Classic Lasagna Bolognese with Bechamel Sauce
Updated May 21, 2025, Published Feb 08, 2022
This post may contain affiliate links. Please read our disclosure policy.
If you’re looking for the best classic Lasagna Bolognese Recipe straight from Italy, this is the recipe for you. It is loaded with perfectly cooked lasagna pasta, homemade Bolognese and béchamel sauce, mozzarella, and Parmigiano-Reggiano cheeses for an unforgettable classic Italian lasagna recipe!
See this post for What to Serve with Lasagna (50 Best Side Dishes).
Why you’ll love this family favorite!
This lasagna recipe is my Nonna Laura’s. I grew up eating it at large tables filled with family, love, and loud laughter. I hope you love it as much as I do! Honestly, it is the BEST lasagna recipe!
Traditional lasagna Bolognese typically features only fresh egg pasta, Bolognese ragù (a slow-cooked simmer meat sauce), creamy béchamel (a white sauce), and an abundance of grated Parmigiano cheese. The result is a melt-in-your-mouth, creamy, decadent, and satisfying lasagna that differs from traditional Italian-style lasagna recipes.
When you make this lasagna with bechamel, you will feel like you are dining at an Italian trattoria on the streets of Italy. This recipe brings me back to my home in Italy! My Italian family has made this classic Italian lasagna recipe (lasagne al forno) for generations. I know you will love it too! I wrote a story about my love for lasagna here: Sunday Story: Lasagna Love.
Made With AmorE,
Serve with pear gorgonzola salad and Tuscan broccoli.
Recipe Ingredients
Lasagna
- 1 Recipe for ragu meat sauce or bolognese sauce. Beef short rib ragu also works.
- Lasagna pasta noodles (or make your own favorite Homemade Pasta Recipe)
- Freshly grated parmigiano cheese
- Butter unsalted
- All-purpose flour all-purpose
- Whole Milk
- Parmigiano Reggiano cheese or parmesan cheese
- Nutmeg
- Sea Salt or Kosher salt and optional black pepper
The exact measurements are on the recipe card.
Substitutions and Variations
- No fresh pasta? Use oven-ready or boiled dried lasagna sheets.
- No ground veal? Use all beef or a mix of ground beef and ground pork. You will love my white chicken lasagna with spinach.
- Out of nutmeg? Use a pinch of white pepper in the béchamel.
- Lactose-free? Use dairy-free milk and butter in the béchamel (texture may vary).
- Add mushrooms – Sautéed mushrooms pair beautifully with the ragù.
- Add spinach – Layer in lightly sautéed spinach with the béchamel for a veggie boost. Try my spinach and garlic pasta.
- Make it gluten-free – Use gluten-free lasagna sheets and swap all-purpose flour in the béchamel for a 1:1 gluten-free flour.
- Make it from fresh summer produce – Use our homemade marinara sauce with fresh tomatoes.
How To Make Lasagna Bolognese
How to Cook and Prevent Lasagna Noodles from Sticking Together:
1 – Make sure the salted water is at a roaring boil before adding the lasagna noodles. This will ensure the pasta cooks evenly and has plenty of room to swim so it doesn’t stick.
2—Cook the pasta until al dente (a little undercooked—see photo). If the pasta is overcooked, it is more likely to stick together and get mushy. Don’t touch it while it boils! No, not even stirring occasionally. This could break the pasta!
3 – Make sure to put the lasagna noodles on a clean tea towel and cover them while you are waiting to layer them in the lasagna pan or baking dish.
How to Layer Lasagna in a Pan
1- Start by adding a little tomato sauce or ragu meat sauce to the bottom of the pan to prevent the pasta from sticking. (This will also make some delicious browned bits at the bottom of the lasagna!)
2- Add the first layer of pasta (lasagna noodles). Depending on the exact shape of the pan you may need to cut the ends to fit the pan.
3. Add 1/3 of the prepared bechamel sauce over the layer of pasta.
4. Add 1/3 of the bolognese meat sauce over the layers of pasta and bechamel sauce.
5. Add 1/3 of the Parmigiano cheese. Optional: add a little bit of mozzarella cheese as seen in the photo above.
Repeat the process until all the layers are complete. Finish the final layer with bechamel sauce and extra parmigiano cheese (and mozzarella, if desired). Bake to perfection!
