Italian Beef Lasagna (Lasagne al Forno)
Italian Beef Lasagna (Lasagne al Forno)
Ingredients
For the Meat Sauce
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 large onion, chopped
- 3 garlic cloves, minced
- 1 teaspoon rosemary
- 1 teaspoon basil
- 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning
- 1 pound ground beef
- 6 Roma tomatoes, chopped
- 1 bell pepper, large, chopped
- 2 scotch bonnet peppers, chopped (adjust to taste for heat)
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon seasoning cube, crushed or powdered
For the Béchamel Sauce
- 4 tablespoons unsalted butter
- 4 tablespoons all-purpose flour
- 3 cups whole milk
- 1 pinch salt
- 1 pinch nutmeg, freshly grated
For Assembly
- 1 package oven-ready lasagna pasta
- 2 cups shredded white cheese, such as mozzarella
- 1 cup shredded yellow cheese, such as cheddar
- 2 tablespoons fresh parsley, chopped, for garnish
Instructions
- 1
Prepare the vegetables for the meat sauce: chop the large onion and mince the garlic cloves.
⏱️ 5 min
- 2
Heat 1 tablespoon of olive oil in a large pot or pan over medium heat. Add the chopped onion and minced garlic and sear for 5 minutes until softened and fragrant.
⏱️ 5 min
- 3
Stir in 1 teaspoon of rosemary, 1 teaspoon of basil, and 1 teaspoon of Italian seasoning with the seared vegetables.
⏱️ 1 min
- 4
Add the 1 pound of ground beef to the pot. Cook, breaking it up with a spoon, until it is browned and no longer pink.
⏱️ 8 min
- 5
While the beef is browning, prepare the tomato and pepper blend: chop the 6 Roma tomatoes, 1 large bell pepper, and 2 scotch bonnet peppers. Place them in a blender and blend until smooth to create a sauce.
⏱️ 5 min
- 6
Pour the blended tomato and pepper sauce into the pot with the browned ground beef. Add 1 teaspoon of salt and 1 teaspoon of crushed seasoning cube. Stir to combine.
⏱️ 2 min
- 7
Bring the meat sauce to a simmer, then reduce heat to low, cover, and cook for 20 minutes, stirring occasionally, until it thickens.
⏱️ 20 min
- 8
While the meat sauce is simmering, prepare the béchamel sauce. In a separate medium pot, melt 4 tablespoons of unsalted butter over medium heat.
⏱️ 2 min
- 9
Once the butter is melted, quickly whisk in 4 tablespoons of all-purpose flour. Stir continuously for 1-2 minutes to cook the flour, forming a roux. Do not let it brown.
⏱️ 2 min
- 10
Gradually pour in the 3 cups of whole milk while whisking constantly to prevent lumps. Continue to whisk until the sauce thickens to a creamy consistency. It should not be too thick, as it will thicken further upon cooling.
⏱️ 8 min
- 11
Remove the béchamel sauce from the heat. Stir in a pinch of salt and a pinch of freshly grated nutmeg.
⏱️ 1 min
- 12
Preheat your oven to 380°F.
⏱️ 15 min•🌡️ 380
- 13
Assemble the lasagna: Spread a thin layer of béchamel sauce on the bottom of a 9x13 inch oven-safe baking dish.
⏱️ 1 min
- 14
Arrange a layer of oven-ready lasagna pasta over the béchamel. You may need to break some noodles to fit.
⏱️ 1 min
- 15
Spread a generous layer of the meat sauce over the pasta.
⏱️ 1 min
- 16
Add another layer of béchamel sauce on top of the meat sauce.
⏱️ 1 min
- 17
Sprinkle a layer of shredded white cheese, followed by a layer of shredded yellow cheese.
⏱️ 1 min
- 18
Repeat the layering process: lasagna pasta, meat sauce, béchamel sauce, shredded white cheese, and shredded yellow cheese, until you run out of ingredients or reach the top of your dish.
⏱️ 3 min
- 19
Finish with a final layer of lasagna pasta, topped with any remaining meat sauce, and then a generous final layer of both shredded white and yellow cheeses.
⏱️ 1 min
- 20
Cover the baking dish tightly with aluminum foil.
⏱️ 1 min
- 21
Bake the covered lasagna in the preheated oven for 30 minutes.
⏱️ 30 min•🌡️ 380 - 22
Carefully remove the lasagna from the oven and remove the aluminum foil. Return the uncovered lasagna to the oven and bake for an additional 10 minutes, or until the cheese is bubbly and golden brown.
⏱️ 10 min•🌡️ 380
- 23
Remove the lasagna from the oven and let it rest for 5-10 minutes before serving. Garnish with chopped fresh parsley, if desired.
