I tried 6 lasagne ready meals from Tesco – there’s only one I would buy again

Rich and indulgent, there is little debate about how a proper lasagne should taste. The ideal version tends to be packed with quality meat in a hearty bolognese sauce, layered between sheets of al dente pasta, bubbling with béchamel sauce and finished with a generous topping of cheese. It is a labour of love when prepared from scratch, but for those seeking a hassle-free alternative, supermarkets offer a wide array of ready-made options.

I headed to my local Tesco to gather every supermarket-own brand of lasagne I could find — both fresh and frozen — picking up the cheapest and most expensive varieties to put them head-to-head. Having grown up in a household where everything was cooked from scratch, I am not ordinarily a fan of ready meals. Yet one of the options genuinely caught me off guard, and not in the way I anticipated.

Tesco Finest Lasagne Al Forno

Cost: £4.50

Kicking off this taste test with the priciest contender, the Tesco Finest Lasagne Al Forno, which is marketed as delivering the "flavours of Italy". Of all the options, my expectations were highest for this one — yet it turned out to be the most disappointing of the lot.

While the inclusion of parmesan was a welcome touch, the overall flavour was let down by an overwhelming abundance of herbs crammed into this ready meal. The bolognese sauce lacked salt, much like several of the other options, and carried an overpowering smoky flavour that did little to impress.

Rating: 3/10

Tesco Beef Lasagne (frozen)

Cost: £2

Moving on to the cheapest option, the frozen beef lasagne — while not the worst, it was the second poorest lasagne of the lot. The parsley crumb and red cheddar cheese topping, along with the béchamel, failed to impress. That said, it did achieve the correct ratio of cheese sauce to ragù.

Rating: 4/10

Hearty Food Co. Lasagne

Cost: £2.20

This chilled lasagne was the second cheapest of the entire selection, and the most affordable amongst the fresh options. Expectations were low, yet it turned out to be surprisingly decent. It actually outshone both of the finest-range options in terms of flavour; however, the pasta was overdone, and the sauce carried that tell-tale taste of insufficiently softened onions.

Rating: 7/10

Tesco Beef Lasagne (chilled)

Cost: £3.50

The Tesco standard-range beef lasagne tied for second place overall. It boasted a generous helping of herbs, and the pasta sheets had a noticeably better texture. The only criticism would be that a touch more cheese would have elevated it further.

Rating: 8/10

Tesco Finest Beef Lasagne (frozen)

Cost: £3.50

Priced £1 less than the chilled Tesco Finest lasagne, this frozen alternative proved considerably more flavoursome — a genuine surprise given its origins in the frozen aisle. The sauces were far better balanced and less overpowering. The addition of mozzarella balls on top was a welcome touch.

Rating: 8/10

Tesco Vegetable Lasagne

Cost: £3.50

Surprisingly, this lasagne emerged as the standout amongst all those sampled and is the only one I would consider purchasing again. Despite its lack of meat, it proved to be the clear favourite. Packed with perfectly roasted vegetables, a delicious sauce and a generous helping of cheese, the only shortcoming was a slight need for seasoning. It is worth mentioning, however, that all of the ready meals tested could have benefited from a touch more salt.

Rating: 9/10