My Pro Tip
Recipe Tips
- Use fresh pasta sheets – Thin, delicate fresh egg pasta (homemade or store-bought) is traditional and gives a melt-in-your-mouth texture.
- Make the sauces ahead – Both the ragù alla Bolognese and béchamel taste better when made in advance. This also makes assembly stress-free.
- Layer thoughtfully – Don’t overload each layer. Keep a balance of pasta, béchamel, and ragù so the lasagna isn’t heavy or soggy.
- Grate real Parmigiano – Adds umami, saltiness, and structure to each layer. Always use freshly grated Parmigiano Reggiano.
- Let it rest – After baking, rest the lasagna 10–15 minutes. This helps it set for cleaner slices and better flavor.
- Bake until golden and bubbling – Look for that irresistible golden crust on top—it’s a sign that all the flavors have come together.
- Skip ricotta – Traditional Northern Italian lasagna doesn’t use ricotta. Try this one: spinach and ricotta lasagna or Mediterranean lasagna (packed with fresh vegetables).
FAQ’s
Classic American-style lasagna uses layers of ricotta, mozzarella, and meat sauce. Authentic Lasagna Bolognese, on the other hand, swaps the ricotta for a silky béchamel and features thin layers of pasta, hearty ragù, and grated Parmigiano.
The result? A lighter, more balanced dish that lets the slow-cooked flavors of the ragù shine.
Lasagna Bolognese hails from Bologna, while the ricotta-based version is more common in Southern Italy—especially Naples. Both are beloved, but this traditional Northern style is a true taste of Italian comfort.
Ragù is a rich, slow-cooked Italian meat sauce made with ground beef (sometimes pork or veal), onions, carrots, celery, tomato, and a splash of wine. It’s deeply flavorful and the heart of a true Lasagna Bolognese—simple, rustic, and made with love- you’ll love my nonna’s recipe we use for this lasagna.
Béchamel sauce (besciamella in Italian) is of French origin and has long been part of Italian culinary tradition. It is a smooth, creamy white sauce made with just 3 ingredients: flour, hot milk, and butter. If you want to make it the true Italian way, add a nutmeg pinch.
Know your béchamel is done: when it is thick enough, it will “coat the back of a wooden spoon,” which means dip your spoon into the béchamel and then draw a finger through the coated spoon. The sauce shouldn’t run together, and you should see a clean line. The sauce will wipe clean, leaving an open space.
This is optional! If you want to go all out, try making your own fresh pasta sheets for the pasta layers: Best Homemade Pappardelle Recipe (Italian Egg Pasta). After making the pasta sheets, please do not cut them into strands; leave them whole to fit into your lasagna pan.
Can You Make Lasagna Ahead of Time?
YES!! You can make it ahead of time. You can make it a few hours earlier, for example, early in the morning to bake them for lunch, or even the evening before. In this case, wrap it in plastic wrap and put it in the refrigerator.
When you’re ready to cook, leave the dish at room temperature for 30 minutes; in the meantime, preheat the oven.
Storage Instructions
You can freeze lasagna bolognese uncooked and cooked, whole or in pieces. In both cases, following these tips will yield great results.
Freezing Uncooked Lasagna:
Assemble your lasagna in an oven-safe dish and cover it generously with plastic wrap.
When ready to eat, defrost the lasagna the night before so it thaws evenly.
If pressed for time, you can pull the lasagna straight from the freezer and add about 30 minutes to the cooking time. Cover your lasagna until the last 10 to 15 minutes so you don’t overcook the top.
Freezing Cooked Lasagna:
If you have any leftover cooked lasagna, you can freeze it in portions by wrapping individual slices in plastic wrap and storing them in an airtight container. Make sure to let the lasagna cool before freezing.
When you want to reheat it, defrost it a few hours ahead and then reheat it in the oven at 400 degrees F for about 10 minutes.
TIP: When reheating lasagna in the oven, cover the surface with aluminum foil to prevent the top from cooking even more.
What to serve with this recipe
This homemade lasagna recipe is filling and delicious! For sides, I recommend a few light dishes. Start with a Fennel and orange salad, and sautéed green beans recipe, and serve with a side of No-Knead Ciabatta Bread. Try my authentic fettuccine Alfredo next time.
Don’t forget dessert! Classic Italian Tiramisu Recipe (Authentic) or Best Lemon Bars with Shortbread Crust!
