What To Make With Lasagna Noodles If You Are Tired Of Lasagna

Maybe you want pasta — but not something that's going to require as much prep and cooking time as a classic lasagna. Maybe you're craving a pasta dish that's just a little more impressive or creative than a classic lasagna, with all its predictable layers of ground beef, marinara, ricotta, and mozzarella. Maybe you're craving a comfort food that's worlds away from lasagna, or even Italian cuisine, for that matter. Whatever the case may be, you're not interested in classic lasagna, but the pantry is bare and a box of lasagna noodles is staring you in the face.

Good news: You can do a whole lot more with those lasagna noodles than merely make a ho-hum lasagna. While there's nothing wrong with a lasagna, as a dish that is a beloved food connected, for many, to favorite relatives or special occasions, sometimes you just want something else. When it's time for something else, we have you covered. Here's what to make with lasagna noodles if you're tired of lasagna.

It's the flavors of lasagna, but in an entirely new form: individual lasagna cups. However, if you're looking for flavors that deviate away from classic lasagna, you can still use this format for a more interesting way to use up some leftover lasagna noodles (bonus: The pre-portioned, small servings are great for kids and crowds). 

The process will still begin the same way, with a little craftiness and a muffin tin. Par-cook your lasagna noodles and cool them. Then, cut circles and strips from the noodles. Your circles should be about the size of the bottom of a muffin tin well, and the strips should be sized to wrap around the circumference of the well. Place the circles in the bottom of each well and then place the strips around the wells' sides.

From there, it's time to get a little more creative. Any sauce-y ingredient combos topped with cheese will work here as your filling. But you may want to choose combos that typically pair well with noodles. Think a beef and mushroom stroganoff mixture topped with mozzarella, or a creamy tuna casserole base (sans noodles) topped with cheddar and peas. 

If you think "comfort food" and automatically think "soup," consider this alternative use for your lasagna noodles. Classic lasagna soup comes together quickly and easily, and is a hit — as proven by Danny Freeman's lasagna soup recipe that went viral on TikTok. For most most deconstructed lasagna soup recipes, you're just taking all the lasagna ingredients except for your cheese, cooking them, adding broth, and then topping the soup with cheese right before serving.

However, if you're looking for a soup idea that uses your lasagna noodles, but doesn't come with the lasagna flavors, Freeman advised mixing things up a bit and customizing the dish to your tastes. Maybe you keep the tomato and chicken broth base of lasagna soup, but then you add in whatever canned veggies you have on hand, plus your broken lasagna noodles. 

Maybe you use shredded rotisserie chicken alongside diced tomatoes, spinach, and your broken noodles. In fact, you can really use broken lasagna noodles in any soup recipe that contains pasta, even alphabet soup. (If you're willing to take the time to cook the noodles and then cut or stamp the letters from the cooked noodles by hand.) Alternatively, you could use strips of lasagna in a chicken noodle soup, or go for pasta e fagioli.

Lasagna roll ups are similar to lasagna cups, as you still get those individual portions, but are a nice alternative if you don't have a muffin tin on hand. To make lasagna roll ups, you fill cooked lasagna noodles with a mixture that's usually ground beef plus a creamy base, like ricotta, Greek yogurt or cream cheese, with seasonings and cheese. Roll the noodle around the mixture. Stand the roll ups in a casserole dish, and sprinkle on more cheese before baking. 

You can use this technique for any combination of ingredients that incorporates a creamy but firm base capable of wrapping noodles around. For example, try a garlicky salmon alfredo lasagna roll up, which combines a classic alfredo sauce with salmon and mozzarella. You could also do a caprese-inspired roll up, layering rotisserie chicken, a mozzarella and ricotta mixture, basil, and tomatoes. 

You can even make a lasagna roll up that doesn't require any cooking other than boiling the noodles; just layer your favorite sliced deli meat, the leafy green of your choice (spinach or basil work well), and a spreadable cheese (think cream cheese, ricotta, or Boursin) onto cooked noodles. Roll, and serve.

Skillet lasagna is easier and less time-consuming than lasagna roll ups or lasagna cups, as there's less hands-on work, and it makes for a meal that's a bit heartier than lasagna soup. Additionally, making skillet lasagna is pretty straightforward. You cook your beef and noodles separately, then combine all your ingredients, including the classic lasagna mozzarella, tomato sauce, etc., in the same pan. 

