Homemade Lasagna
A layered Italian-style lasagna with rich meat ragù, creamy béchamel (or cheese mixture), pasta sheets, and plenty of melted cheese — perfect for a hearty family meal.
Equipment
- Large pot / saucepan (for sauce & béchamel / ragù)
- Baking dish (9×13 inch or similar)
- Mixing bowls
Ingrédients
Meat sauce (ragù)
- 500 g ground beef (or mix beef + pork/sausage)
- 1 onion, finely chopped
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 can (≈ 28 oz / 800 g) crushed tomatoes or tomato sauce / passata
- 2 tablespoons tomato paste
- Dried herbs (basil and/or oregano), salt and pepper, to taste
White sauce or cheese layer (béchamel or ricotta-based)
- 500 ml milk for béchamel
- 50 g unsalted butter
- 50 g all-purpose flour
- A pinch of nutmeg (optional), salt & pepper
Pasta & Cheese Layers
- 9-12 lasagna pasta sheets (regular or no-boil)
- 250 g mozzarella cheese, shredded
- 100 g Parmesan (or Romano) cheese, grated
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 180 °C (≈ 350 °F).
- Prepare the meat sauce (ragù): In a large saucepan, sauté the chopped onion in a bit of oil until translucent. Add minced garlic and cook 1 minute more.
- Add the ground meat; brown it thoroughly, breaking it up as it cooks. Once browned, stir in the crushed tomatoes, tomato paste, herbs (basil/oregano), salt and pepper. Simmer the sauce for ~20-30 minutes until thickened.
- Meanwhile, prepare the béchamel (white sauce): melt butter in another saucepan over medium heat, stir in flour and cook 1-2 minutes. Gradually whisk in the milk until smooth and thick. Season with salt, pepper and a pinch of nutmeg.
- Assemble the lasagna in a baking dish: start with a thin layer of meat sauce on the bottom, then a layer of pasta sheets, then a layer of béchamel (or white sauce), then sprinkle some mozzarella + Parmesan (or skip if you prefer lighter). Repeat layers (sauce → pasta → béchamel → cheese) until ingredients are used up, finishing with sauce + cheese on top.
- Cover the dish with foil and bake for about 30 minutes. Remove the foil and bake additional 10-15 minutes or until the top is golden and bubbly.
- Let the lasagna rest 10-15 minutes before slicing — this helps it set and hold layers together when serving.
Notes
You can customize lasagna: replace beef with a mix of beef + sausage or use only vegetables for a vegetarian version; you may use oven-ready (no-boil) noodles for convenience; leftovers keep well — store in fridge for 3-4 days or freeze for longer.