Classic Lasagna Bolognese with Bechamel Sauce
This post may contain affiliate links. Please read our disclosure policy.
This classic Italian lasagna layers tender pasta with slow-cooked Bolognese, creamy béchamel, and freshly grated Parmigiano-Reggiano. Classic Lasagna Bolognese with Bechamel Sauce is a traditional Italian lasagna that uses béchamel instead of the ricotta filling found in many Italian-American versions.
See this post for What to Serve with Lasagna (Best Side Dishes).
Quick Look: Classic Lasagna Bolognese with Bechamel Sauce
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Cook Time: 30 minutes
- Total Time: 50 minutes
- Servings: 6-8
- Method: Layered and baked
- Technique: Layer pasta with Bolognese, béchamel, and Parmigiano
- Flavor/Texture: Rich, savory, creamy, tender
A Lasagna I Grew Up With
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,
Table of Contents
Simple Ingredients
This classic lasagna is built around three main components: Bolognese ragu, béchamel sauce, and pasta, layered with Parmigiano.
- Lasagna Noodles: Use your favorite lasagna noodles, or make your own Homemade Pasta Recipe.
- Meat Sauce: Use Classic Italian Ragu Meat Sauce or Bolognese. Beef Short Rib Ragu also works.
- Béchamel Sauce: Make Bechamel Sauce with butter, flour, whole milk, Parmigiano-Reggiano, nutmeg, salt, and optional black pepper.
- Parmigiano: Freshly grate the cheese for layering and finishing the lasagna.
See recipe card for full information on ingredients and quantities.
Variations & Substitutions
- Pasta Variation: Use oven-ready or boiled dried lasagna sheets.
- Meat Variation: Use all beef or a mix of ground beef and ground pork. You will love my white chicken lasagna with spinach.
- Dietary Variations: Use dairy-free milk and butter in the béchamel (texture may vary) for a lactose-free meal. You can also use gluten-free lasagna sheets and swap all-purpose flour in the béchamel for a 1:1 gluten-free flour.
- Add Vegetables: Sautéed mushrooms and spinach pair beautifully with the ragù. Try my spinach and garlic pasta.
How To Make Lasagna Bolognese
The lasagna comes together in three parts: prepare the Bolognese, make the béchamel, then layer the pasta with both sauces and Parmigiano before baking.
- 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. Cook the pasta until al dente (a little undercooked). 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! 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.
- While cooking the lasagna noodles, prepare the tomato sauce or ragu meat sauce and the bechamel sauce. Start building your lasagna by adding a little bit of 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.
- 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).
- Add another layer of lasagna noodles.
- 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!
- Slice and serve.
Authentic Italian Lasagna FAQs
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.
Store leftover lasagna in an airtight container or tightly covered baking dish in the refrigerator for up to 4 days. Reheat individual portions in the microwave, or cover the lasagna with foil and warm it in a 350°F oven until heated through. Lasagna freezes well before or after baking. If already cooked, let the baked lasagna cool completely, then wrap it tightly and freeze for up to 3 months. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator before reheating.
Serving Suggestions
This homemade lasagna recipe is filling and delicious! For sides, I recommend a few light dishes. Start with a fennel and orange salad, and serve with sautéed green beans and ciabatta bread. Finish with authentic tiramisu.
My Pro Tips
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.
💙 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
- 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
- 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
- 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.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Second review – Prepped this last night for dinner tonight but this time I used store bought fresh noodles. MUCH better than no boil noodles! It was delicious 😁. I baked according to the package directions. Next time I may double the ragu and bechemel to make more layers. Everyone enjoyed it! Thanks again, Elena 💕
Yay! SO happy you continue to love this family favorite recipe. Yes, the more sauce the better :).
Hi!
Can I assemble the whole lasagna, put it in the fridge without baking it, for a day or two?
Yes! You can do this and then bake when ready!
Excellent! The family enjoyed this…..very much! I used no boil noodles but didn’t like the texture so next time I’ll boil the noodles. I also used ground veal and beef and really enjoyed the taste. Easy to follow recipe too. Thanks, Elena, for sharing your family recipe 💕
Yay! SO happy you loved this treasured family recipe! I have a few other lasagna variations you may also enjoy!
This recipe was great and our whole family loved it!
Yay! It is a classic that our whole family adores, I am happy you all loved it, too!
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.