Description
This fuss-free lasagne recipe offers a deliciously rich and satisfying meal combining a savory beef and tomato sauce with a creamy white béchamel sauce, layered between no-cook lasagne sheets and topped with melted mozzarella and Parmesan cheese. Easy to prepare and perfect for making ahead or freezing, this classic Italian comfort food is ideal for family dinners or special occasions.
Ingredients
Scale
Cheese
- 250g mozzarella, drained and grated
- 85g block Parmesan, grated
Lasagne
- 18–20 no cook lasagne sheets
Meat Sauce
- 3 tbsp olive oil
- 4 onions, finely chopped
- 8 garlic cloves, crushed
- 1 tbsp dried mixed herbs
- 2 bay leaves
- 1kg minced beef
- 4 x 400g cans chopped tomatoes
- 4 tbsp ketchup
- small glass red wine (optional)
White Sauce (Béchamel)
- 200g butter
- 140g flour
- 1.7l milk
- few gratings nutmeg
- salt and pepper to season
Instructions
- Prepare the Meat Sauce: Heat the olive oil in a large saucepan over medium heat. Gently cook the finely chopped onions for about 10 minutes until golden. Add the crushed garlic, dried mixed herbs, and bay leaves, cooking for 2 more minutes. In a separate large frying pan, brown a quarter of the minced beef, then add it to the onion mixture. Continue frying the beef in batches until all is browned and combined with the onions. Add the chopped tomatoes and ketchup to the pan. Rinse the tomato cans with a small amount of red wine or water and add that to the pan as well. Season with salt and pepper, bring to a simmer, and cook gently for 30 minutes until the sauce thickens. Set aside.
- Make the White Sauce (Béchamel): Combine the butter, flour, and milk in a saucepan. Season with salt, pepper, and a few gratings of nutmeg. Bring the mixture to a simmer while whisking continuously to avoid lumps. If lumps form, keep whisking until the sauce comes together smoothly. Simmer for about 5 minutes until thickened, then remove from heat. If not using immediately, cover with cling film to prevent a skin from forming.
- Assemble the Lasagne: Divide all ingredients so you can make two lasagnes. In an ovenproof baking dish, spread a thin layer of the meat sauce. Drizzle some white sauce over, then scatter a little grated mozzarella. Cover with a layer of the no-cook lasagne sheets. Repeat layering with more meat sauce, white sauce, mozzarella, and lasagne sheets. Repeat this layering one more time. On the final layer of lasagne sheets, cover entirely with white sauce and sprinkle a generous amount of grated Parmesan on top.
- Chill or Freeze: The assembled lasagne can be refrigerated for up to one day before cooking or tightly wrapped and frozen for up to three months. For freezing, cover tightly with cling film and freeze flat with no weight on top.
- Cook the Lasagne: Preheat the oven to 200°C (180°C fan) or gas mark 6. If cooking from frozen, remove cling film, cover with foil, and bake at 160°C (140°C fan) gas mark 3 for 2 hours. Remove foil, increase the temperature to 200°C (180°C fan), and cook for an additional 40 minutes until the top is golden brown and crisp around the edges. If cooking fresh, bake uncovered for 35-40 minutes until browned and bubbling.
- Rest and Serve: Allow the lasagne to settle for 10 minutes before cutting into squares. Serve with a green salad and garlic bread if desired.
Notes
- You can freeze just the meat sauce in bags for versatile use in dishes like Spaghetti Bolognese or Shepherd’s pie.
- For freezing whole lasagne, make sure to cover tightly with cling film and freeze flat. Thaw in the fridge for a day before cooking or cook from frozen as described.
- To add more vegetables, fry in with the onions: finely chopped carrot, celery, courgette, leek, sliced mushrooms, or chopped peppers.
- Wilt fresh spinach, squeeze out water, chop finely, and scatter through the lasagne layers for added nutrition.
- Add cherry tomatoes throughout the layers for extra flavor and texture.
- If you don’t have red wine, rinse tomato cans with a little water instead.
- Prep Time: 30 mins
- Cook Time: 1 hr 15 mins
- Category: Main Course
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: Italian
Keywords: lasagne, easy lasagne recipe, beef lasagne, no cook lasagne sheets, Italian lasagne, classic lasagne, homemade lasagne, oven-baked lasagne
