Sausage Lasagne (so delicious!)

This Sausage Lasagne is absolutely bursting with flavour! It’s the easy and delicious twist on a classic lasagne that you never knew you needed.

Reader, Helen says: ‘I made this for hubby and me and it was delicious!! I halved everything and made the Ragu the day before to let the flavours meld. Truly yummy and leftovers in the freezer for another day. Thank you ★★★★★’

Sausage Lasagne

‘What’s wrong with a classic lasagne?’ I hear you cry! Stick with me here, I promise this non-traditional lasagne is a total winner. This sausage version doesn’t stray too far from a traditional version, yet still offers a really tasty and noticeable difference. Here’s why you’re going to love this variation just as much (if not more):

• Classic layers – Juicy sausage ragu, tender pasta sheet, a creamy bechamel and gooey cheese.
• Flavour – Sausage is much richer in flavour than minced beef and makes the most delicious ragu ever!
• Easy – It does take a little time, but the steps couldn’t be simpler to master.

Sausage Ragu

Now this is the star of the show. It’s rich, flavoursome, soft and juicy. It’s fairly similar to my Sausage Ragu Pappardelle, just with a few tweaks.

Sausage Ragu Key Ingredients

• Sausage – You’ll find ground sausage meat in most supermarkets/grocery stores. If you can’t find any, just grab some good quality ‘neutral flavoured’ sausages and squeeze the meat out of the skin.
• Soffritto – Celery, onion and carrot create a classic base flavour for the ragu.
• Fennel – You’ll need dried whole fennel seeds, which are widely available in the seasoning section. From there, you just need to crush them (I’ve added a section on this in the recipe card).
• Thyme & Bay Leaves – No other herbs needed! Just enough to add a gentle background flavour, but not too much the fennel is overpowered.
• Passata – This is a thick sauce made purely of pureed tomatoes. This helps create a thick and luscious ragu.
• Red Wine – All good ragus have red wine – hey, I don’t make the rules!

Process shots: brown sausage then remove (photo 1), fry onion, garlic, carrot, celery (photo 2), fry fennel seeds (photo 3), add tomato puree (photo 4), fry (photo 5), reduce wine (photo 6), add sausage back in (photo 7), add passata, herbs and seasoning then simmer (photo 8).

Bechamel Sauce

All good lasagnes are made with a bechamel sauce – again, I don’t make the rules. 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. Here’s what you’ll need for a simple bechamel sauce:

Bechamel Sauce Ingredients

• Butter – I use salted butter, but you can use unsalted if you’re sensitive to salt.
• Flour – Plain/all-purpose flour to create a roux.
• Milk – I recommend semi-skimmed or whole milk. I typically bring it to room temp as I find it whisks into a sauce more easily.
• Parmesan – Freshly grated parmesan adds so much flavour to the sauce.
• Nutmeg – Please don’t skip this! It offers that classic ‘bechamel’ flavour.

Just like the ragu, it’s important to thicken the sauce before layering the lasagne. It should easily coat the back of a wooden spoon. If the consistency is too thin, the lasagne will come out sloppy.

Process shots: melt butter (photo 1), stir in flour (photo 2), whisk in milk then stir in seasoning/parmesan (photo 3), simmer to thicken (photo 4).

How to Layer Sausage Lasagne

There is no real written rule on how to layer a lasagne, so long as you distribute the fillings out evenly. Having said that, here’s how I stack mine:

1. Spread a layer of ragu to stop pasta sticking.
2. Add pasta sheets (1).
3. Top with Ragu (2).
4. Pour over bechamel sauce (3).
5. Add mozzarella (4).
6. Repeat and finish with parmesan.

That’s 4 layers of each (including ragu at the bottom).

How to serve Sausage Lasagne

Once the lasagne is out of the oven, it’s crucial to let it rest before you slice in, just to help it retain its shape. If you serve right away, not only will you burn your entire mouth, but the lasagne will be way too sloppy.

The lasagne will be nice and saucy, so some bread to mop up is a necessity! Here’s my favourite options:

• Roasted Garlic Bread
• Cheesy Pesto Garlic Bread
• Cheesy Caprese Pull Apart Bread
• Feta Bruschetta
• Easy Cheesy Garlic Bread

You could just serve with some crusty bread if you’re looking for ease.

For another delicious lasagne recipe check out my Epic Vegetable Lasagne or Classic Lasagne!

Alrighty, let’s tuck into the full recipe for this sausage lasagne shall we?!

How to make Sausage and Fennel Lasagne (Full Recipe & Video)

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For more similar recipes check out these beauties:

Sausage Pasta Recipes

• Sausage Harissa Pasta
• Crispy Gnocchi with Sausage Meatballs
• Penne Arrabiata with Smoked Sausage
• Sausage Pasta in a Sun Dried Tomato & Mascarpone Sauce
• Sausage Orecchiette

Family Comfort Food Recipes

• Mum’s Traditional Cottage Pie
• Chilli Con Carne
• Toad in the Hole
• Herb Roasted Spatchcock Chicken
• Spaghetti Bolognese

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