Classic Lasagna Recipe

Ingredients

• Meat sauce (Bolognese):
• 1½ lb (700 g) ground beef (or half beef, half pork)
• 1 medium yellow onion, finely diced
• 2 garlic cloves, minced
• 1 medium carrot, finely diced
• 1 celery stalk, finely diced
• 2 tbsp tomato paste
• 1 can (28 oz / 800 g) crushed tomatoes
• ½ cup (120 ml) dry red wine
• 1 tsp dried oregano
• Salt and pepper to taste
• Béchamel:
• 4 tbsp (55 g) unsalted butter
• ¼ cup (30 g) all-purpose flour
• 2½ cups (600 ml) whole milk, warmed
• Pinch of freshly grated nutmeg
• Salt and white pepper
• Assembly:
• 12–15 dried lasagna noodles (or fresh sheets)
• 2 cups (200 g) shredded low-moisture mozzarella
• ¾ cup (75 g) freshly grated Parmigiano-Reggiano

Instructions

1. 1

   Make the meat sauce: brown the ground beef in a large skillet over high heat, breaking it up. Drain excess fat. Add onion, carrot, and celery; cook over medium for 5 minutes. Add garlic and tomato paste; cook 2 minutes. Add wine, cook until evaporated. Add crushed tomatoes and oregano; simmer 25–30 minutes until thick. Season with salt and pepper.

2. 2

   Make the béchamel: melt butter in a saucepan over medium heat. Whisk in flour and cook for 1 minute. Gradually add warm milk, whisking constantly, until smooth. Cook for 5–7 minutes until thickened to the consistency of heavy cream. Season with salt, white pepper, and nutmeg.

3. 3

   Cook the lasagna noodles in salted boiling water to al dente (1–2 minutes less than package directions). Drain and lay flat on an oiled surface to prevent sticking. Skip this step if using fresh sheets.

4. 4

   Preheat oven to 375°F (190°C). Spread a thin layer of meat sauce across the bottom of a 9×13 inch (23×33 cm) baking dish.

5. 5

   Layer: noodles → meat sauce → béchamel → mozzarella. Repeat for 3–4 layers. Finish with a final layer of noodles, the remaining béchamel, mozzarella, and Parmigiano.

6. 6

   Cover tightly with foil and bake for 40 minutes. Remove the foil and bake for 15–20 minutes more until golden and bubbling at the edges.

7. 7

   Rest for 15 minutes before cutting. This is non-negotiable — it lets the layers firm up so you get clean slices instead of a molten collapse.