Beef and Cheese Lasagna
Beef and Cheese Lasagna
Ingredients
For the Beef Ragu
- 4-6 strips bacon, diced
- 1 onion, large, diced
- 2 stalks celery, diced
- 1-2 carrots, diced
- 3-4 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 1/2 lb ground beef
- 3-4 cups marinara or tomato sauce
- 1 sprig fresh basil
- 1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
- to taste salt
- to taste black pepper
For the Béchamel Sauce
- 4 tablespoons butter
- 4 tablespoons flour
- 3 cups milk, warm
- to taste salt
- to taste black pepper
- 1 pinch nutmeg
For Assembly
- 9-12 lasagna sheets, fresh or dry, parboiled if needed
- 2 cups mozzarella, shredded
- 1/2 cup Parmesan, grated
Instructions
- 1
In a large pan or Dutch oven, render the diced bacon until crispy. Remove the crispy bacon and set it aside, leaving the rendered fat in the pan.
⏱️ 10 min
- 2
In the same pan with the bacon fat (add a little olive oil if needed), sauté the diced onion, celery, and carrots until soft, about 6-8 minutes. Add the minced garlic and cook for 1 minute more until fragrant.
⏱️ 9 min
- 3
Add the ground beef to the pan. Season with salt and black pepper. Brown the beef well, breaking it apart with a spoon. Once browned, return the cooked bacon to the pan. Stir in the marinara or tomato sauce, fresh basil sprig, and dried oregano. Bring to a gentle simmer, then cover and cook for 45-60 minutes until the ragu is rich and thick.
⏱️ 65 min
- 4
While the ragu simmers, prepare the béchamel sauce. In a separate saucepan, melt the butter over medium heat. Whisk in the flour and cook for 1-2 minutes to create a roux. Slowly add the warm milk, whisking continuously to prevent lumps, until the sauce is smooth and thickened. Season with salt, black pepper, and a pinch of nutmeg.
⏱️ 10 min
- 5
Preheat your oven to 375°F (190°C). To assemble the lasagna, spread a thin layer of beef ragu at the bottom of a baking dish. Top with a layer of lasagna sheets, then a layer of béchamel sauce, followed by a generous sprinkle of shredded mozzarella and grated Parmesan cheese. Repeat these layers until the baking dish is full, ensuring the final layer is a generous topping of mozzarella and Parmesan cheese.
⏱️ 15 min•🌡️ 375
- 6
Cover the baking dish tightly with aluminum foil and bake for 35-40 minutes.
⏱️ 40 min•🌡️ 375
- 7
Remove the foil and continue baking for another 15-20 minutes, or until the top is golden brown and bubbly.
⏱️ 20 min•🌡️ 375
- 8
Once baked, remove the lasagna from the oven and let it rest for 45-60 minutes before slicing and serving. This allows the layers to set and prevents the lasagna from falling apart.
⏱️ 60 min
Kitchen Tools
Nutrition Facts (per serving)
Beef and Cheese Lasagna
For the Beef Ragu
- 4-6 strips bacon, diced
- 1 onion, large, diced
- 2 stalks celery, diced
- 1-2 carrots, diced
- 3-4 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 1/2 lb ground beef
- 3-4 cups marinara or tomato sauce
- 1 sprig fresh basil
- 1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
- to taste salt
- to taste black pepper
For the Béchamel Sauce
- 4 tablespoons butter
- 4 tablespoons flour
- 3 cups milk, warm
- to taste salt
- to taste black pepper
- 1 pinch nutmeg
For Assembly
- 9-12 lasagna sheets, fresh or dry, parboiled if needed
- 2 cups mozzarella, shredded
- 1/2 cup Parmesan, grated
Instructions
- 1
In a large pan or Dutch oven, render the diced bacon until crispy. Remove the crispy bacon and set it aside, leaving the rendered fat in the pan.
⏱️ 10 min - 2
In the same pan with the bacon fat (add a little olive oil if needed), sauté the diced onion, celery, and carrots until soft, about 6-8 minutes. Add the minced garlic and cook for 1 minute more until fragrant.
⏱️ 9 min - 3
Add the ground beef to the pan. Season with salt and black pepper. Brown the beef well, breaking it apart with a spoon. Once browned, return the cooked bacon to the pan. Stir in the marinara or tomato sauce, fresh basil sprig, and dried oregano. Bring to a gentle simmer, then cover and cook for 45-60 minutes until the ragu is rich and thick.
⏱️ 65 min - 4
While the ragu simmers, prepare the béchamel sauce. In a separate saucepan, melt the butter over medium heat. Whisk in the flour and cook for 1-2 minutes to create a roux. Slowly add the warm milk, whisking continuously to prevent lumps, until the sauce is smooth and thickened. Season with salt, black pepper, and a pinch of nutmeg.
⏱️ 10 min - 5
Preheat your oven to 375°F (190°C). To assemble the lasagna, spread a thin layer of beef ragu at the bottom of a baking dish. Top with a layer of lasagna sheets, then a layer of béchamel sauce, followed by a generous sprinkle of shredded mozzarella and grated Parmesan cheese. Repeat these layers until the baking dish is full, ensuring the final layer is a generous topping of mozzarella and Parmesan cheese.
⏱️ 15 min•🌡️ 375 - 6
Cover the baking dish tightly with aluminum foil and bake for 35-40 minutes.
⏱️ 40 min•🌡️ 375 - 7
Remove the foil and continue baking for another 15-20 minutes, or until the top is golden brown and bubbly.
⏱️ 20 min•🌡️ 375 - 8
Once baked, remove the lasagna from the oven and let it rest for 45-60 minutes before slicing and serving. This allows the layers to set and prevents the lasagna from falling apart.
⏱️ 60 min