Lasagna Fritta
My Lasagna Fritta features cheesy pasta inside an ultra-crunchy batter. If you like lasagna, you'll love it deep-fried!
Lasagna is one of my all-time favorite foods. I like penne al forno, one pot sausage pasta, & bruschetta chicken pasta for busy weeknights and Mexican Lasagna on Taco Tuesday. and vegetarian eggplant lasagna for Sunday supper. Lasagna Fritta is one of my newest creations. It is inspired by the classic Olive Garden appetizer. It's cheesy, creamy, and SO crunchy.
In case you haven't noticed, I'm a little different. Everyone else is posting low-fat, low-carb recipes. And I'm just like hiiiii, I just deep-fried lasagna. One bite, and you'll be deep-frying it, too.This recipe is perfect for pasta night, watching the big game, and date night in. Bonus: This recipe is vegetarian but feel free to add cooked ground beef if you'd like. Can I get bonus points for topping it with something green (parsley)? And dipping it in tomato sauce? I mean, come on, this thing is practically a salad.
Why You Need Deep Fried Lasagna In Your Life
- Crispy Crunchy: Panko breading makes these SUPER crunchy.
- Flavorful Filling: No bland filling here! Ours is ultra flavorful with garlic and herbs.
- Quick and Easy: These cook up in just a few minutes.
Ingredient Notes and Shopping Tips
- Lasagna Noodles: Be sure to buy regular not no-boil noodles.
- Ricotta: Do not substitute cottage cheese. It has a higher water content and will result in a soggy dish.
- If your ricotta seems particularly wet, I suggest draining it through cheesecloth for a few hours or overnight.
- Oil: Use a neutral oil like vegetable or canola. You can cool and reuse oil after frying as long as you use it for similar foods.
- For example, you could save the oil from this recipe to make deep-fried mac and cheese. However, I wouldn't suggest making beer-battered cod and then using the oil or this recipe.
- Dip: Dip in your favorite sauce like marinara or alfredo. This is my go-to homemade marinara. Storebought: I'm a big fan of Rao's brand.
Bread Crumbs
If you don't have seasoned bread crumbs on hand, you can add one teaspoon of Italian seasoning to regular bread crumbs.
️Krystle's Tips️
- Season: Remember to add salt to your pasta water. This is the only chance you have to flavor your noodles.
- Cook Noodles Al Dente: Pasta will cook a bit more when you fry it. Avoid soggy noodles by cooking until noodles still have a bite to them.
- Use a Thermometer: Keep an eye on it to make sure your oil stays at the right temperature. This is especially important between batches.
- Don't Skip This: Don't skip freezing the lasagna bites. I know you want them NOW. However, skipping this step will cause them to melt or explode.
- Fry Only a Few At a Time: Don't crowd your skillet. Work in batches of 4 or 5 depending on your pan size. The oil will stay hot, and your lasagna will get crispier!
❓Frequently Asked Questions❓
Yes, but they might not get as crispy.
️Bake at 425 degrees for 15-17 minutes️
Yes!
️Air fry at 400 degrees for 16 minutes, flipping halfway through. ️
Spritz both sides with nonstick cooking spray.
No! No Boil Noodles are made to be cooked in the oven with sauce. There is not enough liquid in our recipe to use them.
More Deep Fried Appetizers I Love
For even more delicious recipes, you may like these:
📖 Recipe
Crunchy Lasagna Fritta
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Ingredients
- 10 Lasagna Noodles Cooked until al Dente
- 15 Ounces Ricotta Cheese
- 4 Eggs Beaten and Divided
- 2 Cloves Garlic Minced
- 1 Teaspoon Italian Seasoning
- Salt & Pepper To Taste
- 1 Cup Mozzarella Cheese Shredded
- ¼ Cup Parsley Finely Chopped (Optional)
- ½ Cup All Purpose Flour
- 2 Cups Italian Breadcrumbs
- Vegetable Oil For Frying
- Marinara and Alfredo Sauce For Serving If Desired
Instructions
- Cook lasagna noodles in a pot of salted boiling water according to the package directions for al dente. Grease baking sheet, set aside.
- Place noodles flat onto prepared pan.
- In a large bowl, combine ricotta cheese, mozzarella cheese 2 eggs, Italian seasoning, and garlic. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Mix until combined.
- Spread ricotta mixture evenly over all 10 noodles. Fold each noodle 3-4 times until it resembles a square. Freeze for 30-45 minutes.
- Set up 3 small bowls containing the flour, 2 eggs, and breadcrumbs. Dip square noodles into flour, eggs, and finally breadcrumbs.
- Heat around 1 ½ inches of oil in a deep skillet. Heat over medium heat until oil reaches ~350 degrees F. You'll know it's ready when a drop of water sizzles with you add it to the pan.
- Add lasagna bites 3-4 at a time into the oil. Cook for 2-3 minutes on each side. Drain on paper towels. Repeat until all are cooked.
- Garnish with fresh parsley, and serve with marinara sauce for dipping.
Notes
- Lasagna Noodles: Be sure to buy regular not no-boil noodles.
- Ricotta: Do not substitute cottage cheese.
- If your ricotta seems particularly wet, I suggest draining it through cheesecloth for a few hours or overnight.
- Oil: Use a neutral oil like vegetable or canola.
- Season: Remember to add salt to your pasta water.
- Cook Noodles Al Dente
- Use a Thermometer: Keep an eye on it to make sure your oil stays at the right temperature. This is especially important between batches.
- Don't skip freezing the lasagna bites. Skipping this step will cause them to melt or explode.
- Fry Only a Few At a Time: Don't crowd your skillet. Work in batches of 4 or 5 depending on your pan size.
Nutrition
Oh wow! These were such a big hit here and my hubby was all over these! These are definitely being remade again very soon!
I can't believe I'd never heard of this before now! So delicious!
WOW! This sounds incredibly delicious!! Can't wait to try it!
This sounds dangerously good!! I bet it tastes amazing! YUM!
This Lasagna Fritta is the ultimate comfort food!
Mmmm.... Lasagna fritta! I love when lasagna is a little bit crunchy on top. This recipe is for me!
That crunchy exterior is everything! I am so excited for this dish. It takes lasagna to a new level.
Wow this is not for every day but such a treat for special occasions! Loved it!
Holy moly! This is next-level lasagna. So so good. I had never thought about making lasagna this way before. It's our new family favorite!
So fun and so delicious! Like being at Olive Garden without ever leaving the house! Way easier than I thought it would be and so tasty!
Sounds delish. Can I add lean ground beef to the ricotta mixture, then freeze? Thanks!
Hi Raenell! I haven't tried that, but I think it would be okay. Maybe just use less ricotta so it is not too full. Please let us know how they turn out!
Can you make ahead and freeze until ready to use
Hi Paulette!
Thanks for stopping by. We haven't tried this and I don't want to speculate based on the cost of groceries today. Please let us know if you end up trying it.
Generally, we find deep fried foods to be best fresh out of the fryer.
I have a question are you saying freeze the lasagna fritta before frying? I saw your recommendation not to skip freezing .
I didn`t see where you say freeze them first
Hi Jeanette,
Great question. Please see step 4. If you don't freeze it they may not hold up.
Deep fried lasagna sounds awesome! What is not to love about that?!
Right?! nomnomnom
Oh my goodness. Just when you thought lasagna couldn't get better, you did it. These look delicious, so I'll certainly be trying this out.