Runny lasagna? Rubbery noodles? Flavorless sauce? From Marie Callender’s to Rao’s to
even Amy’s Kitchen, we’re going layer by layer and ranking the worst to best
frozen lasagna dishes. Keep watching to see if your favorite made the cut!
Marie Callender's claims its Italiano Lasagna is made with fresh pasta and four kinds of cheese,
including ricotta. There is also some meat and marinara sauce included for good measure.
But with a rating of only 3.3 stars out of a possible 5 from 67 different customers
on its website, it seems maybe the lasagna doesn't actually deliver on its promises.
There seems to be a lack of meat in this lasagna,
and some have said that it's nothing more than some pasta with sweetened sauce.
This Marie Callender's lasagna seems to suffer from a texture and ingredient issue.
Thin, runny sauce, and too little meat. Not to mention the ricotta ... or lack
thereof. Lasagna should be balanced layers and meat and sauce and this just falls short.
On top of the taste, one customer had a near disaster caused by a smoking
entree in their microwave. If you're on the hunt for a quick and tasty frozen lasagna,
you should probably skip this one.
It seems Stouffer's wanted to appeal to all the carnivores out there with
this meat lovers lasagna. Instead of simply beef or pork, this lasagna is also filled
with Italian sausage and pepperoni. The meat mixture is part of a, quote,
"hearty tomato sauce" and layered with sheets of pasta and some cheese, for good measure.
This lasagna is about as average as it gets.
Especially considering Stouffer's makes another lasagna that's better. Some reviewers online felt
as though the product in the box perhaps wasn't quite what it was advertised to be.
The initial impression is that this will be bursting with not only meat
flavor but actual meat. That just wasn't the case. It's not a bad lasagna at all,
but you'll likely need to add some spices to jazz it up. But when you consider that it's got as much
meat as any other lasagna it's not nearly as special as it once seemed.
Gluten-free brand Udi's, is known for its bagels,
English muffins, breakfast sandwiches, muffins, and mug cakes.
So it's not too much of a surprise that the brand also wanted to give pasta lovers
a gluten-free option. Although it fills a huge void in the market,
this lasagna is another example of how the wrong ratio can completely throw off a dish.
Some Udi's reviewers reported a scant amount of noodles, with one even referring to the
frozen dish as a, quote, "lasagna soup." We'll cut this dish some slack because it’s tricky to make
a gluten-free dish taste exactly like the real deal, but as a whole, Udi's wasn't a fan favorite.
Stouffer's other attempt at meat lasagna also didn't go over well. With so many other options,
there's no real point in stooping this low. Stouffer's gets points for availability and
convenience but where does it rank when it comes to flavor and texture?
The texture is more than acceptable. The noodles aren't slimy or too soft.
They manage to hold up pretty well in the sauce and meat mixture,
but when looking at the flavor, there just doesn't seem to be much spice here. It helps
to amp it up on your own so grab that salt, pepper, and Italian herb blend. If you're
looking for an out-of-the-box option that's packed with flavor, this may disappoint.
It seems reviewers have commented that this
lasagna tastes like Chef Boyardee with its sweet and rather spiceless sauce.
Overall this is not a terrible option, but it won't wow you on the flavor front.
Healthy-ish frozen food brand Lean Cuisine was at the forefront of American fitness
and diet culture that proliferated in the 1980s. The brand was launched
as an offshoot of the Stouffer's brand in 1981, as a lighter convenience food
option. Offering quick and easy entrees for less than three hundred calories…
"Who can beat
that?"
"Stouffer's Lean Cuisine! More satisfaction with you!"
Well, when it comes to their lasagna, it would appear many can beat them. While we appreciate
the effort of crafting a lighter lasagna, Lean Cuisine is far from the perfect option. Instead
of the rich balanced mixture, you expect from lasagna, this is all pasta and sauce.
One reviewer described it as, quote,
"5 stringy pieces of cheese." For those looking to cut calories and eat lighter,
this isn't a terrible option but be prepared to at least add some of your own spices.
While we applaud Walmart's attempt to bring discounted items to the masses, in some cases it's
not successful. Take the grocery store's Great Value Italian-Style Lasagna with Meat Sauce by
the way. It looks promising, with a box photograph that features proper layers of herbed ricotta and
a chunky, fresh-looking red sauce. In order to get to the final product, you have to cook the lasagna
properly, and that poses some problems for some people who have tried Walmart's frozen casserole.
If you reference the included cooking instructions, you may end up with a lasagna that
isn't cooked properly in the center, with cheese that's overcooked on top. Another suggested that
this lasagna tasted eerily similar to a Little Caesar's pizza that had been left to cool.
Great Value has some hits and some misses. This lasagna falls in the latter category,
but at least if you're already in a Walmart, you'll have plenty of other dinner options.
Props to Amy's for making a lasagna that has no gluten and
no dairy products — and the most shocking part is that it actually tastes great,
considering it doesn't have the main components that make traditional lasagna so yummy.
A few Amazon reviewers commented on the lasagna's lack of cheese and veggies
stating it was a lot of pasta and sauce. And a few others have noted that the portion is small.
But enough with the bad, because Amy's vegan lasagna has far more good qualities.
