Recipes › Pasta › Italian Lasagna Recipe

Italian Lasagna Recipe

Recipe by Pedro M. A. Neves

Italian lasagna is a quintessential Northern Italian comfort dish featuring layers of tender pasta sheets, rich ragù sauce, creamy béchamel, and melted cheese. This classic preparation balances savory meat sauce with mild béchamel for a deeply satisfying, restaurant-quality lasagna. Baked until golden and bubbling, it serves as the centerpiece of traditional Italian family meals.

Ingredients

• 400g dried lasagna sheets (about 16-18 sheets)
• 500g ground beef
• 150g ground pork
• 150g whole milk
• 100g butter
• 80g all-purpose flour
• 200g whole San Marzano tomatoes, canned
• 2 tablespoons tomato paste
• 1 medium onion, finely diced
• 2 carrots, finely diced
• 2 celery stalks, finely diced
• 100ml whole milk (additional for béchamel)
• 200g Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese, grated
• 100g fresh mozzarella, torn into small pieces
• 2 bay leaves
• 1 teaspoon salt
• ½ teaspoon black pepper
• ¼ teaspoon ground nutmeg
• 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
• ½ cup dry white wine (120ml)

Instructions

1. Heat olive oil in a large heavy-bottomed pot over medium heat. Add the finely diced onion, carrot, and celery (soffritto) and cook for 8 minutes, stirring occasionally, until softened and fragrant.

2. Add ground beef and pork to the vegetables. Break up the meat with a wooden spoon and cook for 5-6 minutes over medium-high heat until browned and no pink remains.

3. Stir in tomato paste and cook for 2 minutes, coating the meat mixture evenly. Deglaze the pot with white wine, scraping up any browned bits from the bottom.

4. Add canned tomatoes, bay leaves, salt, and pepper. Reduce heat to low and simmer uncovered for 35-40 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the sauce has thickened and darkened in color.

5. While the ragù simmers, prepare the béchamel: melt 100g butter in a separate saucepan over medium heat. Whisk in flour until a smooth paste forms (roux), cooking for 2 minutes while stirring constantly.

6. Gradually add 500ml cold milk to the roux while whisking continuously to prevent lumps. Continue cooking for 8-10 minutes, stirring frequently, until the sauce thickens and coats the back of a spoon.

7. Season béchamel with salt, pepper, and nutmeg. Remove from heat and let cool slightly. Discard bay leaves from the ragù.

8. Preheat oven to 180°C (350°F). Spread a thin layer of ragù on the bottom of a 9x13-inch (23x33cm) baking dish. Layer 4-5 lasagna sheets over the sauce, breaking sheets to fit.

9. Spread one-third of remaining ragù evenly over the pasta layer, then spread one-third of béchamel over the meat sauce. Sprinkle with one-third of Parmigiano-Reggiano and scatter one-third of mozzarella pieces.

10. Repeat layers twice more: pasta sheets, ragù, béchamel, Parmigiano-Reggiano, and mozzarella, finishing with béchamel and a final generous layer of grated Parmigiano-Reggiano and remaining mozzarella on top.

11. Bake for 35-40 minutes until the top is golden brown and bubbling around the edges. Let rest for 10 minutes before serving to allow the layers to set.

Substitutions

• Use 650g ground turkey or chicken for a lighter version, maintaining the 500g beef/150g pork ratio
• Substitute ricotta mixed with 100g grated Parmigiano-Reggiano for half the béchamel for a traditional Bolognese variation
• Use gluten-free lasagna sheets for a gluten-free version, following package cooking instructions
• Replace cow's milk with cashew cream or oat milk for a dairy-free alternative béchamel

Tips

• Make the ragù one day ahead and refrigerate; it develops deeper flavor and is easier to layer when cold
• Do not skip the resting period after baking; it allows the layers to firm up and makes serving neat portions much easier
• Use a pasta fork or small offset spatula when layering to spread sauces evenly and prevent air pockets
• For the authentic Bolognese approach, simmer the ragù for up to 2 hours at very low heat for maximum depth of flavor

Lasagna alla Bolognese is the definitive version from Emilia-Romagna in Northern Italy, featuring the region's famous ragù Bolognese—a slow-simmered meat sauce quite different from Southern Italian versions. This dish represents generations of Italian culinary tradition and is considered a special-occasion meal in authentic Italian households.

You might also like

Italian Macaroni and Cheese Recipe

40 min · Pasta

Jos Manicotti Recipe

65 min · Pasta

Keto Lasagna Recipe

80 min · Pasta

Kims Lasagna Recipe

120 min · Pasta