Tastenexa
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Italian
Classic Meat Lasagna
105 min total30 prep75 cook6 servings620 cal
ClassicContains glutenContains dairyContains egg
Layers of pasta, rich meat ragu, creamy béchamel, and melted cheese baked until bubbling and golden. A hearty, crowd-pleasing dinner that is well worth the effort.
Ingredients
pantry
- 12 sheetlasagna sheets
- 800 gcanned crushed tomatoes
- 0.33 cupall-purpose flour
- 2 tbspolive oil
- 2 tspsalt
meat
- 500 gground beef
produce
- 1onion
- 4 clovegarlic
dairy
- 3 cupmilk
- 4 tbspunsalted butter
- 2 cupmozzarella cheese
- 0.5 cupparmesan cheese
Steps
- Dice the onion and mince the garlic.
- Heat the olive oil in a pot and cook the onion and garlic until soft.
- Add the ground beef and brown it, breaking it up, until no longer pink.
- Stir in the crushed tomatoes and 1 tsp salt, then simmer the ragu on low for 45 minutes.
- Meanwhile, melt the butter in a saucepan, whisk in the flour, and cook 1 minute to make a roux.
- Gradually whisk in the milk and cook until the béchamel thickens; season with salt.
- Preheat the oven to 190°C/375°F.
- Spread a thin layer of ragu in a baking dish, then top with lasagna sheets.
- Layer ragu, béchamel, and mozzarella, then repeat the layers, finishing with béchamel and cheese.
- Sprinkle parmesan over the top and cover loosely with foil.
- Bake covered for 25 minutes, then uncover and bake 20 minutes more until golden and bubbling.
- Rest for 15 minutes before slicing and serving.
Tips
- Simmer the ragu low and slow for at least 45 minutes to build deep flavor.
- Season each component well — pasta layers taste bland if the sauces are underseasoned.
- Let the assembled lasagna rest 15 minutes after baking so it slices cleanly.
- Finish under the broiler for a minute to get that golden, blistered cheese top.
