Cheesy lasagna al forno is a delicious and wholesome dish loaded with cheesy goodness, a rich béchamel sauce, and ragu. The layers of flavor in this lasagna al forno will always have you coming back for more. Impress your dinner guests by making this amazing pasta entrée for them.
Cheesy Lasagna Al Forno
A luxurious Cheesy Lasagna Al Forno recipe that pairs lasagna noodles with a decadent cheesy bechamel sauce.
Ingredients
- 250 g Lasagna Pasta Sheets, boiled
- 1 cup Mozzarella, shredded
For the Ragu
- 1 teaspoon Olive Oil
- 500 g Ground Beef
- ½ cup White Onion, chopped
- 2 Garlic Cloves, minced
- 1 ¼ cup Tomatoes, canned
- 1 ½ tbsp Tomato Paste
- ½ cup Red Wine, dry
- 3 cups Beef Stock
- 1 Bay Leaf
- ½ tbsp. Italian Seasoning
- Black Pepper, to taste
- Salt, to taste
For the White/Bechamel sauce
- 2 ½ tbsp Butter, unsalted
- 2 cups Whole Milk
- 2 ½ tbsp Flour, all-purpose
- ½ cup Parmesan Cheese, freshly grated
- Black Pepper, to taste
- Salt, to taste
Instructions
For the Ragu
- Heat the olive oil in a large pot.
- Add chopped onions and sauté for a minute or two. Add garlic and cook for a few seconds until fragrant.
- Add ground beef and cook for 5 minutes or until it is browned.
- Pour in the dry red wine and let it cook until it is reduced.
- Add canned tomatoes, tomato paste, Italian seasoning, bay leaf, black pepper, and salt. Mix well.
- Pour in the beef stock and reduce the heat, letting the sauce simmer for about 2 to 2 ½ hours.
- Once the meat is cooked through and the ragu has thickened, turn off the heat and set it aside.
For the White/Bechamel sauce
- Place a saucepan over medium heat and add unsalted butter.
- Once the butter melts, add all-purpose flour and stir. Cook the all-purpose flour for a minute.
- Take the saucepan off the heat, slowly pour in the whole milk, and whisk vigorously to avoid lumps.
- Once those ingredients are unified, place the saucepan back on the heat and add salt and black pepper. Mix well.
- When the sauce starts to thicken up, add parmesan cheese and mix well so that everything is well combined.
- Take the saucepan off the heat and set it aside.
Assembly
- Add a tablespoon or two of ragu to the bottom of the 8 x 8 inch baking dish and spread it evenly to cover the surface.
- Now place a layer of cooked lasagna sheet across the length of the baking sheet. You can trim the sheets as needed.
- Add some more ragu and spread it evenly to cover the sheets.
- Ladle two spoons of white sauce over the ragu evenly.
- Place another layer of pasta followed by more ragu and white sauce. Continue until you have used up all the lasagna sheets.
- Make sure the white sauce is the last ingredient on the top layer. Sprinkle a generous amount of shredded mozzarella cheese over the white sauce.
- Place the baking dish in a preheated oven at 350 degrees F for about 7 to 10 minutes or until the top layer turns golden brown.
- Allow it to cool for a few minutes, then serve and enjoy!
EQUIPMENT
Notes
- You can use ground chicken, turkey, or a mixture of beef and pork for this recipe.
- Take out the ragu sauce altogether or substitute the meat for roasted vegetables and vegetable stock to make it vegetarian-friendly.
- Monterey jack cheese can be used in lieu of mozzarella.
- Refrigerate the leftover lasagna for up to three days.
Nutrition Estimate
Calories: 865kcal | Carbohydrates: 67g | Protein: 50g | Fat: 41g | Saturated Fat: 18g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 2g | Monounsaturated Fat: 16g | Trans Fat: 2g | Cholesterol: 135mg | Sodium: 928mg | Potassium: 1311mg | Fiber: 4g | Sugar: 12g | Vitamin A: 1013IU | Vitamin C: 10mg | Calcium: 547mg | Iron: 5mg
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If you like this post, then we definitely recommend checking out our Lasagna Noodle Recipe post.