This post may contain affiliate links. Please read our disclosure policy.
The Best Lasagna Recipe is here, ready to impress! With layers of slow-cooked Ragù Bolognese and creamy parmesan Besciamella, this dish stays true to its authentic Italian roots. One bite, and you’ll see why it’s destined to become your new weekend favorite. For the ultimate comfort food experience, serve it with a bowl of Sausage Gnocchi Soup since the creamy broth and savory sausage perfectly complement the rich layers of lasagna. Lasagna holds a special place among the world’s most beloved comfort foods, and this Best Lasagna is no exception.
Ultimate Guide To The Best Lasagna
When it comes to the Best Lasagna, this recipe holds a special place in my heart—and for good reason. Inspired by my mom’s unbeatable best lasagna, perfected over years with tips from her Italian friends in New York City, it delivers authentic flavors that will keep you coming back for seconds (and thirds).
What truly sets this lasagna apart is the sauce. Slow-cooked Ragù Bolognese, packed with rich flavors, brings it all together—a secret shared with our Spaghetti Bolognese. Layered with creamy parmesan Besciamella, tender pasta, and melted cheese, this lasagna is not just a dish—it’s a heartfelt labor of love that promises joy in every bite.
The Best Lasagna: Key Ingredients
The secret to the Best Lasagna lies in the ingredients. Slow-cooked Ragù Bolognese delivers deep, rich flavor, parmesan Besciamella adds creamy indulgence, and layers of tender pasta hold it all together. Simple staples, incredible results every time!
- Ground Meat (Beef and Pork): Using a mix of ground beef and pork adds depth and richness to the best lasagna. Beef provides robust flavor, while pork adds sweetness and juiciness, creating a balanced and flavorful meat sauce. If you don’t eat pork, you can just use beef. For best results, use high-quality, grass-fed beef and free-range pork for tender, flavorful meat. This combination is the foundation of any ragù, similar to my Slow Cooker Bolognese Sauce.
- Mozzarella: For gooey, melty cheesy goodness, use high-quality mozzarella, either shredded or sliced. Fresh mozzarella is a must. Consider buffalo mozzarella for its beautiful melt and creamy texture. Whole-milk mozzarella is richer and more flavorful than part-skim varieties.
- Tomatoes (for Passata): Choose ripe, vine-ripened tomatoes or high-quality canned tomatoes with no preservatives for your passata. They provide natural sweetness and acidity, balancing the meat and cheese’s richness. Opt for San Marzano tomatoes for superior taste and texture.
*Note: Please see Recipe Card at the bottom for a full list of ingredients and measurements.
Additions And Substitutions
When it comes to crafting the Best Lasagna Ever, versatility is key. Whether you’re looking to elevate the flavors or adapt to what’s in your pantry, small tweaks can make a big difference. These substitutions and additions ensure every layer is tailored to your taste and truly unforgettable!
- Vegan and Lactose Intolerant Options: For those who are lactose intolerant or vegan, you can substitute traditional butter with vegan butter, which offers a similar creamy texture and flavor. Additionally, use lactose-free cheese or vegan cheese alternatives to maintain the cheesy goodness without compromising on taste.
How to Make The Best Lasagna: Step-By-Step
Making Mama’s Best Lasagna is easier than you think, with rich layers of slow-cooked Ragù Bolognese, creamy parmesan Besciamella, and perfectly cooked pasta. Follow these simple steps to create a comforting dish that’s as rewarding to make as it is to eat. Let’s dive into the layering!
- Sauté Vegetables: Heat oil in a large pot over medium heat, add onion and carrots, and cook until softened. Add garlic and sauté until fragrant. Add beef and pork, cooking until browned.
- Simmer Sauce: Pour in Passata, crushed tomatoes, tomato paste, crushed bouillon, and dried herbs. Mix well, season with salt, pepper, and sugar if needed. Cover and cook, occasionally mixing, until the sauce thickens and the meat is tender.
