The Ultimate Authentic Lasagna Recipe (with Ricotta Béchamel!)

The Secret I Learned in a Boston Trattoria

The first time I truly understood lasagna was on a winter’s night in Boston’s North End. I ducked into a tiny, basement-level trattoria where the air was warm and thick with garlic and simmering tomatoes. The lasagna that arrived wasn’t like the simple layered casseroles I knew. It was impossibly tall, rich, and creamy, with a complexity I’d never experienced. The secret, the owner told me, wasn’t just in the meat sauce; it was in a second, luxurious white sauce—a béchamel enriched with ricotta. This Authentic Lasagna Recipe is my obsessive recreation of that perfect dish.

This is more than a recipe; it’s a project. It’s the definitive guide to creating a show-stopping, multi-layered masterpiece that will become the new standard for Italian comfort food in your home.

The Architect’s Plan: Your Ingredient List

A truly great lasagna is built in layers of flavor. We’ve broken down the extensive ingredient list into its three core components: the savory meat sauce, the creamy white sauce, and the assembly essentials.

Timing: A Perfect Weekend Project

This masterpiece is a labor of love, but most of the time is hands-off, letting the flavors simmer and meld to perfection.

• Preparation Time: 45 minutes
• Cooking Time: 1 hour 15 minutes (45 min simmering + 30 min baking)
• Resting Time: 15 minutes (essential!)
• Total Time: Approximately 2 hours 15 minutes

Data Insight: While this Sunday dinner recipe takes over two hours to complete, more than 60% of that is passive simmering and baking time. This makes it a perfect, rewarding weekend cooking project that fills your home with the incredible aromas of a true Italian kitchen.

Step 1: Craft the Rich Meat Sauce

In a large Dutch oven or heavy-bottomed pot, heat the olive oil over medium-high heat. Add the ground sirloin and Italian sausage and cook, breaking it up with a spoon, until browned. Add the chopped onion and salt and cook until softened, about 5 minutes. Stir in the garlic and cook for one more minute until fragrant. Stir in the tomato paste, then deglaze the pan by pouring in the red wine, scraping up any browned bits from the bottom. Let the wine cook off for a minute, then add the crushed tomatoes, sugar, black pepper, and crushed red pepper. Bring to a simmer, then reduce the heat to low, cover, and let it simmer for at least 45 minutes to allow the flavors to meld. Stir in the fresh basil and parsley at the end.

Step 2: Create the Luxurious Ricotta Béchamel

While the meat sauce simmers, make the béchamel. In a medium saucepan, melt the butter over medium heat. Whisk in the flour and cook for 1 minute, stirring constantly, to form a paste (this is a roux). Gradually whisk in the warm milk in a slow, steady stream. Continue whisking constantly until the sauce is smooth and has thickened enough to coat the back of a spoon, about 8-10 minutes. Remove from the heat and stir in the salt, pepper, and freshly grated nutmeg. Finally, whisk in the ricotta cheese until smooth.

Step 3: Prepare Noodles and Pre-heat Oven

Cook the lasagna noodles according to package directions until al dente. Drain and lay them flat on oiled baking sheets to prevent sticking. Preheat your oven to 375°F (190°C) and lightly grease a 9×13 inch baking dish with cooking spray.

Step 4: The Art of Layering Your Lasagna

The layering is the final, crucial step. Spread a thin layer of meat sauce on the bottom of the prepared dish.

1. Arrange a single layer of noodles over the sauce.
2. Spread about one-third of the ricotta béchamel over the noodles.
3. Top with one-third of the remaining meat sauce.
4. Sprinkle with one-third of the mozzarella cheese.
5. Repeat these layers two more times: noodles, béchamel, meat sauce, mozzarella.
6. For the top layer, place the final sheet of noodles, the last of the meat sauce, the remaining mozzarella, and a generous sprinkle of all the Parmesan cheese.

Step 5: Bake to Golden, Bubbly Perfection

Cover the lasagna with aluminum foil and bake for 25 minutes. Remove the foil and bake for another 20-25 minutes, until the top is golden brown and the sauce is bubbly. Let the lasagna rest for at least 15-20 minutes before slicing and serving. This is non-negotiable!

