Italian · Main course · Probada 10 veces

Lasaña a la boloñesa

The real Bolognese lasagne: layers of fresh egg pasta (ideally green spinach sheets), a long-simmered ragù, silky béchamel, and parmesan, baked until the edges crisp and the centre is molten. A Sunday institution from Emilia-Romagna.

Por Sofia Romano · Pasta & pastry lead · Publicada 2026-03-16 · Actualizada 2026-05-23
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Prep.
40 min
Cocción
200 min
Total
240 min
Rinde
8 servings
Dificultad
Medium
#italian#pasta#comfort#make-ahead
Respuesta rápida · Respuesta en 30 segundos

Simmer a proper ragù bolognese (soffritto, beef and pork, a little tomato, milk and wine) for 2–3 hours until rich. Make a béchamel. Layer pasta sheets, ragù, béchamel, and parmesan — repeat 6+ layers — finishing with béchamel and cheese. Bake at 180°C / 360°F for 35–40 minutes until bubbling and golden, then rest before cutting.

  • The ragù must simmer long and slow — it's not a quick tomato sauce; milk and a splash of wine make it Bolognese.
  • Thin fresh egg pasta (sfoglia), ideally spinach-green, is traditional and far better than thick dried sheets.
  • Both ragù AND béchamel between every layer — that's what makes it creamy, not dry.

Equipment

  • Large heavy pot (for ragù)
  • Saucepan (béchamel)
  • Deep baking dish (~3 L)

Ingredientes

Ragù bolognese

  • 30 ml olive oil
  • 1 onion, 1 carrot, 1 celery stalk, all finely diced (soffritto)
  • 300 g ground beef
  • 200 g ground pork
  • 120 ml dry white wine
  • 240 ml whole milk
  • 400 g crushed tomatoes
  • 30 g tomato paste
  • Salt, pepper, pinch of nutmeg

Béchamel & assembly

  • 80 g butter
  • 80 g plain flour
  • 1 L warm milk
  • 300 g fresh lasagne sheets (ideally spinach)
  • 150 g grated parmesan (Parmigiano-Reggiano)

Elaboración

  1. PASO
    01

    Soften the soffritto in olive oil 10 minutes. Add the beef and pork and brown well, breaking it up. Pour in the wine and let it cook off.

  2. PASO
    02

    Add the milk and a pinch of nutmeg; simmer until mostly absorbed. Add the tomatoes and paste. Simmer very gently, partly covered, 2–3 hours, until rich and thick. Season.

  3. PASO
    03

    Melt butter, whisk in flour, cook 1 minute. Whisk in the warm milk gradually until thick and smooth. Season with salt and nutmeg.

  4. PASO
    04

    Heat the oven to 180°C / 360°F. Smear a little ragù in the dish. Layer: pasta, ragù, béchamel, parmesan — and repeat for 6 or more thin layers. Finish with béchamel and a thick layer of parmesan.

  5. PASO
    05

    Bake 35–40 minutes until bubbling, golden, and crisp at the edges. If the top browns too fast, tent with foil.

  6. PASO
    06

    Rest at least 15–20 minutes before cutting — straight from the oven it slumps; rested, it cuts into clean, layered squares.

Make ahead

Both the ragù and the whole assembled lasagne are ideal to make ahead. Assemble a day before and bake from chilled (add 15 minutes), or freeze. The flavors deepen overnight.

Storage

5 days refrigerated and excellent reheated — many prefer it the next day. Freezes 3 months, assembled or baked.

Variations

Spinach sheets (verdi)

Use green spinach pasta sheets — the classic Bolognese version, lasagne verdi alla bolognese.

Vegetarian

Replace the meat ragù with a mushroom-lentil ragù or a roasted-vegetable layer.

Extra cheese

Add cubes of fontina or mozzarella between layers for a richer, gooier bake (less classic, very good).

Serve with

A glass of Sangiovese or LambruscoA simple green saladCrusty breadNothing else — it's a complete meal

Nutrition per serving

580 kcal 32 g fat 42 g carbs 30 g protein 9 g sugar 3 g fiber 720 mg sodium
Allergens: Gluten, Dairy, Egg

Nutrition values are estimates based on the metric measurements. Adjust as needed.

Preguntas frecuentes

Is Bolognese ragù just a meat tomato sauce?

No — authentic ragù alla bolognese is meat-forward with only a little tomato, enriched with milk and white wine, and simmered for hours. It's savory and rich rather than bright and tomatoey, which is what makes the lasagne special.

Fresh or dried pasta sheets?

Fresh egg pasta (sfoglia), rolled thin, is traditional and gives a far more delicate result — ideally the green spinach sheets of Emilia-Romagna. No-boil dried sheets work in a pinch but are thicker and less refined.

Why béchamel and not ricotta?

The Bolognese tradition uses béchamel (besciamella), not ricotta — that's the Italian-American version. Béchamel between every layer keeps the lasagne creamy and cohesive rather than dry or grainy.

Why rest before cutting?

Cut straight from the oven, the layers slide and the slice collapses. A 15–20 minute rest lets everything set so you get clean, architectural squares.

Can I make it ahead?

Yes — it's one of the best make-ahead bakes. Assemble and refrigerate up to a day (bake from chilled, adding time), or freeze. The ragù especially improves with a day's rest.

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