Homemade Bolognese Lasagna

Ingredients

• 2 tbsp Olive oil (to sweat the onions)
• 1 large Yellow onion (finely chopped)
• 2 cloves Garlic (crushed)
• 1 medium Carrot (cut into sticks)
• 0.5 zucchini Zucchini (cut into sticks)
• 2 stalks Celery stalk (thinly sliced)
• 350 g Ground meat (15% fat) (beef)
• 350 g Sausage meat (pork) (skinless)
• 100 g Pancetta (diced)
• 400 g Canned peeled tomatoes (whole or crushed)
• 70 g Tomato paste (to cook before adding the tomatoes)
• 200 ml Tomato coulis (or vegetable broth)
• 120 ml Red wine (deglaze the meat)
• 500 ml Semi-skimmed milk (for the béchamel)
• 60 g Butter (for the béchamel)
• 110 g All-purpose flour (60 g for the roux, 50 g for the béchamel)
• 140 g Grated Parmesan (70 g in the béchamel, the rest for gratinating)
• 1 pinch Nutmeg (freshly grated)
• to taste to taste Salt (fine salt)
• to taste to taste Freshly ground pepper (black or white)
• 300 g Flour for lasagna dough (type 45 ideal)
• 3 units Eggs (fresh eggs)
• 1 tsp Smoked paprika (for the dough (optional))
• a pinch pinch Saffron (or turmeric) (for the dough (optional))

Instructions

1. Prepare the vegetables

   Peel and finely chop the onion, crush the garlic, cut the carrot, zucchini and celery into similarly sized sticks.

   Time: PT15M

2. Sweat the onion

   Heat 2 tbsp olive oil in the pot, add the finely chopped onion and sweat it over medium heat without salting.

   Time: PT5M

   Temperature: medium heat

3. Sear the meats

   Add the ground meat and sausage meat, increase heat to medium‑high and brown while stirring to achieve a light coloration.

   Time: PT5M

   Temperature: medium‑high heat

4. Incorporate the vegetables

   Add the pancetta, carrot, zucchini, celery sticks and crushed garlic. Sauté for 5 min, stirring regularly.

   Time: PT5M

   Temperature: medium heat

5. Deglaze with red wine

   Pour in the red wine, bring to a boil and reduce until almost dry.

   Time: PT5M

   Temperature: medium heat

6. Add the tomato paste

   Stir in the tomato paste, cook 2 min while stirring to remove acidity.

   Time: PT2M

   Temperature: medium heat

7. Simmer the Bolognese sauce

   Add the peeled tomatoes, tomato coulis, 200 ml water (or broth), season with salt and pepper. Lower the heat, cover and simmer for 1 h over low heat, stirring occasionally.

   Time: PT1H

   Temperature: low heat

8. Prepare the béchamel

   Melt the butter in a saucepan, add the flour, cook 2 min without browning. Gradually whisk in the cold milk, bring to a gentle boil, add nutmeg, salt, pepper and 70 g Parmesan. Stir until thick and creamy.

   Time: PT15M

   Temperature: medium heat

9. Prepare the lasagna dough

   In a bowl, combine 300 g flour, a pinch of salt, smoked paprika, saffron (or turmeric) and 3 eggs. Knead by hand for 10 min until smooth. Form a ball, cover with plastic wrap and let rest 30 min in the refrigerator.

   Time: PT40M

10. Roll out and par‑cook the pasta sheets

    Divide the dough into portions, roll out thinly with a rolling pin (or pasta machine) and cut strips the size of the dish. Drop the strips into salted boiling water with a drizzle of olive oil for 2‑3 min, drain and set on a clean cloth.

    Time: PT15M

    Temperature: boiling water

11. Assemble the lasagna

    In the lasagna dish, lay a layer of pasta, cover with ragù, add béchamel, sprinkle Parmesan. Repeat layers until exhausted, finish with a layer of béchamel and the remaining Parmesan on top.

    Time: PT10M

12. Bake

    Bake the dish at 180°C for 45 min until the top is golden and the edges bubble.

    Time: PT45M

    Temperature: 180°C

13. Rest before serving

    Remove the dish from the oven, let rest 5 min before cutting so the portions hold together.

    Time: PT5M

Nutrition Facts

Calories

550

Protein

30 g

Carbohydrates

45 g

Fat

20 g

Fiber

4 g

Ingredient Substitutions

• Instead of Olive oil: sunflower oil
• Instead of Yellow onion: white onion, shallot
• Instead of Garlic: garlic powder
• Instead of Carrot: squash
• Instead of Zucchini: eggplant
• Instead of Celery stalk: fennel
• Instead of Ground meat (15% fat): ground veal
• Instead of Sausage meat (pork): veal sausage
• Instead of Pancetta: smoked bacon, cured ham
• Instead of Canned peeled tomatoes: fresh tomatoes
• Instead of Tomato paste: tomato purée
• Instead of Tomato coulis: passata
• Instead of Red wine: white wine
• Instead of Semi-skimmed milk: whole milk, almond milk
• Instead of Butter: margarine
• Instead of All-purpose flour: whole wheat flour
• Instead of Grated Parmesan: pecorino
• Instead of Nutmeg: ground nutmeg
• Instead of Flour for lasagna dough: all-purpose flour
• Instead of Eggs: organic chicken eggs
• Instead of Smoked paprika: sweet pepper
• Instead of Saffron (or turmeric): turmeric

Equipment Needed

• Heavy‑bottomed pot
• Medium saucepan
• Whisk
• Mixing bowl
• Rolling pin
• Pasta sheeter (optional) (optional)
• Rectangular lasagna dish (30 × 20 cm)
• Oven
• Silicone spatula
• Chef's knife
• Cutting board
• Colander
• Plastic wrap (optional)
• Kitchen scale

Critical Steps — Do Not Skip

• Sear the meats to achieve coloration
• Deglaze with red wine to develop aromas
• Simmer the Bolognese sauce for at least 1 h
• Bake at 180°C for 45 min

Chef Tips from the Video

• Deglazing with red wine gives an unmatched depth to the Bolognese
• Use freshly grated Parmesan for a creamier béchamel
• Let the lasagna rest 5 min after removing from the oven to make cutting easier

Troubleshooting

Storage

Refrigerator: Store leftovers in an airtight container for 3 to 4 days

Freezer: Package individual portions, freeze up to 2 months

Room temperature: Do not leave at room temperature for more than 2 h

Make-Ahead Tips

• Prepare the ragù the day before and gently reheat before assembling
• The béchamel keeps for 2 days in the refrigerator; gently reheat before use
• The lasagna dough can be prepared the day before and rested in the fridge