Nutritional Information

Per serving (approximate, based on 12 servings):

• Calories: 650 kcal
• Protein: 35g
• Fat: 38g
• Carbohydrates: 40g

Disclaimer: This is a decadent, celebratory dish. These values are estimates and can vary.

Healthier Alternatives & Variations

You can make a few swaps to lighten up this classic dish.

• Leaner Meats: Substitute ground turkey for the sirloin and use turkey Italian sausage.
• Veggie-Loaded: Add 1 cup of finely diced carrots, celery, and mushrooms to the meat sauce along with the onions to sneak in extra vegetables.
• Lighter Dairy: Use part-skim ricotta and mozzarella, and 2% milk for the béchamel. The texture will be less rich but still delicious.

Serving Suggestions

A dish this rich and satisfying needs only simple accompaniments.

• A Crisp Green Salad: A simple salad with greens like arugula or romaine, tossed in a sharp lemon or balsamic vinaigrette, is essential to cut through the richness.
• Garlic Bread: A classic for a reason! Perfect for sopping up any extra sauce on the plate.
• Red Wine: A glass of the same dry red wine you used in the sauce (like a Chianti or Merlot) is the perfect beverage pairing.

Common Mistakes to Avoid

1. Slicing Too Soon: This is the most common mistake. A hot-from-the-oven lasagna is a molten masterpiece that needs time to set. If you slice it immediately, you’ll have a delicious puddle. Letting it rest for 15-20 minutes allows the layers to firm up, resulting in clean, beautiful slices.
2. A Watery Meat Sauce: Your meat sauce needs to be thick. If it’s too thin after simmering, let it continue to simmer with the lid off to allow excess water to evaporate. A watery sauce will lead to a soupy lasagna.
3. A Lumpy Béchamel: The key to a smooth béchamel is to add the milk to the flour-butter roux very slowly at first, while whisking constantly. This prevents lumps from forming.

Storing Your Masterpiece

Lasagna is one of those magical dishes that often tastes even better the next day.

• Refrigerator: Cover the cooled lasagna tightly and store it in the fridge for up to 5 days.
• Freezing: This is the ultimate make-ahead lasagna. You can freeze it either baked or unbaked. Wrap the dish tightly in two layers of plastic wrap and a layer of foil. It will keep for up to 3 months. Thaw overnight in the fridge before baking or reheating.

The Ultimate Celebration of Comfort Food

This Authentic Lasagna Recipe is more than just a meal; it’s an event. It’s a project that rewards your time and effort with layers upon layers of flavor—a rich and savory meat sauce, a luxuriously creamy ricotta béchamel, and perfectly melted cheese. This is the dish you make to celebrate, to comfort, and to create lasting memories around the dinner table. It is, quite simply, lasagna perfected.

We invite you to take on this rewarding project. When you do, come back and let us know how it turned out by leaving a comment and a review below. For more show-stopping recipes, be sure to subscribe!

FAQs: Your Lasagna Questions, Answered

Q1: Do I have to use both ricotta and béchamel? What’s the difference?

A1: In many traditional Italian recipes, a creamy béchamel sauce is used instead of the ricotta cheese filling common in American-style lasagna. This recipe brilliantly combines them! The béchamel provides a smooth, creamy, and structural layer, while the ricotta adds a subtle richness and tangy flavor. Using both creates an unparalleled creamy texture.

Q2: Can I use no-boil lasagna noodles for this recipe?

A2: Yes, you can use no-boil (oven-ready) noodles to save a step. They tend to absorb more liquid, so you may want to ensure your meat sauce is slightly thinner than you’d normally make it, or add an extra splash of milk or broth to the bottom of the dish before layering. Follow the package directions for layering.

Q3: My lasagna was runny. What did I do wrong?

A3: A runny lasagna is usually caused by three things: 1) Your meat sauce was too watery. 2) You didn’t let the lasagna rest long enough after baking. 3) You may have used a ricotta brand with a high water content. Letting the lasagna rest for at least 15-20 minutes is the most critical step to prevent a soupy slice.

Q4: Can I make this lasagna vegetarian?

A4: Absolutely! To make a vegetarian version, you can omit the meat and create a rich vegetable “bolognese” instead. Sauté finely diced carrots, celery, onions, and plenty of mushrooms until deeply browned, then proceed with the tomato sauce recipe as written. It will be equally delicious!

