Lasagna alla Bolognese
Dried lasagne sheets, minced beef and passata come together in this Italian beef — 65 minutes, 6 steps, and the kind of result worth repeating. Below: the ingredients split into pantry staples and a quick shopping list, a built-in serving scaler, and the method in 6 steps.
You'll mainly reach for oven and saucepan. At medium difficulty across 6 steps, it's manageable with a little attention.
What you'll need
Shopping list (6)
Pantry staples (you likely have these)
🔁 Unit converter
How to make it
- Soften the finely chopped onion, carrot and celery in the olive oil over medium heat for 8 minutes, then add the beef and brown it well, breaking up any clumps.
- Stir in the tomato paste and passata, season, and simmer gently for at least 45 minutes until rich and thick, adding a splash of water if it dries out, cooking the meat to at least 71C.
- For the bechamel, melt the butter, whisk in the flour and cook for 1 minute, then gradually add the milk, whisking constantly until smooth and thickened, and season with salt and a pinch of nutmeg.
- Spread a thin layer of ragu in a baking dish, then build alternating layers of pasta sheets, ragu, bechamel and a little parmesan, finishing with bechamel and a generous dusting of cheese.
- Bake at 190C for 35 to 40 minutes until the top is golden and bubbling and the pasta is tender when pierced.
- Let the lasagna rest for 10 to 15 minutes before cutting so the layers hold together neatly when served.
You'll use: Oven · Saucepan · Whisk · Baking dish
Ingredient substitutions
- Butter
- olive oil (¾ the amount) · coconut oil · margarine
- Milk
- any unsweetened plant milk · ½ cup evaporated milk + ½ cup water
- Parmesan
- pecorino · grana padano · aged asiago
What to serve with Lasagna alla Bolognese
- Spicy Arrabiata Penne Vegetarian
- Vegan Lasagna Vegan
- Mediterranean Pasta Salad Seafood
- Potato Gratin with Chicken Chicken
Tips & common questions
How long does Lasagna alla Bolognese take to make?
About 65 minutes from start to finish — an estimate based on the 6 steps and 13 ingredients. Times vary with your kitchen and how much prep you do ahead.
What can I use instead of butter?
Try olive oil (¾ the amount). See the substitutions section above for more swaps.
Can I scale this recipe up or down?
Yes — use the servings control above the ingredients and every quantity rescales automatically (fractions included). Cooking times stay roughly the same; very large batches may need a little longer.
How should I store leftovers?
Cool leftovers quickly, refrigerate in an airtight container, and eat within 3 days. Reheat until piping hot throughout.
Related recipes
Lasagna alla Bolognese is an original Italian recipe developed in-house by Consomee. Photo: Lasagna bolognese1.jpg by Schellenberg, CC BY-SA 4.0 via Wikimedia Commons. We add the serving scaler, ingredient tools, timing and structure on top — how we source recipes.