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This Lasagne is made with an easy Homemade Bechamél Sauce, a rich and tender Beef Ragù and Cheese as far as the eye can see. What’s not to love?

Reader, Alex says: ‘Without a doubt, THE best lasagne I’ve ever eaten and there have been many!! Can’t wait to make this again, absolute perfection. ★★★★★‘

overhead shot of lasagne in baking dish fresh out the oven with spatula digging into it

Homemade Lasagne

For some, the thought of making a lasagne might be a little daunting. But here I’ll share with you some tips and tricks for making lasagne an absolute breeze. PLUS, this just happens to be one of the most delicious lasagne recipes in the world that you’ll come back to time and time again.

It’s a recipe I’ve developed over many years, with its origins right back to when my mum would make lasagne growing up. It does take a little time to prep, but it’ll all be worth it when you dig into that rich, beefy, creamy lasagne – I promise!

Lasagne Layers

Before we tuck into the recipe, I’ll just quickly go over each layer of a classic lasagne. You’ll end up with 4 layers of each:

  • Beef Ragu – Many recipes use a mixture of meats, but this recipe sticks with 100% beef.
  • Pasta – I like to use fresh lasagne sheets, but I’ll also tell you how to work with dried ones too.
  • Bechamel Sauce – Super easy to whip up creates the most gorgeous, creamy lasagne.
  • Cheese – I use mozzarella through the lasagne and on top at the end. I also like to use parmesan in the bechamel and on top at the end too.

Lasagne vs Lasagna

Unlike the American style version (Lasagna with an ‘a’ at the end), this version uses a homemade bechamel sauce, in contrast to a ricotta-based layer. Many American lasagna recipes use sausage too, whereas this just uses beef.

one serving of lasagne being lifted from the baking dish with cheese hanging off

Beef Ragu Sauce for Lasagne

A beef ragu in Italian cuisine, just simply means a meat-based sauce (often served with pasta). This truly is the heart and soul of every lasagne. On the flip side, this is the part that really takes time.

My number one tip for the best lasagne is to cook your ragu low and slow. It makes a world of difference in terms of developing the flavour of the meat sauce AND allows the sauce to reduce. This is important so your lasagne doesn’t end up too watery and sloppy at the end.

This ragu has a gorgeous depth of flavour that starts with a classic soffritto (onion, celery, carrot). I also love adding red wine, which pairs with the beef amazingly. Alongside that, we’ve got some pancetta to enhance the savoury flavour, alongside lots of herbs to really bring the ragu to life.

Process shots: add beef to pot (photo 1), fry then remove (photo 2), fry pancetta (photo 3), fry onion, carrot, celery and garlic (photo 4), fry tomato paste then simmer wine (photo 5), stir in beef (photo 6), stir in passata, stock, herbs and seasoning (photo 7), simmer until thickened (photo 8).

How to make Ragu Sauce - 8 step by step photos

Lasagne with Bechamel Sauce

For those of you who aren’t sure, Bechamel sauce (otherwise known as ‘white sauce’) is a roux made of butter, flour and milk. It adds a nice creamy layer to the lasagne. For a Bechamel sauce in a lasagne, I add a hefty amount of parmesan and nutmeg, just for extra flavour.

When it comes to making the Bechamel sauce, I typically make this as soon as the ragu is done. You don’t want to make it too far in advance because it’ll thicken up so much as it rests.

Process shots: melt butter (photo 1), stir in flour (photo 2), whisk in milk until thick then add parmesan & seasoning (photo 3) whisk until smooth (photo 4).

How to make Bechamel Sauce - 4 step by step photos

Tips for the Best Lasagne

Ragu:

  • Add Pancetta for extra richness (can sub bacon).
  • Grate your carrot on a box grater. This will allow the carrot to disintegrate into the sauce and add gorgeous sweetness to the Ragu.
  • Simmer the Ragu for a good length of time, this will develop the flavours and make the beef really tender.
  • Make sure you reduce the sauce so that most of the water disappears. Too watery and the lasagne will come out sloppy.

Bechamel Sauce:

  • Simmer the sauce until it thickens enough to comfortably coat the back of a spoon. Any less and the lasagne will come out watery.
  • A heavy seasoning of salt, black pepper and nutmeg will really help the sauce stand out in the lasagne.

Lasagne:

  • Finish with a layer of cheese, just so it goes beautifully golden and crispy in the oven.
  • Let it rest! As frustrating as it is to spend all that time making a lasagne and then have to wait, the lasagne will need to rest and reform shape after it’s taken out of the oven. Plus, you won’t burn the roof of your mouth off, which is also a plus.
half of a lasagne in the baking dish with ragu spilling out

How to serve Lasagne

Noways, I typically make lasagne for company as a special meal. Although saying that, it’s really good to make on a Sunday, portion it out, and eat throughout the week too.

