Classic beef and mozzarella lasagne

Layers of tender pasta, rich beef ragu, creamy bechamel, and bubbling mozzarella — the kind of lasagne that gets requested on repeat.

1h 10mmediumItalianAmericannut-free

Prep

20m

Cook

50m

Total

1h 10m

Ingredients

6servings

250 g store-bought lasagne sheetsoven-ready or pre-boiled type
600 g lean ground beef
2 cans canned crushed tomatoes400g cans
1 yellow onionfinely diced
4 garlic clovesminced
2 tbs tomato paste
1 tsp dried oregano
1 tsp dried basil
2 tbs olive oil
1 tsp salt
½ tsp black pepper
50 g unsalted butter
50 g all-purpose flour
750 ml whole milk
¼ tsp ground nutmeg
250 g low-moisture mozzarellacoarsely grated
60 g Parmesan cheesefinely grated

Steps

1
Preheat your oven to 200°C (390°F). Heat the olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the diced onion and cook, stirring occasionally, until softened and translucent, about 4-5 minutes. Add the minced garlic and cook for 1 more minute until fragrant.
Tip: Don't rush the onion — getting it properly soft here builds the flavor base for the whole ragu.
2
Add the ground beef to the skillet and break it up with a wooden spoon. Cook over medium-high heat until no pink remains and the meat is starting to brown, about 6-7 minutes. Drain off any excess fat if the pan looks very greasy.
3
Stir in the tomato paste and cook for 1-2 minutes until it darkens slightly and smells rich and jammy. Add the crushed tomatoes, dried oregano, dried basil, half the salt, and half the black pepper. Stir well, reduce heat to medium-low, and simmer uncovered for 10 minutes until the sauce thickens and deepens in color.
Tip: Cooking the tomato paste for a minute before adding liquid removes the raw, tinny flavor and adds real depth.
4
While the ragu simmers, make the bechamel. Melt the butter in a saucepan over medium heat. Once foaming, add the flour all at once and whisk constantly for 1-2 minutes until the mixture turns a pale golden color and smells nutty.
Tip: This step — cooking the flour in butter — is what stops the bechamel from tasting floury. Don't skip it.
5
Gradually pour in the milk, a splash at a time at first, whisking constantly to prevent lumps. Once you've added about a third of the milk smoothly, pour in the rest in a steady stream, still whisking. Cook over medium heat, stirring frequently, until the sauce thickens enough to coat the back of a spoon, about 5-6 minutes. Season with the remaining salt, black pepper, and the ground nutmeg. Remove from heat.
Tip: If lumps appear, don't panic — just whisk vigorously. A smooth bechamel is all about patience with that first addition of milk.
6
Now assemble the lasagne. Spread a thin layer of ragu across the bottom of the baking dish — this stops the bottom sheets from sticking. Lay lasagne sheets in a single layer to cover, breaking pieces to fill any gaps.
7
Spoon over about a third of the remaining ragu and spread evenly. Add a generous drizzle of bechamel (roughly a quarter of the total) and spread to cover. Sprinkle with a small handful of mozzarella. Repeat this layering — pasta, ragu, bechamel, mozzarella — two more times until you run out of ragu.
Tip: You want a good bechamel-to-ragu ratio on every layer — don't be shy with the white sauce, it's what makes lasagne creamy rather than dry.
8
Finish with a final layer of lasagne sheets. Pour the remaining bechamel evenly over the top and spread to the edges. Scatter the remaining mozzarella and all of the Parmesan over the surface.
9
Bake uncovered at 200°C (390°F) for 25-30 minutes until the top is deeply golden and bubbling at the edges. The pasta should be completely tender when you pierce through with a knife. Let the lasagne rest for 10 minutes before slicing — this is non-negotiable if you want clean portions.
Tip: Resting lets the layers firm up. Cut too early and it'll slide everywhere; wait 10 minutes and you get those satisfying, intact rectangles.
10
Slice into 6 portions and serve. Leftovers keep well in the fridge for up to 4 days. Reheat individual portions in the microwave for 2-3 minutes, or cover the whole dish with foil and warm in a 180°C oven for 20 minutes until heated through.