However, if you're tired of lasagna, forgo the flavors while keeping the noodles, by combining cooked pasta with other hearty mixtures that come together quickly in a single saucepan. You could do a cheeseburger-inspired skillet, with the noodles, ground beef, a cheesy sauce, and diced tomatoes. A stroganoff is also an option, with a creamy beef and mushroom sauce. Or, think chili mac: ground beef with your favorite chili seasonings, beans, noodles, and lots of cheddar and onions on top. Along with these flavors, a Cajun chicken-based combo comes together with Andouille sausage and pasta, and a creamy sauce that combines Cajun seasoning with cream cheese, and diced tomatoes.

If you're fine with the classic layers of lasagna, but you're craving new flavors to pair with your box of lasagna noodles, consider making stifado-inspired lasagna. If you're not familiar with stifado, it's a Greek meal that feels somewhat similar to an American pot roast, in that you sear and then slow cook the meat of your choice, alongside pearl onions, in a broth complimented by tomatoes, wine or vinegar, and spices and seasonings like a bay leaf or two. There are many variations on the recipe, but these are more or less the basics (at least in modern recipes). Essentially, you're getting a pot roast dinner, plus noodles, in an layered casserole. 

To make a Greek-inspired stifado lasagna, consider using a stew beef instead of ground beef and add pearl onions to your sauce. You can also cook the stew beef in the sauce for a bit, along with some bay leaves, to really bring out those classic flavors. Then, layer like normal. 

It doesn't get any further from classic lasagna flavors, while still using the tried-and-true lasagna format, than buffalo chicken lasagna. If you're never one to turn down a plate of wings, you'll want to try this lasagna alternative that requires not even a single Wet-Nap.

You can make buffalo chicken lasagna with just a few easy swaps. Instead of ground beef, you'll, of course, use shredded chicken (opt for a rotisserie chicken for both more flavor and a shorter cooking time). Instead of marinara, use your favorite buffalo sauce, combined with a packet of dry ranch dressing. We didn't forget the blue cheese, either, if you're more of a "wings with a side of blue cheese" person. Mix blue cheese with your classic ricotta and mozzarella, and then layer the chicken mixed with the sauce, the cheese, and your lasagna noodles, then bake as normal. Buffalo chicken lasagna might just become your new favorite game day dinner.

While many would never complain at being served lasagna, if you're looking for something that'll impress at your next dinner party, but that still uses up that box of lasagna noodles, look no further. A Provencal sauce — pistou — can give boring lasagna new life, with a more sophisticated feel. If you're not all that familiar with southern French cuisine, pistou is kind of like pesto. However, pistou does not contain pine nuts. It's often added to soups, but is generally a fresh, vibrant, herb-y and garlic-y condiment that pairs perfectly with citrus — which is why combining it with lemon for a lasagna is an awesome idea.

To make a lemony pistou lasagna, bulk up your pistou by using spinach rather than basil (this is a common trick used for pesto as well, as using spinach in place of basil allows you to make a greater quantity of either pesto or pistou, for a more affordable price!). Layer your pistou with cheese (try mixing your ricotta with lemon juice, for that citrus-y zing) and lasagna noodles.

Sure, it might look like normal lasagna, but turducken lasagna is anything but ordinary. 

The turducken — a chicken stuffed inside a duck stuffed inside a turkey — is a thing of controversy. Some find it fascinating, while others find it revolting. Making a turducken at home can be a complicated process and buying one can be expensive, with prices starting at over $50 for just a five-pound bird (er... birds?). However, if you've always wanted to experience the flavors of the divisive turducken for yourself, simply combine them all with your lasagna noodles.

Make your lasagna as normal, but instead of using ground beef, opt to use an equal mixture of ground turkey, duck, and chicken. "Top Chef" winner Chef Harold Dieterle recommends adding fennel and red pepper flakes to your sauce as well, for his turducken lasagna recipe, which he described as tasting like a slightly gamy Bolognese. However, if you're wanting a more Thanksgiving-y flavor profile, consider using spices like sage and thyme instead.

Head south of the border for lasagna flavors that are just as unexpected as those you'd find in the aforementioned buffalo chicken lasagna. A taco lasagna is very similar to an enchilada casserole, but instead of using tortillas in your layering, you're going to use lasagna noodles.

