Simplest way is to make a slightly more watery Bolognese / Bechamel and skip the precooking completely.

Beside that: Pasta hydrates even in cold water.
A friend of mine was too lazy to do the dishes when he lived alone. He simply put pasta in a bowl of cold water in the morning and they where hydrated in the evening. Then he used the microwave to heat the pasta with the sauce. Horrible technique, I know, but it worked for him.

I don’t even have to use the barilla. I put every kind of lasagna noodle uncooked right in mine. It cooks in the oven with the sauce.

I make 8-12 lasagnas a month for LasagnaLove.org

All noodles are now made the same way, so 'no boil' is only a packaging/advertising thing.

If you do the soak method, separate the noodles and lay them criss cross in the bottom of a roaster or other deep pan...you want to minimize the surface area that they are touching. If you dont, they may glue together when they soften just enough.

You can also skip it completely and just use them dried.

I've done it both ways, and it turns out just fine, especially if making them a day or so in advance.

Ive never boiled lasagne sheets before making lasagne and never had an issue. Also never seen ”oven ready” sheets either. You definitely don’t need to pre boil as long as you are using a ragu in your layers that will add moisture to help them cook in the oven.

I normally just buy oven ready noodles. the moisture from the sauce is enough to cook them

I wouldn't ruin all the work and ingredients for 4 lasagnas just to save time on boiling noodles.

I've only tried this once and they all stuck together and ruined the meal. I just bake them from dried and they soften in the oven.

I never cook my lasagna noodles in advance and I do not buy special “oven ready” sheets or anything. I actually use Molisana almost exclusively as I like the egg pasta and the flat sheets and they exactly fit my pan.

I also like a dense lasagna not a saucy one so I also do not thin my sauce out at all to compensate.

I just put them dry in the lasagna and make sure that my Bolognese or other "sauce" in it has more fluid than I would normally put so there is enough liquid for the pasta to soak up

Alton Brown says to not boil noodles, just let them sit in room temperature water. He explains the science better than I can, but his bottom line is that you are merely softening the pasta. The noodles do not, and should not, be as floppy as fully cooked pasta. You'll be baking it anyway, which softens the noodles further.

I have done it both ways, and even made a lasagne without boiling or soaking...straight from the box. For me, the soaking method had the best results. Straight from the box worked but there were some crunchy areas.

The best answer, though, is whatever produces the lasagne that you like best.

Use oven ready lasagna—barilla makes some. You just layer the dry sheets and it bakes soft. Maybe add extra sauce if going this route.

I do this except not even boiling, and just really hot tap water into my baking dish with the lasagna strips. I let it sit while I work on the sauce or other stuff. Works perfectly well, just remember to move it around when you first add the water so it doesn’t stick together.

The oven ready one I tried layering it completely dry, and it also works well! Lots of options.

Lasagna noodles don't need to be cooked. The moisture from the cheese and sauce and the heat from the oven do that work.

I just use regular noodles. I don't boil them. I almost always make lasagna ahead so it's definitely got time to sit in the fridge and come together.

Yep, works great, except less time (just 10 min) works well. Learned this from Smitten Kitchen https://smittenkitchen.com/2020/02/perfect-vegetable-lasagna/

As others have posted, all noodles are made the same now. That being said, I still buy the “oven ready” sheets because they are flat.

I place the noodles flat in a roasting pan and cover them in hot water. I let them sit for like 10 minutes max. Not enough to fully soften, but enough to make them somewhat pliable and reduce cooking time.

I’ve found that this method reduces my cooking time significantly and leads to a better texture than either pre-boiled or oven cooked. Is it a massive difference in quality/taste/texture? No - but it’s a small step I take to make my lasagna just that little bit better.

Also, use short ribs and oxtail in your bolognese.

I’ve never boiled noodles

You could cook the lasagne the day before or the meat component the day before to make things easier

I always use oven ready noodles! I follow the recipe on the box, although I do add an extra 5 minutes cook time covered (with foil) and an extra 5 min cook time uncovered. I tried regular noodles and tbh I like the oven ready more!

Oven ready lasagna noodles

Most grocery stores now have no boil lasagna noodles. I've used them with great success.

I haven’t boiled lasagna for years. If you make the whole thing up several hours before cooking noodles will soften from the liquid.

Most grocery stores near me sell ‘fresh’ lasagna sheets in a pack . They don’t need any boiling, and can be frozen, just use with your ragu and béchamel , and bake. Never watery.

Yes, done this, it comes out great.

I have. I soak the noodles when I make rolled pasta (similar to cannelloni). Haven’t used it for lasagne, but always had good results using the soak method for the dish.

Yes, this works.

I use the Smitten Kitchen vegetable lasagna recipe (with lots of mods, it's pretty flexible) and she prescribes the hot water soak method.

I personally do not think the texture is quite as good as boiling them, tbh. But it does work and if you like a solid, less goopy lasagna I think it works well. You just need to make sure you use plenty of sauce. 

I use regular dried lasagna sheet, just layer like cooked and use plenty of sauce. Cover whole thing and cook for an hour. Then Uncover for like 10 mins to brown. Comes out perfect.

I saw a Tasty video that tested boiling noodles, ready made noodles, & fresh noodles. They found ready made had the best bite. They covered the noodles with hot water and added olive oil (1 T) and let it sit for 5-10 minutes.

