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).
Yum yum and yum.. Thank-you! I was a little wary of making this as a good friend of ours has made her Lasagna for us a few times and its been so watery. This is an excellent recipe easy to follow and cook and turned out perfect.
Perfect! So glad you liked it!
I can tell by the taste of the sauces this will be awesome when I bake it tomorrow, but it seems I was short on red sauce. Hope it comes out ok. I’m using dry lasagne.
Holy moly! This is a no fail recipe. Cooked it twice and still a hit with family and friends. Your site has been favourited 🤩
Hi Nagi, (urgent!) question to make ahead and freeze: do you recommend to make, assemble and freeze, or assemble then bake before freezing? (Ie twice baked?)
Much appreciated!
Love the new website format!
I’d make and then freeze, defrost and then bake ❤️
🥰 Thank you for your reply, Have a great Christmas Nagi! Ps your recipe details are da bomb. Perfect consistency! I had to smack multiple hands away from the sauce while it was cooling. I slightly simplified the ingredients too (no sugar, herbs or wostershire) and I only add bechamel to the top layer. (Aldi brand shredded tasty melts fine!) it was Delicious-o 👍
I made this and have to disagree about Australian tasty cheese. I used tasty and made small modifications, added a touch of chilli, added bacon pieces and this turned out just fine.
Hi Renny, I’m so glad it turned out!
I love your new format for all your recipes, its clean and sharp and very easy to read. I love all your recipes that I have made Many thanks. Pat.
🙌 Thanks so much Patricia!
Hi Nagi,
is the Ragu in this recipe classed as Gluten Free and suitable for Coeliacs. i have made it many times for lasagne or even just as a bolognaise sauce for my family who love it. however my eldest has a girlfriend who is coeliac and im struggling on tasty dishes such as this as something to cook. im almost certain i can get gluten free pasta to go with this ragu if the ingredients are suitable for her
love your page
Hi Michael! I’m afraid I am not familiar enough with Coaeliac cooking to recommend on that. The things I’m concerned about are: the wine, boullion cubes and Worcestershire sauce. However, for GF recipes, I can recommend this site: https://www.noshtastic.com The blogger who runs it (Sheena) is celiac herself and she’s a registered nurse AND she’s an amazing cook 🙂 N x
thank you
This recipe popped up in my Facebook feed recently and I decided it must be made. It was dinner Thursday evening. Good heavens, it’s delicious!! My very picky son took a tiny piece to see if it was suitable for his discerning palate (🤦🏼♀️) and wound up going back for two more huge pieces. Thanks for the great recipe! It does take some time to make, but well worth it!
I love the recipes you post. Hope I get to try this one. I keep the recipes in a recipe folder to use later. Thanks for the recipes. Karen
Hi Nagi,
This looks like such a scrummy recipe.I’m going to try this when my family visits from overseas next month. I was wondering if I can assemble it and leave it in the fridge 24 hours before baking it. I won’t have time to do it n the day as I have to go to work and also pick them
up from the airport that evening. What do you reckon I should do?
Ps: Your recipes are ah-may-zing!!
Love from Australia!
Nagi –
You should consider making the American version with ricotta, too – for a scientific comparison. =)
Hi Nagi! This recipe is divine! We made it last night and we loved it. However my ragu came out oily and when its time for me to cut the lasagna it didn’t hold its shape and slipped with all the sauce. I wonder what could have gone wrong? Thanks Nagi ❤️❤️❤️
Hi Jan,
I just thought I would drop a few lines to comment as I have made Lasagna for over 20 years now.
You may have had too much fat in your beef if it was oily. I buy lean ground beef and even then sometimes I need to let it drain in a strainer to get the fat out after cooking it.
As for the Lasagna not holding together it might be that you did not let the Lasagna sit for about 15 minutes before cutting and serving. It does need a sitting time for the pasta to absorb the excess sauce as it steams while baking under the cheese bechamel sauce.
Without a doubt Nagi you are going to be forever my go to food guru.
That is the best Lasagne I’ve ever made. Thank you.
All other Lasagne recipes that I have followed faithfully do not have the depth, and richness of the ragu bolognese sauce that you provided.
All other Lasagne recipes that I have followed faithfully end up being boring, boring, boring because the longest they cook the sauce is an hour which includes the last 15 minutes of simmer.
I’ve not been a fan of Lasagne for the very reason that the time that I’ve put in making a Lasagne has proved disappointing.
However, you have changed all of that for me and my family, thank you 🙂 I have been singing your praises to my father and a friend of mine. To my comment “I’ve made the best Lasagne EVER!” She asked me what was different about it, and I said 1.5 – 2 hours of cooking, then 30 minutes simmering; thanks to Nagi.
My head was getting bigger and bigger as I read your message… 😂 I’m so thrilled you enjoyed this so much, this is one of my personal favourites so I’m extra happy you loved it!! N xx
Made this for my brother because lasagna is his favourite food and he had been feeling down lately.
He said it was one of the best lasagnas he’s ever had! A bit of work but so worth it and it freezes well too.
I only cooked the ragu for 1 hour cause of time constraint and I used 2 cups of Sauvignon Blanc instead of 1 cup red wine cause that was what I had in my fridge and my pot did not have a lid.
So far this has been my favourite recipe from your site and I will definitely make it again.
Glad to hear your brother enjoyed this Sonja!! You are a very good sister 🙂 I hope your brother feels better soon! N xx
Just made thin and best I’ve ever made…thanks!
That’s so great to hear Marnie! Thank you for letting me know! N x
Hi Nagi!
I can’t remember when I made this last, does 1pkt of fresh lasagne (375g) give 4 layers?!
Cheers!
Hi Jax! It most certainly should. I always end up with some leftovers 🙂 N x
There WAS! Thanks! I didn’t have to do another shop run!
Mine only come with 8, yours look massive!?
This was amazing never made home made lasagna before. Love all of your recipes. This week is my recipe tin eats week and we are only making recipes from your site.
Hi Nagi
I made this lasagne last night for dinner. WOW! Full of flavour. One thing though, I love all types of cheese and so I added Mozzarella to the top of the dish before placing in the oven. I do feel that this was a bit of an overkill as the Béchamel was so good the mozzarella took away from it. Just my opinion.
Given the ingredient quantities ( there is only 2 of us at home these days) it looks as though you could successfully halve and still end up with a wonderful meal as always from you. Do you agree or have any suggestions.
Regards
Hi Chris – so glad you enjoyed this!! Absolutely you can scale this down, just click on Servings and slide down to reduce the size 🙂 All the ingredients will change for you!
Hi Nagi,
I’m trying this recipe tomorrow but I don’t have beef cubes, could I use beef stock instead and would that make sauce too runny at all.
Thanks.
You’ll just need to cook it longer to reduce the liquid down 🙂 N x
It was delicious.
Loved it xx
Love hearing that Kathleen! I’m so pleased you love this as much as I do! N x