Lasagna (sometimes known as Lasagne) is a delicious and hearty dish great for dinner entrees. It is also a popular favorite served in many households and restaurants. Not only is it savory, but it’s also filling and tastes even better than leftovers. However, one curious subject that some people want to know is what happens if you bake two lasagnas and stack them.

What Happens if you bake two lasagnas and stack them?

Can you stack two baked lasagnas? The answer can vary, depending on who you ask. Some individuals may say if you bake two lasagnas and stack them that they will inevitably cause a disaster at the table, while others believe they are perfectly stackable without issues

Why Stack Lasagnas?

Lasagna consists of layers, and placing another lasagna on top would add more layers. A small piece of lasagna becomes an entire entree when cut from two stacked lasagnas.

However, there is a better reason. Stacking two lasagnas is the only way to give you a nicely browned, slightly crunchy layer in the middle of the dish!

Stacking two lasagnas does produce a towering entree. However, the technique does not only consist of plopping and then serving. Other factors contribute to creating a perfectly tall lasagna meal.

How to Make and Stack Lasagna In a Single Pan

When stacking lasagna, your only limitation is the size of your pan. Also, you have to ensure the dimensions of both lasagnas are accurate to prevent them from toppling or falling.

The stacking process may appear challenging, but there are some tips and tricks you could use to create a super-sized version of the delicious meal. While there is no wrong way to stack lasagna, a mini-instructional guide can help you make and stack delicious lasagnas.

Step 1: Soak (or Boil) the Noodles

You must tenderize the noodles before layering the lasagna. You can either boil them according to the package guidelines or soak them in boiling water. Soaking is the best approach since it keeps the ingredients intact. Fill the baking dish halfway with hot tap water and add the lasagna noodles. Each noodle should be firm and ready in 15 minutes.

Step 2: Meat Sauce

Brown the chopped onion before adding the ground meat, tomato sauce, and salt & pepper to taste.

Step 3: Pour Tomato Sauce

Pour tomato on the bottom of the baking dish.

Step 4: First Layer of Noodles

Cover the bottom of the dish with noodles.

Step 5: Second Layer of Meat Sauce

Spread the meat sauce on the noodles.

Step 6: Second Layer of Noodles

Place the noodles in the sauce.

Step 7: More Tomato Sauce

Using 1 cup of tomato sauce, cover all of the noodles. Spread the sauce evenly.

Step 8: Ricotta Cheese

Spoon the ricotta onto each lasagna noodle, then smooth it out into a single layer with your hands.

Step 9: Third Layer of Noodles

Place the noodles on the ricotta cheese layer.

Step 10: Last Layer of Tomato Sauce

Pour and distribute the remaining sauce.

Step 11: Shredded Cheese

Sprinkle shredded cheese on top of the lasagna.

Step 12: Bake

Use foil to cover the lasagna and bake at 350 degrees for 45-50 minutes.

Step  13: Remove the lasagna from the oven and wait 20-30 minutes before cutting and serving.

Now that you have baked two identical meals, it’s time to learn how to stack lasagna. Although the instructions are short and straightforward, you must be careful to avoid ruining both lasagnas.

Step 1: Decide which lasagna to stack.

Step 2: Remove the lasagna with a spatula from the metal dish.

Step 3: Carefully place the lasagna on top of the other, ensuring it remains in place.

What Are Some Issues to Avoid When Stacking Lasagna?

Preparing lasagna at home involves many long, precise steps and patience, especially if making the meal from scratch. Fortunately, mistakes are allowed because the process is complex, and perfection is nearly impossible.

Inaccurate ingredient measurement

Consider measuring your ingredients in dry cups and spoons to avoid inaccurate ingredient measurements. Also, avoid liquid measuring cups because they tend to produce incorrect results. Instead, sift the ingredients into a bowl or onto a piece of parchment paper.

Excessive Water

Watery lasagna occurs when you fill your lasagna pan with too much pasta. As a result, the noodles swell, forcing the sauce and cheese out of the layers. Consider measuring your ingredients carefully and only fill your pan or dish halfway.

Overcooked Pasta

When your pasta is well-done, avoid dumping it in a colander to drain in the sink as you prepare the sauce and cheese. Most likely, you could have a clumpy mess, which can ruin your entire meal. Instead, lay each noodle flat on an oiled baking sheet or stack each between layers of parchment paper.

Uncovered Food

Leaving a lasagna uncovered in the oven for an extended period could produce excessive dryness. Most likely, the pasta will be tough instead of tender. One suggestion is to use a dish for most cooking sessions, especially if you put a lasagna on top of another lasagna.

When your lasagna bakes halfway, remove the foil to allow the top layer to brown. If the cheese still needs to melt or the filling is loose, turn on the broiler to speed up the process. However, keep an eye on the casserole because it can burn if you lose track of time.

Using the Wrong Pan

Metal pans adapt to the acidity of ingredients such as tomato sauce, adding an undesirable metallic taste to food. Aluminum is another popular cooking item that provides unsatisfactory results. They are unreliable for casseroles, and they heat poorly, causing a temperature imbalance. If you have ever heated leftover food in foil, most likely, one part of your meal was hot and the other was cold.

While pans are standard for baking lasagna, glass is better because it distributes heat evenly. It also retains heat longer and keeps food hot once out of the oven.

Cutting While Hot

Many individuals cannot resist cutting into a freshly baked lasagna to get the first bite. They start diving into the casserole dish but end up tearing the cheese or with a sloppy lasagna square. Therefore, allowing lasagnas to cool before slicing is crucial because the key ingredients (such as the sauce, ricotta, and mozzarella) need time to settle. 

Fifteen minutes is an ideal waiting period before cutting into your lasagna. The method allows the meal to settle and ensures that each noodle retains its shape. It will spread everywhere if it’s too hot, causing a mess and ruining the lasagna.

Plopping Instead of Placing

While stacking may seem simple, many individuals plop one hot lasagna on top of the other. However, they do not realize they can cause their casserole to tip, fall, or tear, especially before they allow it to cool. Since making an excellent lasagna requires skill and months to years of practice, how you prepare your meal matters when blending two casseroles to appear as one.

If you stack two baked lasagnas poorly, the result will be obvious. Combining both into a towering meal is easy for an experienced lasagna chef than for a beginner. Also, everyone makes lasagna differently.

You may ask, “What does this have to do with stacking?” The answer? A lot. Until you know how to use an artistic approach to putting one baked lasagna on top of the other, the difference will be obvious.

Conclusion

As you can see, stacking two baked lasagnas only creates one tall lasagna. However, knowing how to stack can prevent ruining all of your hard work after lengthy preparation. Whether you refer to this amazing dish as lasagna or lasagne, you will be glad that you took the time to learn.