I don’t cook my lasagna noodles at all before I bake the dish there’s enough moisture that the noodles will cook

I add like 1/2-3/4 (depending on the fillings) a cup of water to my lasagna pan after layering the uncooked pasta and fillings. Works a treat, super easy.

I put hot tap water over mine and let them sit for 20 minutes. I make lasagna multiple times a year and it always turns out great. I’ve never had any issues with sticking.

Buy fresh sheets of lasagne from the refrigerated section of your grocery store. No boiling. They can be cut with a scissors if needed. No shattering from dried ones. Better texture overall. A bit more expensive than the dried stuff but super convenient. Any unused ones can be frozen.

Yes, this is the last method I used. I think it turned out well. At least - no one complained!

Oh - they did stick together though, I had to prod them every now and then.

Ina Garten does something similar, always works for me. Soak in the hottest water from the tap for 20 minutes. Bakes up perfect without over cooking to gumminess.

I make my own pasta and I will just give this piece of advice. Fresh pasta dough, do not skip the boiling step. Boiling helps set the noodles and without it they disintegrate. .Ask me how I know

Use Oven ready lasagna noodles

I didn’t even know people were precooking their noodles or buying specific noodles to not have to precook and my lasagna has always been great! Just make sure the sauce covers the noodles and the bake time is long enough (I do 350F for 30 min covered then 20 ish uncovered until I like how the top looks)

If I'm going to the trouble to make lasagna with my own ragu, I also go someplace where I can find fresh pasta. Then you don't need to pre-cook the pasta at all.

I did recently, only I used very hot tap water and it worked great and I HATE when people use no boil noodles or try to make up the difference using a very wet sauce. I think it was Ina Garten’s method. I also soak ziti in hot tap water for 30 mins when making baked pasta a la Kenji Alt Lopez.

Does anyone know if this means that Americans have a different kind of lasagna sheet? I’m in the UK and I’ve never considered boiling lasagna sheets before assembling and they’ve always worked fine for me.

I put them in right out of the box.

I really wonder if the difference is how people make lasagna here. I do a layer of sauce, uncooked noodles, ricotta/mozzarella/with one egg beaten in mixture, sauce, then repeat, and bake for an hour, and the noodles are perfect. I wonder how people are doing it that get crunchy noodles?

I just make the lasagna with dried pasta and add some water before baking.

I don’t boil them at all. I add a bit of water to the sauce if needed. Cover and bake on low for a while. Then turn up the heat, add cheese and brown. Super easy to make lasagna this way. Also, the noodles absorb liquid from: meat fat, dairy, moisture from veggies, etc. I find it to be easier, and much more flavorful this way. I have a real problem with overcooked pasta, so it also prevents that.

I never boil any of the lasagna noodles anymore. I just put them in strait not cooked in the recipe and it turns out great.

I’m one of the ones who puts veggies in my lasagna—mushrooms, zucchini, some spinach—and put dry noodles in the layer and rock and roll. But the sauce is a hair watery and the veggies and it cooks that yummy goodness into the noodles. It’s possible to make it very yummy and skip the boiling of the noodles.

Easiest method is to use fresh pasta sheets and little extra straight crushed tomatoes if using something like a Bolognese sauce. A regular ole marinara i wouldn't change a thing. Just assemble and bake.

I don’t boil my lasagna noodles at all. And I use the regular ones. Not the no boil ones-those are much thinner here. Fun story: I did it for the first time for Christmas dinner several years ago. My husband was so worried but it worked great and I’ve never boiled them since

Yes, I've gone to soaking standard lasagna noodles in hot water for 5-10 minutes before assembling the lasagna. It works just fine and I'd rather not modify my sauce. I don't care for the "no-boil" lasagna after giving it a try.

I use egg roll wraps, they are basically uncooked pasta. I use 2 at a time as they are so thin, but you can taste so much more of the ingredients!

Soaking in hot water and "oven ready" and other variants of "easy" lasagna noodles don't come out well. Generally the middle of the noodle isn't properly cooked. It's unpleasant to eat.

I make lasagna five trays at a time to feed our freezer. Mise en place including a couple of big bowls of cheese mix (I use ricotta, not bechamel). I cook in series with some overlap; it takes about three times as long to make five lasagnas as it does to make one. It takes about the same amount of time to bring a pot of water to boil, cook noodles, and drain them as to make the ragu. Cooking the noodles doesn't add any time and certainly no complexity.

Don't even bother. Make sure your sauce is juicy enough and the pasta cooks just fine. I haven't boiled them for 30 years, and I don't buy the 'no boil' variety, just regular, as the texture is much better. Your sauce doesn't even need to be very runny.

Yes I have been hydrating regular lasagna noodles with hot water in a pan that fits the noodles. I drain the water when the noodles are al dente, pat dry then just proceed with assembling the lasagna. Just pour enough hot water to cover the noodles.

I’ve never precooked lasagne sheets. Just assemble with dried sheets, and bake for 30-45 minutes. The steam from the meat sauce and bechamel cooks the pasta. If you’re worried about the top colouring too much just cover with foil towards the end.

Any lasagna has enough water to hydrate the noodles. Let it ride.

Just buy no boil kind?

I have never heard them called lasagna noodles and I'm finding this unreasonably funny.

Buy fresh lasagna sheets and don't pre cook them. The texture will be a little different (I've heard it described as more 'pastry like') but it is a perfectly valid way to do it.

You don't need to do any weird shit like soak them in cold water either.

pasta requires work. boil your sheets and lay them between parchment with a little olive oil, then build your lasagna