Best Lasagna Recipe, Tested by Home Cooks

crowdsource Community Insights

People who made this found a few small choices make a big difference. Sautéing the onion in olive oil before you add the garlic and meat was a common step people liked, it just works better than throwing everything in at once. The sugar call is optional: many people cut the recipe’s sugar in half, and some skipped it altogether when they used fresh tomatoes. And if you want it cheesier, some people sprinkled grated Parmesan between the layers while building the dish. Those three tweaks are all simple and easy to try tonight.

military_tech Why This Recipe Stands Out

• Beginner Friendly: First-time cooks consistently pull this off without trouble.
• Reliable Results: It turns out well consistently, with few reported problems.
• Repeat Worthy: People who make this tend to come back and make it again.

grocery Ingredients

• 3/4 lb (340g) Italian sausage, casing removed
• 3/4 lb (340g) ground beef
• 7 clove garlic
• 1 onion, diced
• 6 oz (170g) tomato paste
• 28 oz (794g) crushed tomatoes
• 1 tbsp granulated sugar
• 1 tbsp Italian seasoning
• 1 tsp dried basil
• 15 oz (425g) tomato sauce
• 1 1/2 tsp salt
• 3/4 tsp cracked black pepper
• 1/2 tsp red pepper flakes
• 12 sheet dried lasagna noodles (or fresh lasagna sheets, homemade fresh pasta)
• 15 oz (425g) ricotta
• 1 large egg
• 1 tbsp parsley, freshly chopped
• 16 oz (454g) fresh mozzarella, sliced
• 1/4 cup Parmesan, freshly grated
• Olive oil (or cooking spray)
• Lemon zest, zested
• Mushrooms

book_ribbon Instructions

1. Preheat the oven to 375u00b0F.
2. Place a large Dutch oven over medium-high heat and warm it.
3. Remove the casing from the Italian sausage.
4. Add the Italian sausage and ground beef to the Dutch oven, break the meat up with the back of a wooden spoon, and brown, stirring occasionally, for 6 to 8 minutes.
5. Add the diced onion and garlic and cook, stirring frequently, for about 5 minutes until the onion is softened and translucent.
6. Add 6 ounces tomato paste and cook for about 1 minute, stirring so the paste coats the meat.
7. Add crushed tomatoes (28 ounce / 1 pound), 1 tablespoon granulated sugar, 1 tablespoon Italian seasoning, 1 teaspoon dried basil, 15 ounces tomato sauce, and 1 and 1/2 teaspoons salt; stir to combine.
8. Add 3/4 teaspoon cracked black pepper and, if desired, 1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes for heat.
9. Bring the sauce to a simmer, reduce heat to medium-low, and simmer for about 25 minutes until thickened.
10. While the sauce simmers, bring a large pot of water to a boil, salt liberally, and cook the dried lasagna noodles until very al dente (a couple minutes if using fresh-style sheets); drain and rinse with cold water to stop cooking.
11. In a large bowl, combine 15 ounces ricotta, 1 large egg, 1 tablespoon freshly chopped parsley, 1/2 teaspoon salt, and 1/4 teaspoon cracked black pepper; stir to combine. Optionally add lemon zest to the cheese mixture.
12. If desired, lightly grease a 9 by 13-inch casserole dish with olive oil or cooking spray.
13. Spread 2 cups of the meat sauce in an even layer on the bottom of the prepared dish.
14. Lay lasagna noodles over the sauce to cover the bottom as needed.
15. Spread half of the ricotta cheese mixture (about 1 cup) over the pasta.
16. Spread 2 more cups of meat sauce evenly over the cheese layer.
17. Add another layer of pasta sheets.
18. Spread the remaining ricotta mixture over that pasta layer.
19. Add the remaining meat sauce in an even layer over the pasta.
20. Top the assembled lasagna with the sliced fresh mozzarella to cover, then sprinkle 1/4 cup freshly grated Parmesan over the top.
21. Cover the dish with foil and bake at 375u00b0F for 30 minutes.
22. Remove the foil and bake an additional 15 minutes, until golden and bubbly.
23. Optionally broil for 2 to 3 minutes to add more color to the top.
24. Remove from the oven and let rest for 15 minutes before slicing and serving.

