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Made the lasagna without the lasagna

866 replies

Brainfogtothemax · 05/01/2026 13:26

What to do?

Just prepped for dinner, did all the mince with tomatoes, onion etc and made the cheese sauce, boiled some potatoes and went to get the lasagna sheets and don’t have any.
Not feeling 100% so cba going to the shops, how can I make it into a proper meal? I have some pasta I could use instead, but what about the potatoes? Save them for tomorrow 🤷🏻‍♀️

OP posts:
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11
ByQuaintAzureWasp · 06/01/2026 08:40

Id just use another pasta and alternate meat/cheese sauce.
Never used potatoes, or seen potatoes in a lasagne.

soupyspoon · 06/01/2026 08:39

Lol, loving all the 'you need sofrito, it needs cooking down, you should add x or y to it, you cant reheat potatoes more than once' purity

then coming in with a curveball like beetroot and mushrooms and making out they're a common ingredient in bol!!!

Bobiverse · 06/01/2026 08:31

RampantIvy · 06/01/2026 08:28

But it would taste of beetroot. I often use carrot in tomato sauces to add a bit of sweetness. You can't taste the carrot, but beetroot would give a sauce that awful muddy taste.

Can't you tell that I dislike beetroot Grin

It really doesn’t. Mushrooms give an earthy taste and that’s a pretty common ingredient in bolognese.

RampantIvy · 06/01/2026 08:28

Bobiverse · 06/01/2026 07:56

It adds sweetness to counteract the acidity in the tomatoes if you don’t have a long time to let it simmer out.

But it would taste of beetroot. I often use carrot in tomato sauces to add a bit of sweetness. You can't taste the carrot, but beetroot would give a sauce that awful muddy taste.

Can't you tell that I dislike beetroot Grin

Bobiverse · 06/01/2026 07:56

sunshine244 · 06/01/2026 07:23

Beetroot??? Only thing worse would be Brussels sprouts...

It adds sweetness to counteract the acidity in the tomatoes if you don’t have a long time to let it simmer out.

sunshine244 · 06/01/2026 07:23

RampantIvy · 06/01/2026 07:17

Beetroot! Now that is going too far.

Beetroot??? Only thing worse would be Brussels sprouts...

RampantIvy · 06/01/2026 07:17

Beetroot! Now that is going too far.

Bobiverse · 06/01/2026 07:12

SwingTheMonkey · 06/01/2026 05:15

Peppers? Isn’t the base of the sauce soffrito? I’ve never seen anyone add peppers…

Another poster said she uses peppers, and OP thought she meant chunks of pepper like in a veggie bolognese or something. I was explaining that they can’t be used to make the sauce.

And when you’ve got kids, you add extra veggies to things even when they don’t usually go in so would explain using peppers in the sauce. I sometimes add beetroot and mushrooms to a pasta back sauce.

SwingTheMonkey · 06/01/2026 05:15

Bobiverse · 05/01/2026 22:05

It’s in the sauce. You slow cook the sauce with peppers and carrots, and then blend the sauce if you want it smooth.

You don’t just use onion, garlic and tomato.

Edited

Peppers? Isn’t the base of the sauce soffrito? I’ve never seen anyone add peppers…

Isittimeformynapyet · 06/01/2026 02:50

Brainfogtothemax · 05/01/2026 21:07

I hold my hands up and admit I’ve never made Shepherds pie or cottage pie. I make Chilli, but i’m guessing i’m doing that one wrong too as it’s basically the same recipe as the lasagna but with chilli powder in, my mum put baked beans in Chilli con carneeee in the 90’s

The ingredient that turns mince into chilli is cumin. And chilli, obvs, but without cumin it's just spicy Bolognese.

Isittimeformynapyet · 06/01/2026 02:43

PortSalutPlease · 05/01/2026 19:46

Sorry OP but that is the saddest and most depressing lasagna recipe I’ve ever seen. I’m guessing that cooking is not your thing?

I particularly liked the "tins of tinned tomatoes"

sunshine244 · 06/01/2026 00:10

I am a massive fan of potatoes, but even i would question boiled potatoes with lasagna.

However... I'll admit my lasagna has cheese sauce not just cheese on top. I thought it was supposed to.

