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Original Lasagna alla Bolognese – The traditional recipe from Bologna

Original Lasagne alla Bolognese – This dish from the Emilia-Romagna region, specifically Bologna, combines a rich ragù alla Bolognese (a slow-cooked meat sauce), creamy béchamel sauce, and fresh lasagna sheets to create a hearty casserole that is perfect for family dinners, Sundays, or holidays. The traditional recipe from Bologna
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Prep Time 45 minutes
Cook Time 3 hours
Total Time 3 hours 45 minutes
Course Main course
Cuisine Italian
Servings 8
Calories 650 kcal

Ingredients
  

Ragù alla Bolognese (Bolognese sauce)

  • 500 g ground beef
  • 250 g ground pork (or pancetta for extra flavor)
  • 1 onion
  • 2 carrots
  • 2 stalks celery
  • 3 cloves garlic
  • 400 g strained tomatoes (or tomato sauce)
  • 2 tbsp tomato paste
  • 250 ml beef stock (or water)
  • 250 ml red wine dry
  • 50 ml milk
  • 2 tbsp olive oil (or butter)
  • Salt
  • Pepper

Béchamel sauce

  • 1 liter milk
  • 100 g butter
  • 50 g flour
  • 1 pinch nutmeg
  • Salt
  • Pepper

Lasagna

  • 400 g lasagna sheets fresh or dried
  • 250 g Parmesan cheese freshly grated

Instructions
 

Prepare the ragù alla Bolognese

  • Finely chop the onions, carrots, celery, and garlic.
  • Heat the olive oil or butter in a large pot over medium heat.
  • Sauté the onions, carrots, celery, and garlic until soft (about 10 minutes).
  • Add the ground beef and brown until crumbly.
  • Stir in the tomato paste and fry briefly.
  • Pour in the red wine and let it reduce until it has almost evaporated.
  • Then stir in the strained tomatoes, broth, and milk.
  • Season with salt and pepper.
  • Bring everything to a simmer, reduce the heat, and let the sauce simmer gently for 2-3 hours (at least 2 hours for authenticity). Stir occasionally and add a little water if necessary to prevent it from becoming too thick.

Make the béchamel sauce

  • In a separate saucepan, melt the butter, stir in the flour, and cook briefly until golden brown (roux).
  • Slowly pour in the milk, stirring constantly to avoid lumps.
  • Simmer over medium heat until the sauce thickens (about 10 minutes).
  • Season to taste with nutmeg, salt, and pepper.

Layer and bake the lasagna

  • Preheat the oven to 350-400°F top/bottom heat.
  • Spread some béchamel sauce on the bottom of a large baking dish. Then layer lasagna sheets, ragù, béchamel, and grated Parmesan cheese alternately (about 4-5 layers). The top layer should be béchamel and Parmesan.
  • Bake the lasagna for 30-40 minutes until the surface is golden brown and bubbly.
  • Let it rest for 10-15 minutes before cutting – this will help it hold together better.