The Best Lasagna is here! Layered with a rich meat sauce and a creamy parmesan white sauce, plus the perfect amount of mozzarella cheese! NO ricotta cheese needed.
A classic recipe of one of the most loved foods in the world. The ultimate comfort food = homemade lasagna. Family and friends gather around the dinner table at any time for this lasagna recipe. A big warm comforting hug within layers of pasta, tomato sauce, white sauce and melted cheese!
The Best Lasagna
My mama’s famous lasagna recipe is hands down the best lasagna I have ever had in my life. She learnt her ways from her Italian friends when she lived in New York City, adjusting the recipe through the years to perfect it…and every single person that tries her recipe comes back for seconds, thirds and leftovers for the next day!
Just LOOK at that CHEESE!
This recipe is not exactly ideal to look at and salivate over in a month that we are all on our low carb, Keto, paleo, weight watchers, cabbage soup, low fat, low carb, rabbit food diets. But…It’s Lasagna. And I DO know that many of us still have to cook ‘normal’ foods for our families.
Why do I blame her? Long story short, she made me do it:
“Karina!”
“WHAT?!”
“You don’t have a lasagna recipe on your blog! WHY?”
“Ummm, I don’t know? But I can’t do one right now because I can’t eat it. Don’t make me suffer.”
“So? What does that have to do with your blog?”
“Ugh. OKAYYYY FIIIINE. You cook, I’ll shoo…” banging and clanging going down in my kitchen, wooden spoons flying around everywhere, fridge door screaming to be closed before I could finish my sentence. Ah…the chaos.
How To Make Lasagna Meat Sauce
The most important part of this whole things is her sauce. It’s rich with flavour and texture.
- Our sauce is made with a mix of ground beef and pork. This is OPTIONAL. If you don’t like pork you can definitely use beef to replace it, but the pork does add a traditional lasagna flavour to the sauce.
- Most sauces use crushed tomatoes as a base, however we love mixing in a bottle of Passata (or American tomato sauce) to add richness.
- Using tomato paste results in a thick and rich sauce. Don’t skip this ingredient! We love using one with garlic and herbs, but plain is also fine.
White Sauce
This is where things go from yeah, it’s okay TO oh-my-god-this-is-so-good! We don’t use any ricotta cheese in our lasagna. Not because we don’t like ricotta (mmm….could go a Spinach and Ricotta Grilled Cheese right about now), but because white sauce makes it so much more flavourful. Especially her parmesan white sauce. It’s SO GOOD you’ll want to put this Béchamel on EVERYTHING!
You need only 4 ingredients to make this Béchamel happen:
- Butter
- Flour
- Milk
- Parmesan cheese. If you don’t like parmesan, replace it with Gruyere, Romano, Asiago, Manchego, or more Mozzarella.
Dry Or Fresh Lasagna Sheets
We prefer fresh lasagna pasta sheets which are found in the refrigerator section of most grocery stores. If you can’t find or don’t have access to fresh, you can use dried.
No Cook or Instant Noodles can be used without pre-boiling (check the packet instructions first). You can assemble as normal. To ensure the pasta has enough liquid to cook through while the lasagna is baking, we normally add about 1/2 cup of water to our sauce when using INSTANT.
Pre Boil Or Pre Cook Pasta Sheets need to be boiled first before assembly. Follow the instructions on the packet. Add a couple of tablespoons of olive oil into the water to prevent the sheets from sticking together and stir them occasionally with a wooden spoon. Transfer each cooked lasagna sheet carefully into a large bowl or pot filled with cool water to help stop the cooking process. Leave them in there until ready to use. This helps prevent them from sticking together or drying out. You can do this while the meat sauce is gently simmering away so all elements are ready at the same time.
Assembly
Once you’ve layered your lasagna, you need to make sure you last layers (or top layers) finish with pasta > meat sauce > white sauce > mozzarella cheese. Yeah, that order results in a golden, crunchy and cheesy top with a layer of juicy meat sauce underneath.
Crispy edges, a gooey, cheesy centre, perfectly cooked fresh lasagna pasta sheets in between a creamy parmesan white sauce and an abundance of cheese.
Lord, help me.
For more lasagna variations, you might like these: Easy Slow Cooker Lasagna Soup | Spaghetti Squash Lasagna Boats | Easy Lasagna Stuffed Burritos | Beef And Pumpkin Lasagna | Chicken Pumpkin and Ricotta Lasagna!
Mama's Best Lasagna
Ingredients
Meat Sauce:
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 onion, finely chopped
- 1 carrot, finely diced
- 4 cloves garlic cloves, minced
- 24 ounces (700 grams) ground beef mince
- 10 ounces (300 grams) ground pork mince, or beef
- 24 ounces (700 grams) Passata
- 14 ounces (410 grams) crushed tomatoes
- 3 heaped tablespoons tomato paste, (I use garlic and herbs flavoured)
- 2 beef or vegetable bouillon cubes, crushed
- 1 teaspoon each dried oregano and basil
- 1/2 teaspoon sugar, (if desired)
- Salt and pepper, season to your tastes
White Sauce (Béchamel):
- 4 tablespoons butter
- 1/4 cup flour, all purpose or plain
- 3 1/2 cups milk
- 1 cup fresh shredded parmesan
Lasagna:
- 13 ounces (375 grams) fresh lasagna sheets*
- 17 ounces (500 grams) fresh mozzarella cheese, shredded
- 2 tablespoons finely chopped fresh parsley
Instructions
Meat Sauce:
- Heat oil in a large pot over medium heat, then add in the onion and carrots and cook for 8-10 minutes, or until softened. Add in the garlic and sauté for about 1 minute, until fragrant.
- Add beef and pork (if using) and cook while breaking it up with the end of your spoon, until browned.