crowdsource Community Insights

This lasagna turns out well overall, but people who made this found two small things really helped. First, don’t treat the ricotta like neutral filler: season it, salt, pepper, a pinch of nutmeg, and many mixed in grated Parmesan or Romano and an egg to tighten the filling and boost flavor. Second, when assembling, a lot of cooks spread the cheese mixture on a noodle before spooning on the meat; it keeps slices neater and makes serving easier (some even alternated noodle directions for sturdier pieces). If you want extra creaminess, some stirred a little sour cream into the ricotta.

military_tech Why This Recipe Stands Out

• Beginner Friendly: First-time cooks consistently pull this off without trouble.
• Reliable Results: It turns out well consistently, with few reported problems.
• Repeat Worthy: People who make this tend to come back and make it again.

grocery Ingredients

• 2 lb (907g) meat
• Ground beef, 80/20
• Italian sausage, sweet (or ground beef, ground turkey, chicken, omit pork)
• Lasagna noodles
• 1 onion, diced
• Garlic, minced
• 2 tbsp tomato paste
• 2 tbsp Italian herb paste
• Red pepper flakes
• 1/2 cup red wine, dry (or Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Pinot Noir)
• 28 oz (794g) crushed tomatoes
• 28 oz (794g) tomato sauce
• Sugar, a pinch
• Ricotta
• Boursin cheese
• Parmesan, grated
• 2 tbsp sour cream
• 1 egg, beaten
• Mozzarella, shredded
• Fresh mozzarella, torn into pieces
• Fresh basil
• Fresh parsley, chopped
• 1/2-1 tsp beef bouillon powder
• All-purpose seasoning, to taste (or salt and pepper)
• Salt, to taste
• Black pepper
• Onion powder
• Garlic powder
• Bay leaf, fresh

book_ribbon Instructions

1. Preheat the oven to 350u00b0F.
2. Brown the meat: heat a Dutch oven or skillet, add the ground beef and Italian sausage, smash down to increase contact with the pan, and brown, breaking it up with a spatula as it develops color.
3. Season the meat while browning with all-purpose seasoning (or salt and pepper), beef bouillon powder (about 1/2 teaspoon up to 1 teaspoon depending on taste), garlic powder, onion powder, and black pepper; continue breaking up the meat and brown until you get good color and crust.
4. Add the diced onion and a few cloves of minced garlic to the browned meat and let them sweat down.
5. Stir in the tomato paste (a couple tablespoons) and the Italian herb paste (a couple tablespoons) until combined.
6. Add red pepper flakes if using, then deglaze the pan with about 1/2 cup dry red wine, increase heat to high, and cook until most of the alcohol has burned off and the wine has reduced.
7. Add the crushed tomatoes (28 ounces) and the tomato sauce (28 ounces), stir to combine, add a pinch of sugar, and simmer for about 30 minutes to let the flavors marry; taste and adjust seasoning as needed.
8. Make the cheese mixture: combine ricotta, Boursin (garlic and herb) cheese, grated Parmesan, fresh basil, all-purpose seasoning, red pepper flakes, and a couple tablespoons of sour cream; taste and adjust seasoning (add salt, red pepper flakes, or garlic powder if desired), then stir in one beaten egg and mix until evenly incorporated. Set aside.
9. Assemble the lasagna in a casserole dish: spread a thin layer of meat sauce on the bottom to prevent sticking, lay down the first layer of lasagna noodles, and spread a thin layer of the ricotta/Boursin cheese mixture over the noodles using a rubber spatula.
10. Using a slotted spoon, add the meat sauce (so you get less liquid and more meat) over the cheese layer and smooth it out.
11. Sprinkle a light coating of shredded mozzarella, scatter pieces of fresh mozzarella, and add grated Parmesan. Scatter a little fresh basil and parsley over the cheese.
12. Repeat layers: noodles, more cheese mixture, a bit of shredded and fresh mozzarella and Parmesan, filling gaps as needed, then finish with a top layer of meat sauce, more grated Parmesan, and a final layer of mozzarella.
13. Bake at 350u00b0F for about 45 minutes to maybe 1 hour, until the top is nicely browned and bubbly.
14. Remove from the oven and let rest for a few minutes, then sprinkle with fresh chopped parsley and serve.

crowdsource Community Insights

A few practical things people who made this learned: if your pasta sheets end up undercooked or hard in the middle, dip each sheet in hot water for a few seconds before assembling, the ones who did that found the layers softened and cooked through. Letting the lasagna rest after it comes out of the oven was a common tweak people used, so plan a little patience before slicing. And if you like a deeper sauce, some cooks stirred a splash of red wine into the ragu as a straightforward option.

