The Only Way You Should Be Cooking Frozen Lasagna For Fresh, Homemade Results

Nothing ruins dinner faster than realizing your lasagna is soggy, or even worse, not cooked evenly all the way through and unfortunately, that's a common pitfall when you're relying on quick frozen lasagna on a weekday evening. These dishes are baked straight from the freezer, which promises convenience, but doesn't always follow through with flavor. But there is actually a fool-proof way to achieve that coveted gooey center and crispy top without waiting an hour for the oven to do the job, and that's by throwing it in the air fryer instead. With no need to preheat and a faster cooking time thanks to the clever way an air fryer circulates its heat really quickly, the lasagna will be done faster and cooked to perfection.

Simply place your frozen portion of lasagna in a small oven-safe dish. If it doesn't already come with a foil lid, cover it loosely with foil before putting it in the air fryer and letting it cook for about 20 to 30 minutes (depending on thickness — but it's usually about half the time it takes in an oven). For best results, you should remove the foil for the final five minutes so the top can brown and bubble and get all perfectly crispy. That's where the magic really happens, as the edges will caramelize and the golden layer on top will give that "straight out of the oven" look. This air fryer trick will work whether you're going homemade or you've picked up one of Costco's beloved frozen Italian sausage and beef lasagnas.

Beyond taking a fraction of the time, this trick actually does improve the lasagna's texture and flavor because of the way an air fryer evenly surrounds the food inside it with hot air. That's what will create the perfect contrast between a soft interior and those crispy corners of the lasagna tray. Plus, it'll also ensure it cooks fast and evenly, avoiding the dreaded accidental "frozen core," which is never a pleasant experience. Air fryers are also much more energy efficient than running your oven for an hour, so they're perfect for anyone on a budget or simply anyone cooking for smaller households where firing up the oven just isn't worth the time and effort.

If you made a batch from scratch and are freezing out some portions of it, cooking your homemade frozen lasagna in an air fryer will work just as well. Just remember that frozen homemade lasagna does have an expiry date too, so if you have one that's been in the freezer for months, then it might be time to throw it in the air fryer and enjoy. Honestly, this is an air fryer hack you'll wish you'd known sooner — merging the best of both worlds. Because why choose between convenience and good flavor when you can have both?