Béchamel Lasagna is the traditional way lasagna Bolognese is prepared in Northern Italy. Instead of ricotta, delicate layers of pasta are combined with rich meat ragù and smooth béchamel sauce, creating a creamy layered lasagna perfect for Sunday dinners.
Make my 30 minute quick meat sauce and my creamy cheesy béchamel sauce for this recipes ahead of time and save time!
Like baked pasta dishes? Try my cheesy lasagna roll ups, baked pasta shells with creamy ricotta filling or my cheesy baked spaghetti.
Visit my recipe box for some more great recipe ideas inspired by Italian tradition!
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Here's Why You'll Love Béchamel Lasagna
You'll love this creamy lasagna Bolognese because:
- you can use a quick 30 minute meat sauce
- creamy, cheesy béchamel sauce that tastes great
- rich flavor without the wait of traditional Bolognese sauce
- great for make ahead meals
- perfect for entertaining and special occasions
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Can you make this Béchamel Lasagna ahead of time?
Yes. Make it a day ahead and store it covered in the refrigerator. Then bake it in the oven as per the recipe instructions.
Make sure that you warm up the sauces so that they are easily spreadable and reserve some béchamel sauce for serving.
Ingredients
For this lasagna Bolognese with a creamy Béchamel Sauce, you'll need:
- Béchamel Sauce (store bought or homemade)
- Meat Sauce (store bought or homemade)
as well as lasagna sheets, shredded mozzarella, parmesan cheese, olive oil and parsley.
If you want to make your own pasta dough, try my Homemade Pasta recipe and cut them into pasta sheets instead of pasta strips.
For exact measurement details and directions see recipe card...
How to Make Creamy Lasagna Bolognese
Prepare your homemade sauces from scratch or use store bought sauce. Boil your lasagna noodles in salted water as per manufacturer's instructions. Once cooked place in a bowl of room temperature water. This will prevent the noodles from drying and stop the cooking process.
Prepare a 13 x 9" baking dish by mixing a couple of tbsp of meat sauce with the olive oil and ¼ cup of water on spread it out on the bottom of the dish so that the pasta doesn't stick to the dish.
Begin to layer the lasagna noodles on the bottom and spread meat sauce on top. Add a little bit on cheese making sure that you have enough for the remaining layers.
Add a new layer of lasagna noodles, this time going the opposite direction. Use scissors to cut any excess and re-use the pasta as needed. Layer the béchamel sauce on top and sprinkle more cheese on top.
Continue layering lasagna alternating between meat sauce and béchamel sauce ending with a béchamel layer. Reserve some béchamel sauce to pour on top before serving (optional).
Cover with aluminum foil and bake in the oven at 350℉ for 40 minutes. Remove from oven and let rest for 10 minutes uncovered. Slice and serve on a plate with more béchamel sauce on top.
Slice and serve on a plate with more béchamel sauce and chopped parsley (optional).
Storage:
Store leftovers in an airtight container refrigerated for 3 to 4 days maximum. Warm up using the microwave or oven for best results.
I don't recommend freezing this Béchamel Lasagna because the texture of the sauce may change.
Top Tips
Add a little bit of sauce to the bottom of your baking dish to prevent pasta sheets from sticking.
Let the lasagna rest before slicing to help it set properly.
Add more milk to the Béchamel Sauce if it is too thick for spreading.
Do not oversaturate with sauce.
Reserve some Béchamel Sauce for serving.
Substitutions and Variations
Get creative with substitutions and variations in this recipe by using:
- Spice - add hot pepper flakes or chili oil to spice up the lasagna
- Cream Cheese - add a little cream cheese to the béchamel sauce for a creamier texture
- Tomato Sauce - use a marinara sauce to make this dish vegetarian
The perfect recipe isn't that far away. I'd love to know how you substituted ingredients to fit your dietary needs. Drop a comment below and let me know!
Answers to Commonly Asked Questions
Regular lasagna doesn't use a traditional white sauce. Where Lasagna Bolognese uses a meat ragù and a béchamel sauce between pasta layers.
Bolognese is a specific, rich Italian ragu from Bologna that is thick, little tomato and added dairy like milk and cream, simmered slowly until thick. Whereas meat sauce is more of a quick spaghetti sauce with ground beef.
More Baked Pasta Dishes
Looking for other recipes like this? Try these:
Recipe Details
Creamy Lasagna Bolognese
https://easyhomemaderecipes.caAffiliate Disclosure
This page contains affiliate links, which means I may receive commissions if you choose to purchase through links I provide (at no extra cost to you). Thank you for supporting the work I put into this site! As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.