military_tech Why This Recipe Stands Out

• Beginner Friendly: First-time cooks consistently pull this off without trouble.
• Reliable Results: It turns out well consistently, with few reported problems.
• Repeat Worthy: People who make this tend to come back and make it again.

grocery Ingredients

Ragu

• 1 tbsp olive oil
• 1 onion, diced
• 2 clove garlic, minced
• 1 carrot, finely diced
• 3 mushrooms, finely diced
• 450g minced beef
• 3 tbsp tomato purée
• 1 tsp dried oregano
• 1/2 tsp dried thyme
• 1 tbsp Worcestershire sauce
• 1 beef stock cube, crumbled
• 2 400 gram tin chopped tomatoes
• 1/2 tbsp brown sugar
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1/2 tsp black pepper

Béchamel (white sauce)

• 4 tbsp unsalted butter
• 4 tbsp all-purpose flour
• Milk
• 1 packed cup cheddar cheese, grated
• Salt, a pinch
• Black pepper, a pinch

Assembly & Topping

• 4 lasagne sheets
• 1 3/4 cup mixed mozzarella and cheddar cheese
• Parsley

book_ribbon Instructions

Ragu

1. Add 1 tablespoon olive oil to a frying pan and heat over medium-high heat.
2. Add 1 diced onion and cook for 5 minutes, stirring often, until the onion starts to soften.
3. Add 2 cloves minced garlic and cook for 1 minute.
4. Add 1 finely diced carrot and 3 finely diced mushrooms and cook for 2 to 3 minutes.
5. Add 450 grams (1 pound) minced beef and cook for 5 to 6 minutes until browned all over, breaking up any large chunks as you go.
6. Add 3 tablespoons tomato purée, 1 teaspoon dried oregano, and 0.5 teaspoon dried thyme.
7. Add 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce and 1 crumbled beef stock cube.
8. Add two 400 gram (14 ounce) tins of chopped tomatoes, 0.5 tablespoon brown sugar, and 0.5 teaspoon each of salt and black pepper; stir, bring to the boil, then turn down the heat and simmer for 15 to 20 minutes.

Béchamel (white sauce)

1. Preheat the oven to 200 C (400 F).
2. Add 4 tablespoons unsalted butter to a medium saucepan and melt over medium heat until the butter is melted and bubbling slightly.
3. Add 4 tablespoons all-purpose flour and whisk into the butter; keep stirring the roux over medium heat for about 1 minute to cook the flour through.
4. Add a good splash of milk, turn up the heat, and stir with the whisk to incorporate.
5. Keep adding milk a splash at a time, stirring with the whisk, until all the milk is used and the sauce has thickened (a few lumps may disappear as it thickens).
6. Once thickened, add 100 grams (or a packed cup) grated cheddar cheese and a pinch of salt and black pepper; stir together and turn off the heat.

Assemble and Bake

1. Spoon a couple of spoonfuls of the meat sauce into the base of a lasagne dish to stop the pasta from sticking.
2. Cover the sauce with 4 lasagne sheets, breaking the sheets if necessary to fit the shape of the pan but avoiding overlap.
3. Top the pasta with one third of the white sauce, then one third of the meat sauce.
4. Repeat the layers twice more so the order is: pasta, white sauce, meat sauce, pasta, white sauce, meat sauce.
5. Finish by sprinkling 175 grams (1 3/4 cups) of mixed mozzarella and cheddar cheese over the top.
6. Place the lasagne in the oven and bake for 25 to 30 minutes, until the cheese is golden and the lasagne is bubbling slightly at the edges.
7. Sprinkle with a little parsley and serve.

crowdsource Community Insights

This lasagna gets high marks for taste and is pretty foolproof if you follow what people discovered making it. People who used bechamel sauce were glad they did. Those who bought pre-sliced low-moisture mozzarella instead of fresh mozzarella said they were happier with the result. And if you handle garlic at any point, people who rubbed their hands on the tap while washing found that quickly removed the garlic smell. Do those three small things and the whole process feels easier and comes together better.

military_tech Why This Recipe Stands Out

• Reliable Results: It turns out well consistently, with few reported problems.
• Repeat Worthy: People who make this tend to come back and make it again.

