Lasagna Bolognese
Layers of pasta, rich Bolognese meat sauce, silky bechamel and parmesan, baked to a golden crust.
Lasagna is one of Italy's oldest pasta shapes and the pride of Emilia-Romagna with its capital, Bologna. The classic lasagna alla bolognese is built on two sauces: a long-simmered Bolognese meat ragu and a velvety bechamel, with sheets of pasta and parmesan layered between them. This is a dish for a big table and an unhurried Sunday: it takes time, but the result is a juicy, fragrant, melt-in-the-mouth bake worth firing up the oven for. It comes together in stages, and every layer matters.
🧺 Ingredients
🍽 6 servings👩🍳 Method
- 1
Bolognese base
Finely chop the onion, carrot and celery and fry in olive oil until soft. Add the ground beef and cook, breaking up lumps, until browned.
- 2
Simmer the ragu
Stir in the tomato paste and tomatoes, season with salt and pepper, and simmer the sauce gently for 40–60 minutes until thick and rich.
- 3
Bechamel sauce
Melt the butter, stir in the flour and cook for a minute. Gradually pour in the milk, whisking constantly, bring to a thickened sauce, then add nutmeg and salt — this is the bechamel.
- 4
Layer it up
Spread a little Bolognese in a dish, then alternate layers: pasta sheets, Bolognese, bechamel, parmesan. Repeat until the ingredients run out, finishing with a top layer of bechamel and cheese.
- 5
Bake
Bake the lasagna in an oven preheated to 190 °C for 30–35 minutes until golden and bubbling. Let it rest for 10 minutes before slicing so the layers hold their shape.
💡 Tips
- 💡
Don't rush the Bolognese: the longer the sauce simmers, the deeper and richer its flavor.
- 💡
Always let the lasagna rest for 10 minutes out of the oven — otherwise the layers slide apart when sliced.
🔄 Swaps & variations
- 🔄
Vegetarian lasagna: swap the meat for sauteed mushrooms, zucchini and spinach.
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❓ Frequently asked questions
Do I need to pre-cook the lasagna sheets?
It depends on the pasta. Many modern sheets cook right in the oven from the moisture of the sauces — check the package. If the pasta is dry and dense, boil the sheets for 2–3 minutes to be safe.
How do I store lasagna?
Cooked lasagna keeps 3 days in the fridge and reheats beautifully — it's even tastier the next day. You can freeze it in portions for up to a month.
What to serve with lasagna?
Lasagna is hearty on its own, so a light green salad with dressing and a slice of garlic bread are all it needs.
