One of the most loved foods in the world is finally here! This is a beautiful Italian Lasagna with layers of slow cooked Ragù Bolognese and Besciamella cheese sauce. Though patience is required, it is quite straight forward to make as you will see in the recipe video!
This is a reader-favourite recipe included by popular demand in my debut cookbook “Dinner”!
Traditional Italian lasagna
Lasagna, lasagna. How I love thee! It is possibly one of the most loved foods in the whole wide world, and understandably so. There is just something so sentimental about lasagna, so comforting. It evokes images of of gatherings with family and friends all around the world. It is the sort of food that is like a big warm hug, and so more-ish you want to keep digging in until you burst.
Lasagna just rocks. Full stop.
And if you’ve never tried a homemade one before, that needs to change! If you can make spaghetti bolognese, you can make lasagne. It just requires a wee bit more patience.
OK, bit more than a wee bit more patience. But it’s totally worth it. A real homemade Lasagna is epic.
Homemade Lasagna – three parts
There are 3 components to making lasagna:
The meat sauce;
The white sauce – creamy and thick, but no cream required!
Assembling and baking.
What goes in lasagna
The Meat Sauce is basically just like Bolognese. You need:
Onion, garlic, carrot and celery – for the flavour base, a soffrito;
Beef
Canned tomato and tomato paste
Red wine – for extra flavour!
Seasonings – beef bouillon cubes (stock cubes), bay leaves, thyme, oregano, Worcestershire sauce
For the white sauce, you need:
butter
flour
milk
cheese
For assembling, you need:
lasagna sheets – preferably fresh (from the fridge section of grocery stores) but dried works just fine too
cheese!
How to make lasagne
See? I told you the meat sauce is just like making Bolognese! Though here, we cook that meat sauce long and slow, to develop incredible rich flavours and make the beef melt-in-your-mouth tender.
Layering up!
And here’s how you layer it up:
Smear a bit of meat sauce on the base first – stops the lasagna sheets from sliding around;
Layer 1 – top with meat sauce, bit of white sauce
Layer 2 – lay out more lasagna sheets, then top with more meat sauce and more white sauce
Layer 3 – repeat again, lasagna sheets, meat sauce then white sauce; and
Topping – cover with lasagna sheets, pour over remaining white sauce then sprinkle with cheese.
Pop it in the oven, and THIS is what comes out….
That moment when you cut into the golden bubbly cheesy top and you serve up a piping hot, oozy, meaty slice of lasagna….
That’s a little bit of food heaven, right there.
Lasagna first timers, the recipe video below will be super helpful. ❤️ Trust me, you got this. – Nagi xx
PS Also happens to be one of the nicest food gifts you can make for someone. Freezes 100% perfect, and is a huge step up from the usual simple casseroles. Right? 😉
Watch How To Make It
This recipe features in my debut cookbook Dinner. The book is mostly new recipes, but this is a reader favourite included by popular demand!
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Lasagna
Ingredients
Ragu Bolognese:
- 1 tbsp olive oil
- 1 onion , finely chopped (white, yellow or brown)
- 1 medium carrot , peeled and very finely diced
- 1 celery stick , very finely diced
- 2 garlic cloves , minced
- 1 kg / 2 lb beef mince (ground beef) (Note 1)
- 800g / 28 oz canned crushed tomato
- 1/4 cup tomato paste
- 1 cup pinot noir red wine , or other dry red wine (Note 2)
- 3 beef bouillon cubes , crumbled
- 2 bay leaves , dried or fresh
- 1/2 tsp EACH dried thyme and oregano
- 2 tsp Worcestershire Sauce
- 1 – 2 tsp sugar (if needed – Note 3)
- 1/2 tsp salt and black pepper
Cheese Sauce (Besciamella):
- 60g / 4 tbsp butter
- 1/2 cup flour
- 4 cups milk , preferably full fat but low fat ok
- 2 cups gruyere or Colby cheese , shred yourself (or cheddar, Monterey Jack, OR 1 cup / 100g shredded parmesan) (Note 4)
- Pinch of freshly ground nutmeg
- Salt and pepper
Lasagna:
- 350g/ 12 oz fresh lasagna sheets (or 250g/8oz dried) (Note 5)
- 1 1/2 cups (tightly packed) mozzarella cheese , shred yourself (Note 4)
- Finely chopped basil or parsley , for garnish (optional)
Instructions
Ragu:
- Heat oil in a large heavy based pot over medium heat. Add garlic, onion, celery and carrots. Cook for 10 minutes until softened and sweet – they should not brown (if they do, turn heat down).
