Yahoo Lifestyle Ina Garten's Simple But Fancy Lasagna Trick
Making the perfect lasagna is a labor of love. Layering the seasoned sauce, tender pasta and gooey cheese takes time—and lots of it. But sometimes, life’s too busy for all that assembling. Enter: store-bought lasagna. It’s quick, convenient and satisfies your baked pasta cravings.
But let’s be real, it’s not quite the same as a homemade lasagna. Store-bought lasagna often lacks that homemade flair, with overly uniform layers and sometimes a “processed” flavor. It's not as good as homemade, even though it is easier.
Luckily, Ina Garten, the queen of "storebought is fine" has a genius third option. She revealed her secret on the TODAY Show when she was chatting with Hoda and Jenna about her Be My Guest show. And if it’s good enough for Ina, it’s good enough for us. We're definitely filing this one away for our next dinner party.
Related: I Tried This Viral Lasagna Soup Recipe From TikTok—and Even My Italian Momma Gave Her Full Approval
Ina Garten's Tip for the Easiest Dinner-Party-Worthy Lasagna
During her interview on TODAY, after Ina, Hoda and Jenna took a sip of a Cosmo, Ina's signature cocktail, The Barefoot Contessa started spilling her best hosting tips. "This is a really easy dinner you can get on the table quickly," she said. We're listening, Ina. "The first thing is, order out a lasagna."
Once we heard Ina say that we couldn't believe we hadn't thought of it before. A lasagna from your favorite local Italian spot will taste so much better than the frozen option and will also save you tons of time. Plus, you'll be supporting a local business.
"Just put it in your own dish, so you're not serving it out of some cardboard container," added Ina. The lasagna in the TODAY segment looked great snuggled in a pretty baking dish. Ina didn't mention it, but it also looked like there was some grated Parmesan cheese on top of the lasagna, which is always a good idea. We love this take-out hack. It's such a smart idea for serving something you'll be proud of even when you're super short on time.
Ina's tip inspired Jenna to share a memory. "When I first cooked for my mother-in-law, the whole dinner was from this restaurant close to us," she said.
And that revelation led to a question from Hoda. "Do you have to confess, Ina, when they ask you? When they say, "How did you make that?" said Hoda. And, as usual, Ina had the perfect response. Just say, "I'm so glad you like it," she said.
To round out the meal, Ina suggested making your own Caesar salad dressing, which comes together quickly in a food processor and is basically the only thing you're making from scratch for this menu. And that recipe was packed full of smart tips, too. Our favorite? If you don't have a salad spinner, you can bundle your washed greens in a kitchen towel and swing it around vigorously to remove the water. (Dressing sticks better to dry greens.)
For dessert, Ina suggested serving scoops of vanilla ice cream drizzled with limoncello with some store-bought biscotti on the side. As Ina would say, How easy is that?
Related: Why Ina Garten’s 5-Star Turkey Lasagna Is the Ultimate Comfort Food You Must Try
More Genius Ina Garten Tips, Tricks and Recipes
If Ina's talking, we're listening. Here are some of our favorite gems from the Barefoot Contessa herself.
• The Trader Joe's Dessert Ina Garten Loves to Serve
• How to Make the Best-Ever Pigs in a Blanket, According to Ina Garten
• Ina Garten’s Secret Ingredient for the Best-Ever Hot Chocolate
• 25 Classic Ina Garten Recipes to Make All the Time
• The Best Way to Slice a Bagel, According to Ina Garten