grocery Ingredients

• Flour
• 2 eggs
• Hot Italian sausage, removed from casings
• Sweet Italian sausage, removed from casings
• Fennel seeds, crushed
• Onion, finely chopped
• 5 clove garlic, very finely minced
• Olive oil
• Salt, to taste
• Red pepper flakes
• Black pepper, freshly cracked
• 1 tube tomato paste
• Whole tomatoes
• Basil leaves, fresh leaves
• Ricotta
• Parmesan cheese, grated
• Nutmeg, fresh
• Mozzarella cheese, shredded into long strands
• 2 fresh pasta sheets, rolled into long sheets (or dried lasagna sheets, store-bought lasagna sheets)

book_ribbon Instructions

1. Make the pasta dough: create a well in the flour, add eggs, and whisk the eggs with a fork until fully combined; pull in flour from the outside of the well, gather the dough, and knead until smooth.
2. Let the dough rest briefly at room temperature, cut the dough into four portions, quickly roll each portion out, flour the pasta sheeter and pasta sheet, and roll into long sheets; cut sheets to the length of the baking dish by tracing with a knife, trim as needed.
3. Stack sheets between layers of parchment, cover with plastic wrap to prevent drying, and set aside.
4. Prepare the meat sauce: heat the stove to medium to medium-high and add a layer of olive oil to a pot.
5. Split open the sausages and remove the casings, add all sausage meat to the hot oil, spread it out, and leave it undisturbed for a few minutes to develop a crust; then flip, break up into smaller chunks, and if desired crank the heat to high to get a better crust.
6. Add the chopped onion over the sausage, sprinkle the onion with a quick pinch of salt, and let the onion soften for a couple of minutes.
7. Add the minced garlic, a few red pepper flakes, fresh cracked black pepper, and the crushed fennel seeds; let cook for a couple of minutes while continuing to break up the meat and scraping browned bits from the bottom of the pot.
8. Stir in an entire tube of tomato paste and toast it, stirring, until the paste turns a deep red, almost lighter brown.
9. Add the whole tomatoes, crush them in the pot, scrape the bottom again to loosen browned bits, then add a bunch of basil leaves.
10. Let the sauce cook uncovered for about an hour while you prepare the remaining components.
11. Make the ricotta filling: in a bowl combine ricotta, a bit of parmesan, microplane several cloves of garlic into the bowl, fresh cracked black pepper, and a pinch of salt; optionally add a little fresh nutmeg; stir and taste, then crack in both eggs and mix until fully combined.
12. Grate the block of mozzarella lengthwise to produce long strands, transfer to a bowl, and reserve about half for the top of the lasagna.
13. Assemble the lasagna: spread a thin layer of red sauce across the bottom of the baking dish, pushing sauce to the edges to prevent pasta from sticking or burning.
14. Wipe off any excess flour from pasta sheets, place down two pasta sheets and press firmly.
15. Spread an even layer of the ricotta filling (use an offset spatula to help get it even).
16. Sprinkle a light coating of shredded mozzarella and a quick dusting of grated parmesan over the ricotta.
17. Repeat layers in the same order: red sauce, pasta sheets, ricotta filling, then both shredded cheeses, keeping the layers flat and level as you build.
18. On the final layer of pasta add streaks of red sauce and tuck sauce toward the edges, then cover with a thick layer of mozzarella (allow some to drape over the edges if desired) and finish with a good coating of parmesan especially along the edges.
19. Place the assembled baking dish on a sheet tray to catch spills and bake in the oven until golden brown on top, then remove from the oven.

crowdsource Community Insights

This lasagna tests out best when you give the big components a little time. People who made the ragu a day ahead liked how it tightened up and made assembly easier, and it becomes simpler to store once chilled. A lot of folks learned the hard way that putting hot or warm pans straight into the fridge or freezer warmed the fridge or left the pasta gummy, which is why people let things cool before storing. If you want to freeze for quick meals, freeze the sauce or portioned leftovers, because freezing an already-assembled lasagna often leaves the pasta mushy.

military_tech Why This Recipe Stands Out

• Reliable Results: It turns out well consistently, with few reported problems.
• Repeat Worthy: People who make this tend to come back and make it again.

grocery Ingredients

Ragu

• Carrot, brunoise
• Onion, brunoise
• Celery, brunoise
• 4 clove garlic
• Parmesan rind
• 500g beef mince, 80/20
• 500g pork mince, reasonably high fat
• 2 tbsp olive oil
• 1 tbsp rendered meat fat, from cooked mince
• Salt, to taste
• Red wine (or stock, water)
• Tomato passata
• 100ml milk

