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This lasagna recipe features homemade Bolognese and bechamel sauces. The lasagna is only comprised of layers of al dente pasta, the Bolognese and the creamy bechamel. It’s amazing how just a few high-quality ingredients create a simple lasagna where the absence of ricotta and mozzarella isn’t even noticed.
Bolognese sauce is an Italian meat sauce from Bologna, Italy. It’s typically made with ground beef and pork, both of which this recipe calls for. The meat is cooked down with onions, carrots, celery, garlic, tomatoes wine and milk. Yes, milk! Trust the Italians. It’s cooked slowly over low heat and creates an incredible flavor.
The bechamel is a white creamy parmesan sauce that’s similar to alfredo. It’s rich and pairs perfectly with the meaty sauce and al dente pasta. It comes together quickly so cooking it in the final minutes of the Bolognese simmering is key. When everything is layered together in this lasagna recipe, you truly don’t miss ricotta or mozzarella. Each bite melts in your mouth.
While you’re here, be sure to check out my Better than Olive Garden Fettuccini Alfredo recipe which has tens of millions of views on social media!
Tips for the Best Lasagna Recipe
- Break the meat up with a meat masher. It cuts way back on time!
- Don’t use oven ready lasagna noodles. They either are too thin and become mush or they don’t cook all the way and are too firm. Boil lasagna noodles to al dente (or the lowest amount of time on the box) and rinse in cool water.
- Let the Bolognese simmer (on low) for the full 2 hours. You could even let it simmer longer if you have the time. You can’t rush it, or the flavor won’t develop properly.
Bolognese and Bechamel Lasagna
Ingredients
- 16 oz lasagna noodles cooked to al dente
Bolognese Sauce
- 1 onion diced
- 3/4 c carrots diced
- 1/2 c celery diced
- 5 cloves garlic minced
- 1 lb lean ground beef 93% lean
- 1/2 lb ground pork
- 7 oz pancetta
- 1 c red wine (I used red blend)
- 1 c whole milk
- 6 oz tomato paste (small can)
- 6 oz water (just fill the tomato paste can)
- 28 oz Marzano Tomatoes
- 2 bay leaves
- 1 tsp salt
- 1/2 tsp pepper
Bechamel Sauce
- 4 tbsp salted butter
- 1/4 c flour
- 2 c whole milk
- 1 c heavy whipping cream
- 3/4 c parmesan cheese grated
- 1 tsp salt
- 1 tsp pepper
Instructions
- Cook pancetta in a pot over medium heat until brown and caramelized. Remove from the pan and set on paper towels.
- Add diced onions to the pot with the rendered pancetta fat. Add olive oil if there isn't enough fat. Stir and cook for 5 minutes.
- Add peeled, diced carrots and diced celery to the pot and stir. Season with a pinch of salt. Cook for 15 minutes. Stir often.
- Add minced garlic, stir and cook 2 minutes more.
- Add lean ground beef and ground pork to the pot of vegetables and break up the meat. Cook until brown and caramelized, about 15-20 minutes. Stir often.
- If a lot of fat has been rendered, pinch a paper towel with some tongs and sop up the fat. A little fat is okay just not a lot.
- Add pancetta back to the pot and stir.
- Deglaze the pot with the red wine. Stir and allow the wine to cook out for 5 minutes.
- Add the milk and allow to cook down for 5 minutes.
- Once there is no longer any visible milk in the pot add the Marzano tomatoes with the juices in the can to the pot along with the tomato paste and water.
- Break up the tomatoes and stir until everything is combined and there are no longer huge hunks of tomato.
- Add salt, pepper and the bay leaves. Stir, cover and simmer on low for 2 hours. Stir every 20 minutes adding a little water if the sauce dries out too much.
- In the last 20 minutes of the Bolognese cooking, boil the lasagna noodles to al dente and begin the bechamel sauce.
- To a pan melt butter over medium heat.
- Add flour to the melted butter and constantly whisk for 2 minutes.
- Slowly add the whole milk and heavy whipping cream, whisking constantly.
- Once bubbling add the parmesan cheese, salt and pepper. Whisk and allow to thicken for 10 minutes. Stir often.
- Strain lasagna noodles and rinse so you can handle them.
- To a 9x13 pan add a layer of Bolognese to the bottom of the pan, followed by a layer of pasta, overlapping the edges slightly.
- Add a layer of Bolognese followed by a layer of bechamel and then more pasta. Continue this pattern until you run out of pasta.
- Top with parmesan cheese and bake at 375 for 40 minutes covering with foil the first 20 minutes. Broil for color at the end.