Italian Lasagna Bolognese with Bechamel Sauce
Feb 08, 2022, Updated Jul 20, 2024
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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 cheeses for an unbelievable classic Italian lasagna recipe! This bechamel lasagna will quickly become a favorite at your home!
Also, try Authentic Spinach and Ricotta Lasagna. See this post for What to Serve with Lasagna (50 Best Side Dishes).
Why you’ll love this recipe
Lasagna Bolognese includes only fresh egg pasta, Bolognese ragù (slow-cooked meat sauce), creamy béchamel (white sauce), and plenty of grated Parmigiano cheese. The result is a melt-in-your-mouth, creamy, decadent, and satisfying lasagna distinct from 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 is loved by all and brings me back to my home in Italy!
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!
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.
Recipe Ingredients
Lasagna
- 1 Recipe for ragu meat sauce
- Lasagna pasta noodles (or make your own favorite Homemade Pasta Recipe)
- Freshly grated parmigiano cheese
Bechamel Sauce
- Butter unsalted
- All-purpose flour all-purpose
- Milk
- Parmigiano
- Nutmeg
- Salt
The exact measurements on the recipe card.
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.
How to Layer Lasagna in a Pan
- Start by adding a little tomato sauce or ragu 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!)
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 bechamel sauce over the layer of pasta layer.
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.
6. 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!
FAQs
In short, one uses ricotta, and the other uses bechamel sauce. Instead of thick layers of ricotta and mozzarella cheese, lasagne alla bolognese features delicate layers of pasta noodles coated in a luxurious mix of hearty ragù bolognese (slow-cooked meat sauce) and creamy béchamel (white sauce).
This authentic Italian Lasagna Bolognese recipe is different from the most common version, commonly found in the United States, made with layers of meat sauce, ricotta, and mozzarella cheese. In my opinion, the Italian version is lighter and more wholesome.
Both meat sauce and grated Parmigiano cheese are standard in both recipes. Using a homemade ragu meat sauce makes all the difference for this classic lasagna bolognese recipe.
The difference between classic lasagna and lasagna Bolognese is Classic Lasagna mixes the meat sauce with fresh ricotta while the Bolognese version uses béchamel to bind the filling.
Both recipes come from two famous Italian recipes. Lasagna Bolognese comes from the city of Bologna and Classic Lasagna is said to originate in Naples. There is still some debate as to where exactly lasagna bolognese originates, but those are the most common speculations among most Italians!
Ragu is a meat-based sauce that includes finely chopped vegetables, and ground meat and is simmered with high-quality crushed tomato as a base. See this post for my recommendations on canned tomatoes.
For this recipe, I use my Nonna’s tried and true RAGU RECIPE, which we eat weekly with pasta. A certain magic happens as the ground beef and aromatic vegetables slowly cook down tomato sauce in this classic ragu recipe. Your house will smell amazing with this lasagna baking.
The homemade ragu sauce, stewed with rich tomatoes, adds the Italian flavor you crave when seeking a quality lasagna recipe.
STORING: You can store homemade ragu sauce in an airtight container in the fridge for three days OR freeze it for several months.
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 and leave an open space. The béchamel is done and ready when it sticks to the spoon, as in this photo of the spoon on the pot of bechamel. STORING Bechamel Sauce: You can make and store bechamel for up to 5 days in an airtight container in the fridge
Tips
Use Freshly Grated Parmigiano and Mozzarella to make your Lasagna Bolognese.
Don’t use anything other than the real stuff (and grate it yourself!), or you risk getting a gloppy, goopy mess. You can read my article about Why You Should Grate Your Own Cheese. (You can also save some time if your food processor has a cheese grater attachment!)
Some people use cottage cheese in lasagna- you can do this, but it is not the authentic Italian way to make lasagna.
Make your Own Fresh Pasta Noodles for Lasagna
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 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, but even the evening before.
In this case, wrap it in plastic wrap and put it in the refrigerator.
When you want to cook it, leave it at room temperature for half an hour: in the meantime, preheat the oven.
How to Freeze Lasagna
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 classic lasagna bolognese?
This homemade lasagna recipe is filling and delicious! For sides, I recommend a few light dishes. Start with an Italian fennel, citrus, pomegranate, salad, and sautéed green bean recipe (easy), and serve with a side of Fast Italian No Knead Ciabatta Bread.
Don’t forget dessert! Classic Italian Tiramisu Recipe (Authentic) or Best Lemon Bars with Shortbread Crust!
More Classic Italian Recipes For YOU
How to Make Homemade Ravioli- Italian Recipe
Best Italian-Style Chili Recipe
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.
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Classic Lasagna Bolognese with Bechamel Sauce
Lasagna Bolognese includes only fresh egg pasta, Bolognese ragù (slow-cooked meat sauce), creamy béchamel (white sauce) and plenty of grated Parmigiano cheese. The result is a melt in your mouth, creamy, decadent, and satisfying lasagna that is distinct to Italy. When you make this recipe you will feel like you are dining at an Italian trattoria on the streets of Italy. It is a recipe loved by all and bring me back to my home in Italy. This is the recipe I grew up eating at large tables filled with family, love, and laughter. I hope you love it as much as I do!
- Total Time: 50 minutes
- Yield: 6–8 servings 1x
Ingredients
- 1 Recipe for 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 of parmigiano
- 1/8 tsp nutmeg
- 1/4 tsp 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
*Know your béchamel is done: A properly thickened roux should “coat the back of the spoon,” which means dip your spoon into the béchamel and then draw a finger through the coated spoon. Does the sauce wipe clean, leaving an open space? Then your béchamel is done and ready.
- Prep Time: 20 min
- Cook Time: 30 min
- Category: Savory
- Method: Italian
- Cuisine: Italian
I made this for Christmas dinner and everyone loved it!!
Yes! A yummy classic. We had for NYE!
When and how much mozzarella??? This and the amount is missing from the instructions
Optional: add a little bit of mozzarella cheese in the layers after the parmigiano.
Thank you for sharing this recipe. How far in advance can I make the fully assembled lasagna, stored in the refrigerator prior to baking? Thank you!
Hi! You can make 24 hours ahead of time!
This was so delicious! The Bechamel sauce made it so creamy. Everyone loved it. I’m excited to try more of your recipes. Thanks for sharing.
Hi Jenny! You are most welcome. There are many more to try. Enjoy!
This lasagna was delicious! Everyone loved it. The bechamel sauce was very easy too. This is my new favorite lasagna recipe. I did add some mozzarella cheese to the parmagiano cheese because I love mozzarella cheese.
Yes! This is a true Italian classic. Happy everyone loved it.
The most delicious lasagna. My little kids loved this and my husband said it was his favorite lasagna I have ever made. If I want to use fresh pasta next time, do I need to cook if first?
So happy you loved it! I hope you can make it again and again. Enjoy.
For fresh pasta- if you use my fresh pasta recipe- boil the pasta sheets for about 3 minutes before layering and baking.
Very delicious! This will be the only lasagna recipe I will ever make again from now on! Everyone had thirds. Thank you!!
Hi Ellen! This makes me so happy. I hope you enjoy it for years to come!
This will be the only lasagna recipe I will make from now on. Very delicious!! Everyone had thirds. Thank you!!!
No garlic anywhere in this???
No, you can add it to the ragu if you like. Traditionally, we do not. Feel free to add.
Elena, going to make your recipe for lasagna tonight! Haven’t left comment before for your recipes but I’ve liked all that I tried. Going to Amafi coast in April! Will l ace comment after I make it!
Mike
Hi Mike! Thanks for reaching out. Happy you love all the recipes. I hope to bring you many more!