Pasta dough

• 3 egg
• 320g 00 flour
• Spinach, baby spinach (or omit (skip spinach for plain pasta))
• 1 tbsp olive oil

Béchamel & finishing

• Butter
• Plain flour
• 100-150ml milk
• 1/8 whole nutmeg nutmeg, freshly grated
• Mozzarella
• Parmesan, freshly grated
• Basil leaves

book_ribbon Instructions

Ragu

1. Trim, peel and brunoise the carrots; brunoise the onions and celery.
2. Heat a Dutch oven on high, add about 2 tablespoons olive oil and heat until smoking.
3. Break 500 gram beef mince into small pieces and brown in two batches: season with salt, let sit and brown for about 8 to 10 minutes before chopping/stirring to brown all sides; remove and set aside.
4. Repeat browning with remaining beef mince and then with the 500 gram pork mince; set all browned meat aside.
5. Pour out excess fat from the pot, keeping some; add about 1 tablespoon of the fat back to the pan.
6. Add carrots and a little pinch of salt and sweat for a couple of minutes, then add onions and sweat for about 2 minutes, then add celery and garlic and continue to sweat until softened.
7. Return the browned meat to the pot and stir to combine.
8. Add red wine and reduce for about 5 to 6 minutes to burn off harsh alcohol (use a full-bodied red); if not using wine, replace with stock or water.
9. Add tomato passata, a little water to get the passata out of the container if needed, and add the Parmesan rind.
10. Bring to a very slow simmer and cook gently, ideally for up to 6 hours, or for 2 to 4 hours if shorter; stir every 20 to 30 minutes and scrape down the sides.
11. Before assembling, remove and discard the Parmesan rind, stir in 100 milliliter milk, then transfer the ragu to a shallow tray to cool quickly (about an hour in the fridge or less in the freezer) and chill until ready to assemble.

Pasta dough and sheets

1. Bring a large pot of well-salted water to a rolling boil.
2. If making verde pasta: blanch the baby spinach in the boiling water until it comes back to the surface, drain, rinse under cold water, then plunge into ice water; drain and squeeze out as much liquid as possible.
3. Put the drained spinach into a blender with the 3 eggs and 1 tablespoon olive oil and blend until very smooth, starting low then finishing at high speed; avoid over-blending to prevent cooking the eggs.
4. On a clean bench, pile 320 gram 00 flour and make a well; add the egg-spinach mixture (or just whisked eggs if not using spinach) and incorporate the flour slowly with a fork without breaking the outer wall of the well.
5. Use a bench scraper to bring the dough together, then knead on the bench for about 5 to 6 minutes until smooth and elastic; shape into a square, wrap in cling film or a zip-top bag and rest in the fridge for 1 to 2 hours or overnight (bring to room temperature for about an hour before rolling if rested overnight).
6. Roll the dough by folding (envelope fold) and passing through a pasta machine starting on the thickest setting, fold and pass again, cut in half if necessary, dust lightly with flour and cover with a tea towel as you work.
7. Continue passing the dough through the machine progressively thinner until you reach the desired thickness (the video uses the second-to-thinnest setting).
8. Cook each pasta sheet one at a time in the boiling salted water for about 45 seconds, remove and immediately transfer to ice cold water to stop cooking, drain and lay in a tray; repeat for all sheets and trim to the size of your lasagna dish when assembling.

Béchamel

1. Melt butter in a pot over medium heat, then add plain flour and whisk to form a blond roux; keep the heat at medium and cook the flour without browning.
2. Season the roux with salt.
3. Add milk in increments of about 100 to 150 milliliter at a time, whisking after each addition until the milk is fully incorporated and the mixture is smooth and lump-free; do not add all the milk at once.
4. Once all the milk is incorporated, whisk over medium heat until the sauce thickens to a consistency that will coat the back of a spoon but is not overly stiff.
5. Remove from heat and season with salt and freshly grated nutmeg (about an eighth of a whole nutmeg); taste and adjust seasoning.
6. Keep the béchamel warm, stirring occasionally to prevent a skin from forming, until ready to assemble.

