Lasagna without ricotta—cheesy, amazing lasagna made with a cheese Béchamel sauce instead of ricotta cheese.
Prep Time1 hourhr
Cook Time45 minutesmins
Total Time1 hourhr45 minutesmins
Servings: 12servings
Calories: 763kcal
Author: Lucy Brewer
Ingredients
For Bechamel Sauce:
½stickunsalted butter
¼cupall-purpose flour
1cupswhole milk
1cupshalf and half
3cupsasiago cheesegrated
⅛teaspoonnutmegfreshly grated
½teaspoonsalt
½teaspoonpepper
For Lasagna:
One recipe Bechamel sauce
One recipe bolognese sauce
One pound lasagna noodles
3cupsgrated Parmesan cheese
1lb.sliced fresh mozzarella cheese
Instructions
Soak Lasagna Noodles:
Place lasagna noodles in dish and cover with the hot tap water. Allow to soak for 30 minutes. Drain, pat dry, and use as normal.
Make Bechamel sauce:
On medium-high heat, melt butter completely in large skillet or Dutch oven. Slowly whisk in flour until smooth. Cook, whisking continuously, for about two minutes.
Slowly whisk in milk and half and half and whisk continuously for about 8 minutes or until thickened. Remove pot from heat. Stir in nutmeg, salt and pepper.
Stir in grated cheese until melted and sauce is smooth. Set aside.
To make lasagna, layer in this order:
Bolognese sauce on bottom of pan, about 1/2 cup or a little more.
Add layer of pasta, overlapping edges slightly and cutting to fit the pan if needed.
Layer of bolognese, about a cup. Layer of Bechamel, about a cup.
Sprinkle lightly with some Parmesan. Add layer of pasta. Layer of bolognese. Add layer of Bechamel, about a cup.
Layer of mozzarella cheese slices. You won't cover the pasta completely. Sprinkle some Parmesan over the mozzarella. Continue layering and end with bolognese topped with mozzarella and Parmesan.
You can keep this overnight in the refrigerator if you want to make it ahead.
Bake at 375 for about 40 minutes, until sauce is bubbly and cheese is melted and starting to brown.
Remove from oven and allow to rest for at least 15 minutes before serving.
Notes
Tips for making the Best Lasagna:
This is a make-ahead dish. You can make the cheese sauce 1 or 2 days ahead and you can make the bolognese sauce weeks in advance and freeze it.
I use a lasagna pan, which is slightly deeper than a regular 9x13 dish. If using a dish you will probably want to decrease layers just a bit.
To help your lasagna hold its shape after serving, alternate the orientation of the noodles with each layer. For example, the first layer is lengthwise and the next layer is perpendicular, and continue alternating the layers.
To Freeze the Lasagna:
If planning to freeze the lasagna, I would suggest using a large aluminum disposable pan.
You can finish the lasagna all the way up to baking and then cover with aluminum foil and place in the freezer. If using a disposable pan, place the pan on a baking sheet in the freezer. Freeze overnight and then you can remove the baking pan.
Thaw the lasagna overnight in the refrigerator and then bake as directed.