One of the most loved foods in the world is finally here! This is a traditional Italian Lasagna, made the Italian way with layers of slow cooked Bolognese ragu and cheese sauce. No ricotta – that’s the American-Italian version. 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 , finely diced
- 1 rib / stick of celery , finely diced
- 2 garlic cloves , minced
- 1 kg / 2 lb beef mince (ground beef) (Note 1)
- 800g / 28 oz crushed tomato
- 1/4 cup tomato paste
- 1 cup (250ml) red wine , bold not light (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 (75g) flour
- 4 cups (1 litre) milk (I use low fat)
- 2 cups (200g) shredded cheese (Colby, Gruyere, Cheddar, Monterey Jack, OR 1 cup 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 (150g) shredded mozzarella cheese
- 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).
What can I use in place of onion, my father in law is intolerant to onion, so looking for something to replace it with that will still add flavour
Do you recommend baking it covered or uncovered ? I’ve read a few recipes and most say to cover it for most of the baking time, but yours doesn’t mention this ?
WOW! This was amazing. My first time making a bechamel/besciamella and it turned out so rich and creamy. I loved this. Thank you Nagi!
That’s great Kelli! Enjoy! N x
This lasagne turned out amazing! I cooked the Ragu the day before and it was the best meat sauce I’ve made. This will b my go to for bolognese sauce from now on. Everyone loved it.
You have made me start to love cooking again, with your easy but super tasty dishes!
Delicious 😋 as every other recipe of yours that I cook !
O M G !!! This is qbsolutely delicious! Super easy to make too. I did add a little extra tomato paste and then some paprika and the tiniest amount of curry powder also. I then simmered it for about 6 hours. It’s definitely a winner in the house for everyone.
Thank you for such a easy step by step recipe Nagi!
Woo hoo!! That’s fantastic Mandy! I’m glad you liked it! N x
This was delicious, will definitely make again. The kids loved it.
That’s great Angel! It’s always good when the kids love it!! N x
Great recipe so easy to make taste amazing cooked it for my wife tonight
Awesome!! I am happy you liked it Chante!! N x
Definitely my go-to lasagna recipe. Everyone who try’s it loves it.
Thank you so very much.
Thanks Sally!! I am happy you liked it! N x
This looks amazing and I can’t wait to try it!
Just wondering though – any chance the mince could be made in the slow cooker instead of simmering on the stove top? I have two toddlers and would find it a bit easier if I could just set and forget then assemble later 😛
Yes you could Krys – if you need to reduce it a bit at the end to get the correct texture then you can! N x
Best I’ve ever had!!
In the notes section 4 cheese you say you don’t recommend mozzarella cheese, but use it in the recipe. Typo maybe?
Please disregard comment re cheese I’m not reading the recipe correctly
Amazing! My partner and I made this today and it was delicious, the best we’ve ever made.
Woo hoo I am glad you liked it Amy!! N x
Nagi – I have never made lasagne before in my 55 years and could count on 1-2 fingers how many times I have ever eaten it. I had a strange, constant urge to make it so I listened and found your recipe. Thank you for sharing and for your fabulous instructions and notes. I followed your recipe to the letter and it was absolutely delicious. And I am feeling quite smug about how well it turned out. I think I could also convince my non-cheese sauce, non-cheesy anything loving son to try it and enjoy it! Looking forward to trying other recipes.
That’s amazing Essare – not sure if I could go that long without eating lasagne!!! N x
Thi is the perfect lasagne recipe full of veggies and deliciousness. I used zucchini’s in mine cos that’s what I had and also substituted the milk for almond milk for the cheese sauce and it still tastes amazing! Will definitely save this one
Wow! This recipe is amazing and so incredibly tasty! Even my husband who doesn’t like lasagna said he would “give it a go” and he devoured it! Thank you Nagi, definitely one I’ll be making again and again! Also would love to add that between your video and your step by step guide it’s so helpful to a novice like me! x
I am happy you liked it Maryann! N x
I avoid making lasagne because I never have the time. Dedicated the afternoon to make this and can confirm, it’s the best ever and will make this weekly now! My kids and husband loved it and said it even beat my mum’s famous recipe! Love it. Thank you Nagi!
Amazing recipe. Best lasagne I’ve had, although next time (no complaints from me, I loved it) I would use half the amount of wine or not at all as my children didn’t like that wonderful kick it gives. Absolutely delicious.
I’ve made this recipe many times and it is fantastic. Though I do prefer the American Italian version with ricotta, it can be expensive. This traditional version is perfect and I always have the things I need on hand 🙂
Hi Nagi, what are your thoughts on using milk instead of red wine/water/broth?