When it comes to serving, I’ll garnish with any leftover basil or parsley I’ve got lurking around, alongside some extra parmesan if I’m feeling it! Lasagne is pretty hearty by itself, but here are some Sides you could add alongside:

What to serve with Lasagne?

  • Side salad – Nowadays, a simple side salad is always a go-to for me.
  • Bread – Alongside a pinch of salad, I love going in with some Garlic Bread (or Cheesy Pesto Garlic Bread if I’m feeling wild). You could keep it simple and just serve with some crusty bread though.
  • Veggies – A mixture of roasted veggies goes perfectly with lasagne (onion, courgette/zucchini, peppers etc).
  • Potato – If you’re feeling extra carby you could go with some Fries, Wedges or Roast Potatoes.

Okay, let’s tuck into the full homemade lasagne recipe shall we?

one portion of lasagne served on a plate with baking dish and garlic bread blurred in the background

How to make Lasagne (Full Recipe and Video)

one serving of lasagne being lifted from the baking cheese with cheese hanging off
4.93 from 41 votes

Simply The BEST Homemade Lasagne Recipe

By: Chris Collins
This Lasagne is made with an easy Homemade Bechamel Sauce, a rich & tender Beef Ragu and Cheese as far as the eye can see. What's not to love?! I recommend checking out the recipe notes and video before diving into the recipe.
Prep: 30 minutes
Cook: 2 hours 45 minutes
Total: 3 hours 15 minutes
Servings: 8
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Equipment

  • 20cm x 30cm/8 x 12" Baking Dish
  • Large Pot or Dutch Oven with Heavy Lid (for Ragu)
  • Medium Pot & Wooden Spoon (for Bechamel)
  • Sharp Knife & Chopping Board
  • Box Grater (for carrot and cheese)
  • Serving Spoon (to spread layers)

Ingredients 

Ragu

  • 2.2lb / 1kg Ground/Minced Beef (see notes)
  • 3.5oz / 100g Pancetta, finely diced
  • 2 ribs of Celery, finely diced
  • 2 medium Carrots, grated on a box grater
  • 1 large White Onion, finely diced
  • 3 cloves of Garlic, finely diced
  • 2 tbsp Tomato Puree (Tomato Paste in US)
  • 1 cup / 250ml Red Wine
  • 2 cups / 500ml Tomato Passata (Pureed Tomatoes in US)
  • 2 cups / 500ml Beef Stock
  • 2 Bay Leaves
  • 1 small bunch EACH: Fresh Basil, Fresh Parsley finely diced (approx 1oz/30g each)
  • 1 tsp Dried Oregano
  • 1.5 tsp Sugar, or to taste
  • Salt & Pepper, to taste
  • Olive Oil, as needed

Bechamel Sauce

  • 4 tbsp Butter (2oz/60g)
  • 5 tbsp Plain Flour (20z/60g)
  • 4 cups / 1 litre Milk, at room temp
  • 1/2 small Nutmeg, finely grated
  • 1 cup / 80g freshly grated Parmesan
  • Salt & Pepper, to taste

Lasagne

  • 12oz / 350g Fresh Lasagne Sheets (see notes)
  • 2 cups / 200g Mozzarella, shredded
  • 1/2 cup / 40g freshly grated Parmesan

Instructions 

Ragu

  • Drizzle around 1 tbsp olive oil into a large pot over medium-high heat. Add the beef, break it up with a wooden spoon and season with a pinch of salt and pepper. Continue to fry until fully browned, then scoop into your lasagne dish (discarding any excess fat).
  • Lower the heat to medium and add the pancetta to the pan. Fry until it begins to brown and release its fat. Add the onion, celery and carrot and continue frying until they soften and just begin to brown. Add the garlic and fry for another minute, then add the tomato puree (tomato paste).
  • Fry the tomato puree for a couple of mins, then deglaze the pan with the wine. Allow the wine to reduce for a few mins, then stir in the cooked beef.
  • Add in the beef stock, tomato passata, parsley, basil, oregano, bay leaves, 1 tsp sugar, salt & pepper (to taste). Bring to a simmer then turn the heat to low, pop on a lid and allow to simmer for at least 1 hour 30 mins, stirring occasionally. Then take off the lid and allow the sauce to reduce until it thickens and is no longer watery, another 20-30mins should be fine. Check for seasoning again and adjust with salt and pepper (generously season to maximise the flavour if needed).

Bechamel Sauce

  • Melt the butter in a suitably sized pot over medium heat. Add the flour and stir to create a roux.
  • Gradually pour in the milk, whisking as you go to ensure lumps don't form. Allow the sauce to simmer away for around 7-10mins to thicken, then add the nutmeg, parmesan, and salt & pepper (to taste). Stir to combine, check for seasoning, then remove from heat. You want the sauce thick enough to coat the back of a spoon (slightly thicker than double cream), but not so thick it won't pour.

