Classic Lasagna Recipe (Rich Béchamel Layers)

Name: Classic Lasagna
Prep time: 45 min
Cook time: 90 min
Total time: 135 min
Yield: 8 servings
Cuisine: Italian
Ingredients: 1 tbsp olive oil; 1 onion, finely diced; 1 carrot, finely diced; 1 celery stalk, finely diced; 3 cloves garlic, minced; 1 lb (450 g) ground beef (80/20); 2 tbsp tomato paste; ½ cup (120 ml) dry red wine (or beef broth); 1 can (28 oz / 800 g) crushed tomatoes; 1 tsp dried oregano; 1 tsp salt; ½ tsp black pepper; 4 tbsp (55 g) unsalted butter; ¼ cup (30 g) all-purpose flour; 3 cups (700 ml) whole milk, warmed; ½ tsp salt; ¼ tsp ground nutmeg; ½ cup (50 g) parmesan, grated; 12 no-boil lasagna sheets (about 12 oz / 340 g); 12 oz (340 g) low-moisture mozzarella, grated; ½ cup (50 g) parmesan, grated

Ingredients

Beef Ragu

Béchamel Sauce

4 tbsp (55 g) unsalted butter
¼ cup (30 g) all-purpose flour
3 cups (700 ml) whole milk, warmed
½ tsp salt
¼ tsp ground nutmeg
½ cup (50 g) parmesan, grated

Assembly

12 no-boil lasagna sheets (about 12 oz / 340 g)
12 oz (340 g) low-moisture mozzarella, grated
½ cup (50 g) parmesan, grated

Instructions

1

Heat the olive oil in a wide pot over medium heat. Cook the onion, carrot and celery with a pinch of salt for 6-8 minutes until soft and translucent, then add the garlic and cook 1 minute more - this soffritto builds the flavor base of the entire ragu.

Diced onion, carrot and celery softened in olive oil in a pot

2

Add the ground beef and brown it well, breaking it up with a spoon, until no pink remains and the bottom of the pot shows browned bits, about 8 minutes. Stir in the tomato paste and cook 1 minute until darkened, then pour in the wine and scrape up every bit of fond.

Ground beef browning with tomato paste and red wine in a pot

3

Add the crushed tomatoes, oregano, salt and pepper. Simmer uncovered over low heat for 45 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the sauce is thick enough that a spoon dragged through leaves a clean trail. A loose ragu makes a watery lasagna - do not rush this step.

Thick beef ragu simmering in a pot, spoon leaving a clean trail

4

While the ragu simmers, make the béchamel: melt the butter in a saucepan, whisk in the flour and cook 1-2 minutes, then pour in the warm milk in three additions, whisking until smooth after each. Simmer 3-4 minutes until it coats the back of a spoon, then season with salt, nutmeg and parmesan.

Creamy béchamel sauce whisked smooth in a saucepan

5

Preheat the oven to 375°F (190°C). Spread ½ cup of ragu in the bottom of a 9x13 inch (23x33 cm) baking dish. Layer lasagna sheets, one-third of the remaining ragu, one-quarter of the béchamel and a handful of mozzarella. Repeat twice more, finishing with a layer of sheets, the last of the béchamel and the remaining mozzarella and parmesan on top.

Assembled lasagna layers of pasta, ragu and béchamel in a baking dish

6

Cover tightly with foil (tent it so it does not touch the cheese) and bake 25 minutes. Uncover and bake 15-20 minutes more until the top is deeply golden and the sauce bubbles at the edges. Rest at least 15 minutes before slicing - the layers set as it rests and cut into clean squares instead of sliding apart.

Golden baked lasagna cut into clean squares in the baking dish

Personal Tips

Simmer the ragu until a spoon leaves a clean trail. The single biggest cause of watery lasagna is a loose sauce. The 45-minute simmer concentrates the tomatoes and melds them into the beef - rushing it means excess water bakes out into your layers.
Use low-moisture mozzarella, never fresh. Fresh mozzarella is roughly 50% water and will flood the dish as it melts. Low-moisture (the firm block kind) melts into stretchy, golden pockets instead.
Keep it to 3-4 pasta layers. More layers look impressive but collapse under their own weight and cook unevenly. Thin, generous sauce layers between three or four sheets of pasta give you clean squares and even cooking.
The 15-minute rest is part of the recipe, not optional. Straight from the oven the sauce is boiling and runny. As it rests, the pasta absorbs free moisture and the layers set - slice early and everything slides apart.
Lasagna is a make-ahead champion. Assemble it up to 24 hours ahead and keep it refrigerated, or freeze the whole unbaked dish for up to 3 months. Bake from cold with an extra 15-20 minutes covered, and it tastes even better reheated the next day.

Nutrition (per serving)

540 kcal

Calories

32g

Protein

43g

Carbs

27g

Fat

4g

Fiber

Nutrition (per serving): 1 square (approximately 350g) | USDA FoodData Central

Frequently Asked Questions

How many layers should a lasagna have?

Three to four pasta layers is the sweet spot. Each layer needs enough ragu and béchamel to cook the pasta, and more than four layers collapse under their own weight, cook unevenly and are impossible to slice cleanly. In a standard 9x13 inch dish, three layers of sauce plus a top layer is the classic Italian ratio.

Why is my lasagna watery?

Three usual causes: a ragu that was not simmered long enough (it should be thick enough that a spoon leaves a trail), fresh instead of low-moisture mozzarella (fresh is half water), and slicing before the dish has rested. Fix all three and your lasagna will cut into clean, holding squares.

Do I need to boil lasagna noodles first?

Not with no-boil sheets - they cook perfectly in the oven as long as every sheet is covered by sauce. Regular dried sheets also work without boiling if the sauces are slightly loose; otherwise boil them 1-2 minutes short of the package time so they stay firm and continue cooking in the oven.

What temperature do you bake lasagna at?

375°F (190°C) is the classic temperature. Bake 25 minutes covered with foil so the middle heats through without drying, then 15-20 minutes uncovered to brown the cheese. The lasagna is ready when the sauce bubbles at the edges and the top is deeply golden.

Can you make lasagna ahead of time or freeze it?

Yes - it is one of the best make-ahead dishes there is. Assemble it up to 24 hours ahead and refrigerate, then bake straight from cold, adding 15-20 minutes to the covered time. Unbaked lasagna also freezes for up to 3 months; thaw overnight in the fridge or bake from frozen with about an hour of covered baking first.

Can I use ricotta instead of béchamel?

Yes, that is the classic Italian-American style. Replace the béchamel with about 2 cups of ricotta mixed with one egg, ½ cup parmesan, salt and pepper, and spread it in the same layers. The béchamel version is creamier and closer to northern Italian tradition; the ricotta version is heartier and a little drier.

Dietary Restrictions

Allergens

Wheat / Gluten (lasagna sheets)Dairy (butter, milk, mozzarella, parmesan)Possible egg traces (some fresh pasta sheets)

Not Suitable For

Celiac (contains wheat pasta)
Vegans and vegetarians (contains beef)
Lactose intolerant (béchamel and cheese)

Modifications

Use gluten-free lasagna sheets for a celiac-safe version
Swap the beef ragu for a lentil-and-mushroom ragu for a vegetarian version
Make a dairy-free béchamel with olive oil, dairy-free milk and nutritional yeast, plus plant-based cheese, for a lactose-free version

Explore More

Dinner Beef Pasta

Related Recipes

Classic Lasagna