Plus my cottage pie has had tomatoes in it since a friend cooked me one like that which was amazing. Haven't looked back since 🤣

DiaryofaProvincialLady · 05/01/2026 23:51

glitterpaperchain · 05/01/2026 20:56

Yeah I'm asking, you don't put them in? You just use beef onion and tomato? I use carrot, pepper, herbs, bit of garlic

OP is saving the red peppers to use as the hundreds and thousands on Friday night's meat trifle

A layer of mince marinated in jelly, a layer of lady fingers, a layer of custard, topped off with mash and a sprinkle of grated red and green peppers

DiaryofaProvincialLady · 05/01/2026 23:39

Faceonthewrongfoot · 05/01/2026 20:10

Roast chicken with baked beans
Fish, chips and poppadoms
Sausage, mash (made hours in advance) and spring rolls
Meat pie, boiled potatoes and rice

OP has got Sam I Am coming round for tea on Thursday.

MyOtherProfile · 05/01/2026 23:38

This thread has been a right laugh. Thank you OP!

Brainfogtothemax · 05/01/2026 23:23

modernminimalist · 05/01/2026 23:16

I knew I wasn’t going mad!

Maybe that ‘Was’ me 😂 or even more hopeful, I have an amazing soul somewhere who actually eats this too

OP posts:
modernminimalist · 05/01/2026 23:16

I knew I wasn’t going mad!

Made the lasagna without the lasagna
Judystilldreamsofhorses · 05/01/2026 23:15

Brainfogtothemax · 05/01/2026 21:07

I hold my hands up and admit I’ve never made Shepherds pie or cottage pie. I make Chilli, but i’m guessing i’m doing that one wrong too as it’s basically the same recipe as the lasagna but with chilli powder in, my mum put baked beans in Chilli con carneeee in the 90’s

My chilli is probably wildly inaccurate, but honestly tastes great. I brown the mince then season with black pepper, cumin, chilli flakes, and red pepper flakes. Add a chopped onion and a couple of minced garlic cloves. Tomato puree. Glug of red wine. Chopped red pepper and mushrooms (very finely chopped), tin of kidney beans in chilli sauce, tin of chopped tomatoes. Square of dark chocolate, good squirt of Marmite.

Cook low and slow for a few hours and serve with rice, tortilla chips, and salsa/guac/soured cream. A red wine stock pot thing works fine too, or I’d skip the wine if I was in a rush as it needs time to cook off.

modernminimalist · 05/01/2026 23:14

Bizarrely I was reading an old thread about lasagne on here and someone said they have it with buttery boiled potatoes… it must be the OP!

Fulmine · 05/01/2026 22:57

Brainfogtothemax · 05/01/2026 14:29

Because a pasta dish or pasta bake with potatoes too just seems odd

Well yes, it does. Hence everyone wondering why you have potatoes with lasagne, which is a pasta dish on any interpretation.

Anonanonanonagain · 05/01/2026 22:54

HoorayHattie · 05/01/2026 20:39

Well apparently he hadn't had one for years so he's obviously forgotten what Shepherd's Pie looks like!

Exactly, she didnt even have real shepards in it ffs.

Italianasoitis · 05/01/2026 22:35

MrsTerryPratchett · 05/01/2026 13:47

It’s not in Italy.

But I will admit to being someone who mutters “espresso” and “panino” at people passive aggressively. I did live there so that’s my excuse for being a purist.

I live in Italy and yearn to go home to the UK and have lasagne served the right way. 100 % beef mince, served with coleslaw and chips. I love educating Italians on how lasagne is best enjoyed, and also enjoy explaining to them that you only eat pizza with pineapples and barbecue sauce on the side. I love telling them that I'm having dinner at 4pm too, and that Jamie Oliver has a great pasta sauce recipe using marscapone. They love it!

gotmyknickersinatwist · 05/01/2026 22:24

Brainfogtothemax · 05/01/2026 16:05

Were you cold afterwards

😆

Brainfogtothemax · 05/01/2026 22:19

Smeegall · 05/01/2026 22:15

Sorry I didn't read everything! Saw this after I posted!!!!!!

Hope it was a good dinner!!!

😅

OP posts:
Smeegall · 05/01/2026 22:15

Brainfogtothemax · 05/01/2026 22:14

On the side @Smeegall on the side…

Sorry I didn't read everything! Saw this after I posted!!!!!!

Hope it was a good dinner!!!

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