- Pour in the Passata, crushed tomatoes, tomato paste, crushed bouillon and dried herbs. Mix well to combine and bring to a gentle simmer. Season with desired amount of salt and pepper (I use about 3/4 teaspoon each) and sugar if needed. Cover and cook for about 20-30 minutes, occasionally mixing, until the sauce has thickened slightly and meat is tender.
- Adjust salt, pepper and dried herbs to your taste.
Parmesan White Sauce:
- In a large pot, melt butter over medium heat. Remove from hot plate; add the flour and whisk for about 30 seconds, or until well blended.
- Place pot back onto stove, reduce heat down to low and slowly whisk in 1 cup of the milk until well combined. Once well blended, add the remaining milk in 1 cup increments, mixing well after each addition, until all the milk is used and sauce is free from lumps. If the sauce is too thick, add a little more milk until it turns into a nice and creamy consistency.
- Increase heat to medium and continue cooking sauce while stirring occasionally until it thickens (about 6-7 minutes) and coats the back of your wooden spoon.
- Add in the parmesan cheese and remove from heat. Season with salt and pepper and mix until the cheese is melted through.
To Assemble:
- Preheat oven to 350°F | 180°F.
- Spoon about 1 cup of meat sauce on the base of a 9x13-inch baking dish, then cover with lasagna sheets. (Trim sheets to fit over the meat if needed.) Layer with 2 cups of meat sauce (or enough to cover pasta), 1 cup of white sauce and half of the mozzarella cheese. Repeat layers (leaving the remaining cheese for the top).
- Pour the remaining meat sauce and white sauce over the last layer of lasagna sheets and top with the remaining mozzarella cheese. Bake for 25 minutes or until golden and bubbling.
- Garnish with parsley and let stand for about 10 minutes before slicing and serving.ENJOY!
CJ says
Love this! Such a good recipe
Tara H says
I’ve never been a big fan of ricotta or cottage cheese, so I’ve always been a bit meh on lasagna–but I wanted to make something different for Christmas Eve, and I know there are tons of people who make lasagna as an annual December 24 tradition, so I thought, why not see if I can find a lasagna recipe without either of those cheeses?
All I can say is wow! This was absolutely fantastic! I loved it, my toddlers ate a few bites of it (which is their version of a rave review!), and my finicky mother had two pieces too!
The only change I made is that I had a pound of ground beef and a pound of pork on hand, so that’s the mix I used. Like others have said, I probably should have let the Bechamel sauce thicken a bit more, but I can’t say it made a difference in the final result.
I would say I’ve found my new Christmas Eve tradition, but honestly, I don’t think I’ll wait another year before trying this again. Thank you for sharing this awesome recipe!
Amy says
This is the best lasagna!! I made it before but this time I am wanting to use fresh lasagna sheets this time. I think I have a dumb question, but do I boil them before layering according to the package instructions?? Or since they are fresh, will the sauce cook them while in the oven?? thanks so much!
Careen says
Yes, the fresh sheets will cook while in the oven so no need to boil them. I actually found gluten free lasagna sheets and used them but used a bit more of them. Made it a week ahead and froze, then baked it on Christmas-it was a huge hit!! Going to try doubling next time, serve one that day and freezing a 2nd one.
Brent says
This is excellent as is, but here are some changes I’ve made to make this easier and gluten free:
– Sub fresh noodles for oven ready gluten free noodles – change bake time to 60m
– Tent lasagna with foil until the last 10m if lasagna pan isn’t covered like mine
– Sub passata for higher quality jar of Marinara (easier to find than Passata)
– Sub crushed tomatoes for tomato sauce (I can’t buy crushed tomatos in the 14 oz size)
– Even out the beef and sausage with 1lb a piece (I use 1lb of grass fed ground beef and 1lb of Mild Italian sausage)
– Add fresh sliced mushrooms and spinach when layering the lasagna
– Sub fresh basil for parsley for garnish if desired
Eccezionale!
Michelle Flamer says
Simply the best lasagna I’ve ever made. I use Ronzoni “oven ready” lasagna sheets and instead of pork I used hot Italian pork sausage removed from the casing and browned with the ground beef! I did not use a lot of tomato paste because I wanted a more liquid sauce to accommodate the oven ready lasagna sheets. Absolutely illegally awesome!!!!
Heather Luikart says
This is probably the best lasagne I have ever made. Thank you!!
We used fresh herbs, and tripled the amounts, but I think it could have used even more, I’ll try a mix of fresh and dried next time for potency.
Daniel says
Hello! Can this lasagna be prepared the day before and kept in the fridge until baking?
Wendy M. says
I dare to say any lasagna can be prepared a day before. As a matter of fact it will help for all the flavors to settle in and before you bake it while its cold I usually cut it (pre-made square) so it makes it a little easier to serve. Chefie tip!! Happy cooking!!
Angie says
This is by far the best lasagna I have ever made, thank you so much for sharing it! A couple of things: the bechamel sauce did take longer to thicken, so be patient! And, I used a 9 x 13 dish which filled ALL the way up and took over an hour to bake — which was no problem! But next time, I will use my slightly larger 10 x 14 dish. I am grateful I read through the comments, as I was not sure which type of mozzarella to use. Another person posted that it was indeed fresh mozzarella, but they had the great idea of freezing the balls and then grating the cheese. Worked great! Like many of the other comments, my family also loved this. Thanks again, I can’t wait to make this again.
LM says
Does the meat need to be drained? My sauce is very greasy and it seems to take the taste away.
