Lasagna

A real Sunday lasagna with a slow ragù bolognese and a silky besciamella. It takes a few hours, but most of that is the sauce simmering quietly while you do other things. Worth every minute.

Lasagna

A real Sunday lasagna with a slow ragù bolognese and a silky besciamella. It takes a few hours, but most of that is the sauce simmering quietly while you do other things. Worth every minute.

Print Recipe Pin Recipe

Prep Time 30 minutes mins

Cook Time 3 hours hrs

Servings: 8 servings

Course: Main Course

Cuisine: Italian

Ingredients Method Notes

Ingredients

  

For the ragù

• 2 tbsp olive oil
• 1 onion, finely chopped
• 1 carrot, finely chopped
• 1 celery stalk, finely chopped
• 500 g ground beef
• 200 g pancetta or guanciale, diced
• 1 cup whole milk
• 1 cup dry red wine
• 1 can crushed San Marzano tomatoes (28 oz)
• Salt, black pepper, nutmeg

For the besciamella

• 4 tbsp butter
• 4 tbsp flour
• 4 cups whole milk, warm
• Salt, white pepper, nutmeg

To assemble

• 500 g lasagna noodles (no-boil or fresh)
• 200 g parmigiano-reggiano, grated
• 250 g fresh mozzarella, shredded

Method

 

Make the ragù

1. Sauté the soffritto (onion, carrot, celery) in olive oil over medium heat until soft, about 8 minutes. Add the pancetta and cook 5 more minutes.
2. Add the ground beef, breaking it up. Brown it well — let it actually caramelize, don’t just steam it.
3. Pour in the milk and let it cook off, then the wine, also cooking it off. Add the tomatoes. Season with salt, pepper, and a pinch of nutmeg.
4. Lower the heat to a barely-there simmer. Cover partially and cook 1.5 to 2 hours, stirring now and then. Taste and adjust salt at the end.

Make the besciamella

1. Melt butter in a saucepan over medium heat. Whisk in the flour and cook 2 minutes — don’t let it brown.
2. Slowly whisk in the warm milk. Bring to a simmer, whisking, until thick enough to coat a spoon — about 8 minutes. Season with salt, white pepper, and nutmeg.

Assemble and bake

1. Preheat oven to 375°F (190°C). Spread a thin layer of ragù across the bottom of a 9×13 inch baking dish.
2. Layer noodles, ragù, besciamella, mozzarella, and parmesan. Repeat for 4-5 layers total. The top layer should be besciamella + parmesan.
3. Bake covered with foil for 30 minutes, then uncovered 15 more until bubbling and golden on top.
4. Let rest 15 minutes before slicing — non-negotiable. The layers need to set or it slides apart.

Notes

Make the ragù a day ahead — it’s better the second day. The whole lasagna also reheats beautifully, so don’t shy away from the time investment.