Classic Lasagna (Printable)
Hearty Italian comfort food with layered meat sauce, creamy béchamel, and melted cheese
# Ingredient List:
→ Meat Sauce
01 - 2 tablespoons olive oil
02 - 1 large onion, finely chopped
03 - 2 garlic cloves, minced
04 - 1.1 pounds ground beef
05 - 14 ounces canned crushed tomatoes
06 - 2 tablespoons tomato paste
07 - 1 teaspoon dried oregano
08 - 1 teaspoon dried basil
09 - 1 teaspoon salt
10 - ½ teaspoon black pepper
11 - ½ teaspoon sugar
12 - ⅓ cup plus 1 tablespoon water
→ Béchamel Sauce
13 - 3.5 tablespoons unsalted butter
14 - ⅓ cup all-purpose flour
15 - 3 cups whole milk, warmed
16 - ¼ teaspoon ground nutmeg
17 - ½ teaspoon salt
18 - ¼ teaspoon white pepper
→ Lasagna Layers
19 - 9–12 dried lasagna noodles, no-boil or regular
20 - 2 cups shredded mozzarella cheese
21 - ½ cup grated Parmesan cheese
# Directions:
01 - Preheat oven to 350°F.
02 - Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add onion and cook until translucent, about 5 minutes. Add garlic and cook for 1 minute.
03 - Add ground beef to the skillet. Cook, breaking it up with a spoon, until browned throughout.
04 - Stir in crushed tomatoes, tomato paste, oregano, basil, salt, pepper, sugar, and water. Simmer uncovered for 20–25 minutes, stirring occasionally, until sauce thickens.
05 - Melt butter in a saucepan over medium heat. Whisk in flour and cook for 1–2 minutes without browning.
06 - Gradually add warmed milk while whisking constantly to prevent lumps. Cook, stirring continuously, until sauce thickens, about 5–7 minutes. Stir in nutmeg, salt, and white pepper. Remove from heat.
07 - Cook lasagna noodles according to package directions if not using no-boil variety. Drain well and set aside.
08 - Spread a thin layer of meat sauce in the bottom of a 9x13 inch baking dish. Arrange a layer of noodles over the sauce.
09 - Top noodles with ⅓ of the meat sauce, ⅓ of the béchamel sauce, and sprinkle with mozzarella and Parmesan. Repeat layering twice more, finishing with remaining béchamel and cheese on top.
10 - Cover baking dish with foil. Bake for 30 minutes.
11 - Remove foil and bake an additional 15–20 minutes until cheese is golden and sauce is bubbling around edges.
12 - Let lasagna stand for 15 minutes before slicing and serving to allow layers to set.
# Expert Tips:
01 -
- The meat sauce develops such deep flavor during simmering that people always ask for the secret ingredient
- Homemade béchamel sounds intimidating but comes together in minutes and transforms the entire dish
02 -
- Cutting lasagna immediately after baking causes the layers to slide apart and makes serving messy
- Letting the sauces cool slightly before assembling prevents the noodles from overcooking and becoming mushy
03 -
- Grate your own cheese instead of buying pre shredded for better melting and flavor
- Sprinkle the baking dish with breadcrumbs before the first layer of sauce adds texture to the bottom