Jillian says
Best lasagna! I’ve been following your blog for a few years now and I’m never disappointed. I’ve only tried lasagna once using a different recipe, and it didn’t turn out at all. For the longest time I wanted to give yours a try, and I did last night. It was amazing. I grew up eating just vegetarian lasagna with ricotta. I do miss the ricotta and the cream sauce was definitely different for me, but it works so well! I did add some garlic powder, basil, and chili flakes to the cream sauce. Most definitely going in the recipe book.
Yvon says
Thank you, thank you, thank you!
I always wondered why store bought lasagne never tasted quite ‘right’ – Now I know !
I know this is ‘gilding the lily’ (because you can’t improve on perfection) but I just had to tweak a tad for my family’s tastes – no offence to your mama who is a bona fide genius!
I made my meat sauce with the added pork (inspired!) and without the sugar and also added a diced red bell pepper (because who doesn’t love peppers? – certainly no-one in my household!)
I used dry pasta sheets so I followed your advice and added a glass of red wine (wine, water, what’s the difference? – lol).
Now, I am not a great cook and I did burn the Béchamel (I have never gotten the knack of cooking with milk) but everyone agreed that it was still the BEST lasagne they had ever tasted.
I have been pestered ever since to make it again, although it has been ‘suggested’ I buy the white sauce pre-made 😛
Never again will my family eat sloppy, insipid, shop-bought lasagne.
Thank you, and please thank your mama for us. <3
Nicki says
O.M.G this is the best lasagne recipe I have ever made, and so easy. Lasagne is one of my hubby’s favourites and he said it was amazing! I will definitely be making this again and can’t wait to serve it for a dinner party! Thank you!!
Michelle says
I found a recipe for home-made Passata so I made that before hand. Then I followed this recipe. I did add a pinch of nutmeg into the white sauce. It was the most amazing lasagna I have ever had! Made it a second time but substituted the beef and pork for chicken and it was just as delicious. Thanks for sharing it. I will never be making lasagna any other way again.
Demi says
This lasagna is “THE” lasagna i can’t tell you how many times a week i dream of remaking this and eating the whole tray to myself.
Merritt says
Awesome and super easy to make. Can adjust with different things to suit everyone’s likes and needs. Added some fresh spinach to the sauce this time…next time I will be adding some zucchini and or some squash.
Julie G says
Exceptional lasagna recipe!! I made it exactly as written on Sunday…wrapped it up and baked it for our Monday night dinner. After I made the bolognese, my husband was dying to try it because it smelled so good. He wants me to make that with pasta one day! Each component on their own was fairly easy and came out perfectly. Most lasagna recipes are a bit time consuming but so worth it in the end. Shared some with my parents, froze a few pieces for a later date and kept 1 piece out for lunch tomorrow. I will be making this again for sure!!
Steve says
Thank you so much for this post … such a fabulous mix of all the right things to make the taste buds sing a high note. So easy to follow! This goes straight into the cook book.
Ayla says
The most delicious and idiot proof lasagna. Keeps really well in the fridge and freezer too. I followed the recipe to a tee save using brown flour and slicing, not shredding, the mozzarella. Came out really well (I used no cook noodles) and was a huge hit with the family too. I let the roux cook down for quite a while and the nutty flavor with the Parmesan was a really subtle but delicious addition to you regular lasagna.
Stephen says
Thank you very much for the recipe. I made this today and it was very good. I used dry noodles and I made a couple of small mistakes.
I think there’s supposed to be three pasta layers but my baking dish was not deep enough for that so I only had two pasta layers. I also overcooked the pasta a little and while handling it I tore some of it. This seemed to make the lasagna not as firm as it should be so it doesn’t cut nicely into firm pieces. It’s somewhat sloppy but still tastes great.
Amber says
I used spicy chicken Italian sausage for this recipe and it was jam on et! I can’t believe I’ve lived so long not knowing how to make that white cream sauce. This recipe is everything good and I loved it. Thank you for sharing!💜
Nadja says
Soooo amazing just done this lasagna for my birthday dinner today and it was a hit. I did what some of the comments said and used Italian sausages instead of the pork and it was just soo good. Definitely my go to recipe when it comes to lasagnas from now on. Never getting the store bough one ever again. Was even better than some lasagnas I’ve had eating out. Oh and the white sauce went fine just had to have some patience with it. Think it took us closer to 15-20 min before it got thicker but man was it worth the stress. Would give ten stars if I could
Cyndi says
Made this tonight for my father and I. The only lasagna I will cook from now on. Brilliant
jamie says
First time making lasagna, and will never need another recipe again. Absolutely delicious.
Thank you!!!!
Endy says
I made this yesterday and it is truly delicious. Am making another batch tonight to divide and freeze.
When I make it again gonna use Italian sausage as suggested in other comments.
Cindy says
OMG followed this recipe for dinner and it was amazing!!! Soo delicious, I’m a die-hard lasagne fan and this was hands down the best I’ve ever cooked. The bechamel sauce is heaven!
Kristin Williams says
I made Mana’s Best Lasagne last night, and it was a huge hit!! Thank you for sharing this delicious recipe with us! I used mild Italian sausage instead of the pork. It added some great flavor to the sauce. For the white sauce, I used a combination of heavy cream and skim milk. I will definitely make this again!!
Zoe says
I followed this recipe but skipped out on the carrots and used preboiled barilla lasagna sheets, it turned out WONDERFUL!!! Will definitely be making this again and again…
Destry Rini says
I made this lasagna last night. It was amazingly delicious. Thank you for sharing this recipe, I will safe it 😊
Simon Gawronsky says
Grear recipe!
Mrs A says
Amazing recipe. The perfect lasagne!
LouLou says
Absolutely the best lasagne I have ever had!!! Mind blowingly delicious!! Thank you for sharing the recipe. [ I will only ever use your recipe from now on. ]
L says
What kind of mozzarella did you use? I wonder if fresh would be too watery.