- Add beef, turn heat up and cook the beef, breaking it up as you go.
- Once the beef has all turned brown, add the remaining Ragu ingredients EXCEPT the sugar.
- Stir then adjust the heat so it is bubbling very gently. Place the lid on and cook for 1.5 – 2 hours, stirring every now and then, then remove the lid and simmer for 30 minutes.
- The ragu is ready when the meat is really tender and the sauce has thickened and is rich – see video for consistency (Note 6). Adjust salt and pepper to taste, and add sugar if required (Note 3)
Cheese Sauce:
- Warm milk up in a saucepan (optional – just makes sauce thicken faster).
- In a large saucepan, melt butter over medium low heat. Add flour and mix constantly for 1 minute.
- Pour about 1 cup of the milk in, mixing as you go to incorporate into the flour mixture. Once mostly lump free, add remaining milk. Use a whisk if needed to make it lump free.
- Turn heat up to medium high. Stir occasionally at first then regularly after a few minutes until sauce thickens – about 5 – 8 minutes. It should coat the back of the wooden spoon.
- Remove from heat, add cheese, nutmeg, salt and pepper. Mix until the cheese is melted. The Sauce should be thick but still easily pourable – the consistency of heavy cream (you need to be able to drizzle it over the Ragu when layering – see video). If it’s too thick, add a splash of water or milk.
Assemble:
- Preheat oven to 180°C/350°F.
- Use a 33 x 22 x 7 cm / 13 x 9 x 2.5″ baking dish.
- Smear a bit of Ragu on the base, then cover with lasagna sheets. Tear sheets to fit.
- Spread over 2 1/2 cups of Ragu (enough to cover sheets), then drizzle over 1 cup of Cheese Sauce.
- Top with lasagna sheets (Note 7). Spread with another 2 1/2 cups of Ragu, then 1 cup of Cheese Sauce. Top with lasagna sheets then repeat 1 more time.
- Top with a 4th layer of lasagna sheets, then pour over the remaining Cheese Sauce.
- Sprinkle with Mozzarella, then bake for 25 minutes or until golden and bubbling.
- Stand for 5 to 10 minutes before cutting and serving, garnished with basil or parsley if desired.
Recipe Notes:
Nutrition Information:
Life Of Dozer
He just sprawls across the floor when he sleeps. No curling up cutely, chin on paw, like all those cute doggy pics you see all over the internet. Nope, this one just collapses and sprawls out right in my line of path (straight line from kitchen to table is over him – of course).
Hi there, I’m usually good at making lasagna and now tried this recipe, I followed the recipe to a T yet upon taking it out of the oven it had all the yellow (buttery liquid all over the top, where did I go wrong?
Also first time using lasagna sheets as usually I use lasagna pasta but the bottom sheet is rubbery, never again will I use the lasagna sheets, learnt that lesson but I’m wondering why all the buttery liquid on the top? That has never happened before 🙁
Omg! This was delicious central! I will need to halve it next time for our smaller family. But I’m ready to eat for breakfast, lunch and dinner tomorrow!
Hi there – I’ve made this a few times now and its amazingly good! I’m making this in the morning for a dinner party in the evening. How long would it need in the oven from cold?
Hi Jane, could you please advise how long you cooked it for from cold? I’m thinking of making it ahead of time for a party. Thank you so much.
