Mini lasagnas are fantastic for those of you who need single-serving recipes or easy on-the-go lunches! This is also a great freezer lasagna recipe to prep ahead of time and have on hand in the freezer for those chaotic weeknights!
Why you’ll love this Make Ahead Lasagna
Looking for an easy freezer dinner idea?
These individually-sized mini lasagnas are the perfect go-to lunch or dinner! They work amazingly well for single people, busy schedules, and hungry boys. 🙂
Take them to work (you might make all your co-workers jealous!), send them in your older kids’ lunches, or even bring them as a frozen meal to someone else!
Mini Lasagna ingredients
- 3 pounds ground beef
- 2 Tbs. minced dried onion
- 2 tsp. salt (divided)
- 1/2 tsp. black pepper (divided)
- 2 Tbsp. fresh basil, chopped
- 3 tsp. fresh parsley, chopped (divided)
- 1 1/2 tsp. Italian seasoning
- 3 jars (24 ounces) spaghetti sauce
- 24 ounces cottage cheese (about 2 3/4 cups)
- 30 ounces ricotta cheese (about 3 1/4 cups)
- 1/4 cup parmesan cheese
- 2 eggs
- 18 ounces oven-ready lasagna noodles, broken in half
- 2 pounds mozzarella cheese (1 pound thinly sliced, 1 pound shredded)
- Mini Foil Pans
Freezer Lasagna substitutions and variations
There are so many ways to tweak this recipe to fit your taste preferences… or just whatever you have in the pantry!
Here are a few ideas:
- swap ground turkey or ground sausage for some of the ground beef (it’s great with a mixture of meat)
- make your own sauce
- mix diced tomatoes (drain them first) in with the sauce for a chunkier lasagna
- mix up the spices and seasonings a bit (oregano adds a nice Italian punch)
- use multiple types of cheese — Parmesan is great with Mozzarella, and cheddar pairs well too
How to make Mini Lasagnas
1. Preheat oven to 350ºF.
2. Grease several mini lasagna pans and set them aside.
3. Brown ground beef with minced onions in a large pan. When meat is cooked, drain off the fat.
4. Stir in spaghetti sauce, 1 1/2 teaspoons salt, 1/8 teaspoon black pepper, basil, 2 tsp. parsley, and Italian seasoning.
5. In a medium-sized bowl, combine cottage cheese, ricotta cheese, parmesan cheese, 1/8 teaspoon black pepper, 1/2 teaspoon salt, 1 teaspoon parsley, and eggs.
6. Spread a layer of meat sauce in the bottom of the mini foil pans.
7. Layer uncooked noodles, sliced cheese, cottage cheese mixture, and meat mixture as desired, ending with meat mixture.
8. Sprinkle with shredded mozzarella cheese.
9. Place mini pans on a large sheet pan and bake, uncovered, in preheated oven for 30-35 minutes, or until bubbly and the cheese is somewhat crispy.
NOTE: At this point, they are not 100% fully cooked yet. If you plan to freeze them, this is when you should pull them out of the oven, let them cool to room temperature, cover them, and put them in the freezer.
However, if you plan to eat them immediately, cover the hot lasagna with foil and bake for another 20-25 minutes.
How to layer Lasagna
There is no perfect way to layer lasagna — simply keep adding layers of sauce, noodles, and cheese until you run out of ingredients or until you reach the top of your pan… and always end with cheese!
We like to start with a layer of sauce — just to keep things from sticking to the bottom of the pan. And, as mentioned above, we always end with cheese!
Another helpful tip is to keep the layers quite thin. Spread just enough sauce and cheese to cover the previous layer. This will help assure you don’t run out of ingredients before you’re finished layering, and it also makes the finished product look really pretty!
How to freeze uncooked Lasagna in aluminum pans
If you prefer to freeze your mini lasagna before you bake them, simply let the layered ingredients cool to room temperature (the sauce will be warm yet) and cover each individual pan with aluminum foil.