Janet Knoblauch says
Get the balls, drain the water and then slice them up enough that they will fit into a food processor if that is what you are using to shred. If hand grating leave them whole. Put each into a baggie and freeze until hard. Shred when they are almost solid. Mine took an hour and I shredded in my food processor. Bagged cheese is not the same.
[email protected] says
What can I substitute for passata or tomato puree? Will crushed tomatoes have a major effect on the texture of the sauce?
[email protected] says
Excuse me -Will the “addition” of another 28 oz crushed tomatoes have a major effect on the texture of sauce.
Karen says
Oh my goodness! Your site has been my savior! Cooking and baking likely more than can be eaten, NOT, it all tastes so good and nothing gets wasted. This lasagna is no exception! Everything turned out perfectly. Was concerned as many commented on a thin white sauce. I took my time and it thickened nicely. Cannot thank you enough for sharing your expertise. Bravo!! Stay well…
Danielle says
Easy and delicious. Most importantly it’s now my husband’s favorite lasagna recipe.
Dolly says
I am a first time viewer. I want to prepare this highly-rated lasagna, but want perfection on the first try. For a successful outcome, I have a few questions: How much is “1 onion” chopped in a measuring cup? What size carrot is needed—small, medium, or large? Could you be more precise on “salt and pepper to taste.”? I have botched many a recipe by having to guess the amount on required ingredients. Precise amounts really do make a difference. Thank you. (BTW, your French Toast recipe is excellent.).
Talz says
This was the best lasagne recipe I’ve ever used. So flavoursome and not difficult to make at all. It was a hit, the whole family enjoyed it so much. Will definitely be using this recipe forever!
Elizabeth says
Hi Karina,
This was the most amazing lasagna I have ever had! Question. I usually simmer my sauce for hours which I use for spaghetti. Would you recommend that if I had time? Or in this application for lasagna is it better to keep the sauce simmered for only 20-30 minutes for reasons like consistency etc
Karina says
If you have the time, absolutely! Low and slow simmered sauce allows the flavours to develop further.
Amy says
Hi!
I made this and it was so good! The only thing it was really runny/sloppy/not holding together. I followed recipe exactly! Not sure what happened. Otherwise tasted fantastic!
D Stoyano says
Made this this evening. It was amazing.
Highly recommend. My husband said he thought it may be the best he ever tasted.
Rosemary says
This is hands down the best lasagna I have ever made. I’ve made it three times now, it is my go to recipe for lasagna. My boyfriend says it is the best lasagna he has ever had too. I have made it with all beef as well as with a mixture of beef and ground Italian sausage. I recommend going the blended meat route, it is delicious this way but still really good with all beef. If you’re using dried noodles, soak them in a baking dish filled with warm water while you are prepping everything. By the time you assemble they will be soft and pliable but not mushy. They finish cooking in the oven.
Dave says
Great Recipe, I substituted the mince for dry aged rib eye cut 1cm thick, instead of using lasagne sheets i used some garlic buttered toasted turkish bread, took away the can tomatoes and instead used fresh tomato, mixed leaves, beetroot, and thinly sliced red onion rings, also instead of passata i used bbq sauce and aioli, other than that i followed the recipe to the tee, best steak sandwich i’ve had in a long time, thankyou!
Elizabeth says
Lol umm..
Kate Walker says
Lol. How did you follow this to the tee when you pretty much changed every ingredient.
[email protected] says
Umm…okay. I think you may have commented on the wrong recipe and if not, Umm..okay.
Christophe says
This cracked me up!! 😂😂 Thanks
Lizo says
Dave, best laugh I’ve had in a long time!! Thank you!
gabe says
This was so good! And almost exactly the same as my Mum’s recipe.
Only modifications – added mushrooms, didn’t preboil the lasagna sheets (in my experience you NEVER need to, even with the regular dried (non-instant) kind). Then we get a bit wacky – used gouda cheese instead of mozzarella because I love the way it melts and enjoy the stronger cheese flavor. We also used Quorn meatless crumbles.
Really delicious, thank you. The parmesan in the béchamel was fantastic.
Kim says
O M G !! I will never try another lasagna recipe moving forward since is my new “go to”. As mentioned in other comments, I used sweet Italian sausage in place of pork. The bechumel sauce was to die for. It took a lot longer to thicken, over 20 minutes but it was worth every minute required. I wish I could leave more than 5 stars because this recipe is spectacular.
Sean says
This killed it. Amazing. Whole milk? And why not simmer way longer?
H. F. says
Is there a way to freeze this? If so, how do you recommend freezing, storing, and reheating? Thank you for any help! This looks delicious!
Rebecca Paterson says
Hi! just wondering if you froze this? I was wanting to do the same
Fatema says
Me too! Would love to freeze
Diane McLavish says
WOW, so good, my family loved it as did I. This is the perfect lasagna recipe and we’ll surely make this again Our new favorite way to make lasagna for sure and I think I may do a Cannelloni with this exact same recipe, it will be so good!!
Carol Jean West says
Basically the same recipe that I use except that I use 50/50 ground beef and Italian sausage. Besides the mozzarella and bechamel, I also add some Provolone cheese. I love it!
Robert says
if anyone is having problems making the bechamel it’s just like making a gravy or anything else starting with a roux base. If you follow the directions perfectly as written it should be fine. I believe the key is to use just the right amount of flour whisked into the hot butter and then slowly adding the milk and whisking to keep it smooth. The roux should be a well mixed paste before adding any of the liquids and the liquid will thicken as the roux gets integrated and the liquids are absorbed by the flour.
Taqwim says
How many layers should I make for the lasagna? The recipe looks amazing!
