Having the correct sized lasagna pan can make all the difference in the quality of your finished dish. Here we look at the various lasagna pan sizes and which are best for particular needs.
Here is a quick answer.
A standard lasagna pan will have a depth of 3″ (7.6cm), a width of 9 inches (23cm), and a length of 13 inches (33cm). There are many lasagna shapes including rectangular, round, oval, and square, in which rectangular is most used.
You can find below a diagram that illustrates the standard sizes of a lasagna.
Lasagna Pan Depth
The depth of a lasagna pan is the most important measurement because if your pan is too shallow, you will not be able to get enough layers loaded on top of each other, and you may end up with some sauce spilling out and a mess in your oven.
The ideal depth for a lasagna pan is three inches, as this allows enough space for a minimum of three layers each of tomato filling, white sauce, and pasta sheets.
Many chefs agree that three layers of each part are the ideal amount to get a good home lasagna as it will allow the center of the lasagna to cook without the edges becoming burnt.
It will also mean that when you cut the lasagna on your plate into bite-size pieces, each forkful will be a satisfying amount that isn’t messy or difficult to get into your mouth.
A lasagna pan of at least 3 inches in depth will prevent any sauce from spilling over, as long as you don’t overfill the pan, which will be a relief when it’s time to clean up.
Your lasagna pan can be deeper than three inches as you don’t need to fill the pan up to the top and can instead just layer three loads of each part as usual.
However, a lasagna pan with an increased depth will give you the option of making heaping lasagnas in more of a restaurant-style, though be warned these will take longer to bake in order to ensure the middle is well cooked, and you may want to cover the top of the pan for half of the cooking time to prevent the top of the lasagna from burning.
Lasagna Pan Width and Length
The most common size for a lasagna pan is 9 inches by 13 inches in width and length. This will make a substantial lasagna that can be used to feed an average-sized family, or it could feed a couple with some leftovers for lunch the following day.
This size of pan is ideal for cooking your lasagna uncovered because the top of your lasagna will be golden and bubbling by the time the middle of the dish has finished cooking.
If you choose a lasagna pan that is smaller, it won’t need to be cooked for as long, but this may mean that the top of your lasagna doesn’t get as golden or crispy as you might like, so you can put it under a broiler or overhead grill to crisp up the top surface of the lasagna without overcooking the middle.
For lasagna dishes that are considerably larger, you may need to increase your cooking time to ensure that the center of the dish is fully cooked through.
This extra cooking time could result in a burnt top layer of the lasagna, so to prevent this, you should cover it with an oven-safe lid or aluminum foil for the initial cooking period, then remove the cover to let the top crisp up.
When it comes to the width and length of your lasagna dish, you should choose one which works best for your uses. If you cook individual lasagna portions, it doesn’t make sense to have a huge lasagna pan, and likewise, a small lasagna pan would be useless if you are trying to feed a large family.
Lasagna Pan Shapes
As the pasta sheets used to make a lasagna are rectangular-shaped, having a lasagna pan that is square or rectangular makes preparing the meal much easier.
While you can make lasagna in a round or oval pan, you may have to cut corners off the pasta sheets to get a good fit or surrender to the fact that there will be many gaps around the edge of your dish which are just sauce and no pasta.
With this in mind, if you regularly make lasagnas, it will be most convenient for you to invest in a lasagna pan that has corners, such as a square or rectangular pan. Having a square or rectangular pan also makes serving up portions much easier, as you can slice it into squares and use a spatula to lift the squares up to deliver it onto serving plates. A round lasagna would need to be cut into quarters or pie slice shapes for serving.
Lasagna Pan Versatility
You might be wondering if it is really worth investing in a lasagna pan if you don’t cook lasagnas very often. This is a legitimate point, as the pan would just take up valuable storage space or sit gathering dust.
However, lasagna pans can be used for many other tasks in the kitchen, which makes a lasagna pan a multifunctional piece of kitchen equipment. Other dishes which can be made using a lasagna pan include:
Cakes
The tall sides of a lasagna pan make it ideal for cooking cakes, allowing space for the batter to rise. As most lasagna pans are square or rectangular, they might not initially seem like an obvious choice for cake making, but they can be great for making large cake traybakes, which can be sliced up into convenient square individual portions.
Bread
Lasagna pans are great for making bread rolls, ciabattas, and focaccias because these types of bread don’t need to be loaf-shaped like a regular sandwich or toasting bread. The tall sides of the pan encourage the bread to rise upwards and ensure the finished product will have a uniform shape.
Potato Sides
There are many potato side dishes that can be made in a lasagna dish if you use it just like a deep roasting tray. You could peel and cut potatoes and coat them in fat to make roast potatoes or layer up thin slices of potatoes with cream for a crispy layered potato bake. You could also use a lasagna tray as a serving dish for other sides, such as mashed potatoes.
Roast Joints
The size of lasagna pans makes them ideal for use as a roasting tray. Simply position a whole chicken or a joint of meat in the center of the lasagna tray and add oil and seasoning before cooking it in the oven. The deep sides of a lasagna pan will ensure all cooking juices from the meat are caught, which can then be used to make delicious homemade gravy.
Casseroles
Casserole pans and lasagna pans can be used interchangeably in most cases, especially if they are square or rectangular. Lasagna pans make great casserole pans because they tend to be large, so you can make one big casserole to feed a whole family or have leftovers to save for another day.
Pasta Bakes
Pasta bakes are an easy one-pot meal that can be made to feed several people. Lasagna pans are well suited for cooking pasta bakes because they are deep enough to cook a decent quantity, allowing space for the pasta to increase in size and ensuring that no sauce spills over the sides.
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