Label the top of the foil so you know what’s inside (be sure to include the baking instructions), and then pop them in the freezer.
They should last in the freezer for months — just make sure you leave a little extra time to defrost the pans before you bake them (follow the baking instructions in the recipe after they are defrosted.)
Make Ahead Lasagna tips
Since these are tiny, we like to make as many as possible — more bang for your buck! This recipe makes roughly 18 mini lasagna pans, so make sure you have plenty of small disposable pans on hand, in case you end up with extra ingredients.
Also, make sure you have extra freezer space available before you make a big batch of mini lasagna!
And of course, make sure you label your pans as to what’s inside, if it’s already baked or not, and what the cooking/reheating instructions are.
How to serve Make Ahead Freezer Lasagna
Lasagna is one of those recipes that goes with almost anything!
- Fresh bread or rolls
- Garlic breadsticks
- Your favorite grilled, steamed, or roasted veggies
- Ceasar salad
- Any of your favorite salad kits or lettuce salad recipes
- Fresh fruit
- Applesauce
How long to cook Frozen Lasagna
Since these lasagnas are so teeny-tiny, they won’t take as long to bake as a full pan of lasagna.
We suggest letting the frozen lasagna defrost at room temperature for a few hours before baking. Then, depending on how defrosted they are, you’ll need to bake them, uncovered, at 350º for anywhere from 35 minutes to 60 minutes (check for doneness as they cook).
You can also prepare the lasagnas in the microwave — just pop them out of the foil pans, place them on a microwave-safe dish, and microwave on high for 8-10 minutes. (You may need to thaw them slightly in order to be able to remove them from the pans.)
Storing this Freezer Lasagna Recipe
We recommend storing the lasagna tightly covered, either refrigerated or frozen.
Can you make lasagna ahead of time?
Yes, lasagna is an excellent meal to make ahead of time as it can easily sit in the fridge for a few days or be frozen for later.
Just make sure you keep it tightly covered and put a date on it so you know how long it’s been sitting around.
How far ahead can you make lasagna?
Lasagna is such a wonderful make-ahead meal. I honestly think it tastes better as leftovers!
That said, cooked lasagna can easily last a week in the fridge (if you don’t eat it as leftovers first!)
And, as we mentioned above, you can freeze it months in advance!
How long can you keep unbaked lasagna in the fridge?
Unbaked lasagna does have raw eggs in it. With that in mind, you should be able to leave it in the fridge for 2-3 days before baking.
Freezer Lasagna Recipe FAQs
This depends on your taste preferences (and maybe what you already have in the house! )
We love the combination of ricotta and cottage cheese, as Ricotta brings a rich creaminess while cottage cheese lightens things up a bit. That said, if you only have one on hand, just use that in place of both cheeses.
They aren’t anything unique or special — we simply use regular lasagna noodles and break them in half.
We prefer oven-ready noodles as they are easier to break (and require much less prep time).
The taste is roughly the same no matter how many layers you create. Ideally, lasagna would be at least 3 layers, but in these small pans, 2 is sufficient.
Mini Make Ahead Freezer Lasagnas
Equipment
Ingredients
- 3 lbs ground beef
- 2 Tbsp. minced dried onion
- 2 tsp. salt divided
- ½ tsp. black pepper divided
- 2 Tbsp. fresh basil or 1 tsp. dried
- 3 tsp. fresh parsley (divided) or 1/2 tsp. dried
- 1 ½ tsp. Italian seasoning
- 72 oz. spaghetti sauce 3 24-ounce jars
- 24 oz. cottage cheese
- 30 oz. ricotta cheese
- ¼ cup parmesan cheese
- 2 eggs
- 18 ounces oven-ready lasagna noodles break them in half
- 1 lb. mossarella cheese thinly sliced
- 1 lb. mozzerella cheese shredded
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350ºF.
- Grease mini lasagna pans and set aside.
- Brown ground beef with minced onions in a large pan. When meat is cooked, drain off the fat.