Diane McLavish says
It made 3 layers exactly for me
Charlotte says
Hi karina
I made the lasagna last night for tonight’s dinner so have not tasted it yet but it looks delish! I have a couple of questions…first my white sauce was very thin…it didn’t thicken much and I followed the recipe exact..is it supposed to be super thin? Also, I added crushed boillion cubes but did not see any mention of adding water…was water supposed to be added? I wondered why the boullion cubes were added…but just did it anyway without adding any water…hopefully I will be fine..
Barbie says
Hi Charlotte 🙂
I also found that my bechamel was thin too & i followed the recipe exactly but found it thickened slightly the more it was simmering. Adding the cheese thickened it aswell! The bullion cubes are for flavour only so no water needs to be added 🙂 Hope it turned out amazing for you!
Karen says
It just takes more time! You just have to wait until it thickens…which might be longer than the suggested time but if you follow the directions it should work.
Emma says
Hi, any tips on making the white sauce or can you do a video next time you make the white sauce? What kind of brand of cheese and milk do you use? I’ve failed three times now and had a friend try too only to receive a “nah girl FaceTime.” I have very limited cooking skills (send literal help) and followed a 1 cup recipe step by step off YouTube that kind of worked, but that’s less than desirable for this and doing a whole pan. You would think if I can make it through college stats that I should be able to cook a freaking parm sauce, but I guess not because it keeps curdling no matter how slow I go, the pan I use, temp etc.. I’m tired of making the red sauce and settling for Bolognese because I can’t see to get the components to get the lasagne assembled.
Soraya says
The trick is to keep stirring even while it is just simme
Karen says
I don’t normally comment on recipes but this was actually the best lasagna I’ve ever had, and my first attempt at ever making one! I just used my normal red meat sauce that I use for other pasta, and I didn’t have mozzarella so I used Kerrygold Dubliner, which actually turned out to be a great idea! It takes it to the next level. Thanks for the white sauce idea!!
Raisa says
Loved this recipe! I felt putting two bouillon cubes would be too much so I left one out, and it turned out great anyway. I also didn’t have dried oregano so I also skipped on that. Thank you to your mom for this recipe! Hehe! 🙂
Emma says
Hello! Fabulous recipe! I made it with boxed Instant Wholemeal lasagna sheets. Didn’t boil them first, just straight out of the box in layers with the meat and cheese sauce as per the recipe. Absolutely delicious. Thanks for the recipe.
Regards Emma
Rhodymama says
Tried this recipe the other night and OMG. Yummmm! Next time I’m making two batches to freeze one. I will admit that I used my own meat sauce recipe but did everything else as instructed, might be tempted to try your next time because replacing ricotta with parm bechamel is GENIUS. My pickiest eater ate two huge pieces and there were no leftover after a day. A+++
Bernadette Gerace says
I have made many versions of lasagna before, and my Italian-born husband makes their family’s version. But THIS wins the prize for the best ever lasagna! I always make wnough for my family and another, and my friends always fight to be the receiving families for our 2nd pan. Thanks for this!!
Jennifer says
That’s so sweet that you make a second one for friends!
The world needs more people like you 🙂
Shannon Smith says
Never have been a huge fan of lasagna because I don’t like beef with tomato sauce very much, nor do I go wild over ricotta. So this recipe calling for pork and the white sauce instead of riccotta sounded perfect for my first attempt at making lasagna. Turned out great! I had to use extra parm in the white sauce because it just didn’t seem to be thickening. Also used more pork/less beef than the recipe called for because I really like ground pork. Skipped the boullion and used some garlic salt and also added thyme. Basically I just had a fun time with this recipe and loved every bite!!
Jacqueline Crosby says
Hi Shannon, I found the same thing with the bechamel and was worried but if you keep it on the heat and whisk every couple minutes it will thicken. Just don’t leave it on the heat too long without whisking or it will burn and/or cuddle. I added extra parm for flavour and it was amazing!
Caryn says
Best Lasagna I ever made! This was just perfect. Thank you.
Meg P says
WOW. Made a double recipe so I can freeze one for later. I think it was even better the next day!!
Ameera says
I plan to make this soon! Sounds incredible! Can I prepare it a day in advance? İf so, how? Thanks!
Cass says
I thought I had the best lasagna recipe! How wrong I was haha. We LOVED this!! Will never use another lasagna recipe again. Thank you!
Alyssa says
Fantastic dinner! I was looking for a zucchini lasagna recipe but all of them came up with jarred sauce and ricotta chesse. I wanted the real deal so I attempted to make this one healthier without being TOO healthy. I made 3 cups of bechamel instead of 4, and stirred in a package of cooked and drained frozen spinach. I also subbed the lasagna noodles for sliced zucchini. Next time I would cook the zucchini ahead so the water released doesn’t go into the lasagna.For a little extra flavor, I also used italian sausage in place of the pork. Overall it worked wonderfully! Can’t wait to make this again. Thanks so much for another wonderful recipe!
Reet says
Yum, yum, yum!
I’ve always done my lasagna very similar to this, but doing exactly like this made all the difference.
My mistake is always that my lasagna comes out of the oven dry, but I’ve made sure to add extra water during cooking just to the side of the dish.
Absolutely delicious. Thank you.
Carol says
Exactly how I do my lasagna except I use 50/50 bulk hot Italian sausage and ground beef. I also add mushrooms to thee sauce. And pasta is made from scratch.
Nikki Vos says
I’ve made this lasagna twice and it is the absolute BEST I’ve ever eaten. I want to make it for Easter lunch this Sunday. Question: Can I assemble this the day before I want to cook and serve?
MJ says
Love the fact you publish the nutritional value of your meal!!!! I pay attention to this a lot and it’s hard to track when it’s not given!! BIG PLUS TO YOUR SITE !