The only things you'll keep from the classic lasagna layers are the noodles and the ricotta, for its binding properties, but, otherwise, you can swap out your Italian-seasoned ground meat for ground beef mixed with taco seasoning, your marinara sauce for salsa and enchilada sauce, and your mozzarella and parmesan for cheddar. Add in some pinto or black beans and you have a lasagna that tastes far from the classic. However, just as is the case with lasagna and just as is the case with tacos, this is a meal that you can make all your own, so mix and match your favorite taco toppings and ingredients (corn, spinach, shredded chicken, etc.) until you find your perfect combo.

Let's be real, though. What is a lasagna noodle but just another form of pasta? As such, don't feel like you need to stick to any kind of recipe that requires layering or molding your long lasagna noodles into cups or rolls. Make those lasagna noodles work for your unique needs and break them into smaller pieces suitable for anywhere you might use a small variety of pasta, or, if you want longer pieces or a specific shape, cook the noodles first and then cut them into the shape of your choosing.

For example, you could cut them into long strips for topping with a simple tomato or butter sauce. You could break them into smaller pieces for use with a macaroni and cheese-style sauce. You can even, with a little work and fresh lasagna sheets, turn lasagna into ravioli. Just cut your lasagna sheets to size, add your filling, brush the edges with egg, and then seal the pseudo raviolis with another portion of lasagna sheet before cooking.

You can use lasagna noodles for far more than just Italian pasta dishes. Swap out your standard stir-fry noodles, such as lo mein or rice noodles, and use your lasagna noodles instead, cooked and then sliced into long, thin strips.

If you do use your cooked lasagna noodles in a stir fry, make sure to follow some basic guidelines that will make the cooking process easier. Since stir fries come together rather quickly, be prepared to move fast, and have all your ingredients prepped and at the ready before you even begin cooking. Cook your noodles first, and, after cooking them and slicing them to your desired width, make sure they're thoroughly dry. Finally, only add your noodles to your stir fry once you've cooked your ingredients that require a longer cooking time, such as proteins or non-leafy vegetables, and keep your cooking vessel hot the entire time.

Turn your lasagna noodles into a tasty appetizer, by baking the noodles and using them for a plate of nachos (or, if you're not in the mood for a full plate of nachos, just turn the noodles into chips for some easy snacking). To make lasagna noodle chips, cook your noodles like normal, then drain and cool them. Cut the noodles into chip size and shape, and toss with the seasonings or spices of your choice. Then, lay out the noodles on a sheet pan and bake them until crispy.

While you can stop there, if you want to make nachos using the lasagna chips, simply top them with favorite nacho ingredients and pop them back in the oven to melt your nacho cheese. You can also stick with the Italian flavors and make chicken parm nachos. For this, try topping your lasagna chips with shredded chicken, marinara sauce, mozzarella, and parmesan cheese.

While you're using your lasagna noodles in places where you might normally find tortilla chips, consider making a big batch of chilaquiles for breakfast. Traditionally, chilaquiles are made by frying dry or stale corn tortillas, and then sautéing them in salsa (classic or salsa verde). Then, while the chips are still in the pan, you top them with a wide range of ingredients, from beans to a protein, cheese to avocado, and often runny eggs.

You can do all the same, but, instead of using tortillas, use lasagna noodles. Cook your lasagna noodles right in your salsa and then add on your other desired ingredients like normal. It's worth noting that this recipe will only really be palatable if you already like your chilaquiles on the soggy side. There's not a whole lot of crunch when you use cooked lasagna noodles in place of tortillas. Some prefer their chilaquiles with a crunch, others don't, so proceed accordingly.

If you search for recipes for dessert lasagna, you'll come across all sorts of recipes that layer dessert ingredients in the mode of a lasagna, but don't actually use any lasagna noodles. However, that doesn't mean you can't use lasagna noodles to craft a tasty dessert.

As one Reddit user suggested, you can cook and cut the lasagna noodles into strips and then pan fry them until crispy, before topping them with cinnamon sugar and Nutella, for a result that the user likened to a churro. You could also make a literal dessert lasagna, by layering the lasagna noodles and ricotta flavored with chocolate, and using extra ingredients like fruit, nuts, or chocolate chips for extra texture. Not a big chocolate fan? Layer the cooked noodles with apple pie filling and cheddar. You can also create a dessert take on the lasagna roll up by using a sweet cream cheese filling like what you might find in a blintz. These rolled pancakes of Jewish origins are similar to a crepe and invite many possibilities for using leftover lasagna noodles when you're tired or lasagna.