Assembly and baking

1. Preheat the oven to 180° Celsius.
2. Make sure the meat sauce is not ice cold (room temperature is ideal); divide the meat sauce roughly into five portions for even layering.
3. Spread the first portion of meat sauce evenly across the bottom of your lasagna dish.
4. Lay a pasta sheet over the sauce, trimming or folding the edges as needed so the dish is mostly covered with minimal overlap.
5. Drizzle some béchamel over the pasta sheet, add a restrained amount of torn or sliced mozzarella and a sprinkle of freshly grated Parmesan.
6. Repeat layering (meat sauce, pasta sheet, béchamel, mozzarella, Parmesan) until you have five pasta layers; on the top (final) pasta layer, use plain tomato passata instead of meat sauce and spread it across the top.
7. Cover the assembled lasagna with foil and bake at 180° Celsius for about 35 to 40 minutes.
8. Remove the foil, arrange basil leaves on top, sprinkle more Parmesan and mozzarella, then bake at 180° Celsius until golden brown; if not browning after 10 to 12 minutes, use the oven grill (broiler) function and watch closely.
9. Let the lasagna rest for at least 10 minutes before slicing and serving.

crowdsource Community Insights

This lasagna benefits from combining the ricotta into the béchamel rather than trying to swap one for the other. People who made it found melting the ricotta into the béchamel and stirring grated cheese into that mix made a smoother, creamier filling and steadied the layers. For a lump-free béchamel, people found adding all the milk at once and blending any curds kept it silky. Also, a bunch of people ran short on red sauce, so if you like saucier slices plan for a little extra.

military_tech Why This Recipe Stands Out

• Reliable Results: It turns out well consistently, with few reported problems.
• Repeat Worthy: People who make this tend to come back and make it again.

grocery Ingredients

Sauce

• 1/4 Spanish onion, finely chopped
• Olive oil
• 4 clove garlic, lightly crushed
• 3 tbsp tomato paste
• 3/4 tsp dried oregano
• 1 can (28 ounce) whole peeled San Marzano tomatoes
• 1 sprig fresh basil
• 1 cup water

Pasta

• 1/2 cup all-purpose flour
• 5 eggs, large
• 2 tsp kosher salt

Bechamel

• 1 stick unsalted butter
• 1/2 cup all-purpose flour
• 4 1/2 cup whole milk, cold
• 3/4 tsp kosher salt, at least
• 1/2 tsp ground white pepper
• 1/4-1/2 tsp freshly grated nutmeg

Cheeses & finishing

• 1 lb (454g) low moisture full fat mozzarella, vacuum packed block
• 1 oz (28g) Parmesan, freshly grated

Meat

• 1 lb (454g) Italian sausage, raw, to be crumbled
• Freshly ground black pepper

book_ribbon Instructions

Sauce

1. Heat a pan with a few tablespoons of olive oil and sauté a quarter of a Spanish onion, finely chopped, for one to three minutes or until soft and translucent.
2. Add four cloves of lightly crushed garlic and three tablespoons of tomato paste; sauté about 30 seconds or until fragrant and beginning to stick to the bottom of the pan.
3. Add three quarters of a teaspoon of dried oregano, toast for a couple seconds, then add one 28 ounce can of whole peeled San Marzano tomatoes.
4. Mash the tomatoes with a potato masher or a pastry cutter to your desired texture.
5. Bring the sauce up to a simmer, lower the heat, and gently cook for 45 minutes to an hour, adding as little water as necessary; (note: normally the chef would add a solid cup of water, but this recipe minimizes added moisture).
6. Add a whole sprig of fresh basil and continue cooking over low heat until the sauce is mellow and sweet.

Pasta dough

1. Pile 550 grams of all-purpose flour on the worktop and press into a wide volcano shape.
2. Deposit five large eggs (about 280 grams) and two teaspoons of kosher salt into the well.
3. Use a fork to beat the eggs into a slurry, slowly incorporating flour while maintaining the walls of the well until a thick, fork-proof slurry forms.
4. Switch to your hands or a bench scraper and continue coaxing the flour and eggs into a shaggy dough.
5. Knead until no dry patches remain; wrap in plastic wrap and let rest for 30 minutes to relax the gluten and hydrate the flour.
6. Divide the dough into four pieces and, one piece at a time, pass through a pasta roller on its widest setting, fold into thirds and pass through again one to three times depending on how well-kneaded the dough is.
7. Roll each sheet to about an eighth of an inch thick (second thinnest setting), trim into lasagna-sheet sized sheets, dust generously with flour, stack, and keep soft under a moist kitchen towel until ready.