Mj says
Was trying to find a new lasagna recipe and the white sauce caught my attention. OMG SOOOO GOOD! We loved it! It got devoured !
Glad to have find your site, first recipe but not the last one!
Thank you!
Richard Santini says
This was my very first time making lasagna,so of course I looked on line for some guidance. Your recipe stood out to me for I am not a huge fan of ricotata. cheese. I made my meat sauce the way I originaly make my spaggetti sauce and instead of parmesean cheese for the brashmel I used cream cheese and more mozerella. This was the perfect Recioe for a beginners adventure to making lasagna. My guest were more than just pleased and begging me for the recipe. I added a little homemade french bread that i made to serve on the side which complimented the lasagna perfectly. I can not thank you enough for helping me make my lasagna the hit and the talk of the evening.
Jennifer says
I just made this today. Everyone loved it. As I am a picky eater when it comes to this dish. I loved it myself and I will be saving it for future use. Thank you for sharing.
Shannon says
ABSOLUTELY DELICIOUS!!!! The name does not lie. We had my brother n law over for his birthday and some other family over, as well. Everyone raved about it. The flavors are amazing. I agree on the pork…it really makes the sauce! I will use that sauce recipe for everything!!! I was thinking I might put it over spaghetti squash next time! It’s delicious. My bechamel turned out a little runny…but i thickened it up with more cheese and a longer boil. I think I can perfect it next time. Thanks for sharing this family gem! So yummy!
Susan Kehoe says
I thought I had the best lasagna recipe handed down from my sister who lives in Australia. This was fabulous. I’ve never made it with bechamel before. I’ve always used cream cheese. I also used fresh lasagna sheets, a much quicker option. Scooping it out of the casserole was a little messy, but maybe I didn’t let it sit long enough. Delicious!
Jesse says
I’m definitely making for my daughters birthday.. If I make the night before, how long should I reheat next day in the oven???
Maisie says
This was the best lasagne hands down! I did incorporate one layer of ricotta because I had it on hand. Thanks so much for the recipe and also for a great bechamel sauce recipe. My bechamel sauce always turned out lumpy but this recipe was spot on.
Lia says
I finally found my perfect lasagna recipe thank you for sharing! It was a hit with the whole family even my very picky seven year old daughter who for the first time ever asked for a second serving. Was hoping to get some advice however… I did let cool down for 10 min before cutting but the pieces didn’t hold their shape the way I was hoping. Definitely not a big deal for my family and I but I was hoping to make at our next party and nice pieces would be important. Should I have cooked the sauce longer than what’s recommended in the recipe? Is the meat sauce supposed to be left with no liquids? Also I agree with one of the other posts that the white sauce didn’t thicken enough either. Any advice you can offer to make this a perfection would be really appreciated as I want this recipe to be a keeper! Thank you 🙂
Dana says
This is by far THE BEST lasagna I have ever made! My husband said, make sure you right this one down. I have 2 younger kids loved it and 2 teenage boy hockey players who billet with us who devoured the rest of before they went to bed? Thanks for sharing this recipe!
Anthony says
All I can say is we made 2 trays and it was all gone in less than 24 hours with just 4 people eating it ….awesome
Karina says
This is great to hear!! I am so glad that you like the lasagna. It is one of my very favorites as well. Thanks for following along with me!! xo
Chris says
My family enjoyed this recipe! Followed instructions closely and came out perfect. Only thing I did differently is added more Parmesan to sauce. Instead of 1 cup I used 1 1/2 -2 cups. Thank you I’ll cook again!!
Noor says
Hello all! I was wonderingif I could use onion powder instead of an actual onion as I have some family members who don’t like the texture of onions. Also, can I make the day before and refrigerate then bake the day of?
Karina says
Yes, you can make the day before. That will be great! If it is longer than a day I would recommend freezing it. Enjoy your lasagna! XO
Anne Beary says
Why my white sauce is dense? I was having trouble to spread it…:(
Still it turned out fine…
Gonna redo it soon 🙂
Thanks for the recipe!
Dave says
White Sauce was water. 4 Tbsp melted butter + 4 tbsp of flour + 4 cups of milk was watery. What’d I do wrong?
Karina says
Oh no! I am not sure what went wrong. I wish I was in your kitchen to help you!
Regina Turner says
My first ever lasagna!! Made this for my family tonight and it was DELISH! I used sweet Italian sausage instead of pork, Gruyere and Parmesan instead of just Parmesan, only needed 6 sheets of lasagna in a 10 x 14 pan, and had to cook the white sauce on medium for about 15-20 minutes or so to thicken it up. It did turn out a little watery but overall it was very yummy and was a hit with everyone from my 2 year old daughter up to my 77 year old father! Thanks for sharing!!
Karen says
You should bring the sauce to a low boil; once it boils, reduce to a simmer and your sauce will thicken up just fine 🙂
This is the standard way to cook any bechamel sauce. Hope that helps!
Steve says
recipe calls for 1/4 of a cup of flour. No wonder your white sauce was watery using only 4 tbsp
Gabe says
It’s the same thing. 1/4 cup = 4tsps. I let my béchamel go a little longer that the recipe called for, but it was the perfect consistency. Not that it’ll thicken up a good bit as it cools.
The recipe did ask for 3.5 cups of milk though, not 4 as Dave stated. That wouldn’t have helped.
Wendy Webster says
Just made this and my Husband said its the best lasagna he has ever tasted!! Will be making it this way again.
Thank you!
Brittney says
My husband always swore he didn’t like lasagna. Turns out, it just doesn’t like traditional lasagna with ricotta, so the white sauce was awesome for us 🙂 Super yummy, and now I can make lasagna and he will eat it 😉
Liepa says
Me and my friends will have a lasagna party this weekend and we’ll be making 2 lasagnas: one vegetarian and one following your recipe!
