Rich, velvety perfection: this lasagna understood the assignment.
Lasagna is no stranger to American cuisine – and it’s one of the oldest Italian dishes! Dating back to the 13th century, there is a reason this dish has staying power. It’s rich, hearty, and delicious.
Lasagna is actually plural for the type of single noodle lasagna. It’s a wide, ribbon-style pasta that layers beautifully with meat sauce, cheese sauce, and shredded cheese. Big pasta for a big dish.
Whether you’ve got a crowd to feed at a family gathering, need a warm dish on a chilly night, or just crave something beyond basic, this Homemade Lasagna delivers.
What is the Secret to the Best Lasagna?
First, two homemade sauces! The meaty sauce has depth beyond your standard jarred sauce and the white sauce provides that richness that brings the layers together for a hearty taste with wide appeal.
Then, let’s talk about the cheese layer in lasagna. In American cooking, when you sink your fork into a piece of yummy lasagna, you might discover any number of things in the cheese layer. ricotta cheese, cottage cheese, a mixture of the two plus other cheeses, or White sauce. The latter is the most authentic and while it requires the most work, the payoff is rich: the White sauce melds perfectly with the other elements and avoids any weird separation between the layers that you might get (especially with cottage cheese). It’s worth it! For other rich baked pastas, check out Baked Bree’s Baked Mostaccioli or Lasagna Pie.
Ingredients
White sauce:
- 2 tbsp butter
- 1/2 cup flour
- 2 cup milk
- Pinch of salt and pepper
Bolognese sauce and noodles:
- 1-2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1/2 lb ground beef
- 1/4 lb ground sausage meat
- 1 small onion chopped
- 1 small carrot chopped
- 1-2 cloves minced garlic
- 20 oz tomato sauce
- 1 cup parmesan and mozzarella cheese
- 12 lasagna plates/ noodles
- Handful of basil leaves for garnish
How to Make the Best Lasagna at Home
Step 1: Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F and prepare a large baking dish. In a large skillet add the olive oil and heat over medium-high heat. Brown the ground beef and pork for 5 minutes. Discard any excess fat. Remove the meat from the skillet and set aside.
Step 2: In the same skillet sauté the carrots and onions for 5 minutes or until translucent.
Step 3: Add the minced garlic and tomato sauce, then simmer on low heat for 15 minutes.
Step 4: In a medium-sized pot melt the butter, then add the flour. Whisk the flour and butter together and simmer on low for 1-2 minutes.
Step 5: Gradually add the warm milk and whisk until a smooth sauce forms on low heat. Cook for 15 minutes until the white sauce is thick.
Step 6: Spread some of the meat sauce in the bottom of the baking dish, then top with 3 uncooked lasagna noodles.
Step 7: Spread some of the white sauce over the noodles and top evenly with a bit of the mozzarella, parmesan, and some of the meat sauce. Add 3 more uncooked lasagna noodles then spread more of the white sauce. Repeat with the remaining lasagna noodles, white sauce, and meat sauce, then top with the remaining mozzarella and parmesan cheese.
Step 8: Cover the baking dish with foil and bake it for 30 minutes in the preheated oven until the pasta is tender.
Step 9: Remove the foil from the dish and bake uncovered for another 10 minutes until the lasagna is browned and the cheese is melted. Let rest for 5 minutes before serving, garnish with fresh basil leaves, and enjoy!
FAQs
What happened to boiling the lasagna noodles?
The wonder of no-boil lasagna noodles makes this step obsolete. Just make sure that’s the kind you buy. If you happen to pick up the kind of noodle you need to cook, you will have to add this step before assembling the dish.
Is there a correct order to layer lasagna?
Typically, it’s meat sauce, noodles, cheese or cheese sauce and repeat. With extra mozzarella and parmesan on top. Covering the dish for the main baking period ensures these layers don’t dry out.
How can I vary this recipe?
You can make it meatless by replacing the ground beef and pork with hearty veggies like mushrooms and spinach. You can also add some spice by tossing in a little crushed red pepper into the meat sauce.
My White sauce is curdling, help!
With the White sauce, you really do need to keep whisking so your warm milk doesn’t curdle! The end result is worth it, trust me.
Is this homemade lasagna recipe hard?
No, as long as you prep, then cook. With the two sauces that need to be made, it’s ideal if you can chop and prep for both ahead.
Serving Suggestions
Even though this Homemade Lasagna requires a little work on the front end, the good news is you don’t need much by way of side dishes. Garlic bread is a must. If you’re wanting something beyond that, a simple salad or steamed vegetable is plenty. This is a main dish that sticks to your ribs and needs little by way of accompaniment!
How to Store
Make ahead? Check. Just completely assemble the lasagna and let it cool to room temp. You can cover and refrigerate for up to 48 hours or double-cover with plastic wrap and then foil and freeze for up to 3-4 weeks (making sure you remove plastic wrap before baking). Thaw overnight in fridge before baking if frozen. Otherwise, just bring to room temp while your oven is preheating. If you have any leftovers, simply store in an airtight container, refrigerate, and microwave in small portions to desired warmth.
Lasagna Recipe
Ingredients
White sauce:
- 2 tbsp Butter
- 1/2 cup Flour
- 2 cup Milk
- Pinch of Salt and pepper
Bolognese sauce and noodles:
- 1-2 tbsp olive oil
- 1/2 lb Ground beef
- 1/4 lb Ground pork sausage meat
- 1 small Onion chopped
- 1 small Carrot chopped
- 1-2 cloves garlic minced
- 20 oz Tomato sauce
- 1 cup Parmesan and mozzarella cheese
- 12 Lasagna plates/ noodles
- Handful of basil leaves for garnish
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F and prepare a large baking dish. In a large skillet add the olive oil and heat over medium-high heat. Brown the ground beef and pork sausage for 5 minutes. Discard any excess fat. Remove the meat from the skillet and set aside.
- In the same skillet sauté the carrots and onions for 5 minutes or until translucent.
- Add the minced garlic and tomato sauce, then simmer on low heat for 15 minutes.
- In a medium-sized pot melt the butter, then add the flour. Whisk the flour and butter together and simmer on low for 1-2 minutes.
- Gradually add the warm milk and whisk until a smooth sauce forms on low heat. Cook for 15 minutes until the white sauce is thick.
- Spread some of the meat sauce in the bottom of the baking dish, then top with 3 uncooked lasagna noodles.
- Spread some of the white sauce over the noodles and top evenly with a bit of the mozzarella, parmesan, and some of the meat sauce. Add 3 more uncooked lasagna noodles then spread more of the white sauce. Repeat with the remaining lasagna noodles, white sauce, and meat sauce, then top with the remaining mozzarella and parmesan cheese.
- Cover the baking dish with foil and bake it for 30 minutes in the preheated oven until the pasta is tender.
- Remove the foil from the dish and bake uncovered for another 10 minutes until the lasagna is browned and the cheese is melted. Let rest for 5 minutes before serving, garnish with fresh basil leaves, and enjoy!
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