There is nothing quite as comforting as a bubbling dish of lasagna fresh from the oven, with its rich sauce and layers of melted cheese. This recipe is the ultimate crowd-pleaser, making it the perfect centerpiece for a cozy family Sunday dinner or a festive weekend gathering.

Recipe Details

  • Yields: 6
  • Prep Time: 1 hour
  • Cook Time: 45 min
  • Total Time: 1 hour 45 min

Ingredients

  • Parmesan cheese
  • Emental cheese (optional)
  • Dry mozzarella cheese
  • 1 litre of Bolognese sauce (homemade or store-bought)
  • Béchamel sauce or ricotta lasagna filling
  • Lasagna pasta sheets

Instructions

  1. Begin by preparing your bolognese sauce or warming up your favorite store-bought pasta sauce.
  2. While the red sauce finishes its simmer, prepare your white layer, whether you are using a creamy béchamel or a ricotta-based filling.
  3. If you have opted for the béchamel sauce, you can stir in three or four handfuls of shredded Emental cheese for extra richness.
  4. Set your oven to preheat to 175°C/350°F. If your specific brand of lasagna noodles requires pre-cooking, boil them now according to the package instructions.
  5. Take a large, deep baking dish and spread a thin coating of the pasta sauce across the bottom surface.
  6. Place a layer of pasta sheets over the sauce. Follow this with a layer of your béchamel or ricotta, then another layer of noodles, and a layer of bolognese. If you like, you can add a light dusting of grated Parmesan over each meat sauce layer.
  7. Repeat these layering steps until the baking dish is nearly full or you run out of your white filling. Ensure that the final, top layer of the lasagna is the béchamel or ricotta.
  8. Sprinkle a generous amount of Parmesan over the top along with the dry mozzarella cheese. Cover the dish tightly with a sheet of aluminum foil.
  9. Slide the tray into the center of the preheated oven and bake for 30 to 35 minutes. After this time, remove the foil and continue baking to allow the cheese to brown beautifully.
  10. When the lasagna is cooked through, remove it from the oven and cover it again with foil. Let the dish rest for about 10 minutes before slicing to ensure the layers stay together.

Tips for Success

For a deeper flavor profile, adding the optional grated Emental cheese to your béchamel sauce creates a wonderful, nutty complexity. Additionally, allowing the lasagna to rest after it comes out of the oven is a vital step; it helps the sauces set so you get those perfect, distinct layers when you serve it.

Gather the family around and enjoy every cheesy, savory bite of this classic dish!