Do you think we could cook them in the oven both at once?
I’m really excited to try this recipe it looks beautiful!
Karina says
Yes, you will just want to check on them and rotate them around as they are cooking so each pan gets the right amount of heat throughout the meal.
Janet says
This is my very first review and I must say I followed the recipe and this was easy and delicious. Everyone love it from ages 4 to 60. Will make again for sure!
Ana says
If I don’t eat beef what Can I use as a substitution that would make this yummy?
Karina says
Would sausage work for you?!
Patty Gaugler says
You can use ground pork, sausage, Bison, anything you like. If you’re Vegan, try frying Tofu. Flavor it then add it to your sauce. You can also chop zucchini, or other veggies. Anything that will add bulk to your lasanga and taste good. Good luck.
Jaime L Heifner says
This is an amazing recipe!
A. Reynoso says
It took a while to make, but DELICIOUS! It was a hit at the dinner table. People went for seconds! I used whole grain lasagna instead of the regular. I love the white sauce touch. Glad I chose this recipe.
Brittny says
Would using the white sauce AND ricotta be an overkill?
Karina says
HMMM! That does sound delicious! Let me know how it turns out! Enjoy!
Karina says
This was the second time I tried making a lasagna and, thanks to your amazing recipe, it came out so much better than the first time! I tend to be better at making sweet treats so it was really empowering when I tried this recipe and the dish not only looked like yours but also tasted amazing! I’m gluten intolerant and was able to successfully substitute the pasta and the flour for gluten free ingredients. The only difference was that I needed to add two more tablespoons of the gluten free flour to the bechamel sauce in order to get a thick consistency and it took a bit longer to thicken. I also left out the bouillon cubes and it still tasted great! I got great comments on the lasagna 🙂 Thank you so much for sharing and I will definitely be trying some of your other recipes soon!!!
Phia says
Looooved it! Nobody talked during dinner, only heard moans and noms, haha. It was that delicious! Only had 1 pd of beef on hand so, instead of making a trip to the store, I substituted half of the meat required in the recipe with some lentils simmered in the same concoction of tomato sauce. Amazing! Will make it again and again, thank you so much! And that béchamel, my goodness! Licked the pot clean!
Karina says
YAY!! That is exciting! I am so glad that it was so good. Thank you so much for sharing! XO
IAS says
Great recipe!!! Not surprised because I love all of your recipes!!
Clare says
This was the nicest lasagne I have ever tasted, let alone made. So good! I am gluten free so I just substituted the gluten ingredients for non gluten and it still worked great. Will definitely now be a favourite go to recipe! Easy to make and amazingly tasty!
Susan P says
Thank you for this wonderful recipe, I made 1/2 of a recipe and it was so easy to downsize. My husband absolutely loved it. It’s a keeper.
David Waltrip says
My apt smells amaze balls right now and tried the sauce as directed hen added red wine goodfellas style so yeah did not have 4cups milk so I used half cup milk and then sour cream and cottage chesee wit grated parm added to the original roo. Came together just fine. Can’t wait till I can feed the family with this. Thanks again.
Jan says
Delicious lasagna, nice and cheesey and quite easy to make. Everyone loved it and so glad I tried it as it will now be my lasagna recipe of choice.
Lemar says
This recipe was errrrthang! I will keep this recipe for when I meet my future husband lol.
Susan P says
I made this over the weekend. When I told my husband I was trying a new lasagne recipe he moaned. He’s not always happy when I try new things. Well, at first bite he was moaning with happiness. We all absolutely loved your recipe. It was so rich and creamy. The sauce will be a keeper as well for future purposes. Thanks so much. Once again Mama knows best!
Karina says
That is great to hear! I am so glad that he loved it! Thanks so much for following along with me!
Yessi says
Hi Karina,
I’ve found the best lasagna recipe ever! Thank you for sharing this with us!
I’ve made 2 trays with this recipe and they were absolutely, deliciously out of this world!
Sharmonique says
This is a great recipe! I was weary of the white sauce but it’s absolutely delicious. ❤️❤️❤️
Ery Man says
Hi Karena , love ur recipes I cooked a lot of them already, I’m Egyptian so Bashamel is like a basic thing for us , after u make the sauce let it cool down then add one egg and some black pepper , it takes the taste to another level ! Thanks keep the good work up!
Karina says
That is awesome! I am so glad that you have found recipes that you like! Thanks so much for following along with me!
Becky says
I’m making this now – do you drain the meat? I didn’t see anything about it……
Karina says
Hi Becky! No we don’t drain it. Once you add the tomato paste it will thicken with the sauce. Having said that though, if there is too much liquid you can drain some of it 🙂
abby says
I was wondering the same thing…. good thing I opted for the right choice and didn’t drain the meat. I’ve made this a few times and it is incredible!!
Jackie says
Hi Karina
What brand of garlic and herbs tomato paste did you use in this recipe. I can’t seem to find that flavor in my area.
Karina says
I used a garlic and herb flavored paste. I just get it at our local grocery store. I hope you are able to find a similar flavor at your grocery store. Even a regular tomato paste is great too!
Cheri Mckissen says
Have you made this in advance and if so, how does it come out? Is the moisture retained in it or does it tend to be drier? What are the adjustments you make in the cooking time too?
Karina says
I haven’t made it in advance but you are welcome to bake it and then freeze it so it does have all the flavors at the beginning. Hope that helps answer your question.
Alyson says
This is SO good!