It's packed with veggies and makes for a clever way to sneak some vegetables into
your family's diet. So if you're gluten-free but still want a convenient pasta dinner,
look no further than this one!
Kirkland Signature Italian Sausage and Beef Lasagna falls under a middling category.
Is it going to change your life? No. But what it will do is provide you and your family or friends
with a tasty meal that doesn't require you to spend hours in the kitchen. Kudos to those who
find joy in making long meals but for those who don't, this lasagna comes pretty close in taste.
It's perfect for unannounced guests because there are about 8 servings of lasagna in one pan.
It's got a balanced ratio of noodles, meat, and cheese so that each bite has a
little of each. The ricotta blends into the sauce and the flavors are well integrated.
Meat lovers rejoice! This lasagna contains sausage and beef and every meaty bite is delicious.
As one of the most exclusive restaurants in New York City, Rao's is known for great Italian food.
While Rao's Homemade line is a completely separate entity from the restaurant, the brand strives to
produce high-quality frozen goods that deliver big flavor. The brand's frozen meat lasagna touts
a fresh-tasting pasta with layers of ricotta, beef, sausage, and mozzarella with marinara sauce.
You can also expect some garlic, basil, and parsley to drive home those classical
Italian flavors. With a name like Rao's you do expect high-quality
and while this lasagna doesn't disappoint, it also doesn't over-deliver. One reviewer
wasn't a fan of the consistency because it was just far too runny.
Rao's Homemade lasagna earns its spot from the quality of its ingredients.
And if you're okay with adding a little bit of salt,
you might find that the flavors pop just enough to make this a great dinner.
You know that feeling you get when you dig into a gigantic pasta dish? It's exciting because of
the carbs, but it's the cheese and sauce that really make it special. So this Cali'Flour Foods
Keto Hearty Vegetable Lasagna wants to give you that same feeling with a lot fewer carbs.
It's got the cauliflower "noodles" with veggies like spinach and zucchini,
along with ricotta and a tasty tomato sauce. This is grain-free and keto-friendly
and since it subtracts the pasta, it's naturally fewer calories than traditional lasagna,
if that's something you're concerned about.
Cali'Flour's lasagna may not give you the same pasta glow,
but you'll definitely feel satisfied after eating this. It tastes fresh and has a wonderful flavor,
but the main draw is the health benefits.
Trader Joe's can do no wrong in the eyes of
its most loyal fans. The grocery store sells prepared foods and fresh fruits,
snacks, veggies, and everything in between with funky versions of everyday products.
And unlike other grocery stores,
Trader Joe's house brand is unbeatable. Take the Trader Joe's family-style meat lasagna.
It is a standard lasagna with two layers of sauce and one layer of a cheese and bechamel mixture.
If this lasagna was a stage play, many found the cheese to be the starring role.
"I am the cheese! I am the best character on the show."
But the cheese inside the lasagna, a ricotta concoction, falls short on texture and flavor.
It's still higher quality than some of the other mass-produced frozen food options,
but this is not one of Trader Joe's more memorable meals.
If this ranking was based on branding alone, Michael Angelo's just might win.
The green box with a clean, vintage font and great photography screams authentic Italian
food! In this case, thankfully reality isn't far from expectation. Let's start with the texture.
Michael Angelo's lasagna with meat sauce is undoubtedly a looser, runnier texture.
This lasagna is one you'll need to eat very carefully or out of a bowl.
One Michael Angelo's reviewer wasn't a fan of just how loose the dish was
and thought it might need more cheese and meat to hold the entire thing together.
Meat lovers may want to keep looking because it seems Michael Angelo's used the meat as a
supporting ingredient rather than a feature. It works, because this lasagna has great flavor,
just don't expect this to be meat-heavy or you may be in for a disappointing meal.
Amy's vegetable lasagna is a typical layered lasagna with
organic pasta sheets and three kinds of cheese.
This could taste like every other run-of-the-mill frozen lasagna,
but what Amy's does right is use high-quality vegetables. Thus the sauce is rich and tangy
and the vegetables are cooked well and work perfectly with the dish.
One reviewer even describes this as the best frozen pasta dish that they've ever tasted.
The only complaint some reviewers had was that the size wasn't big enough.
It's a fair portion, but because this dish is so delicious, it left a few diners wanting more.
There are many different ways to eat lasagna. Some people may prefer it a little saucier so the
noodles slip and slide around a bit, while others prefer it to be drier and keep its shape once cut,
almost like a cake. And then there's the filling,
you can choose ricotta and bechamel heavy or go for a true, rich bolognese sauce.
Rana's Meat Lasagna is one for those who love a more structured lasagna.
While it would be great to whip up a fresh lasagna for dinner, this is a wonderful
option for those who want a more homemade taste while saving time in the kitchen.
There is enough distinction in the ingredients and layers,
with one Walmart customer explaining that the ricotta, meat, and noodles kept their integrity,
instead of becoming fused together. This lasagna comes in first place because somehow
the pasta doesn't get rubbery, and the sauce, according to Walmart reviewers, is delicious!
And remember, as a wise cat once said…
"Love comes and goes. But lasagna is forever."