- Stir in spaghetti sauce, 1 1/2 teaspoons salt, 1/8 teaspoon black pepper, basil, 2 teaspoons chopped parsley, and Italian seasoning.
- In a medium-sized bowl, combine cottage cheese, ricotta cheese, parmesan cheese, 1/8 teaspoon black pepper, 1/4 teaspoon salt, 1 teaspoon parsley, and eggs.
- Spread a layer of meat sauce in the bottom of the mini foil pans
- Layer uncooked noodles, sliced cheese, cottage cheese mixture, and meat mixture as desired, ending with meat mixture.
- Sprinkle with shredded mozzarella cheese.
- Place mini pans on a large sheet pan and bake, uncovered, in preheated oven for 30-35 minutes, or until bubbly and the cheese is somewhat crispy.
- At this point, you can let the lasagna cool, then cover and freezer for later.
- OR, if you plan to eat them immediately, cover with foil and continue baking an additional 20-25 minutes.
Notes
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Looking for other freezer recipes? Try these:
- 20 Quick & Easy Make-Ahead Freezer-Friendly Dinners for Busy Moms
- 7 Make-Ahead Freezer-Friendly Pancake Recipes (Plus Tips & Tricks!)
- 9 Freezer-Friendly Breakfast Recipes to Simplify Your Mornings
- My Top 7 Favorite Freezer-Friendly Muffin Recipes (Plus Grain-Free Options!)
- 8 Delicious & Healthy Freezer-Friendly Snack Ideas
- 7 Freezer-Friendly Dessert Recipes
- 13 Easy Homemade Bread Recipes {Freezer & Budget Friendly!}
Reader Interactions
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Can I use regular lasagna and if so do I need to cook then some.
I’m pretty sure regular lasagna noodles would work the same as the oven-ready ones, and there would be no need to cook them! -Olivia, MSM Team
Can you tell me how long these last in freezer? Thank you.
Up to 6 months! -Olivia, MSM Team
So I made the lasagnas and skimmed the end, thinking that was the instructions to fix them for a dinner. Later I realized that I was meant to partially bake them before freezing. I’ve frozen them raw. Is there any way to save them?
Yes, you can just thaw and fully bake them.
These look like the perfect comfort food! Thank you, I have pinned and will make these in Autumn, I think they will go down a treat in our house
How many noodle layers for each?
The instructions for layering are, “Spread a layer of meat sauce in the bottom of the mini foil pans. Layer uncooked noodles, sliced cheese, cottage cheese mixture, and meat mixture as desired, ending with meat mixture. Sprinkle with shredded mozzarella cheese.” So you can choose how many noodle layers you want. Hope that helps! -Jordan, MSM Team
Sorry if this is a dumb question but for each lasagna is there only 1 layer? you don’t repeat it? Only 1 “noodle” per pan?
No, I can see how the pictures make that confusing. The instructions for layering are, “Spread a layer of meat sauce in the bottom of the mini foil pans. Layer uncooked noodles, sliced cheese, cottage cheese mixture, and meat mixture as desired, ending with meat mixture. Sprinkle with shredded mozzarella cheese.” Hope that helps! -Jordan, MSM Team
So am I understanding after you prepare them cook them 30 minutes let cool and freeze then when you want to serve them cook another 60 minutes
Yes! That’s exactly how you prepare them. Good Luck! -Jordan, MSM Team
Adding cut up avocado and fresh squeezed lemon (best Meyer lemon in season)on this and even spaghetti takes it to the next level.
How long would you cook if cooking immediately?
How do these taste after freezing and reheating? Are the noodles soft and mushy like frozen boxed lasagnas, or more like fresh baked?
This recipe looks so much like the one I usually use from memory so Now I have it pre-typed for me. Except I never use ricotta cheese. Tummy can’t handle it so I use dry curd cottage cheese.
Interested about NOT baking before freezing answer. Maybe parboil the noodles and assemble and freeze. May try just one not baked first.
For low-carb, has anyone tried with zucchini or something other than lasagna? If so, what are your thoughts on freezing it?
