, peas, and melted mozzarella. This family-size casserole puts a creative Midwestern spin on classic Italian lasagna.

All 182 recipes