⏱️ 5 min
Kitchen Tools
Nutrition Facts (per serving)
Italian Beef Lasagna (Lasagne al Forno)
For the Meat Sauce
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 large onion, chopped
- 3 garlic cloves, minced
- 1 teaspoon rosemary
- 1 teaspoon basil
- 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning
- 1 pound ground beef
- 6 Roma tomatoes, chopped
- 1 bell pepper, large, chopped
- 2 scotch bonnet peppers, chopped (adjust to taste for heat)
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon seasoning cube, crushed or powdered
For the Béchamel Sauce
- 4 tablespoons unsalted butter
- 4 tablespoons all-purpose flour
- 3 cups whole milk
- 1 pinch salt
- 1 pinch nutmeg, freshly grated
For Assembly
- 1 package oven-ready lasagna pasta
- 2 cups shredded white cheese, such as mozzarella
- 1 cup shredded yellow cheese, such as cheddar
- 2 tablespoons fresh parsley, chopped, for garnish
Instructions
- 1
Prepare the vegetables for the meat sauce: chop the large onion and mince the garlic cloves.
⏱️ 5 min - 2
Heat 1 tablespoon of olive oil in a large pot or pan over medium heat. Add the chopped onion and minced garlic and sear for 5 minutes until softened and fragrant.
⏱️ 5 min - 3
Stir in 1 teaspoon of rosemary, 1 teaspoon of basil, and 1 teaspoon of Italian seasoning with the seared vegetables.
⏱️ 1 min - 4
Add the 1 pound of ground beef to the pot. Cook, breaking it up with a spoon, until it is browned and no longer pink.
⏱️ 8 min - 5
While the beef is browning, prepare the tomato and pepper blend: chop the 6 Roma tomatoes, 1 large bell pepper, and 2 scotch bonnet peppers. Place them in a blender and blend until smooth to create a sauce.
⏱️ 5 min - 6
Pour the blended tomato and pepper sauce into the pot with the browned ground beef. Add 1 teaspoon of salt and 1 teaspoon of crushed seasoning cube. Stir to combine.
⏱️ 2 min - 7
Bring the meat sauce to a simmer, then reduce heat to low, cover, and cook for 20 minutes, stirring occasionally, until it thickens.
⏱️ 20 min - 8
While the meat sauce is simmering, prepare the béchamel sauce. In a separate medium pot, melt 4 tablespoons of unsalted butter over medium heat.
⏱️ 2 min - 9
Once the butter is melted, quickly whisk in 4 tablespoons of all-purpose flour. Stir continuously for 1-2 minutes to cook the flour, forming a roux. Do not let it brown.
⏱️ 2 min - 10
Gradually pour in the 3 cups of whole milk while whisking constantly to prevent lumps. Continue to whisk until the sauce thickens to a creamy consistency. It should not be too thick, as it will thicken further upon cooling.
⏱️ 8 min - 11
Remove the béchamel sauce from the heat. Stir in a pinch of salt and a pinch of freshly grated nutmeg.
⏱️ 1 min - 12
Preheat your oven to 380°F.
⏱️ 15 min•🌡️ 380 - 13
Assemble the lasagna: Spread a thin layer of béchamel sauce on the bottom of a 9x13 inch oven-safe baking dish.
⏱️ 1 min - 14
Arrange a layer of oven-ready lasagna pasta over the béchamel. You may need to break some noodles to fit.
⏱️ 1 min - 15
Spread a generous layer of the meat sauce over the pasta.
⏱️ 1 min - 16
Add another layer of béchamel sauce on top of the meat sauce.
⏱️ 1 min - 17
Sprinkle a layer of shredded white cheese, followed by a layer of shredded yellow cheese.
⏱️ 1 min - 18
Repeat the layering process: lasagna pasta, meat sauce, béchamel sauce, shredded white cheese, and shredded yellow cheese, until you run out of ingredients or reach the top of your dish.
⏱️ 3 min - 19
Finish with a final layer of lasagna pasta, topped with any remaining meat sauce, and then a generous final layer of both shredded white and yellow cheeses.
⏱️ 1 min - 20
Cover the baking dish tightly with aluminum foil.
⏱️ 1 min - 21
Bake the covered lasagna in the preheated oven for 30 minutes.
⏱️ 30 min•🌡️ 380 - 22
Carefully remove the lasagna from the oven and remove the aluminum foil. Return the uncovered lasagna to the oven and bake for an additional 10 minutes, or until the cheese is bubbly and golden brown.
⏱️ 10 min•🌡️ 380 - 23
Remove the lasagna from the oven and let it rest for 5-10 minutes before serving. Garnish with chopped fresh parsley, if desired.
⏱️ 5 min