This looks/sounds soooo delicious!!!!
Hi There! I only have regular lasagna noodles. Is there a way to us them instead of using over ready ones?
Thank you!
How many layers do you make in each pan to get 13 to 15 pans of lasagna?
I have tried storing lasagna in tin pans in the freezer. You can’t leave them in the freezer for too long or the acid in the tomatoes eats thru the aluminium.
This is obviously one of the very best ideas ever!!!! It saves money and time and portion co troll and is stress free. Thank you so much.
So obvious a splendid idea, so why oh why didn’t I come up with this??? Lol well guess who is going to make this delish dish this weekend and yes, I will be freezing them.
I do not like cottage cheese in my lasagna. Can I substitute something else or just use more ricotta?
Hi, Heather! Yes! You can substitute ricotta cheese for the cottage cheese! I hope you enjoy it! -Olivia, MSM Team
I’m so looking forward to making this recipe over the weekend! Sometimes it’s difficult to find Ricotta cheese so I may have to use all cottage cheese 🙁 I’ve been looking for a great lasagna recipe…..could this be the one ?! Thanks for sharing it with us!!
I hope it’s a success for you! 🙂 -Meg, MSM Team
We, in Italy, don’t use ricotta in the lasagna and nor cottage cheese, only mozzarella and parmesan. ?
Lia, what is your recipe?
I just tossed these in the oven and am pretty excited! I used 2 pounds of ground beef and 1 pound of ground sausage. My “oven ready” noodles are different from yours. They’re wider, and not wavy on the edges. I’m sure I shouldn’t brand drop, so I won’t. I had to break them up and make it work that way. I thought about using regular noodles but don’t like to mess with a recipe the first time and have a disaster on my hands! Hoping that these turn out to be great with my odd noodles! I only ended up with 2 layers of everything due to the depth of the pans. Just wanted to add that for anyone wondering… I didn’t see a number of layers mentioned anywhere.
Not sure if someone asked this, didnt read all of the comments but…how can you microwave these if youre on the go?
Hi, Evelyn! That’s a great question! Probably the easiest way to do that would be to use microwave-safe lasagna pans. Otherwise, you can remove a lasagna from the foil pan and place it in another dish to be microwaved later. (They are easiest to remove if they are slightly thawed.) -Olivia, MSM Team
So excited to try this! This would be prefect for us at this season of life.
Hi Olivia, I feel that if cooked a half hour and then baked again for another hour won’t the cheese get too burnt? I would like to make these for my college daughter they seem perfect but i don’t want to overlook then
Hi, Bonnie! That’s an excellent question! Our oven tends to cook slower than most, and we also like our lasagnas to be crispy on top. Since all ovens and tastes are different, you’ll probably want to keep an eye on your lasagna when you reheat it. You can always cover it with foil or cook it for less time! 🙂 Let me know if you have any more questions! -Olivia, MSM Team
P.S. When we reheat the lasagnas, we place them in the oven directly from the freezer. We don’t start heating the oven until after we’ve put them in the oven. So, if you preheat your oven first, I’m guessing they wouldn’t take a whole hour to reheat. I should’ve clarified that in the recipe! -Olivia, MSM Team
Was wondering if you could do a white lasagna wiith ground chicken or turkey using Alfredo sauce?
Hello, Connie! I have not tried that, but I’m sure it would work! It sounds really yummy! 🙂 -Olivia, MSM Team
I also have the same question as Tracy. I am wondering what your reasoning is for cooking it first. When I have made large family size lasagnas, I use oven ready noodles and freeze unbaked. I then pull from the freezer and bake all at once. I’m looking to make these for my college daughter and wanted your insight on why you bake first. Thank you!
Hi, Missy! Honestly, I’ve never stopped to think about it! I guess I cooked them because I thought they would be easier to reheat, especially when using the microwave. I was also concerned the noodles wouldn’t be cooked all the way. But it sounds like it has worked well for you, so I’m going to have to try it out sometime! -Olivia, MSM Team
Can you also prepare these without baking first and freeze them? I’m not sure if it would save any time but thought about preparing them and freezing first
I have the same question. Why are you baking first? When I have done my large family size lasagna, I use oven ready noodles and freeze unbaked. I then bake from freezer all at once. I’m looking to do these for my daughter at college. I’m wanting your insight on why you bake first.
