Lasagna is always a crowd pleaser, but is also time consuming to make, who has time to cut and cook all the ingredients and handle the layering that is involved with preparing it? It’s a timely process and requires a pretty lengthy shopping list. Costco Lasagna to the rescue!
Funny story, lasagna was my “go to and impress everyone” dish for large groups when I was younger and had no kids. I’d spend all this time cooking and baking and would be so proud to bring such a hit meal to potlucks and parties. Fast forward to now, 3 kids in tow and that isn’t happening. Costco lasagna is my hero – it comes to my rescue when trying to feed many.
Just taking about an hour to heat from frozen, this freezer friendly meal is definitely worth the cook time and makes feeding a large group simple. Not all frozen foods come out and taste like their non-frozen counterparts, but lasagna tends to hold up well after freezing, and here we review just how well the Kirkland brand does.
The Paper Plate Test
The first thing I thought about with this lasagna may sound funny, but I feel it is one of the most important things to think about when feeding large groups. How well does the food work with paper plates? Yes, I went there. There are just some foods that don’t work well on paper plates (spaghetti is one of them) – usually if they’re too saucy they make the paper plate wet and soggy, sometimes sauce runs into other foods, etc. Does Costco’s lasagna have a similar fate?
We tend to use paper plates at larger gatherings and saucier and wetter food tends to be problematic. Some lasagnas can be so saucy that it spreads all over the plate, making a mess. And we all know that one kid who just won’t stand for having their lasagna ooze all over their bread. Is the sauce so wet that it makes the plate weak and cause it to bend? The last thing anyone would want is lasagna falling all over anywhere.
I have good news! If you let Costco lasagna set a bit after coming out of the oven it will pass the plate test. The lasagna once set will hold its shape fairly well and doesn’t ooze everywhere. There’s enough sauce so this lasagna is not dry, but it doesn’t have too much juice that it might cause a plate to lose its structure and spill red sauce all over. It definitely passes the paper plate test!
Easy to Prepare
One of the first things that people think of when deciding on a perfect yet satisfying meal to serve to lots of people is choosing something that is easy to prepare and dishes out with minimal trouble. This crowd-pleaser definitely wins in the prep department as you literally unwrap it and bake it in the oven, see the full Costco lasagna directions below:
Conventional Oven:
1. Preheat oven to 375°F.
2. Separate twin pack. Cut a 2″ slit in film cover. Place tray on cookie sheet on middle oven rack.
3. Cook 55 minutes. Remove film cover and continue cooking for 10 minutes to brown cheese.
4. Remove from oven and let stand 5 minutes.
Microwave Oven:
1. Separate twin pack. Cut at 2″ slit in film cover. Place in center of microwave.
2. Cook on high 10 minutes.
3. Remove film cover. Reduce power level to 50% and cook for an additional 14 minutes.
4. Let stand in microwave for 5 minutes.
Since ovens vary, these cooking instructions are intended as guidelines only. Cook until product reaches 165°F as measured with food thermometer.
It Tastes Great
With all of it’s layers of saucy meat and cheese, lasagna tends to be a hearty well rounded meal which works to keep everyone full. Costco’s version is a wonderful combination of beef and Italian sausage making it better than most other frozen lasagnas. The flavors are great and have had a chance to set into each other which makes this taste similar to second day lasagna.
Ricotta Cheese seems to be one of those love it or hate it cheeses. It probably has to do with texture since it has a mild flavor. I know some picky eaters who claim to dislike ricotta, but they don’t seem to detect it in this version of lasagna. The ricotta isn’t very noticeable, and mixes into the sauce, so I think even pickier eaters will give it a try.
Thankfully this Costco meal is one that most everyone likes. We could think of it as a layered meaty spaghetti that is held together by cheese. With each layered bite you get meat, cheese and noodle. The great thing about this format is it’s definitely less messy than spaghetti as it holds it’s shape well and there are no long noodles since it’s cut in big slices.
No-Fuss Pan
If you need to transport it, it can easily be taken places as well since it comes in its own deliverable pan. And if you are having people over, you will still have plenty of time to clean up before guests arrive. The best part, the tray goes in the trash! No soaking and scrubbing with this pan!
Conclusion
Definitely one of the easiest and best tasting meals to have stocked in the freezer in case you suddenly need to have a meal on hand. And budget friendly as well, this is definitely worth the money. These lasagnas come in a two-pack and are a good size. You can get about 8 good sized pieces with each pan. The great part is if you are feeding a small family, the leftovers are already in the pan, then you just reheat it the next day! Let us know if you give this a try for your next midweek meal, or a potluck.
Another Alternative: Costco’s Ravioli Lasagna
If, however, you are looking for something a bit more fun or fancy to serve a group, Costco does also have their ravioli lasagna. Instead of the typical flat noodle, they use feta filled ravioli and this makes not only a different take on lasagna, but a fun talking point too. There are 2 layers of 8 large ravioli making this a great meal for many as well. The feta cheese adds a sharper cheese taste, but it’s a good change up to the typical lasagna. They seem to use the same sausage and meat sauce as their lasagna, but the ravioli definitely ups the game and makes this a different take on regular lasagna.
If you liked this post, also check out our post on one of our favorite baked ziti recipes.
