Classic lasagne
Prep time: 45 minsTotal time: 
Classic lasagne
It’s hard to beat a classic lasagne, especially this indulgent one packed with cheese and béchamel. This recipe uses both beef and pork mince in the ragù for a more complex flavour
Prep time: 45 minsTotal time: 
Spencer Lengsfield
Our Senior Food Producer Spencer was born in Los Angeles, so has an inherent love for all things Mexican, Japanese, and Korean but is also heavily influenced by her family’s Louisiana heritage. She loves spice, bright flavours, and fusion food, and she has a soft spot for a chocolate chip cookie.
Spencer Lengsfield
Our Senior Food Producer Spencer was born in Los Angeles, so has an inherent love for all things Mexican, Japanese, and Korean but is also heavily influenced by her family’s Louisiana heritage. She loves spice, bright flavours, and fusion food, and she has a soft spot for a chocolate chip cookie.
Ingredients
For the ragù
- 350g 20% fat beef mince
- 350g 10% fat pork mince
- 25g unsalted butter
- 1 onion, diced
- 1 large carrot, finely diced or grated
- 2 sticks celery, finely diced
- 4 garlic cloves, crushed
- 2 tbsp tomato purée
- 2 x 400g tins chopped tomatoes
- 500ml good-quality beef stock
- 1 tbsp balsamic vinegar
- 1 tbsp Worcestershire sauce
- 1 tsp granulated sugar
- 1 bay leaf
For the béchamel
- 50g unsalted butter
- 50g plain flour
- 500ml semi-skimmed milk
- pinch freshly grated nutmeg
To assemble
- 300g fresh egg lasagne sheets
- 350g low-moisture mozzarella (we used Galbani Cucina Mozzarella), grated
- 30g parmigiano reggiano, finely grated
Step by step
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Set a large sauté pan or casserole over a medium heat and add the beef mince. Break up with a wooden spoon or spatula, then cook until the liquid has cooked off and the fat has rendered – it should be golden brown and crispy with some browning on the base of the pan. Season and remove onto a plate with a slotted spoon. Repeat with the pork mince, setting aside once cooked. Reduce the heat and melt the butter, then add the onion, carrot, celery and garlic. Season well and cook for about 5 minutes until soft and fragrant. Add the tomato purée and cook for 1-2 minutes until a slightly deeper red in colour. Return the meat to the pan, mix well, then add the chopped tomatoes, stock, balsamic vinegar, sugar and bay leaf. Season, stir to combine, then bring to the boil and cover with a slightly ajar lid. Reduce the heat to low and leave to cook for at least 1 hour, stirring occasionally.
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Meanwhile, preheat the oven to 200°C, fan 180°C, gas 6 and make the béchamel sauce. Put the butter in a pan over a medium heat. Once melted, add the flour and whisk together for 2 minutes. Reduce the heat to low and gradually whisk in the milk. Cook, stirring continuously, over a medium heat until the sauce has thickened. Season with salt, black pepper and nutmeg. Remove from the heat.
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To assemble the lasagne, spread a thin layer of ragù across the base of a large oven dish. Top with a few lasagne sheets, followed by a more generous layer of ragù. Top with a layer of béchamel, then sprinkle over some of the grated mozzarella. Repeat until you’ve run out of ingredients, finishing with a final layer of béchamel and mozzarella – it should make at least three layers depending on the size of your dish. Sprinkle the parmesan on top. Bake for 45 minutes, covering with foil if it browns too quickly, or until the top is golden and bubbly. Leave to stand for 10 minutes before serving.
Is it spelled lasagne or lasagna?
In Italian, lasagna refers to a single sheet of pasta with lasagne being the plural version. In British English, lasagne is the preferred spelling while lasagna is standard in American English.
What are common lasagne mistakes?
Lasagne is pretty forgiving, but there are a few top tips. When layering your lasagne, use the ragù sauce to coat the lasagne sheets rather than drown them, and always use a thin layer of the ragù on the base of the dish – this ensures your lasagne sheets don’t stick and burn on the base of the dish. It’s also essential to rest your lasagne for a good 10 minutes before slicing so the layers hold their shape.
How many layers should lasagne have?
There is no absolute answer here – the best way to layer lasagne is to try and evenly distribute your ingredients and simply layer them until they are used up, but at least three layers will give you a nicely proportioned lasagne.
In what order do I assemble lasagne?
Begin with a thin layer of ragù on the base of the dish, top this with lasagne sheets followed by a more generous layer of ragù. Top this with béchamel and some grated cheese, then repeat the process!
What is the best sauce for lasagne?
A classic lasagne involves both a meaty ragù sauce and a creamy béchamel sauce.
How to make perfect lasagne?
This classic recipe will see you to success! If you’d like to branch out, take a look at our brilliant lasagne recipe collection for more inspiration.
