Turn Microwave Lasagna into an Elevated Meal with This Simple Hack

The thing about microwave lasagna is that it can often be really, really bad. Don’t get us wrong, there are some amazing frozen lasagnas out there (and we’ve found the best ones), but for every great product that tastes and smells as though it was prepared in a backstreet trattoria in Rome, there’s one that’s seriously depressing and lacking in any zip whatsoever.

In my opinion, the main problem with a lot of microwave lasagnas is that they’re just too heavy and gloopy. Food companies go so hard on their cheese and meat sauces that the whole thing lacks any feeling of freshness whatsoever, and when those ingredients are combined with floppy lasagna noodles (instead of those oven ready ones that actually taste good), it’s a disaster. I know it’s basically a giant meat and cheese pie, but you also want it to have some vibrancy, right? 

A Handful of Fresh Basil Will Give Your Lasagna New Life

It doesn’t have to be that way, folks. The answer lies in a handful of fresh basil. By adding fresh basil to your microwave lasagna, you can inject it with a herbal note that adds a huge amount of complexity to your evening meal. Basil’s gently fruity, slightly spicy flavor and scent cut through the richness of any lasagna. It’s not only good for microwave lasagnas that don’t cut the mustard, either. Even more upmarket products can be improved with a sprinkle of this miracle herb, and you can use it in a host of other great frozen meals.

Layer in Your Basil for the Fullest Flavor

Now, if you’d like, you can simply sprinkle some chopped basil on top of your lasagna before serving. But honestly, we prefer to get a little more, shall we say, surgical. For the best results, microwave your lasagna until it’s 50% done, and soft enough for you to be able to pry it open. Then, gently lift up the top layer of your lasagna (making sure not to spill any of that cheese sauce over the side), and pop your basil in, making sure you spread it across the whole sheet. Replace the top, and continue to zap your lasagna until it’s done. As the basil warms through, it’ll soften, so you don’t have to chomp your way through a load of stringy leaves – but it’ll also diffuse its flavor way more effectively. 

Although it can be tempting to use dried basil here, or even a sprinkle of Italian seasoning, make sure you opt for the fresh stuff. The difference between the flavor of fresh and dried basil is pretty profound, and the whole point of this hack is that you’re trying to give your lasagna that verdant feel. Plus, a lot of microwave lasagnas may already have dried basil in their recipes, so you don’t want to just reinforce one flavor note, but add an entirely new one instead. Trust us: After you make lasagna like this, you’ll never look back.