Lasagna Bolognese
Classic lasagna Bolognese has delicate layers of fresh egg pasta, a slow-cooked Bolognese meat sauce, a creamy white béchamel sauce, and freshly grated Parmesan. I’ve had a delicious-looking classic Lasagna Bolognese recipe from So Much Food bookmarked for a while, and I finally had some time to make it. I used some homemade Bolognese sauce that I had in the fridge, but otherwise kept to her recipe. The lasagna was fun to make, smelled incredible while baking, and tasted decadent and delicious. I paired this tasty, meaty lasagna with a Parmesan-chopped salad and some crusty roasted garlic bread.
Lasagna Bolognese
Red Sauce:
- 3 cups slow-cooked Bolognese meat sauce (click the link for the recipe and ingredients)
Béchamel Sauce:
- 2½ tbsp butter
- 1 large clove of garlic, halved and smashed
- 2½ tbsp flour
- 2 cups of whole milk
- ¼ cup of Parmesan, finely grated
- Pinch of freshly grated nutmeg
- Sea salt and freshly cracked black pepper, to taste
Other Ingredients:
- 7-10 fresh pasta sheets (or dried lasagna noodles work too)
- 1 cup of fresh Parmesan, finely grated, plus more for serving
- 1 cup of fresh mozzarella, diced (optional)
- Fresh parsley, chopped, for garnish
How to Make a Lasagna Bolognese
Prepare the slow-cooked Bolognese meat sauce in a large Dutch oven. (Click the link for the recipe and the ingredients.) The sauce takes approximately 3 hours. Side Note: Can be made up to two days in advance, which deepens its flavor.
Prepare the Béchamel Sauce by heating the butter and smashed garlic halves in a large skillet. Add the flour, and cook, stirring frequently, for 2 minutes.
Slowly whisk in the milk and cook, whisking often, until the mixture thickens, about 3 minutes.
Whisk in the parmesan, nutmeg, sea salt, and freshly cracked black pepper to taste. Set aside to cool.
Cook the fresh lasagna noodles in a large pot of well-salted boiling water for 30 seconds to make them pliable. Dry noodles may take longer.
Remove from the water, and separate them into an even layer on a towel.
Preheat the oven to 375 degrees. Line a baking sheet with foil for easier cleanup. Coat a deep 8-inch baking dish with olive oil cooking spray.
Assemble the lasagna by spreading a thin layer of béchamel sauce.
Place pasta noodle(s) down to cover the bechamel.
Spread a layer of Bolognese sauce over the noodles.
Drizzle some of the béchamel over the Bolognese.
Sprinkle with some of the diced mozzarella and some of the parmesan. Repeat with the remaining ingredients, trying to make 5 layers of pasta (or more).
On the top layer of pasta, just spread the bechamel with mozzarella and parmesan. Side Note: At this point, you can cover and refrigerate the unbaked lasagna overnight.
Cover the baking dish with foil and place it on the prepared baking sheet.
Bake in the oven for 1 hour. Remove the foil and bake for an additional 15 minutes.
If needed, turn the oven to broil to get the top bubbly, golden brown, and the edges crispy.
Remove from the oven, and let it rest for 20 minutes before slicing.
Serve with fresh parsley sprinkled on top, along with parmesan on the side. Enjoy.
Ingredients
Red Sauce:
- 3 cups slow-cooked Bolognese meat sauce click the linkup above for the recipe and ingredients
Béchamel Sauce:
- 2½ tbsp butter
- 1 large clove of garlic halved and smashed
- 2½ tbsp flour
- 2 cups of whole milk
- ¼ cup of Parmesan finely grated
- Pinch of freshly grated nutmeg
- Sea salt and freshly cracked black pepper to taste
Other Ingredients:
- 7-10 fresh pasta sheets or dried lasagna noodles work too, depending on the size of baking dish
- 1 cup of fresh Parmesan finely grated, plus more for serving
- 1 cup of fresh mozzarella diced (optional)
- Fresh parsley chopped, for garnish
Instructions
- Prepare the slow-cooked Bolognese meat sauce in a large Dutch oven. (Click the link up above for the recipe and the ingredients.) The sauce takes approximately 3 hours. Side Note: Can be made up to two days in advance, which deepens its flavor.
- Prepare the Béchamel Sauce by heating the butter and smashed garlic halves in a large skillet. Add the flour, and cook, stirring frequently, for 2 minutes.
- Slowly whisk in the milk and cook, whisking often, until the mixture thickens, about 3 minutes.
- Whisk in the parmesan, nutmeg, sea salt, and freshly cracked black pepper to taste. Set aside to cool.
- Cook the fresh lasagna noodles in a large pot of well-salted boiling water for 30 seconds to make them pliable. Dry noodles may take longer; follow package instructions for al dente pasta.
- Remove from the water and separate them into an even layer on a towel.
- Preheat the oven to 375 degrees. Line a baking sheet with foil for easier cleanup. Coat a deep 8-inch baking dish with olive oil cooking spray.
- Assemble the lasagna by spreading a thin layer of béchamel sauce.
- Place a noodle (or noodles) down to cover the bechamel.
- Spread a layer of Bolognese sauce over the noodles.
- Drizzle some of the béchamel over the Bolognese.
- Sprinkle with some of the diced mozzarella and some of the parmesan. Repeat with the remaining ingredients, trying to make 5 layers of pasta (or more).
- On the top layer of pasta, just spread the bechamel with mozzarella and parmesan. Side Note: At this point, you can cover and refrigerate the unbaked lasagna overnight.
- Cover the baking dish with foil and place it on the prepared baking sheet.
- Bake in the oven for 1 hour. Remove the foil and bake for an additional 15 minutes.
- If needed, turn the oven to broil to get the top bubbly, golden brown, and the edges crispy.
- Remove from the oven, and let it rest for 20 minutes before slicing.
- Serve with fresh parsley sprinkled on top, along with parmesan on the side. Enjoy.