Ingredients
Béchamel Sauce
- 3 tbsp butter salted or unsalted
- 3 tbsp all purpose flour
- 2½ cups whole milk warm, use more milk, depending on preferred thickness
- ¼ tsp salt or more if using unsalted butter
- pinch of nutmeg
- ¼ cup pecorino Romano grated, optional
Meat Sauce
- 3 tbsp olive oil
- 1 clove garlic minced
- 1 lb ground beef
- salt and pepper to taste
- 2 tbsp tomato paste
- 4½ oz tomato 1 medium tomato, cubed
- 13 oz tomato passata
- 3 leaves fresh basil or ½ tsp ground basil
Assembly
- 17 oz lasagna noodles 1 box
- 1 cup mozzarella shredded
- ½ cup parmesan cheese grand padano
- 2 tbsp olive oil
- 3 tbsp chopped parsley
Instructions
Béchamel sauce
- In a large skillet, melt the butter over low heat. Add the flour and stir with a wooden spoon to form a light roux paste. Cook, stirring continuously, for 30 seconds to 1 minute being careful not to burn the butter.3 tbsp butter, 3 tbsp all purpose flour
- Remove the pan from heat. Add ½ cup of the warm milk and use a whisk to break up any lumps. Continue adding milk and whisking until the mixture looks creamy.2½ cups whole milk
- Return the pan to the stove; and adjust to medium-low heat. Cook the sauce, whisking frequently, until it has thickened (about 12-20 minutes or more depending on pan size).
- Season with salt to taste. Add nutmeg. You'll know the sauce is ready when the sauce coats the back of a wooden spoon. Note: The sauce will thicken further as it cools.¼ tsp salt, pinch of nutmeg
- Add cheese if using it. Set aside.¼ cup pecorino Romano
Meat Sauce
- Heat up the oil on medium-high heat in a medium skillet or pot. Cook the garlic until fragrant then add the ground beef. Using a wooden spatula break of the meat as you stir. Add salt and black pepper to taste.3 tbsp olive oil, 1 clove garlic, 1 lb ground beef, salt and pepper
- Cook the beef until brown. (If you find that there is too much fat from the beef, you can drain the fat and then return the ground beef to the pan.)
- Add the tomato paste. Stir the beef until all of the tomato paste has been mixed and evenly distributed into the beef. Add the chopped tomatoes. Cover and cook on medium for about 5 minutes until the tomatoes have wilted and are soft. Use a wooden spoon to squash the tomato chunks.2 tbsp tomato paste, 4½ oz tomato
- Add the tomato passata. If you are using fresh basil, add it now. Add any other herbs as well. Cover and simmer on low for 10 to 20 minutes stirring occasionally.13 oz tomato passata
- Once the sauce is ready, turn off the heat. If you are using ground basil, add it now and stir in to the sauce until well combined. Set aside3 leaves fresh basil
Assembly
- Boil your lasagna noodles in salted water as per manufacturer's instructions. Once cooked place in a bowl of room temperature water. This will prevent the noodles from drying and stop the cooking process.17 oz lasagna noodles
- Prepare a 13 x 9" baking dish by mixing a couple of tbsp of meat sauce with the olive oil and ¼ cup of water on spread it out on the bottom of the dish so that the pasta doesn't stick to the dish.2 tbsp olive oil
- Begin to layer the lasagna noodles on the bottom and spread meat sauce on top. Add a little bit on cheese making sure that you have enough for the remaining layers.1 cup mozzarella, ½ cup parmesan cheese
- Add a new layer of lasagna noodles, this time going the opposite direction. Use scissors to cut any excess and re-use the pasta as needed. Layer the béchamel sauce on top and sprinkle more cheese on top. (Add more milk to the béchamel sauce if needed if it's too thick)
- Continue layering lasagna alternating between meat sauce and béchamel sauce ending with a béchamel layer. Top the layer with more shredded mozzarella. Reserve some béchamel sauce to pour on top before serving (optional).
- Cover with foil and bake in the oven at 350℉ for 40 minutes. Remove from oven and let rest for 10 minutes uncovered. Slice and serve on a plate with more béchamel sauce on top.
- Slice and serve on a plate with more béchamel sauce and chopped parsley (optional).3 tbsp chopped parsley
Notes
Nutrition
PIN it for later here
Food Safety
Note that the storage guidelines provided on this page and site are estimates from personal experiences. We are all adults and as an adult you are responsible to ensure that the food you eat is safe to eat. Since, I'm not a food safety expert, you are responsible to review your local guidelines on food storage prior to storing any food left-overs.
Remember to:
- Not use the same utensils on cooked food, that previously touched raw meat
- Wash hands after touching raw meat
- Don't leave food sitting out at room temperature for extended periods
- Never leave cooking food unattended
- Use oils with high smoking point to avoid harmful compounds
- Always have good ventilation when using a gas stove
For Canadian Guidelines check the Government of Canada Food Safety Guidelines or see more guidelines at USDA.gov.
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