Lasagna Bolognese
This is the BEST Lasagna Bolognese you will ever make! Layers of flat noodles, slow simmered bolognese sauce, béchamel sauce and cheese are baked until bubbly and absolutely perfect. And while this is a bit of a labor of love, you can make it ahead and refrigerate (or freeze) until ready to serve!
Ingredients
For the Bolognese sauce:
- 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
- 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
- 1 large onion, finely chopped
- 2 large carrots, peeled and finely diced
- 2 celery stalks, finely diced
- 3 cloves of garlic, minced
- 4 ounces pancetta, ground or finely chopped
- 1 pound ground beef (20% fat)
- 1 pound ground pork
- Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
- 1 cup dry white wine
- 1 (28 ounce) can crushed tomatoes, preferably San Marzano
- 1 cup whole milk
- Pinch freshly grated nutmeg
- 1 cup heavy cream
- 1 cup grated parmesan cheese (Parmigiano Reggiano is the best!)
- 1/2 cup chopped parsley
For the béchamel sauce:
- 1/4 cup flour
- 1/4 cup unsalted butter
- 2 cups whole milk
- 1/3 cup grated parmesan
- Salt, pepper and freshly grated nutmeg , to taste
- 1 1/2 cups heavy cream
For assembling the lasagna:
- 1 pound Lasagna pasta, cooked according to package instructions
- 8 ounces shredded mozzarella cheese
- 5 ounces grated parmesan cheese
- Chopped parsley to garnish
Equipment
- 9X13 lasagna pan
Instructions
Make the Bolognese Sauce:
- In a Dutch Oven, heat the olive oil and the butter, over medium high heat.
- Add the onion and sauté until translucent. Then, add the celery and carrot, cooking for until the begin to caramelize, 5-8 minutes. Add garlic and sauté for another couple of minutes, until fragrant. Season with salt and pepper and, using a slotted spoon, remove the soffritto to a plate and reserve.
- Add the ground pancetta and cook until golden brown, about 5 minutes. Remove and reserve.
- Working in batches, add the ground beef and ground pork. Season with salt and pepper and cook, breaking lumps with a wooden spoon but resisting the urge to stir too often, until browned, about 10 - 15 minutes. We want the meat to caramelize and the brown bits to stick to the bottom of the pot, as that's where all the flavor is!
- Return the reserved soffritto and pancetta back to the pot.
- Add the white wine and let it simmer, scraping all the bits from the bottom of the pot, until bubbled away completely.
- Add the crushed tomatoes, milk and the grated nutmeg. Season with salt and pepper. When the sauce begins to bubble, lower the heat, cover and simmer for 3 hours, stirring occasionally. If the sauce dries out too much, add a splash of water or milk as needed. Some of the fat will separate and float to the top, making it easier to skim it off with a spoon. Discard.
- Stir in heavy cream, parmesan cheese and parsley. Stir vigorously to emulsify. Taste for seasoning and adjust salt and pepper, if necessary. Reserve
Make the béchamel sauce:
- In a medium saucepan, over medium low heat, heat the butter until melted.
- Add the flour and whisk until smooth and all the raw flour smell is gone and the flour is golden, about 5 minutes.
- Add the milk slowly, whisking constantly, until you have a smooth sauce.
- Remove from heat and add the parmesan cheese and the heavy cream. Stir until the parmesan is melted and incorporated into the sauce. Taste for seasoning and season with salt, pepper and freshly grated nutmeg.
Assemble and Bake the Lasagna:
- Preheat oven to 350°.
- To assemble the lasagna, coat a 13X9’ lasagna dish with butter. Spread a layer of béchamel sauce on the bottom. Top with a layer of lasagna noodles, followed by a layer of béchamel sauce, a layer of bolognese sauce, one layer of mozzarella cheese and one layer of grated parmesan cheese.
- Repeat the process until you’ve used all the lasagna noodles. On top of the final layer of noodles should go the remaining bolognese sauce and the remaining cheese.
- Place the lasagna on a baking sheet to catch any drips. Cover with foil and bake for 30 minutes or until the top begins to get lightly browned.
- Remove the foil and bake for another 15 minutes or until the lasagna is bubbly and the top is browned.
- Sprinkle with a handful of chopped parsley and serve.
Notes
Make Ahead:
Assemble the Lasagna a day or two ahead and keep it in the fridge. When ready to serve, bake as directed! You can also freeze the assembled lasagna, not cooked, for up to 3 months.
Leftovers:
Leftovers will keep well in the fridge for up to 4 days. You can also freeze leftovers, individually portioned, for up to 3 months.
Reheating:
Reheat your lasagna in the oven, at 350ºF, covered with foil, for 30 minutes or until sizzling and hot.
Nutrition
Serving: 1slice, Calories: 1000kcal, Carbohydrates: 47g, Protein: 42g, Fat: 69g, Saturated Fat: 36g, Cholesterol: 219mg, Sodium: 772mg, Potassium: 668mg, Fiber: 2g, Sugar: 7g, Vitamin A: 4243IU, Vitamin C: 7mg, Calcium: 588mg, Iron: 3mg