Lasagna Recipe

Heat a large sauté pan or medium saucepan over medium heat. Add olive oil and 1 tablespoon butter. When butter foams, add diced onion, carrot and celery. Sauté until softened and translucent, about 6–8 minutes.

Add minced garlic and cook 30–45 seconds until fragrant, taking care not to brown.

Increase heat to medium-high and add ground beef and ground pork. Break meat up with a spoon and cook until browned with no large pink pieces remain, about 6–8 minutes. Drain excess fat if there is an excessive amount, leaving a thin film for flavor.

Stir in tomato paste and cook 1–2 minutes to caramelize and deepen flavor.

Deglaze pan with red wine, scraping browned bits from the bottom. Let wine reduce by half, about 2–3 minutes.

Add crushed tomatoes, stock, dried oregano, dried basil, bay leaf, salt, pepper and sugar (if using). Stir to combine, bring to a gentle simmer, then reduce heat to low.

Simmer the ragù partially covered for 30–40 minutes, stirring occasionally until slightly thickened. Taste and adjust seasoning. Remove bay leaf before assembling.

Warm the milk in a small saucepan or in the microwave until warm but not boiling (about 110–120°F / 43–49°C). Keep warm.

In a medium saucepan over medium heat, melt the 6 tablespoons butter. Once melted and foaming, add the flour and whisk constantly to form a smooth roux. Cook the roux for 1.5–2 minutes without allowing it to brown.

Slowly add the warm milk in a steady stream while whisking constantly to avoid lumps. Continue whisking until the sauce thickens and comes to a gentle simmer, about 5–7 minutes.

Reduce heat to low and simmer the béchamel gently for 3–4 minutes, whisking occasionally, until it coats the back of a spoon. Stir in nutmeg, ¾ tsp salt and white/black pepper. Taste and adjust seasoning. Keep warm until assembly.

If using regular dried lasagna sheets, bring a large pot of salted water to a boil and cook sheets 1–2 minutes less than package directions so they are slightly underdone; drain and lay sheets flat on a lightly oiled sheet pan to prevent sticking. If using no-boil sheets, you can use them directly (ensure ragù and béchamel have enough moisture).

If using ricotta, combine ricotta with 1 egg (optional), ¼ tsp salt and ¼ tsp black pepper in a bowl. Stir until smooth. This mixture creates a creamy layer that helps bind the lasagna.

Combine shredded mozzarella and grated Parmesan in a bowl. Reserve 1 cup mozzarella + 2 tbsp Parmesan for the top of the lasagna.

Preheat oven to 375°F (190°C). Lightly butter a 9x13-inch (or similar) baking dish.

Spread a thin layer (about 1 cup) of meat ragù on the bottom of the baking dish to prevent sticking.

Place a single layer of lasagna sheets to cover the bottom (3–4 sheets depending on size). Trim sheets if necessary to fit; slightly overlap is fine.

Spoon about 1 to 1¼ cups ragù evenly over the pasta layer. Dollop or spread about ½ cup béchamel over the ragù (you want both sauces present in each layer). If using ricotta, spread about ¾ cup ricotta mixture over the sauce layer. Sprinkle with 1 cup of the mozzarella/Parmesan mixture distributed evenly.

Repeat layering: pasta, ragù (1–1¼ cups), béchamel (½ cup), ricotta (if using) and shredded cheeses. Build 3–4 total pasta layers, finishing with a top sheet of pasta, the remaining béchamel spread evenly over the top (about 1–1¼ cups), and the reserved cheese sprinkled evenly across the surface.

Cover the dish tightly with aluminum foil (sprayed with a little cooking spray or tented so it doesn't touch cheese). Bake in preheated oven for 25 minutes. Remove foil and bake an additional 15–20 minutes until bubbly and the top is golden-brown.

If you want a very browned top, place under the broiler for 1–2 minutes while watching closely to avoid burning.

Remove lasagna from oven and allow it to rest uncovered for 15–20 minutes before slicing. This helps the layers set and makes serving cleaner.

Garnish with sliced fresh basil if desired. Slice into 8–12 portions and serve warm.