- Melt Butter and Add Flour: In a large pot, melt butter over medium heat. Remove from the hot plate; add flour and whisk for about 30 seconds, or until well blended.
- Whisk in Milk: Return the pot to the stove, reduce heat to low, and slowly whisk in milk until well combined, adding milk in increments until the sauce is creamy and free from lumps.
- Thicken Sauce and Add Cheese: Increase heat to medium and continue cooking the sauce while stirring occasionally until it thickens and coats the back of your wooden spoon. Add parmesan cheese, season with salt and pepper, and mix until the cheese melts through. Remove from heat.
- Assemble Lasagna: Preheat oven to 350°F | 180°C. Spoon meat sauce on the base of a baking dish, then cover with lasagna sheets (trim if needed). Layer with meat sauce, white sauce, and half of the mozzarella cheese. Repeat layers, leaving the remaining cheese for the top.
- Top and Bake: 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 and Serve: Garnish with parsley and let stand for about 10 minutes before slicing and serving.
Once you’ve nailed Mama’s Best Lasagna, it’s time to shake things up and get creative. If you thought I’d leave you to dream up variations all on your own—think again!
While I definitely encourage you to experiment, here are a few twists to inspire your culinary creativity: try a hearty Beef and Pumpkin Lasagna or a delightful Chicken Pumpkin and Ricotta Lasagna. Feeling adventurous? Dive into an Easy Slow Cooker Lasagna Soup, Spaghetti Squash Lasagna Boats, or even Easy Lasagna Stuffed Burritos.
Recipe FAQ’s
Once you’ve layered your lasagna, make sure your final layers finish in this order: pasta, meat sauce, white sauce, and mozzarella cheese. This sequence results in a golden, crunchy, and cheesy top with a layer of juicy meat sauce underneath
We prefer fresh lasagna pasta sheets, which you can find in the refrigerator section of most grocery stores. But if you can’t get your hands on fresh sheets, no worries—dried ones work just as well!
You can store lasagna in the refrigerator for up to 3-5 days. Make sure to cover it tightly with plastic wrap or aluminum foil, or store it in an airtight container to maintain freshness. If you need to store it for a longer period, you can freeze lasagna for up to 3 months. To reheat, thaw it in the refrigerator overnight and then bake it in the oven until it’s heated throug
You might also like
Get a free eBook!
Subscribe to Cafe Delites FOR FREE and receive recipes straight into your inbox!
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 ground beef mince
- 10 ounces ground pork mince or beef
- 24 ounces Passata
- 14 ounces crushed tomatoes
- 3 tomato paste heaped tablespoons. I use garlic and herb flavoured.
- 2 beef bouillon cubes or vegetable, crushed
- 1 teaspoon dried oregano
- 1 teaspoon dried basil
- 1/2 teaspoon sugar if desired
- 1/4 teaspoon salt season to your tastes
- 1/4 teaspoon black pepper season to your tastes
White Sauce (Béchamel):
- 4 tablespoons butter
- 1/4 cup flour all purpose or plain
- 2 1/2 cups milk
- 1 cup shredded parmesan fresh
Lasagna:
- 13 ounces fresh lasagna sheets
- 17 ounces fresh mozzarella cheese shredded
- 2 tablespoons fresh parsley finely chopped
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°C.
- Spoon about 1 cup of meat sauce on the base of a 9×13-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!
Notes
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
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.
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!
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?
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.
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!!!
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!
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!!
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.
Would like to make for Ash Wednesday…can we make the sauce meatless and still have the great flavor?
Of course! You may not have the same flavor but it will still be great;)!!
Can you make this a couple days ahead.
Yes, you are welcome to freeze it or refrigerate up to 3 days. Hope that helps answer you question.
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!!!!
Messy is good;)!! I am glad that it tasted great and that everyone LOVED it! That is the most important thing! Thanks for sharing!
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
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!
Please post your recipe for Passata. I looked it up online and I am seeing several different ways to make it. Thank you.
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
We like to layer the lasagna with a thin layer of meat sauce! You are welcome to try your way too!