Lasagna Bolognese with Bechamel Sauce

Taking a slice of lasagna bolognese out of the lasagna pan.

5 from 9 votes

Lasagna Bolognese with Bechamel Sauce

This lasagna bolognese is made with layers of rich meat sauce, smooth, creamy bechamel, al dente lasagna noodles, and parmesan baked to a bubbly golden brown.

Prep Time30

Cook Time1 30

Resting Time15

Total Time2 15

Course: Dinner

Cuisine: Italian

Keyword: lasagna alla bolognese, lasagna bolognese

Servings:

Author: Katerina Petrovska

Equipment

Ingredients

For the Bolognese Sauce

3 tablespoons olive oil
2 carrots, sliced into thin rounds
2 small yellow onions, chopped
3 cloves garlic, minced
1.5 pounds ground beef
½ cup dry white wine, like pinot grigio
2 fresh tomatoes, diced

For the Lasagna

3 to 4 tablespoons butter, cut into pats
9 to 12 lasagna noodles, cooked according to the directions on the package
Bechamel Sauce, recipe follows
shredded Parmesan cheese
salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste

For the Bechamel Sauce

4 tablespoons butter
¼ cup all-purpose flour
2 cups milk
salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste

Instructions

For the Bolognese Sauce

Heat the olive oil in a large frying pan.
Add the sliced carrots and chopped onions and cook for 3 minutes; mix in the minced garlic and continue to cook for 1 more minute.
Stir in the meat and cook until browned, breaking up the meat with a wooden spoon and stirring it occasionally.
Pour in the wine and continue to cook for 10 minutes over medium heat.
Stir in the chopped tomatoes, bring to a boil, then lower the heat to a simmer; continue to simmer for 15 minutes.

For the Bechamel Sauce

Meanwhile, melt the butter in a 2.5 quart pan.
Whisk in the flour and pour in the milk; continue to whisk until it starts to boil.
Season with salt and pepper, lower the heat to a simmer, and cover; continue to cook for 20 minutes, stirring occasionally.
Remove from heat and taste for salt and pepper.
If the sauce seems too thick, slowly add 1/4 cup more milk while whisking. If it's too runny, return to the heat, add a tablespoon of butter, and whisk in a tablespoon of flour, and cook for a minute. Set aside until ready to use.

Assemble the Lasagna

Preheat the oven to 400˚F.
Cook the lasagna noodles according to the directions on the package.
Grease a lasagna dish with butter.
Spread ¼-cup of bechamel on the bottom of the baking dish.
Layer 3 to 4 lasagna noodles over the bechamel sauce. Spoon some meat sauce over the noodles, then spoon some bechamel sauce over the meat.
Sprinkle with Parmesan cheese and dot with butter.
Repeat the layers until all the ingredients have been used up, ending with bechamel sauce over the top layer.
Bake for 35 to 45 minutes or until browned on top and bubbly.
Remove from the oven and let the lasagna rest for 15 minutes before cutting and serving.

Notes

To Make Ahead: You can fully assemble the lasagna and refrigerate it for up to 2 days prior to serving. When ready, bake it straight from the fridge at 400° for 55-60 minutes or until it's nicely browned and thoroughly cooked.
Storage: Transfer the lasagna to an airtight container and store it in the fridge for up to 4 days or in the freezer for up to 3 months.

Recipe Adapted from The Silver Spoon D'Onofrio, Clelia and Giovanna Mazzocchi. The Silver Spoon. New York: Phaidon Press, 2005. Print.

Nutrition