More Classic Italian Recipes For YOU
- homemade ravioli
- Best Italian-Style Chili Recipe
- Creamy Sausage Baked Ziti
- Best Crispy Brussels Sprouts Recipe
- Polenta and Mushrooms (with sage and butter)
- Perfect Roast Chicken with Citrus and Fennel
- SIMPLE Mashed Potatoes (dairy-free) and Caramelized Onions
- Creamy Parmigiano Herb and Mushroom Chicken
- Creamy Polenta with Polpette al Sugo (meatballs in tomato sauce)
💙 MADE THIS RECIPE AND LOVED IT? 💙 Please leave a ⭐️STAR rating and COMMENT below- I love connecting with you! Tag me with your creations on Instagram and find me on Pinterest.
Classic Lasagna Bolognese with Bechamel Sauce
Ingredients
- 1 recipe Classic Italian Ragu, Meat Sauce
- 12-16 dried lasagna pasta noodles
- 2 cups freshly grated parmigiano cheese
Bechamel Sauce:
- 3 tbsp butter unsalted
- 3 tbsp all-purpose flour all purpose
- 2 cups milk
- 1 tablespoon parmigiano
- ⅛ teaspoons nutmeg
- ¼ teaspoons salt or to taste
Instructions
- Make the ragu sauce recipe and set aside (can be made days in advance and stored in fridge)
- Make the Bechamel Sauce (can be made days in advance and stored in fridge): In a medium saucepan on low medium heat melt the butter.
- Whisk in the flour until well combined with butter. Keep whisking for about 2 to 3 minutes. Add the rest of ingredients: milk, nutmeg and salt and whisk everything together.
- Cook for another 5 minutes and keep whisking as it gets thicker. Add the parmigiano and stir to combine. You will know it is ready when it sticks to the back of the spoon. Turn off heat and set aside.*
- Preheat oven to 400 degrees F
- Make the Bechamel Sauce (can be made days in advance and stored in fridge): Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Cook the pasta (6 at a time for dried pasta) until they are tender but still underdone (they will finish cooking as the lasagna bakes).
- Set the al dente pasta noodles on a clean tea towels as you are layering the lasagna. Cover with another tea towel so the pasta doesn’t dry out or stick together.
- Grease a 9X13 rectangular baking sheet with the olive oil, add a large dollop of ragu sauce and spread it around the bottom of the pan.
- Put a layer of lasagna pasta (use 4-5 depending on size) in the dish (you may need to cut any excess to make them fit) top with a layer of ragu sauce, one-third of the bechamel sauce, and one-third of the parmigiano cheese (use your fingers to spread it evenly).
- Season with salt and pepper if desired. Repeat this process until layers are complete ending with bechamel and cheese on top.
- Bake until the lasagna is bubbling and the cheese is melted and lightly browned on top, about 30-40 minutes. Remove from the oven and let rest a few minutes before serving, or cool completely, cover well, and refrigerate for up to 3 days, or freeze.
Notes
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
My favorite lasagna. I’d thought that I’d miss having loads of cheese in a lasagna but I don’t miss it at all. Such a perfect mixture of flavors. So good!
Yes! This way is authentic and still rich! You will also love my other lasagna recipes!
Delicious! A little time-consuming, but worth it!
Yes! This one is a labor of LOVE, but SO worth it. Happy you loved it.
Can I use no boil noodles?
Yes, you can! See tips above. Enjoy.
Thank you. I have read through the recipe multiple times and I cannot find anything about no boil noodles.
Great recipe !! My first making it with Bechamel Sauce. Am hook for life, lol. I did use heavy cream instead of milk. What yummy. recipe. My family loved it.
Yay! Happy you loved it Yolanda! It’s a yummy one. You need to try it with my creamy cauliflower casserole recipe!
We made this for the Super Bowl. It turned out incredible! It is definitely an authentic Italian recipe with the bechamel. If you are used to American lasagna with ricotta, you may find this recipe a bit different. I personally love the combination of creamy bechamel, with the veggies and ragù sauce. It’s not for everyone but the flavors take my back to Italy. Thank you Elena for sharing this recipe ❤️🇮🇹
Yes, the combination you talk about makes it a SUPER tasty and classic lasagna recipe. Happy you love it!
I made this for Christmas and it was a hit! Everyone loved it. I made gluten free pasta to go with!
Sounds great. What a treat to serve for Christmas Eve. We make it often during the winter too.