We love lasagna but the way I’ve been making it since I was 19 had become a bit boring, so I set out to find a more advanced recipe. My main requirement – NO RICOTTA CHEESE. My husband can’t stand the stuff! I literally searched “best lasagna no ricotta” and that’s how I discovered this page LOL. I wanted to make it for our Valentine’s Day dinner last night, so I made my grocery list per your recipe and headed out. I had never even heard of passata and was worried I wouldn’t be able to find any, but to my surprise Kroger had exactly one brand of it in the tiny Italian section next to the pasta. Evenings are crazy at my house, with kids getting home from school and homework, etc, so I started cooking early so I could assemble it and have it waiting to go in the oven exactly when I needed it.
I made only one substitution, which was to use hot Italian sausage in place of the plain pork (we like our spice down here in Texas, LOL). This dish was perfection – despite the fact that my bechamel did not want to come together properly and had a weird texture (I just made some last week for chicken alfredo and it was perfect. Does that ever happen to anyone else – perfect one time and not even close the next? Ugh). Anywho, the taste was spot on so I just went with it, as I had already used all the parmesan for it.
Well I am rambling now. My point is, this recipe is delicious, and easy to follow at that. My husband and kids have all declared it a keeper. My 6 and 8 year olds even gave it somewhere along the lines of “fifty hundred thousand thumbs up!” Thanks so much for sharing!!!
Karina says
AWE! Thanks so much for sharing! I am so glad that it is a keeper and that you all enjoyed it! Thank you for the rave compliments and following along with me!
Christina says
Hi, do you happen to use fresh crushed tomatoes or canned? And if we’re substituting the bouillon cubes for beef broth how much would that transfer into measurements? Thanks so much!!
Karina says
I like to use fresh crushed tomatoes but a can works just as good! One beef boullion cube or a teaspoon of boullion granules makes one cup of broth, so one cup of beef broth would be the equivalent.
Jennifer says
Would like to make for Ash Wednesday…can we make the sauce meatless and still have the great flavor?
Karina says
Of course! You may not have the same flavor but it will still be great;)!!
Teresa says
Can you make this a couple days ahead.
Karina says
Yes, you are welcome to freeze it or refrigerate up to 3 days. Hope that helps answer you question.
MELISSA MENCIA says
Made this tonight for my family. Everyone LOVED it. It was so delicious!! Only thing was , it was a bit messy. Maybe my parmesan sauce was too liquidy?? Thanks Karina!!!!
Karina says
Messy is good;)!! I am glad that it tasted great and that everyone LOVED it! That is the most important thing! Thanks for sharing!
Ellen says
This sounds so good I can’t wait to try it. Can I substitute something for the bouillon cubes? They are usually so full of salt I don’t like using them. Thanks, Ellen
Tymeron Smith says
You are always welcome to use the can of beef broth instead if you would like. They tend to have less sodium in some of them. Hope that helps!
Christina says
Please post your recipe for Passata. I looked it up online and I am seeing several different ways to make it. Thank you.
Tymeron Smith says
I will definitely work on making some posts on pasta. You are more than welcome to go to my blog and look up “pasta” in the search button. There are several different recipes that you may like. https://cafedelites.com/?s=pasta
Tymeron Smith says
We like to layer the lasagna with a thin layer of meat sauce! You are welcome to try your way too!
kaanaeli moshi says
I made this tonight and it was amazing. My really family enjoyed it. We even have leftovers which will probably test even better. Thanks for sharing this
Janet says
Pasta sheets are not available in my area. I’m afraid if I use cooked dry lasagna “strips”, the white sauce will leak into the meat sauce below. Anyone tried using those for this recipe?
Karina says
Hi Janet. Dry strips are fine to use. I’ve updated the recipe notes to include those for you ?
Denise Gibbs says
You are right when you say this is the best Lasagna ever!!!! Cannot wait to try it soon
Karina says
Thanks Denise!
Michael says
This calls for fresh lasagna sheets which aren’t readily available around here. Would you suggest I substitute oven ready lasagna or regular lasagna and boil it first? Thanks. I’m looking forward to trying this recipe as I’ve never made one with a white sauce.
Karina says
HI Michael! I’ve updated the recipe notes to include those options. I would use Instant if you can find them to avoid pre boiling them, but it depends on what you can find. Either works really well in this!
Michael says
So..is there three layers of Lasagna sheets? or two?
Let me know please, I want to make this for sure!..Looks Yuummmmy!
Thanks…
Karina says
Hi Michael, we normally get three layers!
Andrew says
Do you have to pre cook the lasagna noodles?
Karina says
Hi Andrew. Not if you’re using fresh pasta. I’ve updated the recipe notes to include all options.
john racz says
is there no way to just get the recipe fo the lasagna?
Tymeron Smith says
The recipe is at the bottom of the page. Hope that helps!
Anne Pik says
I am definitely going to make this heavenly dish! Question – are the lasagna sheets cooked before assembling? And if I can’t find lasagna sheets, when using regular lasagna pasta should I precook? Just want to make sure I don’t ruin your recipe.. Thanks Karina!
Tymeron Smith says
The pre-cooked sheets need to be boiled before layering. Follow the instructions on the box that you purchase then add it to the lasagna. Hope that helps!
Leslie says
Hello I have tried lots of your recipes and truly LOVE THEM ALL. So easy to make. Thank you. For this one I have a question. Do you boil the lasagna sheets before layering? It says fresh sheets so im confused. Probably a dumb question.
Tymeron Smith says
AWE! Thank you so much! I really appreciate that! I would follow the instructions on the box of the lasagna sheets but normally no. If you purchase the pre-cooked ones then yes, you will need to boil them before. Hope that helps!
Belinda says
You seriously need to take a bow. Amazingly delicious recipe. Thank you for sharing your genius.
Carole Strawn says
I think I’ve finally found my perfect lasagna recipe. Can’t wait to try it but first I need to lose 20 lbs. LOL. This looks awesome and thank you (and your Mom) for sharing.