Lasagne | Easy Classic Beef Lasagne with Rich Tomato Sauce & Creamy Cheese

Lasagne
Jump to Recipe

A classic homemade lasagne is the ultimate comfort food, rich, hearty, and layered with flavour. This easy lasagne recipe brings together tender pasta sheets, a slow‑cooked beef ragu, creamy béchamel sauce, and plenty of melted cheese for a family‑friendly dinner that always satisfies. If you’re searching for the best traditional lasagne, an authentic Italian‑style lasagne recipe, or a simple oven‑baked pasta dish perfect for any day of the week, this version delivers everything you need.

This lasagne is a delicious pasta you can make at home, with its rich tomato sauce, perfectly layered pasta, and golden, bubbling cheese topping, it’s a guaranteed crowd‑pleaser. Whether you want a classic beef lasagne or a comforting Italian recipe for cosy evenings.

Serving Suggestions for Lasagne

  • Fresh herbs — basil or parsley scattered over the top
  • Garlic bread or cheesy garlic baguette
  • Simple green salad with balsamic or lemon dressing
  • Tomato & red onion salad with oregano
  • Caesar salad for something more substantial
  • Roasted Mediterranean vegetables — courgettes, peppers, aubergine
  • Steamed broccoli or tenderstem with a squeeze of lemon
  • Green beans with garlic butter or toasted almonds
  • Caprese salad — tomatoes, mozzarella, basil
  • Bruschetta or tomato crostini
  • Crispy potato wedges or seasoned fries for a comfort‑food twist
  • Sautéed spinach or garlic mushrooms
  • Coleslaw for a crunchy contrast
  • Rocket salad with Parmesan and balsamic glaze

Variations: Lasagne

  • Classic Beef Lasagne with Red Wine — add a splash of red wine to the meat sauce for richness and depth.
  • Smoky Lasagne — stir smoked paprika or chipotle paste into the beef for gentle smoky warmth.
  • Mushroom Lasagne — add sautéed mushrooms to the meat sauce for earthy umami.
  • Spinach Lasagne — layer fresh spinach between the sheets for colour and nutrients.
  • Three‑Cheese Lasagne — use a mix of mozzarella, cheddar and Parmesan for a richer, more indulgent topping.
  • Herby Lasagne — finish with fresh basil, parsley or oregano for brightness.
  • Vegetable‑Boosted Lasagne — add grated courgette or carrot to the sauce for sweetness and extra body.
  • Creamy Lasagne — enrich the béchamel with extra cream or mascarpone for a velvety finish.
  • Chilli Lasagne — add chilli flakes or fresh chilli to the beef for a spicy twist.
  • Lasagne with Pancetta — fry pancetta first and build the sauce in the rendered fat for extra savoury depth.
  • Lasagne with Roasted Peppers — add chopped roasted red peppers for sweetness and colour.
  • Lasagne with Pesto — swirl basil pesto into the béchamel for a fragrant, Italian twist.
  • Lasagne with Aubergine — layer thin slices of roasted aubergine for Mediterranean richness.
  • Lasagne with Sausage & Beef — mix Italian sausage with the beef for a more robust, flavour‑packed sauce.
  • Lasagne with Caramelised Onion — add slow‑cooked onions for sweetness and deeper flavour.

Lasagne

Layers of rich beef ragu, creamy béchamel and melted cheese baked until golden, perfect for cosy family dinners and comforting weeknight meals.
Print Recipe Pin Recipe
Cook Time 55 minutes
Course Dinner
Cuisine Italian
Servings 4 people

Equipment

  • frying pan
  • Oven proof rectangle dish

Ingredients
  

  • dried pasta sheets
  • grated parmesan cheese to sprinkle on top

For the mince

  • 1 tbsp vegetable oil
  • ¼ tsp onion granules
  • 1 garlic clove, crushed
  • 500 g mince beef
  • 2 tbsp plain flour
  • 1 beef stock, dissolved in 200ml boiling water
  • 400 g carton of passata
  • 1 tsp worcester sauce
  • ½ tbsp oregano
  • ½ tbsp mixed herbs
  • 1 tbsp tomato puree
  • salt and pepper

For the sauce

  • 50 g lightly salted butter
  • 50 g plain flour
  • 600 ml semi-skimmed milk
  • 50 g parmesan cheese
  • ground pepper

Instructions
 

  • Preheat the oven to 180ºc/Gas 4.
  • Heat the oil over a medium heat and add the crushed garlic and onion granules for 30 seconds.  Then add the mince and fry until all the pink meat has gone.  Drain any fat away.
  • Add the flour and mix well.  Add the passata, stock, worcester sauce, oregano, mixed herbs and tomato puree and mix well.  Season to taste.  Turn the heat down to low and simmer for around 10mins.
  • Meanwhile make the white sauce.  Melt the butter in a saucepan, once melted over a low heat add the flour.  Once combined, with a large handheld whisk, gradually stir in the milk, whisking until you have a thickened, smooth sauce.  Add the cheese and season to taste with salt and pepper.
  • Pour half the mince mixture into a square ovenproof dish, then add half the white sauce on top.  Layer with dried lasagne sheets, then add the remaining mince on top, layer with lasagne sheets and then top with the remaining white sauce and then top with the parmesan cheese.
  • Place in the oven and cook for 35-40mins.  Serve immediately with garlic bread and green salad.