This homemade lasagna with béchamel sauce and bolognese is an easy, cheesy, comfort food everyone will enjoy! Make this classic lasagna for Sunday dinner. No ricotta cheese is needed.
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I made this over the weekend. It was the best lasagna I’ve ever had and certainly ever made. We all loved it…and the house smelled heavenly. - Tina
In the U.S. lasagna is usually made with ricotta cheese, but this delicious recipe uses a rich bechamel sauce instead. Adding béchamel to lasagna bolognese makes an ultra-creamy and saucy lasagna! Try pasta al forno next if you love béchamel sauces.
What is béchamel sauce?
Béchamel sauce is a building block of French cuisine. It is a creamy white sauce made from a roux of butter and flour, with milk, salt and nutmeg. The sauce is thick and creamy and can be used as a base for other sauces, and in dishes such as mac and cheese and lasagna.
For this lasagna recipe, the béchamel is layered with bolognese to make the best lasagna recipe ever! You can also use béchamel sauce to make a white lasagna vegetarian lasagna or my pesto chicken lasagna.
Ingredients
- Ground meat. Use ground turkey for a lighter bolognese sauce and ground beef or pork for a richer flavor. Sweet or hot Italian sausage will add a delicious kick to this lasagna.
- Red wine. Use a dry red wine, like Cabernet Sauvignon or Pinot Noir. Wine adds richness and robustness to the sauce.
- Crushed tomatoes. Using crushed tomatoes instead of diced tomatoes gives the tomato sauce a better texture. I like using San Marzano tomatoes when possible. Add a tablespoon of tomato paste for more flavor and depth.
- Milk. A classic béchamel sauce recipe uses whole milk. You can use less-fat milk but the sauce may not be as thick.
- Nutmeg. A pinch of nutmeg adds a warm, nutty flavor to the creamy bechamel sauce. Leave it out if you prefer.
- Mozzarella cheese. Use a low-moisture mozzarella, as fresh mozzarella can cause the final dish to be watery.
See the recipe card below for quantities and remaining ingredients.
Instructions
This traditional lasagna recipe can be broken down into 3 parts: make the bolognese, make the béchamel, and assemble.
Step 1: Heat olive oil & butter in a large pot or Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Add the onion, carrots & celery and sauté for about 5 minutes.
Step 2: Add the salt & garlic and cook for 1-2 more minutes. Add the meat and cook for 10 minutes, until browned.
Step 3: Pour in the wine, deglaze the bottom of the pot & allow to simmer for 4-5 minutes. Add the tomatoes, salt, pepper, thyme & basil and stir to combine everything. Cover and simmer on medium-low heat for 45 minutes.
Step 4: Make the béchamel by melting butter in a saucepan over medium heat. Whisk the flour in until it turns a light golden brown. Slowly pour in the milk while whisking. Bring to a simmer and whisk regularly for about 10 minutes. Turn off the heat, season with salt, pepper, and nutmeg & then stir in parmesan cheese.
Step 5: Spoon a thin layer of bolognese on the bottom of the baking dish. Add a layer of lasagna noodles.
Step 6: Spread another layer of the bolognese over the layer of pasta.
Step 7: Next, add a layer of béchamel. Sprinkle about 2 tablespoons of parmesan cheese on top. Repeat the layers two to three more times until you run out of noodles, adding ingredients in even layers. Be sure to leave enough bechamel for the top layer.
Step 8: Add the remaining béchamel, parmesan cheese, and mozzarella cheese to the top. Bake until the top layer of cheese is golden and bubbling. Let rest for about 30 minutes and enjoy!
⏲️Make Ahead of Time
You can prepare lasagna ahead of time and store it in the fridge or freezer depending on how long you want to store it. Lasagna freezes very well. It can be frozen cooked or uncooked for 2-3 months.
To freeze cooked lasagna: let it cool completely, cover and store it whole or in individual pieces.
To freeze the lasagna uncooked: leave the lasagna noodles raw (do not boil) as they will soak up the liquid from the sauces in the freezer. Defrost uncooked lasagna in the fridge overnight or on the counter for up to four hours before baking. Then bake as instructed in the recipe card.
Sarah's Top Tips
- Using no-boil lasagna noodles saves you time and dishes!
- If you skip the red wine, substitute for 2 tablespoons of balsamic vinegar to add extra depth of flavor.
- If you use fattier meat, like pork or beef, you may want to drain the grease before adding the rest of the ingredients.
- Use whole milk to get the authentic creaminess of the bechamel sauce.
- For best results, let the lasagna rest 20-30 minutes before cutting and serving so it doesn't fall apart!
Storage and Reheating
- Let lasagna cool completely before storing. If you have leftovers, they can be stored in the fridge in an airtight container for about 4 days.
