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, I’m excited to try this recipe! I had a question about prep logistics. If I make everything same day including the ragu and the cheese sauce and layer it all together in the dish, could it be refrigerated for 4-5 hrs until I get home later from work and simply have it ready to pop in the oven? Or will it get soggy and ruin the dish?
Btw love all your recipes, easy to follow and delicious!
Thanks for the compliment Jasmine! If you cool the ragu and sauce yes you can layer it, it won’t soak into the lasagne sheets as much so then will be fine! N xx
Oh my gosh. I made this tonight for a trial run. I will be making 4 lasagnas for a party of 40 and this just seemed so delicious. I actually made the sauce exactly as is but in the Instant Pot pressure cooker. The sauce was done in 30 minutes instead of 2 -1/2 hours. Tasted fantastic. Love, love, love.
High praise!!! So pleased you enjoyed this Adrienne, thanks for letting me know! N xx
This is hands down the best lasagna I have ever eaten. That bolognese was amazing! And I would have never thought to use a beshemal sauce instead of ricotta. I am now a convert!!!
Have been following your site for a while now and I must say, after trying a couple of recipes (including lasagna) I find the them simple yet totally genuine, reliable & authentic. I have recommended your site to my recently left home children as it is fantastic to have such a reliable resource as so many sites aren’t. Please keep up the great work!
Thank you for the kind words Ed! So pleased you enjoyed this! N xx
This is so so good! I had the best lasagne in Italy a couple months ago and was hoping to recreate it- this was perfect! Thanks for sharing.
I’m so pleased to hear that Sarah! Thank you for letting me know! N xx
This is the st lasagna I’ve ever made. This recipe is definitely a keeper. 😀
I’m really REALLY hoping the “st” is the end of what was supposed to say “BEST”!!!! 😉
Think I’ll try it. Looks great !
Hope you do Karen!
Tried this on Saturday. Used Pork and Beef mince. Used Red Leicester cheese in sauce. Was fantastic, best lasagne I have made. Can’t wait for leftovers for lunch today. My daughter had some warmed up yesterday, in microwave as suggested, and she loved too.
AWESOME!! So thrilled to hear that Pauline, thanks so much for letting me know! N xx
Thanks for this wonderful recipe, very well explained and certainly a great preparation. thanks nagi!
Yes yes YES!!! So glad to hear you enjoyed it! N xx
Another great recipe Nagi. Thank you. My wife said it was the best lasagna she ever had. I used a nice Shiraz in mine.
Cheers 👍👍👍👍👍
Another great recipe Nagi. I made it tonight. I used a nice Shiraz in it. I my wife said this was the best lasagna she ever had. Thank you👍👍👍
Hi Nagi,
all the effort in making it look sexy has paid off, its looking droolworthy and inviting. I absolutely love lasagnas and its kind of comfort food for me! Loved this one.
BTW I have been trying to join the FBC FB page and subsequently the group board over 2 weeks now (or 3, i forgot) but the joining request is lost forever! Could you help please?
Hi Tina! Shoot me an email through my Contacts page, I’ll expedite it 🙂
My son could possibly die without Lasagne so we have made many many a slab here. Your looks nice and deep and dark. AND any thin goes with lasagne in my books.
Ba ha ha! I love that! 🙂 N xx
I am a food blogger from South Africa and I am always inspired by your work and your lasagna OMG it went down very well, my family loved it!
Awwwww YOU MADE THIS???!!! I’m so so SO happy to hear you enjoyed it, thanks Zandi!! N xx
Just made this with out red wine(added 1 cup of water) and it was fantastic. Will keep this in my recipe book. Thank you.
Yessss! So great you enjoyed this one Peter, thanks for letting me know! N xx
If you freeze it do you bake first or just assemble?
Can’t wait to try your recipe!
Hi Amanda! This works fantastic to freeze before or after baking 🙂 Just always defrost before baking / reheating because it’s a giant ice block that will take FOREVER to reheat if it’s still frozen!!
Lasagna makes me swoon, its one of my all time fave dishes. Adding to the weekly shopping list for sure. Also great for left overs to go in the freezer. Wish I could take photographs like you, Im leaning in real close to the computer screen for a sniff. My neighbours think Im mad, or need my eyes checked. 🙂
BA HA HA! I do that too, seriously! I’ll be scrolling quickly through feeds then suddenly see something utterly drool worthy and I am captivated! Thank you for the compliment Anna 🙂 PS Love your new profile shot N x
Hi Nagi, This recipe looks amazing!!! Really want to give it a go 😊 however, just want to check – is one rib of celery the same as one stick of celery? Sorry if I sound dim but as a Scot, “rib of celery” is not an expression I know.
That’s not a dim question!!!! Yes it’s a stick of celery 🙂 N x
Hi! Nagi,
Thank you very much for sharing the Lasagna recipe. I made Lasagn for the first time and it was absolutely delicious!
The pictures and video look great too..
You made it????
Lasagna is regional. My in laws came from Izernia and made it without meat sauce and with ricotta, mozzarella , parmesan , eggs fresh parley and no bechamel. Our meats came from sausage, meatballs and possibly a little chuck roast cooked in the sauce. To our family ,meat sauce is an abomination. but I agree, YOURS looks delicious so i shall try
Oooh I LOVE hearing all the different ways lasagna is made!! YUM!!!!