Having descended from its Italian heritage, lasagna has blessed our lives with its delicious and cheesy goodness. Seemingly not very different from pasta, this delicacy comprises layers of meat sandwiched in pasta and topped with cheese and sauce. When cooked at home, it absolutely demolishes its competition of the store-bought variety.

But, how do you cook a perfect lasagna at home? What’s a good lasagna recipe you should use? Would you like to know how long to cook lasagna at 350 degrees? We’ll cover the answers to all these and more as we dig deep into the cheesy world of lasagna!

How Long to Cook Lasagna at 350 Degrees in Different Ovens

Cooking time for lasagna can vary in different ovens. The two most used ovens to cook lasagna are conventional ovens and microwave ovens. You may prefer to cook your lasagna in a traditional oven for a better flavor, but if you don’t have one, then cooking in a microwave is fine, as long as you don’t over or under-cook it.

Cook Time in an Oven

The general consensus is that lasagna should be cooked for at least 40-50 minutes in an oven preheated to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. This baking time allows for the cheese to get soft and bubbly, and the meat inside to cook thoroughly.

But it’s important to note that the recommended time can vary slightly under the influence of various factors. It’s important to know what ingredients, methods, and utensils you’re using to cook your lasagna so you can alter your cooking time. These factors are discussed below.

Cook Time in a Microwave Oven

If you have a microwave oven instead of a conventional one, cooking time is drastically different. It can take anywhere from 8 – 10 minutes to cook a lasagna in a microwave at a high heat setting.

When cooking lasagna inside a microwave oven, it’s important to use a microwave-safe dish. The lasagna should be covered with parchment or wax paper with a plate on top of it, to allow uniform heating.

Factors That Can Affect Cook Time

When cooking lasagna, you should keep these factors in mind. These can significantly affect the time you keep your lasagna in the oven, leading to a potentially burned or undercooked lasagna. To prevent this from happening, learn about the four steps to cooking by clicking here.

Primarily, you should check the baking dish in which you’re cooking lasagna. The shape and size of the dish don’t matter as much as its material. Metal and glass pans can conduct heat easily, leading to a perfectly-cooked lasagna in under 50 minutes. 

However, if you’re using a ceramic pan, you should let the lasagna cook for 5 minutes extra. That’s because the heat conductivity of ceramic is much lower than metal or glass.

Another important factor to keep in mind is your ingredients. If you add uncooked meat and sauce to your lasagna, the cooking time will increase. The best method to check whether your lasagna is cooked is to insert a toothpick into the center of the dish. The dish is cooked if the toothpick comes out clean: if it doesn’t, keep it in the heat for a few more minutes.

Perfect Recipe for Lasagna

Ingredients

• 1 lb of Italian sausage
• 12 uncooked lasagna noodles
• ⅔ cup of chopped onions
• ½ tablespoon of minced garlic
• ⅔ cup of fresh parsley
• 6 ounces of tomato paste
• 15 ounces of tomato sauce
• 2 cups of water
• 1 ½ teaspoon of Italian seasoning
• 1 ½ teaspoon of dried oregano
• 1 ½ teaspoon of dried basil leaves
• 1lb of ricotta cheese
• 10 ounces of chopped dry spinach
• ½ cup of grated Parmesan cheese
• 3 eggs
• ½ teaspoon salt or garlic salt
• ¼ teaspoon of ground black pepper
• 3 cups mozzarella cheese, shredded

Instructions to Cook

There are a few important things to remember when cooking lasagna. Simply follow the steps listed below. 

Step 1

Preheat your oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit, which is the ideal oven temperature. Grease a 9-by-13 inch baking dish with cooking spray or a tablespoon of olive oil.

Step 2

Fill a saucepan with water and a pinch of salt, and heat till it boils. Cook the lasagna noodles in the pan for 8 – 10 minutes or until they’re soft. Drain the pasta water and separate the lasagna sheets.

Step 3

Mix the sausage with onions, garlic, and half of the parsley. In a pan, cook the mixture at medium heat until the sausage is brown. Now, add the oregano, basil, and Italian seasoning, along with the can of sauce, tomato paste, and water. Stir thoroughly until everything is combined. Cook the mixture for 5 minutes, keeping the pan covered and stirring it periodically. This is your meat mixture.

Step 4

Mix the remaining parsley, spinach, eggs, garlic salt, and pepper in a mixing bowl. Add the Parmesan and ricotta cheese: this is your ricotta cheese mixture.

Step 5

The sauce mixture should be applied to the bottom of the baking dish. Repeat a layering procedure of 4 individual slices of lasagna noodles, then ½ cup of ricotta cheese mixture, ⅓ cup of meat mixture, followed by 1 cup of mozzarella on top, until 3 layers of lasagna have been made. Cover the pan in aluminum foil.

Step 6

Bake the lasagna with foil for 45 minutes and a further 5 – 10 minutes without the foil. The cheese should begin to bubble and brown. Serve hot or allow to cool for 10 minutes before serving.

Conclusion

Cooking a homemade lasagna may not be easy for everyone, but once you get some practice, cooking it will become a piece of cake. If you’re wondering how long to cook lasagna at 350 degrees, as a general rule of thumb, keep the lasagna inside a preheated oven for around 40 – 50 minutes to ensure it’s properly cooked. A few factors can change this time, and you should always keep that in mind. We hope you enjoy your lasagna!