Lasagna Bolognese

Name: Lasagna Bolognese
Prep time: 2 h
Cook time: 4 h 45 min
Total time: 6 h 45 min
Yield: 8
Cuisine: Italian
Ingredients: 1 Medium Onion, coarsely chopped; 1 Large Carrot, coarsely chopped; 2 Celery Ribs, coarsely chopped; 3 Garlic Cloves, coarsely chopped; 3 tablespoons Olive Oil; to taste Kosher Salt; to taste Freshly Ground Black Pepper; 2 pounds Ground Beef, or half beef and half pork; 1 1/4 cups Tomato Paste; 2 cups Dry Red Wine; as needed Water; 2 Bay Leaves; 4 Fresh Thyme Sprigs, tied together; 1 1/2 cups All-Purpose Flour, for pasta; 2 Large Eggs; 1/2 teaspoon Fine Sea Salt, for pasta; 1 tablespoon Water, for pasta dough if needed; 1/2 cup Unsalted Butter; 1/2 cup All-Purpose Flour, for béchamel; 4 cups Whole Milk; 1 teaspoon Fine Sea Salt, for béchamel; 1 Garlic Clove, minced; pinch Freshly Grated Nutmeg; 1 2/3 cups Freshly Grated Parmesan Cheese

Published: June 20, 2026

Evelyn Miller

Categories: Italian, Pasta, Beef

Tags: Italian, Comfort Food, Dinner, Béchamel, Beef, Pasta, Make-Ahead, Lasagna, Bolognese, Weekend Project

Lasagna Bolognese

A layered Italian lasagna with slow-cooked beef Bolognese, tender fresh pasta sheets, creamy béchamel, and Parmesan baked until bubbling and browned.

Prep Time:120 minCook Time:285 minTotal Time:405 minServings:8Difficulty:Hard

Nutrition (per serving)

Calories:760 kcal

Protein:39 g

Carbs:49 g

Fat:42 g

Lasagna Bolognese is a project dish built around balance rather than excess. The meat sauce cooks down slowly until concentrated, the pasta is rolled thin enough to stay delicate, and the béchamel adds creaminess without relying on ricotta or mozzarella.

The Bolognese makes more sauce than one pan of lasagna needs, which is intentional. Simmering a deep sauce takes time, so saving half for another lasagna, baked pasta, or a simple bowl of noodles makes the work more worthwhile.

The recipe is easiest over two days: cook the sauce first, then roll pasta, make béchamel, assemble, and bake the next day. That pace keeps the steps manageable and gives the sauce time to settle.

Let the baked lasagna rest before slicing. The layers firm up, the sauce stops running, and each serving holds together with visible ribbons of pasta, meat sauce, white sauce, and Parmesan.

Ingredients

Medium Onion, coarsely chopped:1
Large Carrot, coarsely chopped:1
Celery Ribs, coarsely chopped:2
Garlic Cloves, coarsely chopped:3
Olive Oil:3 tablespoons
Kosher Salt:to taste
Freshly Ground Black Pepper:to taste
Ground Beef, or half beef and half pork:2 pounds
Tomato Paste:1 1/4 cups
Dry Red Wine:2 cups
Water:as needed
Bay Leaves:2
Fresh Thyme Sprigs, tied together:4
All-Purpose Flour, for pasta:1 1/2 cups
Large Eggs:2
Fine Sea Salt, for pasta:1/2 teaspoon
Water, for pasta dough if needed:1 tablespoon
Unsalted Butter:1/2 cup
All-Purpose Flour, for béchamel:1/2 cup
Whole Milk:4 cups
Fine Sea Salt, for béchamel:1 teaspoon
Garlic Clove, minced:1
Freshly Grated Nutmeg:pinch
Freshly Grated Parmesan Cheese:1 2/3 cups

Instructions

Pulse the onion, carrot, celery, and garlic in a food processor until finely chopped. Heat the olive oil in a Dutch oven over medium-high heat, add the vegetables with salt and pepper, and cook until browned and fragrant, about 15 minutes.
Add the ground meat, season again, and cook until well browned, about 15 minutes. Stir in the tomato paste and cook for 3 to 4 minutes so it darkens slightly.
Pour in the red wine and scrape the bottom of the pot. Simmer until the wine is reduced by about half, then add enough water to sit about 1 inch above the meat. Add the bay leaves and thyme bundle.
Simmer the sauce gently for 3 to 4 hours, stirring occasionally and adding 1 to 2 cups water at a time as it thickens. When the sauce is rich and spoonable, discard the herbs and reserve 4 cups for the lasagna; chill or freeze the remainder.
Make the pasta dough by processing the flour, eggs, and fine salt until a firm dough forms, adding a few drops of water only if needed. Cover the dough with an inverted bowl and rest it for 1 hour.
Roll the dough in portions through a pasta machine, flouring lightly as needed, until very thin. Cut the sheets into pieces that can tile a 9-by-13-inch baking dish.
Boil the pasta sheets in salted water for 1 to 2 minutes, then transfer them briefly to ice water. Lay the sheets on a lightly oiled tray so they are ready for layering.
For the béchamel, melt the butter in a saucepan over medium heat, whisk in the flour, and cook for 1 minute. Gradually whisk in the milk, then add the salt, minced garlic, nutmeg, and black pepper and simmer for 10 minutes, stirring often.
Heat the oven to 400°F. Spread a thin layer of béchamel in a 9-by-13-inch baking dish, add pasta, then layer 1 cup Bolognese, 1/2 cup béchamel, and 1/3 cup Parmesan. Repeat for four meat-sauce layers, finishing with a fifth layer of pasta.
Spread the remaining béchamel over the top if using, sprinkle with the remaining Parmesan, and bake for 30 to 45 minutes until bubbling and browned. Rest for 10 to 30 minutes before slicing.

Tips & Notes

Make the Bolognese a day ahead so the final assembly feels controlled instead of rushed.
Add water to the sauce in small amounts during simmering; flooding the pot weakens the browned flavor.
Fresh pasta sheets can be irregular because the layers are patched together in the dish.
The extra Bolognese freezes well for another lasagna or a fast pasta dinner.