Recipes › Pasta › Lasagna Muffins Recipe

Lasagna Muffins Recipe

Recipe by Pedro M. A. Neves

Lasagna muffins are individual portions of classic Italian pasta bake, combining layers of pasta sheets, rich meat ragù, and creamy béchamel in muffin-tin form. These portable portions offer the same comforting flavors of traditional lasagna with the convenience of single servings. Perfect for meal prep, leftovers reheat beautifully, and they're impressive enough for entertaining.

Ingredients

• 300 g ground beef (10.5 oz)
• 100 g ground pork (3.5 oz)
• 1 small onion, finely diced (60 g / 2 oz)
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 400 ml tomato passata (14 fl oz)
• 2 tablespoons tomato paste (30 g)
• 30 ml whole milk (1 fl oz)
• ½ teaspoon dried oregano
• ¼ teaspoon ground nutmeg
• salt and black pepper to taste
• 40 g butter (1.4 oz)
• 40 g all-purpose flour (1.4 oz)
• 500 ml whole milk (17 fl oz)
• 75 g grated Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese (2.6 oz)
• 200 g fresh lasagna sheets or dried sheets (7 oz)
• extra virgin olive oil for cooking

Instructions

1. Heat olive oil in a heavy-bottomed pan over medium-high heat. Add diced onion and cook for 3 minutes until softened, then add minced garlic and cook for 30 seconds until fragrant.

2. Add ground beef and ground pork to the pan, breaking up the meat with a wooden spoon. Cook for 5-6 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the meat is browned and no pink remains.

3. Stir in tomato paste and cook for 1 minute, then add tomato passata, oregano, nutmeg, and 30 ml milk. Simmer uncovered for 8 minutes, stirring occasionally. Season with salt and pepper, then set aside.

4. Prepare the béchamel sauce: melt butter in a separate saucepan over medium heat. Whisk in flour to create a smooth paste, cooking for 1 minute while stirring constantly.

5. Slowly add the 500 ml milk to the roux while whisking continuously to prevent lumps. Continue cooking and stirring for 3-4 minutes until the sauce thickens and coats the back of a spoon. Remove from heat and stir in Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese. Season lightly with salt and nutmeg.

6. Cut lasagna sheets into pieces approximately 8 cm × 8 cm (3 in × 3 in). Preheat oven to 180°C (350°F). Lightly oil a standard 6-cup muffin tin.

7. Layer each muffin cup: place a pasta square at the bottom, top with 1 tablespoon meat ragù, then 1 tablespoon béchamel. Repeat with a second layer of pasta, ragù, and béchamel.

8. Bake in preheated oven for 18-20 minutes until the tops are golden brown and the sauce bubbles around the edges. The pasta will still have a slight firmness to it.

9. Allow the muffins to rest in the tin for 5 minutes before gently running a thin knife around each one and turning out onto a serving plate or removing with a fork.

Substitutions

• Use ground turkey or chicken mixed with ground pork for a leaner version
• Replace beef and pork with 400 g lentils (cooked) plus 100 g mushrooms (finely diced) for a vegetarian version
• Use sheep's milk ricotta layered between the meat sauce and béchamel instead of béchamel for a creamier texture
• Substitute Grana Padano or Pecorino Romano for Parmigiano-Reggiano

Tips

• Dry lasagna sheets work well; if using fresh sheets, reduce their thickness by layering them flat rather than folded to account for their moisture content
• Make the ragù and béchamel ahead and refrigerate separately; assemble and bake the muffins just before serving for best texture
• These muffins freeze beautifully before or after baking; wrap individually in foil or freeze in a container, and reheat in a 160°C (320°F) oven for 15-18 minutes
• Use a standard muffin tin with 6 cups of approximately 80 ml capacity each; if your tins are larger, the cooking time may increase by 5-7 minutes

While lasagna is a cornerstone of Italian cuisine, these muffin-format portions reflect modern Italian home cooking innovation, where traditional recipes are adapted for contemporary convenience and portion control. The combination of ragù, béchamel, and Parmigiano-Reggiano follows the classical Bolognese lasagna verde style from Emilia-Romagna.

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