Rich, bubbling and gloriously comforting, this beef lasagne is the kind of midweek dinner that turns an ordinary evening into something worth gathering around the table for.
Layers of slow-simmered ragù, silky spinach-speckled béchamel and tender pasta sheets come together under a golden crown of mozzarella and Parmesan for the ultimate oven-baked reward. Yes, it takes a little patience, but the payoff is every forkful of savoury, cheesy goodness.
The secret lies in the long-cooked sauce – beef mince gently simmered with vegetables, red wine and tomato until deeply rich and full of flavour. Add a creamy béchamel with a handful of spinach (because balance), then stack it all up and let the oven do the final flourish.
Perfect for feeding hungry family or friends, this recipe serves 6 – 8 generously, with enough leftovers to make tomorrow’s lunch feel smugly superior. Think of it as comfort food with main-character energy.
Beef Lasagne
Our Winter Issue cover star is well deserving of the limelight! Nothing quite beats a warm and cheesy home-made lasagne on those chilly winter evenings.
Ingredients
- BOLOGNESE SAUCE (RAGÙ)
- 1 tbsp olive oil
- 1 carrot, finely chopped
- 1 onion, finely chopped
- 1 stalk celery, finely chopped
- 2 garlic cloves, minced
- 2 kg beef mince
- 1 tbsp Italian seasoning
- 2 bay leaves
- ¼ cup tomato paste
- ½ cup red wine
- 2½ cups tomato passata/puree
- 2 tbsp sugar
- 4 cups beef stock
- BÉCHAMEL CHEESE SAUCE
- 75 grams butter
- 75 grams flour
- 3½ cups milk, warmed cup grated Cheddar cup Parmesan
- ½ tsp ground nutmeg
- 150 grams baby spinach, stems removed and roughly chopped
- Salt and freshly ground pepper
- TO ASSEMBLE
- 500 grams lasagne sheets
- Mozzarella, grated
- Parmesan, grated
Instructions
RAGÙ
HEAT oil in a pot over medium heat. Add carrot, onion, celery and garlic. Cook for 5-6 minutes until soft Add the beef mince and dried herbs and cook until browned. (If there is a lot of excess fat in the pan, spoon some out).
ADD tomato paste and red wine. Cook for 3 minutes. Add tomato passata/puree, sugar, and beef stock. Season well. Leave to simmer on low heat for 2-2½ hours uncovered.
BÉCHAMEL CHEESE SAUCE
MELT butter in a pot over medium heat. Add in the flour and cook, stirring constantly, for 1 minute; don't let the mixture brown.
WHISK in the milk a little at a time to form a smooth sauce. Cook until thickened, then add in the cheeses, stirring until melted; add in nutmeg and spinach. Season to taste.
TO ASSEMBLE
PREHEAT the oven to 180°C.
SPOON ragù on the very bottom of the baking dish. Top with an even layer of lasagne pasta sheets (cut the pasta sheets to fit your baking dish).
ADD a few spoons of white sauce so the pasta is completely covered.
REPEAT the layers of ragù, pasta and béchamel sauce until everything is used up, making sure to keep enough of béchamel sauce for the very top layer.
COVER the top layer of the lasagne with grated mozzarella and Parmesan and then bake in the oven for 45 minutes or until bubbling and golden.
LET it cool slightly for 5-10 minutes before serving.
Notes
FOOD TEAM TIP: If you have any leftover ragù, pop it in an airtight container and enjoy it the next day on some spaghetti or pop it in the freezer for another day's meal.
Made this delicious Beef Lasagne recipe? Tag us @foodandhomesa #CookingWithFH on Instagram!
ALSO SEE: TOMATO, SPINACH AND THREE-CHEESE LASAGNE
Tomato, spinach and three-cheese lasagne
Recipe and Styling: Jezza-Rae Larsen
Photography: Gareth van Nelson
