It’s the perfect comforting dinner as the weather cools down, this lasagne recipe promises to feed a small crowd just nicely. After all, you’d be crazy not to love a lasagne recipe every now and then. Nothing beats a hearty pasta dish in the oven, the golden cheese bubbling away, creating a deliciously crunchy crust.
Lasagne served with salad … or not
Team this with a side salad and garlic bread to round it out for adults, but don’t be surprised if the kids just want to tuck into a bowl of the pasta goodness, minus any greenery – because #kids.
Want to try a meatless version or make your beef mince go further? Try replacing the beef mince with brown lentils instead. It’s great for your health AND your wallet!
MEAL PLANNING TIP: You can absolutely get a jump on making this lasagne recipe in advance by cooking the Bolognese sauce the day before (you can even freeze it). This lasagne recipe can also be used to make individual lasagne in foil containers, suitable for freezing.
Family favourite lasagne recipe
Serves: 4 to 6 depending on appetite!
Ingredients
- Instant lasagne sheets (8 or more depending on the size of the baking dish)
- ½ cup Mozzarella cheese, grated
- ½ cup Parmesan cheese, grated
- 1 tablespoon oil
- 1 zucchini, grated
- 1 brown onion, diced
- 1 carrot, diced
- 1 stick celery, diced
- 2 garlic cloves, crushed
- 500g beef mince
- 150g tomato paste
- 1 cup tomato passata
- ¾ cup chicken stock
- ½ cup water
- ½ tsp dried oregano
- ½ tsp nutmeg
- Pinch salt and pepper
- 60g butter
- ¼ cup plain flour
- 450ml milk
Method
- In a saucepan over medium heat, heat the oil and sauté onion, garlic, carrot and celery for around five minutes, or until it starts to soften.
- Add the beef mince. Breaking up the clumps of meat with a wooden spoon, cook until browned.
- Stir in the grated zucchini and cook for a minute.
- Stir in the stock, water, tomato paste and tomato passata. Season with salt and pepper. Stir and let simmer for 35 minutes, uncovered. Stir occasionally, to prevent it from catching and burning on the bottom of the pan, meanwhile, the sauce will reduce slightly. Preheat the oven to 180°C.
- When the Bolognese sauce time is nearly up, start on the bechamel sauce. In a small saucepan over medium heat, melt the butter. Whisk the flour into the butter and let it cook for a minute.
- Take the saucepan off the heat and slowly add the milk to the buttery flour mix. Whisk like crazy while pouring to prevent lumps. Return to the heat to thicken while stirring.
- In a 30cm x 20cm lasagne dish, spoon a little of the Bolognese mix onto the base and top with two dried lasagne sheets.
- Spoon Bolognese over the lasagne sheets, followed by spooning a little bechamel sauce. Repeat the lasagne sheet / Bolognese/bechamel layer two more times.
- On the top layer of lasagne sheets, only use bechamel sauce and top with the grated cheeses. Bake for 30 minutes or until golden in colour.
- Let rest for five to 10 minutes. Shave a little extra cheese on top and sprinkle with fresh oregano (optional) if feeling particularly fancy. Serve with a green side salad and garlic bread. Enjoy!
Does your family love a belly-warming pasta dish too? Or perhaps you have a family secret lasagne recipe that you think is about time you outed? Feel free to leave your hints and tips in the comment section below!