- You can also freeze leftover lasagna as a whole or as individual pieces for up to 3 months. Thaw in the fridge overnight before reheating.
- Reheat each slice in the microwave for 1-2 minutes or in the oven at 350 degrees F for about 20 minutes until warm.
Serving
Top the lasagna with extra basil leaves and grated parmesan cheese before serving. Make Italian tomato sauce to serve on the side if desired. Try serving this lasagna with Caesar Salad or Chopped Greek Salad.
More Delicious Pasta Recipes
- Authentic Italian Pasta Sauce (from my Nonna's Kitchen)1 Hours 10 Minutes
- Lemon Ricotta Pasta with Arugula (20-Minute Recipe)20 Minutes
- Simple Creamy Tomato and Spinach Pasta20 Minutes
- Easy No-Boil Pasta Bake (5 minute prep time!)45 Minutes
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Homemade Lasagna with Béchamel Sauce
KITCHEN TOOLS NEEDED
- Large pot or Dutch oven
- Saucepan
- Baking dish or casserole dish
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Ingredients
Bolognese
- 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
- 1 tablespoon butter
- 1 yellow onion, diced
- 2 carrots, diced
- 2 celery stalks, diced
- 3-4 garlic cloves, minced
- 2 teaspoons salt
- 1 pound ground turkey, ground beef or ground pork
- ½ cup dry red wine, optional
- 1 (28 ounce) can crushed tomatoes
- 2 teaspoons dried or 2 tablespoons fresh basil
- 1 teaspoon dried or 2 teaspoons fresh thyme
- salt and black pepper, to taste
Béchamel Sauce
- 4 tablespoons butter
- 4 tablespoons all-purpose flour
- 3 cups milk of choice
- salt and black pepper, to taste
- ¼ cup parmesan cheese
- ½ teaspoon nutmeg
Lasagna
- 9-12 Lasagna noodles, prepared according to package directions
- ½ cup parmesan cheese
- ½ cup mozzarella cheese
Instructions
Bolognese
- Heat olive oil & butter in a large pot over medium-high heat. Sauté onion, carrots, and celery for 5 minutes until onion is translucent.
- Next, add 2 teaspoons of salt & garlic and cook for 1-2 more minutes. Brown the meat of choice for 10 minutes, stirring occasionally.
- Pour in red wine (optional), deglaze the bottom of the pot & cook for 5 minutes. Add crushed tomatoes, salt, pepper, thyme & basil and stir to combine.
- Bring to a boil then simmer covered for 45 minutes.
Béchamel Sauce
- Melt butter in a small saucepan over medium heat. Whisk in flour and cook for 2-3 minutes until lightly golden. Slowly pour in the milk while whisking.
- Simmer and whisk regularly until it thickens, about 10 minutes.
- Turn off heat, add salt, pepper, nutmeg and stir in parmesan.
Lasagna
- Preheat oven to 375° F. Spread a thin layer (about ¼-1/3 cup) of bolognese on the bottom of a 13x9-inch baking pan.
- Add layer of lasagna noodles. Top with bolognese, then a layer of béchamel and a sprinkle of parmesan.
- Repeat 2-3 more times until you run out of noodles. Cover the top layer of noodles with the remaining béchamel, parmesan and the mozzarella cheese.
- Bake uncovered for 45 minutes until golden and cheese is bubbling. Rest for at least 30 minutes and enjoy!
Sarah's Tips
- Using no-boil lasagna noodles saves you time and dishes!
- If you skip the red wine, substitute for 2 tablespoons of balsamic vinegar to add extra depth of flavor.
- If you use fattier meat, like pork or beef, you may want to drain the grease before adding the rest of the ingredients.
- Use whole milk to get the authentic creaminess of the bechamel sauce.
- For best results, let the lasagna rest 20-30 minutes before cutting and serving so it doesn't fall apart!
- Let lasagna cool completely before storing. If you have leftovers, they can be stored in the fridge in an airtight container for about 4 days.
- You can also freeze leftover lasagna as a whole or as individual pieces for up to 3 months. Thaw in the fridge overnight before reheating.
- Reheat each slice in the microwave for 1-2 minutes or in the oven at 350 degrees F for about 20 minutes until warm.
Macy petersen says
made lasagna way back in my early 20's. I remember I had to make the white sauce for it. thank you. I have been searching for that similar recipe for a long time. I was not going to make another till I found one! there is something about the white sauce just makes it so much better.
Trish says
This lasagna was a hit! I whipped it up on Monday and devoured it for dinner the next night. It was my first attempt at béchamel sauce, but Sarah’s recipe made it a cinch. I can’t wait to make this again!