Another perfect recipe! And so easy. Your website is my #1 go-to for recipes and meal ideas.
Thanks so much Lesley!! N x
I have always loved lasagna, when I saw your recipe, it sounded so good and I finally made it tonight.
It was a massive hit, I love how the cheese sauce makes everything so creamy.
I have made many of your recipes, and the next one always outdoes the last one. So good to have a fellow Aussie that I can get ideas from…
Keep up the great work Nagi! 😁
That’s so fantastic to hear Lana, thank you so much for the great feedback! N x
Made this today, it was so so delicious – thank you for creating all these awesome recipes, Nagi! I’m yet to try a recipe of yours that I don’t like!
Hi Nagi! Thank you for this lovely recipe! I made this today and it was very tasty, but, unfortunately, my husband doesn’t tolerate dairy very well. Is there anyway I could make this with, maybe, vegan cheese and almond milk? Using the exact amounts for the substitutes as the dairy ones? Please let me know!
Hi Anon, I imagine you could – almond milk or even lactose free milk – soy or oat, I think they will all work fine for the béchamel 🙂 N x
Thanks so much! Would vegan cheese, instead of mozzarella and the like, work too?
Is this safe for kids? I want to try but I do see wine in it .
Hi Grace, any alcohol used in cooking cooks out when the dish is simmered. It’s perfectly fine for kids! N x
Thank you
We love lasagne and have it regular, but your recipe is no doubt the best i have ever made, Thanks Nagi
That’s great to hear Bevie – thanks so much! N x
Omg delicious! I made it tonight and just had to give it a five star rating. I was told I’m the “best cook in the world” because of you. Cheers Nagi
The white sauce is incredible and super easy to make. I ran out of milk so didn’t have enough to cover between layers. Will not make that mistake again!
Hands down the BEST lasagna I have ever tried. Totally recommend!! We only used beef mince and followed the recipe extactly…soo good!
So good. Won’t be able to have any other lasagna after this, just like your fettuccine alfredo. 🙂
This way my favourite lasagne ever!! Even impressed my mother and husband. Used a cup of stock instead of wine and worked well.
Perfect Sam! N x
Just followed this recipe to the letter (ingredients) but cooked it for 30 minutes with lid on and 50ish minutes without a lid to speed it up. It turned out amazing just like all of your recipes. My half Italian Husband approved it 😊 Thanks Nagi!
Question : Can I make this with passata instead of crush tomatoes? Will it be too runny?
All your recipes I’ve made, is Super lush. I’m making your spaghetti bolognese for dinner tonight. Faster. Next time will make this lasagna 🤗
Hi Aisah – you sure can! Just use about 600g of passata (add more if it looks a little on the dry side) N x
Great!!! Thanks Nagi!!! Will attempt this lasagna one day. Meanwhile, your bolognese sauce I made yesterday never fail to make the family go wow throughout dinner 🥰
Everyone in my family thought this was DELICIOUS! I said “Don’t thank me, thank Nagi! She’s always the one making me look good”. So thanks Nagi for always having the BEST recipes. If it’s not on your site I don’t bother cooking it.
What a great compliment Bella, thanks so much! N x
So, I actually made this lasagne back on the 17th April (Covid19 lock down period time frame) and it was YUMMY. I froze the leftover portions. Earlier today I said to my Hubby that I wanted a night off from cooking and suggested he have the “last” of the lasagne. WELL…..after quaffying it down he says “that was bl…..y fantastic” and I said..”I told you so”!! Needless to say I will have to make this again but when you are on a winner……..thanks once again Nagi xxx
Do I need to boil noodles before baking, If using homemade lasagna sheets?
Hi Amber, no you don’t as they will cook in the oven. N x
Love your recipes. So detailed and easy to follow.
Why do you have mozzarella in the ingredient list then say you don’t recommend it in the comments.
Mozzarella is for the topping in this recipe – I don’t recommend it for the béchamel sauce 🙂
Hi wanna ask if i can substitute red wine to white wine?