Layering is the key to a perfect lasagne recipe. Start with a thin layer of meat or vegetable sauce at the bottom of your dish to prevent sticking. Add a sheet of lasagne pasta, followed by a generous layer of sauce, then a creamy béchamel or vegan white sauce. Repeat the process, finishing with a top layer of béchamel and a sprinkle of cheese or a vegan alternative. Aim for at least three layers for that classic lasagne experience.

How Long Does Lasagne Take to Cook?

Lasagne typically takes 45 minutes to 1 hour to cook in the oven at 180°C (350°F). Cover it with foil for the first 30-40 minutes to prevent the top from burning, then uncover for the final 10-15 minutes to achieve a golden, bubbling finish. Cooking times may vary slightly depending on your oven and the type of pasta used—fresh sheets cook faster than dried. Check the centre to ensure it’s hot and bubbly before serving.

To make lasagne, prepare three essential components: the sauce, the pasta, and the béchamel. For a classic beef lasagne, cook a rich meat sauce with onions, garlic, tomato, and herbs. For a vegan lasagne, swap meat for lentils or mushrooms and add plant-based cheese. Layer the sauce with lasagne pasta sheets and béchamel in a baking dish. Bake until bubbling and golden on top. Delicious.

Is Lasagne the Same as Bolognese?

While lasagne and bolognese share similarities, they’re not the same. Bolognese is a hearty Italian meat sauce, often served with pasta like spaghetti. Lasagne, on the other hand, layers bolognese sauce with pasta sheets and béchamel, then bakes it in the oven.

Layering is the key to a perfect lasagne recipe. Start with a thin layer of meat or vegetable sauce at the bottom of your dish to prevent sticking. Add a sheet of lasagne pasta, followed by a generous layer of sauce, then a creamy béchamel or vegan white sauce. Repeat the process, finishing with a top layer of béchamel and a sprinkle of cheese or a vegan alternative. Aim for at least three layers for that classic lasagne experience.

How Long Does Lasagne Take to Cook?

Lasagne typically takes 45 minutes to 1 hour to cook in the oven at 180°C (350°F). Cover it with foil for the first 30-40 minutes to prevent the top from burning, then uncover for the final 10-15 minutes to achieve a golden, bubbling finish. Cooking times may vary slightly depending on your oven and the type of pasta used—fresh sheets cook faster than dried. Check the centre to ensure it’s hot and bubbly before serving.

To make lasagne, prepare three essential components: the sauce, the pasta, and the béchamel. For a classic beef lasagne, cook a rich meat sauce with onions, garlic, tomato, and herbs. For a vegan lasagne, swap meat for lentils or mushrooms and add plant-based cheese. Layer the sauce with lasagne pasta sheets and béchamel in a baking dish. Bake until bubbling and golden on top. Delicious.

Is Lasagne the Same as Bolognese?

While lasagne and bolognese share similarities, they’re not the same. Bolognese is a hearty Italian meat sauce, often served with pasta like spaghetti. Lasagne, on the other hand, layers bolognese sauce with pasta sheets and béchamel, then bakes it in the oven.

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The Ultimate Lasagne Recipe

4.5

Notes

4 hr cook

We've made the best lasagne recipe. The secret ingredient? Milk. It tenderises the meat, to leave you with the most tender ragù. Use a deep dish and find out how to layer a lasagne.

Ben Lippett

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Serves

For The Ragù:

Beef Mince

White Onion

Carrot

Celery

Rosemary

Garlic Clove

Thyme

Bay Leaf

Red Wine

Chicken Stock

Tinned Plum Tomato

Milk

Olive Oil

Salt

Black Pepper

For The Béchamel:

Butter

Plain Flour

Milk

Ground Nutmeg

Parmesan

Salt

Black Pepper

To Assemble:

Fresh Lasagne Sheet

Low-Moisture Mozzarella Cheese

Parsley

Parmesan

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Serves

For The Ragù:

Beef Mince

White Onion

Carrot

Celery

Rosemary

Garlic Clove

Thyme

Bay Leaf

Red Wine

Chicken Stock

Tinned Plum Tomato

Milk

Olive Oil

Salt

Black Pepper

For The Béchamel:

Butter

Plain Flour

Milk

Ground Nutmeg

Parmesan

Salt

Black Pepper

To Assemble:

Fresh Lasagne Sheet

Low-Moisture Mozzarella Cheese

Parsley

Parmesan

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Heat the oven to 150°C.