Hi Missy, That’s a great question. I have the reverse question. Why wouldn’t you make the whole pan and bake first? I make the whole pan of lasagna, bake it, cut it in portions and then freeze it. I have tried every way possible and this one works best for me. It never ends up watery or overdone, and I can use the number of portions I want at anytime. Happy Cooking!
Good Morning, Tracy! That is a great question! I actually have never tried to freeze this lasagna without baking it first, so I’m not sure. If you try it, you’ll have to let me know how it turns out for you! 🙂 -Olivia, MSM Team
Looks and sounds amazing! Where did you find your tin foil pans?
Hi, Katelyn! I purchased my pans at Dillons, but I also think you can buy them at a number of other stores. Below is a link to some at Walmart. Let me know if you have any more questions! -Olivia, MSM Team https://www.walmart.com/ip/Handi-Foil-Eco-Foil-Mini-Loaf-Pans-with-Lids-5-Pack/17126884
They now have noodles you don’t need to cook. Find them by all the noodles. Just look for them on the package.
Could I cook the noodles before hand or do they need to go in the foil already hard?
Hello, Aubrey! Yes, you can cook your noodles beforehand if you prefer! However, I like the texture of the lasagna more when they are not cooked. -Olivia, MSM Team
What is the cooking time for oven and microwave. Also, on what setting for oven?
Hello, Peggy! After the lasagnas have been cooked (35 minutes at 350 degrees) and frozen, you can reheat them by sticking them straight from the freezer into the oven (350 degrees for 1 hour, uncovered). You can also thaw them slightly and pop them out of the pan onto a microwave-safe dish to microwave (somewhere around 8-10 minutes on high). -Olivia, MSM Team
So to get this right, you cook them BEFORE you freeze them or can they be prepared according to recipe and immediately frozen? I don’t want to mess this great recipe up. Thanks for posting!
If taking from the freezer, what are the reheat instructions? Should they be thawed first? LOVE this idea as I am cooking for one.
Hi, Julie! You can take stick them in the oven frozen (350 degrees for 1 hour, uncovered) or you can let them thaw a bit and pop them out of the foil pan onto a microwave-safe dish to microwave (somewhere around 8-10 minutes on high). -Olivia, MSM Team
Love this idea! I always have so much left over when I make lasagna that we’re eating on it for days.
I have a lot of pans this size that are reusable. Would they freeze just as well as in the aluminum?
Hi, Angela! I have used pans that are reusable with good results! However, they are not as easy to pop out of the pans if you are wanting to microwave them. -Olivia, MSM Team
Line the reusable pan with parchment paper first.
You can line reusable pans with parchment paper before filling and baking and they will pop out.
How long would you recommend baking them for if you want to eat them right away?
Hello, Kim! I honestly have not tried it, but I’m guessing about 15 more minutes or until the lasagna noodles are cooked. -Olivia, MSM Team
Yes, love this idea, but please check the sodium content of your spaghetti sauce and cheeses before adding any more salt! Most Americans consume way too much – just omit it from the recipe.
Thanks so much for the excellent suggestion! -Olivia, MSM Team
Could I use all ricotta cheese in this recipe? The Italian in me cringes at cottage cheese anywhere near my lasagna! Thanks! 🙂
Hi, Lisa! Absolutely! The cottage cheese and ricotta cheese are interchangeable. 🙂 -Olivia, MSM Team
Lisa, did you try with just ricotta cheese? Cottage cheese makes me cringe too lol.
These will be perfect to send to college with my son!
Great recipe! Thanks, Olivia.
You’re welcome, Laura! -Olivia, MSM Team
This is amazing! No matter how many you are cooking for, 2 or 4 or 10, you are have the perfect amount! Thanks for sharing. This is definitely one I will be bookmarking.
