sundays lasagna

meat slow food 5.0 (312 reviews)
Classic lasagna slice on a white plate

why we love it

This is the lasagna of your dreams — rich, slow-simmered beef ragù, creamy béchamel, and layer after layer of tender pasta, all topped with a golden crust of Parmesan. It's a project, but a deeply satisfying one. Perfect for a lazy Sunday when the house fills with incredible smells.

prep: 45 min cook: 2h 30min serves 8 difficulty: advanced
ingredients
  • for the ragù (meat sauce):
  • 2 tbsp olive oil
  • 1 large onion, finely chopped
  • 2 carrots, finely diced
  • 2 celery stalks, finely diced
  • 4 garlic cloves, minced
  • 1 lb (450g) ground beef (chuck)
  • ½ lb (225g) ground pork
  • 1 cup dry red wine
  • 28 oz (800g) crushed tomatoes
  • 2 tbsp tomato paste
  • 1 bay leaf
  • 1 tsp dried oregano
  • salt and pepper to taste
  • for the béchamel:
  • 5 tbsp butter
  • ½ cup all-purpose flour
  • 4 cups whole milk, warmed
  • ¼ tsp freshly grated nutmeg
  • salt and white pepper
  • 1 cup grated Parmesan, divided
  • assembly:
  • 12–15 dried lasagna noodles (no-boil or regular)
  • 2 cups shredded mozzarella
  • fresh basil for garnish

make ragù a day ahead — it tastes even better. You can also assemble the whole lasagna and refrigerate overnight before baking.

method
  1. Make the ragù: Heat olive oil in a large Dutch oven over medium heat. Add onion, carrot, and celery (soffritto) and cook until softened, about 8 minutes. Add garlic and cook 1 minute more. Increase heat, add ground beef and pork, and cook until browned, breaking up meat with a spoon.
  2. Deglaze and simmer: Pour in red wine and scrape up any browned bits. Let wine reduce by half, about 3 minutes. Stir in crushed tomatoes, tomato paste, bay leaf, oregano, salt, and pepper. Bring to a simmer, then reduce heat to low. Cover partially and let simmer gently for 1½ to 2 hours, stirring occasionally. Remove bay leaf.
  3. Béchamel: In a medium saucepan, melt butter over medium heat. Whisk in flour and cook for 2 minutes (do not brown). Gradually whisk in warm milk. Bring to a simmer, whisking constantly, until thickened, about 5 minutes. Remove from heat, stir in nutmeg, salt, white pepper, and ½ cup Parmesan. Cover and set aside.
  4. Cook noodles (if using regular): Boil lasagna noodles in salted water until al dente. Drain and lay flat on a baking sheet lined with parchment. (If using no-boil, skip this step.)
  5. Assemble lasagna: Preheat oven to 375°F (190°C). Spread a thin layer of ragù on the bottom of a 9x13-inch baking dish. Place a layer of noodles over it, slightly overlapping. Spread ⅓ of the remaining ragù over noodles, then ¼ of béchamel, and sprinkle with mozzarella and Parmesan. Repeat layers twice more. Finish with a final layer of noodles, remaining béchamel, and a generous sprinkle of Parmesan.
  6. Bake: Cover with foil (tented so it doesn't touch cheese) and bake for 30 minutes. Remove foil and bake another 20–25 minutes until bubbly and golden on top. Let rest for at least 20 minutes before slicing — this is crucial for clean layers.

resting is not optional! it allows the lasagna to set so you get beautiful squares instead of a soupy mess.

620 kcal per serving 35g protein 48g carbs 32g fat 5g fiber
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