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baked homemade lasagna in an oven dish ready to serve

Classic Homemade Lasagna

This classic homemade lasagna is a tried-and-true Italian lasagna recipe with rich meat sauce, creamy béchamel (white sauce), and melty mozzarella. Perfect for a hearty family meal.
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Author: Miranda | My Anosmic Kitchen
Prep 20 minutes
Cook Time 1 hour 30 minutes
Total Time 1 hour 50 minutes
Servings :10 servings

Ingredients
  

For the Meat Sauce:

  • Olive oil
  • 1 onion finely chopped
  • 1–2 carrots finely chopped
  • 1–2 celery stalks finely chopped
  • 2–3 garlic cloves minced
  • 500 g lean ground beef
  • 250 g ground pork optional
  • 2 tbsp tomato paste
  • 1–2 cans chopped tomatoes
  • ½ cup red wine optional
  • Salt and pepper to taste
  • Italian herbs

For the Béchamel Sauce:

  • 3 tbsp butter
  • 3 tbsp flour
  • 3 cups milk
  • Salt
  • Ground nutmeg optional
  • ½ cup grated Parmesan optional

For Assembly:

  • Lasagna sheets oven ready
  • 1–2 cups shredded mozzarella
  • Extra Parmesan optional, for layering

Instructions 

Make the Meat Sauce:

  • Heat olive oil in a large pot. Cook onion, carrot, and celery until soft. Add garlic and cook briefly. Add beef (and pork if using) and brown.
  • Stir in tomato paste, chopped tomatoes, and red wine. Season well. Simmer uncovered for 1–2 hours until thick.

Make the Béchamel:

  • Melt butter in a pan. Whisk in flour and cook for 1–2 minutes. Slowly whisk in milk until smooth and thick. Season with salt and nutmeg. Add Parmesan if using.

Assemble:

  • Preheat oven to 180°C (350°F). In a baking dish, layer meat sauce, béchamel, lasagna sheets, and Parmesan. Repeat layers.
  • Finish with sheets, béchamel, and mozzarella on top.

Bake:

  • Bake for 30–40 minutes until golden and bubbling. Rest for 10–15 minutes before serving.

Notes

Recipe Notes

This classic lasagna works because it balances rich, slow-cooked meat sauce with a creamy béchamel and structured pasta layers. The result is a deeply flavoured, comforting baked dish that slices cleanly and reheats beautifully.
  • Sauce thickness matters:
    Simmer the meat sauce until it is thick and rich. If it’s too watery, the lasagna layers may slide or become soggy.
  • Best cheese choice:
    Fresh mozzarella melts beautifully and gives that classic lasagna stretch. Parmesan adds depth and saltiness.
  • Make-ahead friendly:
    The meat sauce can be made 1–2 days in advance and stored in the fridge. This improves flavour.
  • Layering tip:
    Don’t overload each layer — thin, even layers help the lasagna hold its shape when sliced.
  • Resting time is essential:
    Let the lasagna rest for 10–15 minutes after baking so it sets properly and doesn’t fall apart.
  • Vegetable texture:
    Finely chop onion, carrot, and celery for a smoother, restaurant-style sauce texture.
  • Freezer friendly:
    Freeze baked or unbaked portions for easy future meals.
 

Nutrition

Serving: 1personCalories: 271kcalCarbohydrates: 10gProtein: 22gFat: 14gSaturated Fat: 7gPolyunsaturated Fat: 1gMonounsaturated Fat: 5gTrans Fat: 0.2gCholesterol: 71mgSodium: 327mgPotassium: 542mgFiber: 1gSugar: 6gVitamin A: 1365IUVitamin C: 6mgCalcium: 224mgIron: 2mg
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