Lasagne

  • Pre heat oven to 350F/180C.
  • In a 20x30cm/8×12" baking dish, spread a few spoons of ragu. This is just so the pasta doesn't stick to the bottom.
  • Your layers will then go as follows: Pasta sheets, Ragu, Bechamel Sauce, Mozzarella. The last layer will be Pasta Sheets, then Bechamel, then Mozzarella and Parmesan to top. That's 4 layers of pasta, 4 layers of Ragu (including the very bottom layer), 4 layers of Bechamel and 4 layers of mozzarella.
  • Pop in the oven for 30-40mins or until the surface is deep golden (some 'burnt' parts are fine, extra flavour). Let it sit for at least 10 minutes before slicing so it can retain its shape. It will stay hot for longer than you think!
  • Serve with an extra sprinkle of basil or parsley. Enjoy!

Video

Notes

a) Pancetta Sub – If you’re struggling to find pancetta, finely diced bacon will work fine instead.
b) Sugar – Start off with 1 tsp, then taste test after it’s simmered and reduced. You’ll find the flavour changes quite drastically after the ragu is fully cooked, so adjust accordingly then. If your tomatoes are good quality they’ll likely be sweet enough and you won’t need any extra sugar.
c) Consistency – It’s imperative that you reduce the Ragu AND the Bechamel sauce. For the Ragu, if there is a layer of water on top whilst it simmers, it needs more reduction. For the Bechamel sauce, you need to be able to comfortably coat the back of a wooden spoon. If both are too watery, the lasagne is going to come out of the oven overly sloppy. If it looks a little loose when it’s out of the oven, just let it sit for 15-30 minutes before serving.
d) Baking Dish – 8×12″ is a great size for lasagnes and gives you 4 pasta layers. Feel free to use a smaller, but deeper dish and add more layers.
e) Fresh Lasagne Sheets vs Dried – I always go fresh (found in the fresh pasta section at the supermarket). I prefer the texture and the lasagne stays intact better (not so wavey). If you’ve got dried then check the packet to see if you need to cook beforehand. If you don’t need to cook them then don’t reduce the ragu so much as the dried sheets will suck up more liquid than fresh.
f) Beef – I usually go for 10-12% fat. Gives a bit of fatty flavour but not so much the ragu goes oily. If you’ve only got very fat beef, say 20%, drain away most of the fat after it’s fried.
g) Heavy Top Lid – Needs to be heavy so the steam doesn’t escape otherwise it’ll reduce too quickly.
h) Make Ahead – This is perfect to make in advance! Just make sure the ragu and bechamel sauce cool before you assemble, or the pasta will start to cook and come out super soft and mushy after it’s baked. Once cool and combined, tightly cover and store in the fridge 24 hours before needed. Preferably bring to room temp before baking at the above temp/timings (to take the fridge chill out the centre so it cooks through evenly). You can also store it in the freezer, then thaw it in the fridge overnight and bake it accordingly.
i) Leftovers – Store in the fridge for 3-5days or freezer long-term, then cover with foil and reheat in the oven at the same temp until piping hot through the centre (if freezing thaw in the fridge overnight then bake). You can also reheat it in the microwave until piping hot.
j) Cookbook – As one of my most loved and most popular recipes, I had to include this in my Debut Cookbook ‘Comfy’!
h) Calories – per serving (divided by 8)

Your Private Notes:

Click here to add your own private notes or reminders about this recipe.

Nutrition

Calories: 646kcal | Carbohydrates: 33.29g | Protein: 44.6g | Fat: 34.64g | Saturated Fat: 14.027g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1.536g | Monounsaturated Fat: 10.821g | Trans Fat: 0.997g | Cholesterol: 143mg | Sodium: 876mg | Potassium: 1162mg | Fiber: 3.3g | Sugar: 12.46g | Vitamin A: 7500IU | Vitamin C: 10.7mg | Calcium: 430mg | Iron: 5.2mg

Looking for more?

You’ll find plenty more delicious comfort food like this in my Debut Cookbook ‘Comfy’

Hey, whilst you’re here why not check out my other recipes?

Family Comfort Food Recipes

Delicious Lasagne Recipes

 

Chris Collins, food blogger at Don't Go Bacon My Heart in white jumper eating a slice of garlic flatbread
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Recipe Rating




107 Comments

  1. Ella says:

    5 stars
    Wow! Best ever lasagne indeed! So good.

    Thanks Chris. My work colleagues were very happy and keep asking for me to cook again lol.

    Reply
    1. Chris Collins says:

      So pleased it went down well with you and your colleagues!! 🙂 C.

      Reply