Recipes › Pasta › Lasagna Alfredo Recipe

Lasagna Alfredo Recipe

Recipe by Pedro M. A. Neves

Lasagna Alfredo is a luxurious Northern Italian pasta bake that replaces traditional tomato sauce with a silky, butter-enriched Béchamel cream infused with Parmigiano-Reggiano. This elegant comfort dish combines tender pasta sheets with a rich, creamy filling for an indulgent main course that showcases the simplicity and refinement of Italian cooking.

Ingredients

• 500g fresh egg pasta sheets or dried lasagna noodles
• 100g unsalted butter
• 80g all-purpose flour
• 1 liter whole milk, warmed
• 200g Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese, finely grated
• 100g mozzarella cheese, shredded
• 50g Pecorino Romano cheese, grated
• 4 cloves garlic, minced
• 2 bay leaves
• Salt and white pepper to taste
• 15ml extra virgin olive oil
• 30g butter, for greasing the baking dish
• Freshly grated nutmeg, pinch

Instructions

1. Preheat your oven to 180°C (350°F). Lightly butter a 9x13-inch baking dish or equivalent 3-liter capacity dish.

2. If using dried lasagna noodles, cook according to package directions until al dente, drain, toss with olive oil, and lay flat on parchment paper. If using fresh pasta sheets, no pre-cooking is needed.

3. Melt 100g butter over medium heat in a heavy-bottomed saucepan. Add minced garlic and sauté for 1 minute until fragrant, then add bay leaves.

4. Sprinkle flour over the butter mixture while stirring constantly to create a smooth roux. Cook for 2-3 minutes, stirring frequently, until the flour loses its raw smell and becomes pale golden.

5. Slowly pour the warm milk into the roux while whisking continuously to prevent lumps from forming. Keep whisking for 8-10 minutes until the sauce thickens and coats the back of a spoon.

6. Remove from heat and stir in 150g Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese until fully melted and incorporated. Season with salt, white pepper, and a pinch of nutmeg. Remove bay leaves.

7. Spread a thin layer of alfredo sauce on the bottom of the prepared baking dish. Layer pasta sheets to cover, then spread sauce, then mozzarella and remaining Parmigiano-Reggiano. Repeat layers, ending with sauce and a generous topping of Pecorino Romano.

8. Bake in the preheated oven for 35-45 minutes until the top is golden brown and the sauce is bubbling at the edges. The surface should develop a light golden crust.

9. Remove from oven and let rest for 10 minutes before cutting. This allows the layers to set and makes serving cleaner.

Substitutions

• Substitute half the whole milk with light cream for an even richer sauce
• Use a mix of Gruyère and Emmental instead of mozzarella for a more complex cheese flavor
• Replace butter with ghee for a slightly different depth of flavor
• Use gluten-free flour in equal measure for a gluten-free version

Tips

• Keep the milk warm before adding to the roux to prevent lumps and speed up thickening
• Alfredo sauce continues to thicken as it cools, so keep it slightly looser than desired in the pan
• For a lighter version, substitute half the butter with olive oil and use 2% milk instead of whole milk
• Let the finished lasagna rest before cutting to prevent it from falling apart

While Alfredo sauce originates from Rome, using it in lasagna is a Northern Italian innovation, particularly associated with regions like Emilia-Romagna where rich, butter-based sauces complement fresh egg pasta. This white lasagna represents a refined departure from the more common tomato-based versions.

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