Heating Frozen Dinners with Steam

Emily Farris
Emily Farris
September 6, 2023
Anything your traditional oven can do, the Anova Precision Oven can do better — and faster. Yes, that even includes frozen dinners like lasagna, casseroles, and other dense entrées. As a general guideline, most frozen dinners can be cooked in the Anova Precision Oven at 350ºF (177ºC) with 100% steam until they reach 165ºF (74ºC). The cook time will depend on the size, density, and contents of your dish but single-serve frozen dinners usually take about 25 to 30 minutes, while larger, family-style casseroles and lasagnas need closer to an hour. While you’re figuring out the proper cook times for your favorite frozen dinners, use the included Food Probe to determine how long each dish takes to reach temperature. You probably won’t be able to get the probe into a frozen-solid lasagna so plan to carefully insert it into the center of your meal about 15 or 20 minutes into the cook. And make sure you’re really in the center, because if you take the probe all the way to the bottom of the dish, you’ll get a higher reading and take your dinner out of the oven too soon. Notes: If your frozen meal has a plastic cover that you’re supposed to leave on in the microwave or traditional oven, you can remove it. Those serve to help steam the food so it won’t dry out, but cooking in the Anova Precision Oven with full steam will accomplish the same thing. It might get a little browner on top, but when it comes to casseroles and baked pasta dishes, that’s a good thing! This method also works for homemade casseroles that have been made ahead and frozen.
Serves
1
Prep Time
00:01
Cook Time
00:45
Heating Frozen Dinners with Steam
5 (2)
6565
Ingredients
Your favorite frozen meal, with any cellophane or plastics removed (see note)
Steps

1. Preheat Oven and Prep Pan

Rack
Line a rimmed sheet pan with parchment paper for easier clean-up.
Sous Vide Mode: Off
Steam: 100%
Temp: 350°F
Heat: Rear

2. Cook

Rack
Place the meal on the prepared tray and transfer to the oven. Let cook for 15 to 20 minutes, and then carefully insert the probe. Continue to cook until the dinner reaches an internal temperature of 165ºF (74ºC), 25 minutes to 1 hour (see note).
Cook
Sous Vide Mode: Off
Steam: 100%
Temp: 350°F
Heat: Rear
00:45 Timer

3. Rest and Serve

Let the meal rest for 5 minutes before serving.
Rest and Serve
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