This article was co-authored by Ollie George Cigliano. Ollie George Cigliano is a Private Chef, Food Educator, and Owner of Ollie George Cooks, based in Long Beach, California. With over 20 years of experience, she specializes in utilizing fresh, fun ingredients and mixing traditional and innovative cooking techniques. Ollie George holds a BA in Comparative Literature from The University of California, Berkeley, and a Nutrition and Healthy Living Certificate from eCornell University.
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Lasagna is always delicious and sure to win over the crowd at dinner tables everywhere. It is a challenging dish, so you might need add some new skills to your arsenal. Some of these are in the prep, which includes boiling the lasagna noodles. Once you can do this, you've taken a step towards making a satisfying lasagna.
Ingredients
- Lasagna noodles
- Salt
- Water
Steps
Boiling the Noodles
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1Bring water to a boil. Fill a large pot with a good amount of water. Be careful not to overfill it though, as the water could end up boiling over. Make sure the water is boiling before moving on to the next step.
- Don't forget to add a dash of salt.
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2Add lasagna noodles to the water. Firstly, check your recipe to see how much lasagna noodles are needed. You might find yourself with leftovers. Have your wooden spoon ready as you need to start the next step instantly.
- Take care when dropping your noodles into the pot. Otherwise, you could get splashed by boiling water.
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3Stir continuously for the first two minutes. Lasagna noodles are large and flat, lending themselves towards sticking together. The first two minutes is crucial, if you want to avoid being left with clumps of noodles.
- Not stirring could result in the noodles sticking to the bottom of the pot.
- Separate the lasagna noodles effectively by using a chopstick.
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4Don't let the water boil over. After you’ve added the lasagna noodles, you will notice the water simmering. When it returns to a boil, adjust the element to keep the water boiling consistently. This should help to prevent the water spilling out. Stay attentive as this could occur later in the process too.
- Using a lid is more likely to cause a boil over. Covering the pot will trap steam, causing starch molecules to overheat.[1]
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5Stir the pot two or three more times. Now that the water is boiling, the lasagna noodles should stay spaced apart. Don't risk them sticking together or sinking to the bottom, so return to the element and stir a few more times.
- If noodles are heating too close together, they won't release starch properly. The starch can turn to glue, leaving you with unusable lasagna noodles.[2]
Draining and Cooling Lasagna Noodles
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1Check that 8-10 minutes have passed. Be precise with your timing. After 8-10 minutes you can begin the final stages of the process.
- Read the packaging as the suggested cooking time could vary.
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2Take a piece out and test if it's ready. Ideally, a properly cooked lasagna noodle has a hint of firmness and offers some resistance to your bite. Does it taste good? Now you can switch the element off.
- Lasagna noodles should be cooked to the 'al dente' stage, an Italian term which means 'to the tooth'. This is when the middle isn’t too hard, soft or mushy.[3]
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3Pour the lasagna noodles into a colander. Make sure they have been drained of all water. Release them slowly into the colander because the noodles could potentially still stick together.
- Be cautious when draining the lasagna noodles to avoid getting hit by steam.
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4Leave the lasagna noodles to cool before adding them to your dish. You can do this by laying them out on paper towels. Now your noodles will be easier to use when you go to make lasagna.
Expert Q&A
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QuestionDo lasagna noodles need to be cooked first?
Ollie George CiglianoOllie George Cigliano is a Private Chef, Food Educator, and Owner of Ollie George Cooks, based in Long Beach, California. With over 20 years of experience, she specializes in utilizing fresh, fun ingredients and mixing traditional and innovative cooking techniques. Ollie George holds a BA in Comparative Literature from The University of California, Berkeley, and a Nutrition and Healthy Living Certificate from eCornell University.
Private Chef & Food EducatorNot at all. Get the no-bake noodles! Fresh pasta will cook right in the lasagna baking process so there is no need to cook them before.
Things You'll Need
- Large pot
- Wooden spoon
- Chopstick
- Colander
- Paper towels
References
- ↑ https://www.gizmodo.com.au/2014/01/the-science-of-why-your-past-boils-over/
- ↑ https://www.thekitchn.com/kitchen-mysteries-why-stir-pas-112147
- ↑ https://www.bonappetit.com/story/al-dente-pasta-is-actually-overcooked
- ↑ https://www.bonappetit.com/test-kitchen/common-mistakes/article/lasagna-common-mistakes
- ↑ Ollie George Cigliano. Private Chef & Food Educator. Expert Interview. 18 October 2021.
About This Article
To boil noodles for a delicious lasagna, start by setting a large pot of water to boil. Once the water starts to boil, add the noodles to the pot and stir them continuously for 2 minutes so they don’t stick to the sides. Then, leave the noodles to cook for 8 to 10 minutes, stirring them occasionally. You’ll know they’re ready when the noodles are soft but not mushy. Drain them into a colander and let them cool before you add them to your lasagna. For more tips, including how to stop your pot boiling over, read on!
