Watery Lasagna? - Chef Joe and Chef Brian's Cooking Blog (2024)

October 23, 2012

Watery Lasagna?

By CHEF JOE

Watery Lasagna? - Chef Joe and Chef Brian's Cooking Blog (1)

Lasagna is a cold weather treat in our house. I have eaten many versions. I like them all.

A question I get many times is how do I make my lasagna not so watery?

If you have this problem the moisture can come from all kinds if sources. The sauce could be too watery. The noodles can be holding on to water. The vegetables are releasing excess moisture. If you are using ricotta be careful of the moisture it can add.

Let’s try to improve our dish. One rule of thumb is to make sure you drain the noodles well and even blot them with a paper towel. The same goes for your vegetables. I usually add spinach, zucchini and mushrooms. I cook my vegetables separately then blot well. Cook the mushrooms until all of their juices have reduced back onto the mushroom. If you are using ricotta be careful of the moisture it can add.

Recently, I have been sprinkling a little Italian bread crumbs between the layers of ingredients. Just a little will do. It kind of gives the lasagna a meatball flavor. The bread crumbs add flavor and help offset a little moisture. It’s a balancing act. Half the fun of cooking to me is making small adjustments.

Watery Lasagna? - Chef Joe and Chef Brian's Cooking Blog (2024)

FAQs

Why does my lasagna come out watery? ›

The sauce could be too watery. The noodles can be holding on to water. The vegetables are releasing excess moisture. If you are using ricotta be careful of the moisture it can add.

How do you fix soupy lasagna? ›

A common source of angst for lasagna makers is a soupy consistency, which is often the result of piling on a watery sauce that hasn't reduced enough. Whether you're making a tomato and meat sauce from scratch or using a jarred sauce, you can thicken it with cornstarch to prevent the problem of a soupy lasagna.

How to prevent soggy lasagne? ›

Soggy, Lasagna Soup

If your lasagnas always come out soupy, you're probably spooning over too much sauce. You should use enough sauce to cover each layer without saturating it. Keep some extra sauce on the side for later if you're worried about the lasagne coming out too dry.

How do I make my lasagna more solid? ›

Use the oven-ready (no boil) lasagna noodles. It absorbs some of the extra liquid released from the cheeses and sauce and keep it firmer. Also, do NOT use part-skim mozzarella or ricotta - use the whole milk versions.

How do you thicken lasagna filling? ›

You could also use a roux, a cooked mixture of starch and fat (usually flour and butter). It's a highly popular and equally effective thickening agent. To make a roux, melt butter in a pan, add flour, and whisk until it forms a thick golden brown paste. Add it to your tomato sauce and whisk well to prevent clumping.

How do you fix watery eggplant parmesan? ›

Eggplants are quite watery, so Nicole salts her slices before frying to keep them nice and crisp. Sprinkle a generous amount of salt over the eggplant slices to draw out the moisture, then wipe it away when it's time to fry.

Does eggplant release water when cooked? ›

Eggplant is about 80 to 90 percent water, so when you put them in the oven they need space to evaporate all that water and caramelize properly," says Covarrubias. Give them a toss halfway through the cooking process to make sure they're cooked evenly, too.

Why does my lasagne go sloppy? ›

It's important that you don't add too much liquid to the sauce – lasagne shouldn't be a sloppy dish.

How do you add moisture to lasagna? ›

To keep it from tasting dry, add some extra liquid as you reheat it! A splash of water usually does the trick, and you'll want to cover the lasagna with foil, plastic wrap or a paper towel to trap all that liquid inside as it reheats.

How do you make lasagna moist again? ›

How do you reheat lasagna without drying it out? Refrigerated lasagna is best when adding additional liquid or sauce on top before reheating it in the oven. Use foil to cover the lasagna so it helps seal in the moisture while it reheats.

Why is my pasta watery? ›

Causes of Watery Spaghetti Sauce

Other causes include excess water from the noodles themselves or inadequately cooking down the sauce. Giving the sauce the proper amount of time to reduce is key: To do so, bring the sauce to a boil, then drop it to a simmer, and allow it to cook.

Do you cook lasagna covered or uncovered? ›

Cover the baking dish with aluminum foil. Bake in the preheated oven for 30 to 40 minutes. Remove the foil and bake until cheese is golden brown, 5 to 10 more minutes. Remove from the oven and let stand for 10 minutes before cutting and serving.

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