These cute Mini Lasagna Snowmen will warm your heart and fill your belly this winter. Each individual serving-size meal will add a festive touch to your Christmas celebrations.
Does your family love lasagna? If they do, why not serve it for Christmas?
When we gather together for family dinners my go-to menus are either Italian or Mexican. I like to make hearty meals that are warm and comforting and there's nothing better than a slice of lasagna on a chilly snowy day, except for these cute snowmen lasagna.
Each individual-sized lasagna is large enough to serve for Christmas dinner alongside a salad, breadsticks, and dessert.
Don't they just make you smile?
Making 8 of these mini lasagna snowmen is only slightly more work than making a large pan of lasagna, but they are so darn cute that they are so worth a little extra effort.
Instead of layering the noodles in a pan like you normally would, you wrap a noodle sheet around the inside of a ramekin then layer in small rounds of noodles and add your favorite lasagna fillings.
Ingredients
mozzarella cheese
Parmesan cheese
ricotta cheese
Salt
lasagna noodles
marinara sauce
chicken fingers
black olives
mini carrots
For my mini lasagna, I chose to use a traditional ricotta filling and chunks of chicken fingers coated in marinara sauce.
Substitutions
If you prefer, you can use ground beef, sausage, or vegetables like mushrooms, artichokes, broccoli, zucchini, sun-dried tomatoes, or roasted red peppers.
That's the beauty of a recipe like this. If you have a kid who wants chicken and another who likes veggies, you can personalize each mini lasagna to keep everyone happy.
Supplies
2 ½-inch round cookie cutter (or the size cutter that will fit into your small serving bowls.
8 white ramekins
baking sheet
pizza wheel or knife
Instructions
Stir together the ricotta, mozzarella, parmesan, and salt.
Cut the black olives in half. Use a bubble tea straw, a small round plunger, or a fondant cutter to cut ¼ inch-round circles from the olives.
Cut the mini carrots into ¾-inch long pieces for the snowmen's noses.
Dice the chicken fingers then mix them with the marinara sauce.
Boil 8 lasagna noodles for 12 minutes until the noodles are soft.
Brush two cookie sheets with olive oil or olive oil spray and set the noodles in a single layer on the pan.
Cut one 2 ½ inch circle out of one noodle then cut that noodle into 2 even strips. Repeat with 3 more noodles.
Cut five 2 ½ inch circles out of the remaining four noodles.
Set the cut pieces back on the oil-covered pans.
Brush olive oil or spray olive oil in the bottom and up the sides of eight 6-ounce ramekins.
Wrap a noodle strip around the inside of a ramekin allowing the noodle to overlap slightly.
Set one round noodle in the bottom of the ramekin.
Repeat lining all 8 ramekins.
Evenly divide the chicken filling among the 8 ramekins. Compact the filling into an even layer.
Set another round noodle on top of the chicken filling.
Evenly divide the cheese filling among the 8 ramekins. Spread the filling in an even layer.
Set the final noodle round on top of the cheese filling.
Spread a teaspoon of Alfredo sauce over top then sprinkle with ½ ounce of mozzarella cheese.
Arrange 2 olive eyes and one carrot nose on each lasagna.
Then arrange 5 olives to form a smile under the nose.
Bake for 22-26 minutes until the cheese is bubbly and melted and the lasagnas are heated through. Allow to cool for a few minutes before serving.
Video
Watch this video to see how you can assemble your snowman lasagnas.
Doesn't that look like fun? If you and your kids are stuck inside on a snow day feeling cabin fever, these will brighten up everyone's mood.
The kids can help cut the noodles, assemble the lasagnas, and decorate the snowmen. I bet they will have so much fun helping that they will be excited to eat dinner.
Related Recipes
Be sure to check out all my fun Christmas Recipes!
Recipe
Mini chicken parmesan lasagna roll-ups baked in ramekins, and then decorated to look like snowmen make great meals for any winter day.
- 8 Barilla Wavy Lasagna Noodles
- salt
- olive oil or olive oil spray
- 1 cup ricotta cheese
- ½ cup shredded mozzarella
- â…“ cup grated Parmesan cheese
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- 2 cups diced chicken fingers, thawed completely
- 1 cup Barilla Marinara Sauce
- 8 teaspoons Barilla Alfredo Sauce
- 4 ounces 1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese
- 24-30 black olives
- 4 mini carrots
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Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
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Bring a pot of water to a boil.
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Add salt and noodles.
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Boil for 12 minutes until the noodles are soft. (They will crisp a bit in the oven.)
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Brush two cookie sheets with olive oil or olive oil spray.
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Set noodles in a single layer on the pan.
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Cut one 2 ½ inch circle out of one noodle then cut that noodle into 2 even strips.
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Repeat with 3 more noodles.
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Cut five 2 ½-inch circles out of the remaining four noodles.
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Set the cut pieces back on the oil-covered pan.
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Brush olive oil or spray olive oil in the bottom and up the sides of eight 6-ounce ramekins.
-
Wrap a noodle strip around the inside of a ramekin allowing the noodle to overlap slightly.
-
Set one round noodle in the bottom of the ramekin.
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Repeat lining all 8 ramekins.
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Stir together the ricotta, mozzarella, parmesan, and salt.
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Stir together the diced and thawed chicken fingers with the marinara sauce.
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Evenly divide the chicken filling among the 8 ramekins.