The Ultimate Authentic Lasagna (with Ricotta Béchamel!)

Emily Grace Anderson

Layers of tender pasta, rich meat ragù, and creamy ricotta-béchamel topped with melty mozzarella and Parmesan come together in this authentic, make-ahead lasagna. Perfect for gatherings, it yields 12 generous servings and delivers true Italian comfort in every bite.

Print Recipe Pin Recipe

Prep Time 1 hour hr

Cook Time 1 hour hr

Total Time 2 hours hrs

Course Main Course, Pasta

Cuisine Comfort Food, Entertaining, Italian

Servings 12 Servings

Calories 550 kcal

Equipment

• Large skillet or saucepan For cooking meat sauce
• Medium saucepan For béchamel
• 9×13-inch baking dish For assembling lasagna
• Wooden spoon or spatula
• Whisk For béchamel
• Colander For draining noodles
• Knife & cutting board

Ingredients

  

Meat Sauce:

• 1 lb Ground sirloin
• ½ lb Ground Italian sausage
• 2 tsp Olive oil
• 1 medium Yellow onion finely chopped
• 1½ tsp Kosher salt
• 3 cloves Garlic finely chopped
• 4 cups Canned crushed tomatoes
• ¼ cup Dry red wine
• 3 Tbsp Tomato paste
• 1 tsp White sugar
• ½ tsp Ground black pepper
• ¼ tsp Crushed red pepper
• ¼ cup Fresh basil chopped Plus more for garnish
• 2 Tbsp Fresh flat-leaf parsley chopped

Ricotta Béchamel:

• 3 Tbsp Unsalted butter
• 3 Tbsp All-purpose flour
• 1⅔ cups Whole milk
• 1 tsp Kosher salt
• ½ tsp Ground black pepper
• ⅛ tsp Freshly grated nutmeg
• 1 cup Whole-milk ricotta cheese

Assembly & Topping:

• Cooking spray To grease baking dish
• 1 pkg 16 oz Lasagna noodles No-boil or cooked as directed
• 4 cups Shredded mozzarella cheese
• ¾ cup Grated Parmesan cheese

Instructions

 

Make the Meat Sauce:

• Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium. Add ground sirloin and sausage; cook, breaking up, until no pink remains. Drain excess fat.
• Add onion and garlic; sauté until soft, 3–4 minutes.
• Stir in crushed tomatoes, red wine, tomato paste, sugar, salt, black pepper, and crushed red pepper.
• Simmer, stirring occasionally, until thickened, about 30 minutes. Stir in basil and parsley; remove from heat.

Prepare the Ricotta Béchamel:

• In a medium saucepan over medium heat, melt butter. Whisk in flour to form a roux; cook 1 minute.
• Gradually whisk in milk, ensuring no lumps. Bring to a simmer, stirring until thickened, ~5 minutes.
• Remove from heat; whisk in salt, pepper, nutmeg, then fold in ricotta until smooth.

Assemble the Lasagna:

• Preheat oven to 375°F (190°C). Grease a 9×13-inch baking dish with cooking spray.
• Spread a thin layer of meat sauce on the bottom. Arrange one layer of noodles to cover.
• Spoon one-third of meat sauce over noodles, then half the béchamel, and one-third of mozzarella.
• Repeat: noodles → one-third meat sauce → remaining béchamel → one-third mozzarella.
• Top with final layer of noodles, remaining meat sauce, mozzarella, and Parmesan.

Bake:

• Cover tightly with foil (sprayed lightly so cheese doesn’t stick) and bake 25 minutes.
• Remove foil; bake 10–15 minutes more until cheese is golden and bubbly.

Rest & Serve:

• Let rest 10 minutes before slicing. Garnish with extra basil. Serve hot.

Notes

• Make-Ahead: You can assemble, cover, and refrigerate up to 24 hours before baking; add an extra 10 minutes to bake time if cold.
• Noodle Tip: No-boil noodles save time—just ensure plenty of sauce so they cook through.
• Variations: Swap ground beef for turkey or add sautéed spinach between layers for extra veggies.
• Storage: Leftovers keep in an airtight container up to 4 days; reheat individual slices in the oven or microwave.

Keyword authentic Italian, lasagna, meat sauce, ricotta béchamel