Daily Italian Recipe · Pasta
Classic Lasagna Bolognese
Classic Lasagna Bolognese layers delicate egg pasta with rich ragù, silky besciamella and Parmigiano Reggiano. Our ready-made Bolognese sauce brings this Emilia-Romagna favourite within easy reach of your home kitchen.
Total time
85 minutes
Serves
4 people
Difficulty
Intermediate
Origin
Emilia-Romagna
In Bologna and across Emilia-Romagna, lasagne al forno belong to the tradition of generous Sunday lunches. Their character comes from thin pasta, patiently cooked ragù and balanced layers—not an abundance of melted cheese.
Bologna’s celebrated lasagne verdi use spinach egg pasta; plain egg sheets are also used in the region’s home cooking. This version uses plain sheets while keeping the essential combination of ragù, besciamella and Parmigiano, without mozzarella.
Ingredients
- 250 g Lasagna pasta sheets Fatti BeneShop
- 600 g (2 × 300 g packs) Home Made Bolognese Sauce; use the listed 300 g pack weight, not the weight embedded in its product handleShop
- 100 g Parmigiano Reggiano DOP 24 Months, finely gratedShop
- 600 ml Whole milk
- 55 g Unsalted butter: 50 g for the besciamella and 5 g for the baking dish
- 50 g Plain wheat flour
- 2 g Fine salt for the besciamella
- 0.2 g Freshly grated nutmeg
- 3 litres Water for blanching the pasta, if required by the packet
- 21 g Salt for the pasta water, if blanching
Method
- 1
1. Prepare the oven and ragù
Heat the oven to 180°C conventional or 160°C fan. Butter a baking dish approximately 20 × 25 cm with 5 g butter. Gently warm the 600 g ragù in a saucepan, stirring until evenly hot. Keep covered: it should be moist and spreadable, without a pool of liquid.
- 2
2. Make the besciamella
Warm the milk in a separate pan without boiling. Melt 50 g butter over medium-low heat, stir in the flour and cook for 2 minutes without browning. Gradually whisk in the warm milk until smooth. Simmer gently for 5–7 minutes, stirring, until the sauce coats a spoon but still pours easily. Add 2 g salt and the nutmeg.
- 3
3. Prepare the pasta sheets
Check the pasta packet. If blanching is required, bring 3 litres water and 21 g salt to the boil. Cook the sheets in small batches for the packet’s recommended blanching time, then lift into cold water briefly and lay flat on clean kitchen cloths. If explicitly labelled ready for oven use, use directly as instructed. Trim the sheets to fit the dish with minimal overlap.
- 4
4. Build thin, even layers
Spread a thin film of besciamella and a little ragù over the base. Add pasta, then thin layers of ragù and besciamella and a sprinkling of Parmigiano. Repeat to make approximately 5 pasta layers, depending on sheet dimensions. Divide the fillings evenly, reserving enough of both sauces and 25 g Parmigiano for the top.
- 5
5. Finish and bake
Cover the final pasta layer completely with the reserved ragù and besciamella, then scatter over the reserved Parmigiano. Bake for 35–40 minutes, until bubbling at the edges, golden on top and tender when pierced through the centre. If the surface colours too quickly, cover loosely with foil.
- 6
6. Rest before serving
Leave the lasagna to rest for 15 minutes before cutting into 4 portions. This allows the sauces to settle so the layers hold together without becoming dry.
Chef's secret
Keep the besciamella fluid and every layer thin. The pasta should absorb a little moisture as it bakes, leaving distinct, tender layers rather than a heavy block.
Did you know?
Besciamella supplies the creaminess in classic Bolognese lasagna. Mozzarella is not part of its traditional ragù–besciamella–Parmigiano combination.
Common mistakes
- Using thick, stiff besciamella: it spreads unevenly and can leave the pasta dry.
- Overlapping the pasta heavily or leaving exposed corners: both create tough patches.
- Cutting straight from the oven: without a 15-minute rest, the layers are more likely to slide apart.
Storage & reheating
Refrigerate leftovers in shallow, covered containers within 2 hours of cooking and keep at 4°C or below for up to 3 days. Freeze individual portions for up to 2 months and thaw overnight in the fridge. Reheat covered at 180°C conventional or 160°C fan until the centre reaches 74°C, usually 25–35 minutes for a chilled portion; uncover briefly at the end to revive the crust.
Shop the recipe
Delivered across Hong Kong by SF Express or Lalamove.
FAQ
Should I add the planned mozzarella?
No—not for classic Lasagna Bolognese. Keep the mozzarella for another dish; besciamella and Parmigiano provide the traditional creamy, savoury finish.
How many Bolognese sauce packs do I need?
Use two packs. The current catalogue lists each pack as 300 g, so two provide the required 600 g, despite the older 400gr wording in the product handle.
Can I assemble the lasagna ahead?
Yes. Cool the sauces promptly, assemble with the prepared pasta, cover and refrigerate at 4°C or below for up to 24 hours. Bake from chilled, allowing approximately 10–15 extra minutes, and check that the centre reaches 74°C. Use a baking dish suitable for moving from fridge to oven.