Bechamel

1. Bring one stick (eight tablespoons, 113 grams) of unsalted butter to a bare simmer.
2. Add 63 grams (about a half cup) of all-purpose flour and whisk into a thin paste (a roux); cook over medium heat for one to two minutes until it smells slightly nutty.
3. Slowly add four and a half cups of cold whole milk in small splashes, making sure each addition is fully incorporated before adding more.
4. Bring the sauce up to a simmer, reduce the heat, and cook for three to five minutes until the sauce is thick and glossy.
5. Season the bechamel with at least three quarters of a teaspoon of kosher salt, a half teaspoon of ground white pepper, and a quarter to a half teaspoon of freshly grated nutmeg.
6. If the sauce has lumps, pass it through a fine mesh sieve, then cover the surface directly with plastic wrap to prevent a skin and allow to cool for about 30 minutes.

Sausage (optional "sausagify" step)

1. Crumble and brown one pound of Italian sausage just until it gets a little color.
2. Add the tomato sauce to the browned sausage and allow the sausage to finish cooking as you bring the sauce up to a simmer.
3. Season the sausage-sauce mixture to taste with kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper.
4. Allow the sausage-sauce mixture to cool for 20 minutes before assembling.

Assembly and baking

1. Spread a bit of sauce evenly on the bottom of the pan to prevent sticking.
2. Trim pasta sheets to size so they fit with minimal overlapping and commence layering.
3. For each layer, start with about a quarter of the sauce, a quarter of the grated mozzarella, and about one ounce of freshly grated Parmesan; also add a generous channel of cooled bechamel to each layer.
4. Repeat layering until the casserole is full, making the top layer light on sauce and heavy on cheese.
5. Cover the assembled lasagna with aluminum foil, a lid, or similar and bake in a preheated 375 degree Fahrenheit oven for 30 to 45 minutes, until the cheese is fully melted and the edges begin to bubble.
6. Return the lasagna to the oven uncovered for an additional 15 to 20 minutes until the top is nicely browned.
7. Use something thin and sharp like a cocktail pick to pop any big bubbles to prevent cavities.
8. Run a knife or offset spatula around the outside of the lasagna and let it sit for at least 30 minutes before slicing to set the layers.
9. Garnish as desired with extra bechamel, tomato sauce, basil, or a grating of nutmeg.

crowdsource Community Insights

This lasagna benefits most from patience and a little care. People who let the ragu simmer gently on low-medium heat for longer than about 1.5 hours ended up with a richer, more cohesive sauce; faster cooks often found it thinner and less developed. Frying garlic early tended to make the sauce bitter, while cooks who softened it gently or added it later avoided that. And watch your pans: people who stirred with metal utensils scratched their non-stick and ruined the surface, whereas those who used nonmetal tools avoided that problem.

military_tech Why This Recipe Stands Out

• Repeat Worthy: People who make this tend to come back and make it again.

grocery Ingredients

• Smoked pancetta, finely sliced
• Bay leaves
• Garlic
• Rosemary, leaves removed
• Carrots
• Celery
• Red onions
• Minced pork (or minced beef)
• Minced beef
• Salt, to taste
• Black pepper
• 1/2 whole nutmeg nutmeg, grated
• 2 small glass red wine
• Lentils
• Plum tomatoes, canned
• 50g butter
• Leek
• 4 tbsp flour, heaped
• 1 litre milk
• Cheddar cheese
• Parmesan
• Smoked mozzarella
• Fresh lasagna sheets
• 2 ladle meat ragu
• White sauce

book_ribbon Instructions

1. Finely slice the smoked pancetta and fry it in a pan until aromatic.
2. Add bay leaves and garlic to the pan and fry with the pancetta.
3. Remove the rosemary leaves from their stems and set aside.
4. Add carrots, celery, and red onions to the pan and fry for about 5 minutes.
5. Push the vegetables to one side, add minced pork first, then add minced beef; break up the meat, cook off moisture and brown the meat until coloured (about 10 minutes total frying at this stage).
6. Season the meat mixture with salt, be generous with black pepper, and grate in about half a nutmeg.
7. Pour in two small glasses of red wine.
8. Add lentils, then add canned plum tomatoes and pour the water from the tins into the pan as well.
9. Let the ragu simmer and sit for about an hour and a half.
10. Make the white sauce: put 50 grams of butter in a pan and heat, add the leek to the sizzling butter, then stir in 4 heaped tablespoons of flour.
11. Slowly add 1 litre of milk, bring the sauce to the boil, then blend the sauce until smooth (use a hand/immersion blender in the pan).
12. Add cheddar, a bit of parmesan, and some smoked mozzarella to the white sauce and stir until incorporated.
13. If the ragu seems too dry, add a little water to loosen it.
14. Assemble the lasagna: ladle about 2 ladles of ragu into the baking dish, place fresh lasagna sheets over it, add a little white sauce, and repeat layers until ingredients are used.
15. Finish with the last of the white sauce and a final kiss of cheese on top.
16. Bake the assembled lasagna in the oven at 180 degrees Celsius (350 Fahrenheit) for about 40 minutes to 45 minutes.
17. Let the lasagna sit for about 5 to 10 minutes before slicing (optional).

