By Admin 
Fall in love at first bite with our favourite lasagne recipe. With layer upon layer of ground beef mince meat sauce, pasta, and creamy cheesy sauce, this comforting lasagne (or lasagna, for those in the US) is a warm hug on a plate.
Originally developed by Sarah Hobbs and re-tested by Alison Adams, this delicious recipe has been absolutely perfected.
What’s our secret to our best lasagne recipe?
There are many good reasons this particular lasagne recipe has become so beloved. The addition of wine in the meat sauce makes it super flavourful, while the layering of pasta (or ‘lasagna noodles’ for those in the US!) with mozzarella makes for the perfect ‘cheese pull moment’ (watch our video to witness it in action). But if we were to pick one thing that makes this lasagne recipe stand out above all others, it’s the luscious bechamel. A good homemade bechamel base or ‘cheese sauce’ takes time, but it’s worth it for the extra depth of flavour it brings.
The best thing about a rich Italian ragu lasagne is that it tastes even better the next day, even when heated in the microwave. This recipe is also freezer-friendly and will keep for up to 3 months in an airtight container. You can wrap individual portions in freezer wrap, ready to take out for a quick and easy dinner-for-one or to create some lunch envy in the workplace.
This amazing lasagne recipe, with its rich tomato sauce, is an absolute favourite among the taste.com.au team (hence the name!), but don’t just take my word for it: our members are raving about it too. One reviewer even said she made it for her husband “who grew up eating lasagna his Italian mother cooked him” (no pressure!) and “he thoroughly enjoyed” it. Fewf (wipes brow). With a 4.5-star rating and multiple rave reviews, it’s safe to say this recipe is now an adopted Aussie classic.
Key ingredients in our favourite lasagne
- Beef mince: it would hardly be a classic family favourite lasagne without a rich, ground beef mince sauce. Beef mince is ideal for bulking up a lasagne and adding protein to the dish. Our Recipes Editor Sonya Gellert has also made this recipe using plant-based mince, and declared it a delicious success.
- Italian diced tomatoes: a double duty ingredient, Italian diced tomatoes bring both moisture and added flavour to your meat sauce. We love how this simple pantry staple does so much heavy lifting in this recipe.
- Tomato paste: while we use lots of simple ingredients to bring flavour to this recipe (think onion, garlic, a splash of dry red wine and seasonings), for us tomato paste is a non-negotiable. It’s an instant umami-bomb and a little goes a long way.
- Fresh lasagne sheets: we think fresh is best when it comes to lasagne sheets, but if you only have dried lasagne sheets, you can pre-cook your pasta sheets to soften them (following packet directions) before cooking. This will ensure your pasta isn’t raw and crunchy. In our recipe notes, we have suggestions for other layers you can use instead of pasta too.
- Mozzarella: what would a baked lasagne be without the golden brown top and cheesy pull? We use a dry mozzarella (and coarsely grate a block), rather than fresh, wetter mozzarella, to ensure that magic pull moment and a signature, alluring topping.
Feeding a crowd? check out the vegetarian lasagne recipe that even meat lovers will swoon over, and our collection of more delicious lasagne recipes.
Additional recipe notes by Alison Adams – Food Writer and Recipe Tester
How to make our best-ever lasagne: get the full recipe below
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2 tsp olive oil
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1 brown onion, halved, finely chopped
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2 garlic cloves, crushed
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750g Coles Finest Carbon Neutral Beef Mince
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2 x 400g cans Italian diced tomatoes
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125ml (1/2 cup) dry red wine
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55g (1/4 cup) tomato paste
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Salt and freshly ground black pepper
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Olive oil, extra, to grease
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4 fresh lasagne sheets
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55g (1/2 cup) coarsely grated mozzarella
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Mixed salad leaves, to serve
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cheese sauce
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1L (4 cups) milk
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1 brown onion, halved, coarsely chopped
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8 fresh parsley stalks
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8 whole black peppercorns
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4 whole cloves
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2 bay leaves
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60g butter
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50g (1/3 cup) plain flour
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70g (1 cup) finely grated parmesan
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Pinch ground nutmeg
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Salt and white pepper
$9 per serve
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Step 1Heat the oil in a large frying pan over medium heat. Add the onion and garlic and cook, stirring, for 5 minutes or until onion softens. Add the mince and cook, stirring with a wooden spoon to break up any lumps, for 5 minutes or until mince changes colour. Add the tomato, wine and tomato paste, and bring to the boil. Reduce heat to low. Simmer, uncovered, stirring occasionally, for 30 minutes or until sauce thickens slightly. Remove from heat. Taste and season with salt and pepper.
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Step 2Meanwhile, to make the cheese sauce, combine the milk, onion , parsley stalks, peppercorns, cloves and bay leaves in a medium saucepan and bring to a simmer over medium heat. Remove from heat and set aside for 15 minutes to infuse.
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Step 3Strain the milk mixture through a fine sieve into a large jug. Discard solids.
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Step 4Melt the butter in a large saucepan over medium-high heat until foaming. Add the flour and cook, stirring, for 1-2 minutes or until mixture bubbles and begins to come away from the side of the pan. Remove from heat.
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Step 5Gradually pour in half the milk, whisking constantly with a balloon whisk, until mixture is smooth. Gradually add the remaining milk, whisking until smooth and combined.
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Step 6Place saucepan over medium-high heat and bring to the boil, stirring constantly with a wooden spoon, for 5 minutes or until sauce thickens and coats the back of the spoon. Remove from heat. Add the parmesan and stir until cheese melts. Taste and season with nutmeg, salt and white pepper.
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Step 7Preheat oven to 180°C. Brush a rectangular 3L (12 cup) capacity ovenproof dish with oil to lightly grease. Spread one-quarter of the bechamel sauce over the base of the prepared dish. Arrange one of the lasagne sheets over the sauce. Top with one-third of the mince mixture and one-third of the remaining bechamel sauce. Continue layering with the remaining lasagne sheets, mince mixture and bechamel, finishing with a layer of bechamel. Sprinkle with mozzarella. Place on a baking tray. Bake in preheated oven for 40 minutes or until cheese melts, is golden brown, and the edges are bubbling. Remove from oven and set aside for 10 minutes to set.
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Step 8Cut the lasagne into 8 portions and serve with mixed salad leaves.