Heat a large oven proof pot or casserole over a high heat until smoking hot, then add a glug of olive oil and crumble in the beef mince. Working in batches if necessary, brown the mince until it’s very crispy. The more colour the better, so take your time and make it count!

While the beef is browning, tip the onions, carrots and celery into a food processor and whizz into a finely chopped paste. Grate in your garlic. Tie the herbs together into a little bundle and set aside.

Once the beef is browned off, fish it out of the pan and tip in your veggie mix. Season with salt and cook for 13-15 mins over a medium heat. It should reduce in volume and pick up a little colour. Now add the beef back to the pan and add the wine. Scrape all the flavour off of the bottom of the pan and reduce the wine by half.

Drop in the bundle of herbs and pour in the chicken stock, tinned tomatoes, and milk. Bring to a boil, pop the lid on, and slide into the oven for 2 ½ to 3 hours.

Meanwhile, make the béchamel. Over a medium heat, melt the butter in a small saucepan and tip in the flour. Whisk together and cook for 1-2 mins until it starts to smell biscuity. Now gradually whisk in the milk, making sure you incorporate it fully between each addition. Once all the milk has been added, bring to a boil and season with salt, pepper and nutmeg. Remove from the heat and whisk in the grated Parmesan. Cover and set aside.

Pull the ragù out of the oven and season to taste with salt and pepper. It should have reduced significantly and be a deep brown colour. Set aside.

Bring a pot of salted water to a boil and blanch the lasagne sheets for 1 minute before shocking in ice water. Coarsely grate the mozzarella, finely chop the parsley and finely grate the Parmesan.

Increase the heat of the oven to 200°C. Grab a lasagne dish and start to layer up. Start with a thin layer of ragu, then pasta, then bechamel topped with grated mozzarella, parsley and Parmesan, then pasta, then ragù. Repeat until all of the ingredients have been used.

Finish the top layer with bechamel, mozz and parm and slide into the oven for 35-40 mins. It should come out bubbling, with crispy edges and a beautiful, burnished top. Allow to rest for 15 mins (at least!) before slicing and serving.

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Notes

(5)

Annika R.

a year ago

(edited)

I made a double portion of this for my sister and her boyfriend to keep in the freezer after having a baby.. they ate it all in record time lol. Apparently the best lasagna they have ever tasted... restaurant or not. I got to taste it too and agree fully! Also freezes well!

Emma J.

a year ago

This works so well cooking the meat sauce in the slow cooke. 6 hours on low 👌🏻 This is the best lasagna I have made, I put an about 300g of blitzed up mushrooms in with my veg instead of the celery.

Amanda V.

a year ago

Too much energy in the oven 3hrs???

Luuk V.

a year ago

Made this once and it’s a banger! Really worth all the work, it’s also very satisfying after. I combine the ragu and bechamel to get a perfectly even distrubution.

Mel H.

a year ago

(edited)

I've always made a tomato heavy version of ragu based on the Dairy cookbook from the 1960s, so I have always been dubious about sofrito, even though it's the actual way you make it. I tried this recipe for the 1st time a couple of weeks back.... I'm a compete convert, It tasted restaurant quality, I never expected to be able to achieve the depth of flavour and rich texture I did. It is worth the effort and if you make a massive dish, it freezes exceptionally for batch cooking and weeknight dinners. Bravo Mob! 👏👏👏

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