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Compact the filling into an even layer.
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Set another round noodle on top of the chicken filling.
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Evenly divide the cheese filling among the 8 ramekins.
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Spread the filling in an even layer.
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Set the final cut-out noodle on top of the cheese filling.
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Spread a teaspoon of Alfredo sauce over top then sprinkle with ½ ounce of mozzarella cheese.
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Cut olives in half. Use a bubble tea straw. a small round plunger or fondant cutter, or a large round pastry tip to cut ¼ inch round circles from the olives.
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Cut the mini carrots into ¾ inch long pieces for the snowmen noses.
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Arrange 2 olive eyes and one carrot nose on each lasagna.
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Then arrange 5 olives to form a smile under the nose.
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Bake for 22-26 minutes until the cheese is bubbly and melted and the lasagnas are heated through.
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Allow to cool for a few minutes before serving.
You can assemble your lasagna snowmen and refrigerate them for up to 2 days before baking and serving.Â
- Use 8 noodles to make 8 lasagnas. Cut a 2 ½ inch round out of 4 of the noodles then cut the remaining noodle in half lengthwise. Cut the remaining 4 noodles into 5 more 2/12 inch rounds.
- Use the tiny baby carrots or cut your carrots into small snowmen noses. You can use orange peppers if you prefer the flavor.
- If you bake the lasagnas for about 22 minutes, the cheese on top will still be nice and white. If you bake them longer the cheese will begin to brown. Either way looks good and tastes great.
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Keisha
These look wonderful! Do you serve these in the ramekins? I want to make several batches for a party but only have 6. Will they hold form if I take them out the ramekin?
Beth
Thanks so much, Keisha. You can take them out of the ramekins to serve them. Run a knife around the edge of the lasagna then set a small plate on top of the ramekin. Holding the plate up against the ramekin, flip the entire thing over and allow the lasagna to fall out. It will be upside down, so then you'll have to set a plate on the bottom of the lasagna then flip that upside down and remove the first plate. I did this successfully but did not have to reheat my lasagnas. I'm not sure how they will hold together if you have to reheat them. You could wrap a band of tin foil around the edge to hold them together before heating them in the oven again. Actually, maybe you could line the ramekin with tin foil before you arrange the lasagna then after you bake them you can pull the whole thing out using the tin foil. I'd love to hear what you do. Enjoy!
Kim
This is simply genius, and sooo adorable. I love the idea!!
Beth
Thank you so much! 🙂
Teresa
looking forward to making some mini lasagna snowmen. what size are the ramekins that are used in the recipe. and where can I purchase them.
Beth
I'm so happy to hear you plan to make these snowmen lasagna. I used 6 ounce ramekins to make mine. The little bowls measure 3 1/2 inches in diameter by 1 7/8 inches tall. The lasagna completely filled these ramekins so if you use an 8 once ramekin instead the lasagnas wont quite come to the top which will be fine. You can find ramekins in the kitchen department of most department stores or at a kitchen store like Sur La Table. I've seen them at Target, Pier One, and Bed Bath & Beyond too. If you don't feel like shopping, go to Amazon using this link and you'll find a huge assortment of them. - http://amzn.to/2f3XO9D
Karen @ Sugartown Sweets
I love Barilla pasta and I really love your Snowman lasagnas! I just bet that dinner time @ your house is always fun and festive!!
Beth
My husband is so used to his food looking cute or festive and he really loves it when I make pasta. He gobbled up quite a few of these lasagna.
Jo and Sue
This is brilliant. And sooooo cute! I definitely have to give this a try 🙂
Beth
Thanks! These little guys were so much fun to make. I know they would be a big hit at one of your big family dinners.
Teresa
love your mini lasagna snowmen. I'm looking forward to making them for a Christmas party I'm going to. can you tell me what size ramekin you used. plus where can I purchase them at. once again love your ideas and keep them coming.
Beth
I’m so happy to hear you plan to make these snowmen lasagna. I used 6 ounce ramekins to make mine. The little bowls measure 3 1/2 inches in diameter by 1 7/8 inches tall. The lasagna completely filled these ramekins so if you use an 8 once ramekin instead the lasagnas wont quite come to the top which will be fine. You can find ramekins in the kitchen department of most department stores or at a kitchen store like Sur La Table. I’ve seen them at Target, Pier One, and Bed Bath & Beyond too. If you don’t feel like shopping, go to Amazon using this link and you’ll find a huge assortment of them. – http://amzn.to/2f3XO9D
Emily
How many ounces are the ramekins? Thank you.
Beth
I used 6 ounce ramekins to make mine. The little bowls measure 3 1/2 inches in diameter by 1 7/8 inches tall. The lasagna completely filled these ramekins so if you use an 8 once ramekin instead the lasagnas wont quite come to the top which will be fine. You can find ramekins in the kitchen department of most department stores or at a kitchen store like Sur La Table. I’ve seen them at Target, Pier One, and Bed Bath & Beyond too. If you don’t feel like shopping, go to Amazon using this link and you’ll find a huge assortment of them. – http://amzn.to/2f3XO9D
lisa@hooplapalooza
don't know how you do it Beth but you do it. keep doing what you do.
(i mean lasagna made into snowmen?! holy noodle sooo clever and cute!) :>D
Beth
I always love seeing your comments. You always make me laugh! 🙂