recipes · pasta

Lasagne bolognese

A small, rich lasagne with a slow bolognese and a light béchamel. About 40 g of protein a portion, and even better in tomorrow's lunch box.

A slice of lasagne served from a baking dish
Photo by Sheri Silver on Unsplash. It's a free stock photo, not a photo of my own cooking.
  • About 1 h 45, mostly simmering and baking
  • ≈ 770 kcal a portion
  • 40 g protein a portion

Portions

Dinner for 2, plus 2 lunch boxes

4

≈ €11 for 4 portions rough supermarket prices in Europe, cupboard basics not counted

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Ingredients

The bolognese sauce

  • 340 g beef mince
  • 1 onion, finely chopped
  • 2 small garlic cloves, chopped
  • 1 carrot, finely chopped
  • 540 g tomato passata or chopped tomatoes
  • 4 tsp tomato paste
  • 4 tbsp water
  • 2 tsp dried oregano
  • 2 tbsp olive oil
  • salt and pepper

The béchamel

  • 35 g butter
  • 35 g flour
  • 460 ml milk
  • salt and pepper

To build it

  • 9 lasagne sheets (8 to 10, depending on your dish)
  • 180 g grated cheese, any you like (mozzarella, emmental, cheddar…)

Method

  1. 1

    Soften the vegetables, brown the meat

    Heat the olive oil in a large frying pan. Cook the onion, garlic and carrot for 5 to 7 minutes, until soft. Add the mince and let it brown for 5 to 7 minutes, breaking it up with a spoon.

  2. 2

    Make the sauce

    Pour the water over the meat to loosen what's stuck to the pan. Straight away add the tomato paste, the passata and the oregano. Season with salt and pepper.

  3. 3

    Let it simmer

    Cover and simmer on low heat for 35 to 40 minutes. If the sauce gets too thick, add a small splash of water.

  4. 4

    Make the béchamel

    While the sauce simmers, melt the butter in a small pan. Add the flour and whisk for 1 minute without letting it brown. Pour in the milk little by little, whisking all the time, and keep stirring on medium heat until it thickens. Season with salt and pepper.

  5. 5

    Build the lasagne

    Heat the oven to 180 °C (350 °F, or 160 °C fan). Spread a little béchamel in the dish, then a layer of sheets, some bolognese, some béchamel and a sprinkle of cheese. Repeat three or four times. Finish with béchamel and the rest of the cheese.

  6. 6

    Bake covered, then brown

    Cover the dish with parchment paper, then with foil, and bake for 25 to 30 minutes. Take off the foil and the paper and bake for 10 to 15 more minutes, until golden and bubbling.

  7. 7

    Let it rest

    Let it rest for 10 minutes before cutting, so the layers hold.

Tip: Cut the second half into portions once it has cooled, for the lunch boxes. It keeps 3 days in the fridge.

Calories, protein and cost are rough estimates for one portion, to help you plan, not exact figures.

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