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AIBU?

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Original poster

Urgent help needed to help me save dinner!

29 replies

ChappellRoan · 25/03/2025 19:48

Hi everyone

I've made a beautiful lasagne in the slow cooker (well the ragu)
I only have dry lasagne sheets and I can never not boil them first as they are too chewy.
I par boiled them and they've all stuck together and I'm left with a half assembled lasagne.

I have one more box left. How can I boil them without them sticking? I put olive oil in the saucepan too and it did Jack shit.

I've spent all day doing this and I've made it from scratch and I just want to cry as I've been looking forward to it so much.

I can't go out and get fresh sheets either. Any help please! I do need to boil them first at least partially.

AIBU to think dry pasta is utterly shit!

OP posts:
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megacat · 25/03/2025 21:12

I’m with you op the sheets do need to be parboiled, all I do is soak them in the lasagne dish with boiling water and use greaseproof paper to separate them. By the time I’m ready to assemble the lasagne they’re soft.

MasterOfOne · 25/03/2025 21:10

I recommend fresh lasagne sheets in the refrigerators.

Always work perfectly for me

Maxorias · 25/03/2025 21:05

I mean if you MUST pre cook them I think the only way is to do it one by one, which is gonna take forever. But I agree that the normal method is to not precook them and make sure there's enough liquid to cook the pasta.

GrannyAchingsShepherdsHut · 25/03/2025 21:02

Bit late now but I stab the lasagne with a knife to check if the pasta's done or if it needs a bit longer.

Iwannakeepondancing · 25/03/2025 20:55

I’ve never parboiled them but did the other day for quickness as was starving and they did the same and I thought wtf I’m never doing that!!

TY78910 · 25/03/2025 20:53

ChappellRoan · 25/03/2025 20:10

Thanks I'll try that, ETA is Halloween

Show quote history

😂😂😂
I hope I didn’t come across as sarcy, I just didn’t want to say the same as everyone else - go in dry 😂

hope your lasagne turned out good in the end!

Darkclothes · 25/03/2025 20:45

OP- How are you layering your lasagne? Is the very top layer just sheets and cheese? Which parts of the sheets are getting dry and crispy? Every layer, the corners or just the top layer? It sounds like they aren't being covered in enough sauce enough.

As a side, an Italian friend swears that lasagne is 'supposed' to be cooked a day ahead. Cooled, then cut into squares and re-heated. That way, they remain in shape when cut. It actually does work much better- but you need to plan ahead.

andweallsingalong · 25/03/2025 20:40

I've had issues with dry sheets before so now I just dip them in boiling water for about 30 seconds then put them in the lasagna. Easier to keep them separate if you only do a couple of sheets at a time.

CorvusPurpureus · 25/03/2025 20:15

Ok, don't do that with boxed lasagne sheets. They're designed to go in dry!

You can buy fresh lasagne next time, if you don't trust the ready to bake stuff, but for now just cook any pasta al dente.

Mix into your slow cooker ragu, top with bechamel & parmesan. Whack it in the oven for 30 minutes.

Original poster
ChappellRoan · 25/03/2025 20:15

Starsandstars7 · 25/03/2025 20:12

Could it be that the ragu and the bechamel sauce are quite sticky (ie not much liquid left) so not enough moisture to cook the lasagne sheets?

I think that's possibly it.
I do make the bechamel quite thick as I add lots of sharp cheddar to it. And the ragu I hate when it's runny and I find the lasagne falls down.

but I've gone with it today and apparently if I let the lasagne sit for 10 minutes it saves it from collapsing.

its hard to believe I am quite an experienced cook but for some reason I can't get a handle on a bloody lasagne!

OP posts:
Original poster
ChappellRoan · 25/03/2025 20:13

I always found the sheets dry and crunchy in the oven for some reason. Perhaps I'm doing it all wrong but as the ragu has been in the slow cooker all day I tried to save cooking time this evening and thought I could parboil the pasta and save oven time

but I've bitten the bullet and put the sheets in uncooked. I did soak them in boiling water to make them a bit bendy but that's it.

I guess IABU for parboiling lasagne sheets, I assumed everyone did it. Learnt something new today thanks everyone!

OP posts:
Starsandstars7 · 25/03/2025 20:12

Could it be that the ragu and the bechamel sauce are quite sticky (ie not much liquid left) so not enough moisture to cook the lasagne sheets?

Original poster
ChappellRoan · 25/03/2025 20:10

TY78910 · 25/03/2025 20:03

Cook them one by one…

Thanks I'll try that, ETA is Halloween

OP posts:
TY78910 · 25/03/2025 20:03

Cook them one by one…

Darkclothes · 25/03/2025 20:01

Oil in the water just floats, so no wonder it didn't help them unstick sheet inside the water! 😕

The 1st time I made a lasagne, I was very young and also thought I needed to pre-boil the sheets. The only way is 1-2 in the boiling water at once.

That said, there is absolutely no need to pre-boil them OP! As long as your ragu and bechamel are moist, the sheets will cook when baked.

WHY do you think the sheets need pre-boiling?

DappledThings · 25/03/2025 19:57

Never heard of parboiling lasagna sheets. How long are you cooking the lasagna for if the sheets aren't cooked at the end? Mine goes in for 45 minutes

thesecondmrsdewinter20 · 25/03/2025 19:57

You don’t need to preboil but if you want to, lay out spaced evenly on 2 baking trays, cover with boiling water for 5 mins then drain. Good luck!

LegoLivingRoom · 25/03/2025 19:55

Agree with using them as they are. A family member used to precook them, and they ended up with a weird mushy texture. They need to have a bit of bite.

BendingSpoons · 25/03/2025 19:55

BobbyBiscuits · 25/03/2025 19:52

Why can't you just cook it with the raw lasagne? That's how it's meant to be. It will be as soft as you like if you just cook it for a bit longer and just make sure there's enough liquid.
I've never cooked lasagne sheets before as it never seems necessary? Just go for it. It might take longer but that's ok.

Edited

This. I add more water and that helps them cook. I wouldn't know how to cook them without it sticking together.

AlisonDonut · 25/03/2025 19:54

Chop them up into strips, boil, strain and mix into the rago, pour into a dish add all the bechamel and then top with cheese and pop under the grill for a nice pasta bake.

Stinkbomb · 25/03/2025 19:54

Never par boiled them, just layer up the lasagne and cook for 45 mins.

dinmin · 25/03/2025 19:53

One or two at a time in a shallow pan and keep them moving / move them apart if needed.

or soak in boiling water in a shallow dish instead

but yes you don’t need to!

Turmericcall · 25/03/2025 19:53

If you've never not boiled them, what do you usually do?

I'm with everyone else, just use them the way they're supposed to be used.

Pineapplesunshine · 25/03/2025 19:52

Maybe try doing them one or two at a time? They don’t need long and it’s the one way to guarantee they don’t stick together…

Hankunamatata · 25/03/2025 19:52

Never boil them. Always just use them dry