Recipes · Main dishes
Lasagna with Ground Beef and Béchamel
AI-written · not yet kitchen-tested
A lasagna consists of three things that each have to work on their own: the ragù, the béchamel and the layering. With no-boil lasagna sheets it is done after 40 minutes in the oven.
This recipe was written with AI assistance and has not yet been kitchen-tested. Check quantities and times as you cook, and follow safe core temperatures for meat, poultry, fish and eggs.
Ingredients
- 2 tbsp olive oil
- 1 onion
- 2 garlic cloves
- 1 carrot
- 500 g (1.1 lb) ground beef
- 2 tbsp tomato paste
- 800 g (1.8 lb) chunky chopped tomatoes 2 cans
- 1 tsp dried oregano
- salt and pepper to taste
- 60 g (1/4 cup) butter
- 60 g (1/2 cup) all-purpose flour
- 750 ml (3 1/4 cup) milk
- salt and nutmeg to taste
- 250 g (8.8 oz) lasagna sheets no-boil
- 125 g (4.4 oz) mozzarella
- 60 g (2.1 oz) Parmesan grated
Method
- For the ragù, finely dice the onion, garlic and carrot and cook them in the oil for 5 minutes. Add the ground beef and brown it for 8 minutes until crumbly, toasting the tomato paste with it for the last 2 minutes.
- Add the tomatoes and oregano and simmer the ragù over low heat for 25 minutes, until thick. Season with salt and pepper.
- For the béchamel, melt the butter, stir in the flour and cook it for 2 minutes without letting it brown. Gradually pour in the milk while stirring and simmer for 5 minutes, until the sauce is thick. Season with salt and nutmeg.
- Preheat the oven to 350 °F (180 °C) for conventional baking, or to 325 °F (160 °C) with convection. Slice the mozzarella.
- Spread a little béchamel on the bottom of the dish. Then layer lasagna sheets, ragù, béchamel and some Parmesan alternately (three to four layers). Finish with béchamel, mozzarella and Parmesan.
- Bake for 35 to 40 minutes, until the top is golden brown and the sheets are soft. Let it rest for 10 minutes, then cut.
Tip: The sheets need liquid to cook. Every layer should be completely covered with ragù or béchamel.
Tip: The lasagna can be layered the day before and kept in the refrigerator. Then bake it for 10 minutes longer.
Food safety: Always cook ground meat all the way through: the core temperature at the coldest point must reach at least 158 °F (70 °C) and be held there for at least 2 minutes; use a kitchen thermometer. Do not taste raw ground meat.