I might conjecture that lasagna with ricotta cheese is Italian-American whereas lasagna Bolognese is the quintessential Italian lasagna recipe because of its elegant simplicity. This recipe will show that less can be more —even when it comes to lasagna.

I’ve been down the Bolognese path a time or two. I’ve been smitten with it since the mid 80’s when I tried tortellini alla Bolognese in Bologna. Yes, that Bologna. But since meat sauce isn’t as much of a Southern Italian thing, which is where my family is from, I wasn’t exposed to it except the few times we ate Italian food in a restaurant.

And even then, I didn’t order it. Chalk it up to the life lesson of “you don’t know what you don’t know.”

But I know now. And now I’m completely smitten. Since then, I’ve made a creamy Bolognese sauce with milk, a traditional Bolognese sauce without milk and a white Bolognese sauce with chicken.

And now lasagna Bolognese.

This isn’t the expected cheesy, gooey potluck lasagna but a lasagna worthy to serve for a dinner party or celebratory Sunday supper. The flavors of each layer complement the other ending in nothing short of…well at the risk of sounding like this was written by AI…magic.

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What makes lasagna Bolognese different

The biggest difference between lasagna Bolognese and a more Italian-American lasagna recipe is that lasagna alla Bolognese doesn’t contain ricotta making it perfect for those in my family who aren’t ricotta lovers. The 3 layers of thin homemade pasta, a rich meaty sauce balanced by a delicate white sauce and a crisp top layer (the whole top, not just the edges) satisfy just fine, thank you.

Another perk is that if you make the lasagna noodles from scratch. you don’t have to cook the noodles. They cook right in the lasagna.

My experiment for the perfect Bolognese lasagna pan

Testing the recipe numerous times, I used a few different baking dishes. Call it Goldilocks and the Three Lasagna Pans.

I started with my favorite porcelain, deep roasting dish which I use all the time for lasagna but, for a lasagna without ricotta, it turned out to be almost too large. I tried a rectangular metal baking pan but it made getting the lasagna out of the pan a challenge. I finally found a really nice 9 x 12″ stoneware baking dish (with handles if available) to be ideal.

Lasagna Bolognese: main ingredient shopping list

I already took you through the layers but here are the ingredients you’ll need to gather either from the store or your pantry.

Bechamel layer: Triple the recipe to yield about 1 qt.

• roux made of equal parts butter and AP flour
• milk (2% ok)
• nutmeg

Lasagna noodles: One complete recipe, as written.

• “00” flour
• eggs

Bolognese sauce: One batch, as the recipe is written.

• Ground beef. I use 80%/20% usually because the higher fat content adds more flavor.
• Ground pork. Equal amount to the beef.
• Pancetta. Because a little more pork never hurts and a cured one adds even more flavor. I find it already diced at Trader Joe’s or the grocery store near the Italian meats.
• Holy Trinity. As it’s known in Italian cooking, the Holy Trinity is evenly diced carrots, onions and celery. Also called a soffrito.
• White wine. For a delicate touch.

Now, let’s chat about preparing the layers and putting them together.

Prepare the layers

The order in which I prepare the layers is different than how I talked about them above. That’s because I don’t want the pasta to be prematurely cooked or heated by hot bechamel or Bolognese.

So we are going to work backwards and start with the component that takes the longest.

2. Bechamel sauce

Start with the bechamel so that it is cooled for when you want to assemble the lasagna.

Heat a large skillet over medium-low heat and add some butter. Sprinkle in the flour and as the butter melts, stir the flour into it. It will become a paste. Stir for at least 2 minutes making sure that the roux doesn’t get too brown.

Whisk in the milk, stirring to incorporate it into the roux. After it’s smooth and whisked in, season the bechamel. Continue cooking over low until the bechamel thickens.

Cool the bechamel until it’s room temperature.

3. Make lasagna pasta noodles

Whether you are using a stand mixer or making the lasagna pasta dough by hand, you’ll crack the eggs into the flour.

Start with the mixer on low to blend the eggs and flour. Add water as needed (up to about 1/2 cup) until the dough comes together.

Cut the dough into about 10 pieces and flatten into a rectangle. Use a pasta machine or attachment to the stand mixer to roll out the dough repeatedly starting at level 1 to about level 5 or 6. For more specific details on this step, visit my homemade lasagna noodles post.

4. Assemble the lasagna

Alright. This is where it all comes together. And it’s a little different for layering lasagna Bolognese that a more traditional ricotta lasagna because we start with the bechamel sauce.

1. Place about 1 cup of bechamel on the bottom of a buttered baking dish, making sure to coat the whole thing. This is important because it’s the base layer and we don’t want the lasagna to stick to the pan.
2. Top the bechamel with about 2 noodles. You can overlap a bit if you need to.

1. Spread over about 2-3 ladles of Bolognese sauce. For reference, I am using a 4 oz ladle.
2. Time for another cup of bechamel sauce. Spread it over the Bolognese. It’s ok if it’s swirls together a bit.
3. Sprinkle over lots of parmesan cheese.
4. Repeat the layers at least two more times ending with a final layer of bechamel and parmesan.

Insider tips for the best lasagna Bolognese

For the bechamel

If making ahead, lay plastic wrap directly on the surface of the bechamel while it cools so a skin doesn’t develop.

You can run also push the bechamel through a strainer with a spatula to remove any lumps that may have formed

Add about 1/2 cup of milk extra to the recipe to make a runnier bechamel when making ahead.

Slightly heat the white sauce on the stove to bring the bechamel to the right consistency before layering in the lasagna.