Definitely! 🙂 Enjoy it! -Meg, MSM Team
Can they be microwaved if put in the right container?
Hi, Nancy! Yes, you can microwave the lasagnas if you put them in a microwave-safe container! You can also pop the lasagna out of the foil pan and place it on a microwave-safe dish. (It’s easiest to pop out of the foil pan if the lasagna is slightly thawed.) -Olivia, MSM Team
This is awesome. I love this recipe. I recently moved into an apartment with my son and I am the only one who likes lasagna so this is perfect for me. Plus I struggle with lunches for me at work.
Perfect!! -Meg, MSM Team
What a great recipe for my 14 year old daughter to do. She loves lasagna I have been purchasing them at Aldi for her however there is way to much for her to consume in one dish. Guess what she’s making this weekend? She own lasagna for the freeze. I love to gift food to my kids
Yay! How fun! -Meg, MSM Team
I love this idea, especially for when I’m visiting a single person: I can take a ready-to-eat meal and a few of these for their freezer for later. Quick question: What size are the pans? I couldn’t tell from the photos. Thanks.
Hello, Sandra! I normally use pans that are around 5 X 3 inches! -Olivia, MSM Team
Love it!! I do this same thing with meatloaf – these are perfect for a couple …forces portion control because I might eat the whole pan of lasagna if I make it ? If you split it in half it’s just the right size!
What a great idea! -Meg, MSM Team
I do not like cottage cheese in anything….can I substitute ricotta in place of the amount of cottage cheese? So I still need the egg?
I was wondering the same thing – I would just use the amount of the cottage cheese for additional ricotta – yes use the egg – it serves as a binder 🤎
Hi, I have a question. How long can u freeze them for? To stay fresh and all, would you recommend?
Thanks.
Hi, Felicia! That’s a great question! I’m guessing they would stay fresh for up to 6 months. However, they’ve always been quickly devoured at our house, so I’m not totally sure about that! 😉 -Olivia, MSM Team
I’ve made these for years and they are great for nights when the kids have sports or meetings. I have kept mine in the freezer for 6 months or more. The key is to wrapping them with a few layers of plastic wrap to seal them and then really well with foil. I’ve started freezing mine and when they are completely frozen, taking them out of the pans, and then vacuum sealing them. They are still good over a year later when vacuum sealed.
Thanks so much for sharing, Pattie! Those are wonderful tips for freezing lasagnas! -Olivia, MSM Team
Can this be scaled down by half? I’m due with our first child in November and trying to prep some lunches and dinners and don’t have the freezer space for 13-15 of them.
Can they be frozen before baking? I plan on cooking noodles slightly Al dente to reduce baking time.
If you partially freeze them then take them out and wrap them in saran wrap and put them in a ziploc, they will last longer than 6 months.
Those are so cute! I’m looking to do some freezer cooking in the next couple months and lasagna is the perfect comfort meal for wintertime. =)
Definitely!! -Meg, MSM Team
I love this idea! How many loaf pans does it make? The pictures look like the recipe will make 10 mini ones, but I thought I would check to make sure!
In one photo there are 10 but the ones that are baked shows 9 in the photo so I’m a little confused. Either way they look yummy.
I just added that to the recipe! It makes 13-15 loaf pans.
When do you use the eggs. It’s not in the instructions.
Hi Michelle! The eggs go in the cottage cheese mixture. Hope that helps! -Meg, MSM Team
Thanks for posting this recipe, they look yummy! How many mini loaves does it make?
It makes 13-15.
Could you use ground Italian turkey sausage instead for this recipe?
I’m sure you could!! It probably be delicious! Let us know if you try it how it turns out. -Jordan, MSM Team
Made these and my guy loves them. Thank you.
How many people does one pan feed? I have 6 adults in my home(4 men that can eat alot, lol)?
My brother usually ate one per meal, so I’d say one pan per person, unless they aren’t a big eater! -Olivia, MSM Team