crowdsource Community Insights

This lasagna really benefits from parboiling the noodles, most people who skipped cooking the pasta ended up with undercooked layers, so parboiling the noodles before assembling helps everything finish properly. Ricotta can turn crumbly; people who stirred an egg with salt, dried parsley, garlic salt, shredded mozzarella and grated parmesan into the ricotta found it held together and felt creamier. One more heads-up: people who added celery usually regretted it, so leaving celery out is the safer call unless you really want that texture and flavor.

military_tech Why This Recipe Stands Out

• Repeat Worthy: People who make this tend to come back and make it again.

grocery Ingredients

• Cooking oil
• Pork country-style rib
• Spicy Italian sausage, removed from casing
• Onion
• 2 rib celery
• 2 carrot, small
• Garlic
• Dry white wine
• Basil, tied into bouquet
• Crushed peeled tomatoes, ground/skinless
• Water
• Salt, to taste
• Black pepper, freshly ground
• Red pepper flakes
• Pecorino, grated
• Parmesan, grated
• Mozzarella, low-moisture, shredded
• Ricotta, in dabs
• Lasagna noodles, dry

book_ribbon Instructions

1. Heat a pot over the stove and add some cooking oil.
2. Add the pork country-style ribs, season, spread in an even layer, and brown for 5 to 7 minutes until browned on several sides; leave it alone initially so it releases from the pot. Remove the pork with a slotted spoon to a bowl, leaving the fat and fond in the pot.
3. Cut the sausage out of its casing with a paring knife, add the sausage meat to the pot, break it up, and brown; remove the sausage with a slotted spoon and place it on top of the browned pork in the bowl, leaving fat and juices in the pot.
4. Add the onions to the pot and add a little bit of salt.
5. When the pot is sounding like sizzling (not steaming), add about 2 ribs of celery and about 2 small carrots and cook until they start to soften.
6. Add the garlic last in this stage and cook until fragrant but not browned.
7. Add dry white wine and cook it down until the alcohol has cooked off and it has picked up the fond from the bottom of the pot.
8. Make a bouquet garni by folding and twisting basil, tie it with butcher twine, and add the bouquet garni to the pot.
9. Add the ground/ crushed peeled tomatoes (put all the tomatoes into the pot) and save the cans to rinse out; add some water from rinsing the cans or otherwise to lengthen the sauce's cooking time so it does not reduce too quickly.
10. Season with a grinding of fresh black pepper, a nice pinch of salt, and a little bit of red pepper flakes; stir and bring the sauce to a simmer.
11. Taste and adjust salt as needed (the recipe calls for adding another nice pinch if necessary).
12. Lower heat to medium, add all the meats back into the pot with their juices, stir, then reduce heat to medium-low and simmer low and slow for about an hour and a half until everything comes together and the pork is tender.
13. Remove and discard the bouquet garni. Take the pork out, shred or chop it, and return the shredded pork to the sauce.
14. Shred the basil and add it to the sauce toward the end to brighten the flavor.
15. Adjust the sauce consistency with some water so it remains a little liquidy for dry pasta to absorb.
16. Assemble the lasagna: spread sauce on the bottom of the baking dish, arrange a layer of dry lasagna noodles, spoon sauce onto the noodles, add grated pecorino and parmesan, sprinkle shredded low-moisture mozzarella, and dab ricotta in spots; repeat layers, pressing down slightly and making sure corners are covered.
17. Finish with a top layer of grated cheeses (do not put ricotta on the top layer).
18. Place the assembled lasagna on a sheet tray or cookie sheet, cover loosely with foil, and bake in a 350° oven for about 30 minutes covered.
19. Remove the foil and bake another 30 minutes uncovered to brown and crisp the edges.
20. Let the lasagna rest for a minimum of 30 minutes before cutting and serving.