Air Fryer Lasagne
Air fryer lasagne gives two people a proper bubbling, golden-topped lasagne without switching on the big oven. A small dish of beef ragù, dried pasta sheets and white sauce fits in the basket, and 25 minutes under foil cooks the pasta before the cheese is browned. It is a good option for a small household or a midweek dinner.
- Total
- 1 h 11 min
- Prep
- 25 min
- Cook
- 36 min
- Serves
- 2
- Per serving
- 730kcal
Choosing the ingredients for air fryer lasagne
Use dried lasagne sheets, which absorb the liquid from the ragù as they cook, so a slightly loose sauce is what you want. Shop-bought pasta sauce saves time, and a ready-made white sauce from the chilled aisle is fine if you do not want to make your own. Grated mozzarella from a block melts more evenly than the pre-grated type.
Basket size and dish
The dish must sit flat in the basket with a gap of at least 2cm around it, so the hot air can circulate. A 16–18cm round or square dish fits most 4.5–6 litre air fryers. Measure it before you start. If it is too big, halve the quantities to make one portion in a smaller dish.
Air fryer lasagne, step by step
Tap a time to start a timer.
- Make the ragù Heat the oil in a frying pan over a medium heat and soften the onion for . Add the garlic and mince and fry for , breaking up the meat, until no pink remains. Stir in the pasta sauce, water, oregano and pepper, then simmer for until thick but still loose enough to spoon.
- Layer Spoon a thin layer of ragù into the dish. Cover with broken lasagne sheets, then more ragù and a third of the white sauce. Repeat, finishing with the pasta, the rest of the ragù, the remaining white sauce and the mozzarella. You should have 3 layers of pasta, with the sheets broken to fit and pushed under the sauce.
- Cook covered Preheat the air fryer to 180°C for . Cover the dish tightly with foil, tucking it right under the rim so it cannot lift in the fan. Lower the dish into the basket and cook for .
- Brown the top Carefully remove the foil, then cook for more at 180°C until the cheese is golden and bubbling and a knife slides easily into the pasta.
- Rest Lift the dish out and leave it to stand for , so the layers set and you can cut neat portions.
Serving suggestions
Serve with a crisp green salad. If you fancy another version, lasagne bolognese is the classic oven-baked recipe for a larger family-sized tray, and vegetarian lasagne is a good meat-free alternative.
Common problems and fixes for Air Fryer Lasagne
- The pasta sheets are still hard at the edges.
- They were not covered by sauce, so they dried out. Push the sheets under the ragù and white sauce, and cook for another 5 minutes under the foil.
- The top is browning before the middle is hot.
- The foil may have lifted. Press it down firmly, or cook for 5 minutes less at the start and then add the missing time under the foil.
- The lasagne is watery when you cut it.
- It was not left to rest, or the ragù was too thin. Simmer the sauce until it coats the spoon and rest the lasagne for the full 10 minutes.
Frequently asked questions about Air Fryer Lasagne
How long does air fryer lasagne take?
About 33 minutes at 180°C: 25 minutes covered with foil, then 8 minutes uncovered. Allow another 25 minutes to make the ragù, layer it up and rest it afterwards.
Can you use fresh lasagne sheets?
Yes. Fresh sheets need less time, so cook covered for 15 minutes, then uncovered for 8 minutes.
Can I cook it in a regular oven?
Yes. Bake it, covered, at 200°C (180°C fan), gas 6, for 30 minutes, then uncovered for 10 minutes.
Can you freeze leftovers?
Yes, once completely cooled, for up to 3 months. Defrost overnight in the fridge and reheat until steaming hot all the way through. Reheat only once.
How did you like the recipe?
4.6 / 5 · 36 ratings
