No-boil lasagna noodles

[kim2310]

Do these really work? I want to make a vegetarian lasagna for a crowd and wondered if these work as well as the noodles that you must boil first. Seems like this would be a wonderfully quick way to make lasagna.

[missmar79]

love em..they make a nice aldente lasagna, too....

[LiveRock]

Another vote here for the Barilla brand. They are the only no-boil lasagna that I do recommend. Definitely pre-soak in warm water otherwise you may get some shrinkage during baking. I know it would seem to be the opposite but they really do shrink a bit when you cook them...thus, I also overlap mine a bit just in case.

Randy

[mcf]

I never pre soak and they expand, they don't shrink when I bake them.

[sunshine842]

me, too -- no shrinking in my oven.

[Bjanemcg]

The no-boil noodles in the box do work, but they are just not as good. They have a mushy texture that I do not care for- I like the bite of an aldente noodle in my lasagne. So I use these now and then, but there is nothing like the real thing. I have heard that one can use regular noodles and just soak them in a pan of hot water for about 10 min while preparing the other ingredients. I want to try that.

[purerealms]

I seriously hate these. My whole dinner was ruined by trying out this ridiculous invention thinking that I could save valuable time. Not even close to the real thing. Then again, I usually make my own....

[stellamystar]

I just made lasagna tonight. I boiled water in the kettle and soaked my noodles in a large glass bowl, but they were still firm. Took minutes, was easy to work with... Made a bolognese sauce not too soupy..and it was amazing. Never boil again! :)
That being said, I would totally try the no-boil brand if I would have had it at my shop.

[gmm]

I like them a lot more than regular lasagna noodles. I think regular lasagna noodles are way too thick. I also use the Cook's Illustrated method of soaking first.

[addicted2cake]

Barilla no-boil lasagna noodles are terrific. I don't use extra sauce and my lasagnas always come out great. I got so fed up with boiled noodles - always such a project getting them out of the pot and layering them without them splitting. Once you try this, you won't go back to boiled.

[mcf]

I think the Barilla ones are amazing, too. They're tender and more like fresh pasta than the thick dried ones are. I haven't found a need for extra sauce with them at all.

[katecm]

I'm going to be the odd one out and say I don't like them. It's not the same texture at all. But, if you are short on time and cooking for a crowd - as opposed to spending all day making the best lasagna ever - then you'll probably be okay with it.

[sparkareno]

I buy regular (not no-boil) noodles and don't boil them. I have been making lasagna for about 25 years this way. I do soak them in hot water for a few minutes though and make sure they are surrounded by lots of sauce.

[cheesecake17]

I also use regular noodles and don't boil, but I don't soak them before putting together the lasagna. I add extra sauce and I put together the lasagna the night before. When I'm ready to bake it, I'll add more sauce or a splash of water if the lasagna looks too dry.

[greygarious]

They are superior to boiled noodles. I love the Barilla brand, which are very thin and contain egg, so they have more flavor. I am single, so I prefer dividing lasagna into smaller rectangular baking pans in order to freeze the baked containers. When I do it that way, I soak the noodles in warm water for a little while, until I can slice them in half, which makes them fit perfectly into my square single-serving pans.

The package directions will show you how much additional liquid you will need. Just make sure no noodle edges are exposed, as they will dry out. It is usually best to cover the baking dish with foil initially, removing it at the last stage of cooking so the top browns.

[chowser]

I learned the soaking tip from Cooks Illustrated and find it makes a big difference. I like the Barilla no boil brand the best for this.

[mels]

They work well, just compensate by using more sauce than you normally would for parboiled noodles, as the dry noodles have to soak up the extra liquid.

[cocktailhour]

they work great, plus they are very thin, which I prefer to thicker noodles.

[HunterJay]

Yep, they work, pretty well at that. I use them all the time for Veggie lasagna.