Lasagna with Bechamel Sauce

This show-stopping Lasagna with Bechamel Sauce is layered with a slow-simmered meat sauce and homemade bechamel sauce. It’s a creamy, close-to-authentic Italian lasagna you’ll never forget!

📝 Ingredients

• 1/2 medium yellow onion (rough chopped)
• 1 medium carrot (peeled and rough chopped)
• 1 stalk celery (rough chopped)
• 1 28-ounce can San Marzano tomatoes (whole, with juice )
• 2 Tablespoons butter (unsalted )
• 12 ounces ground beef (lean)
• 12 ounces ground pork
• 1 1/2 cups whole milk
• 1 cup dry white wine
• 3 Tablespoons tomato paste
• 1 1/2 teaspoons kosher salt
• 1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
• 4 Tablespoons butter (unsalted )
• 1/4 cup flour
• 4 cups whole milk
• 1 teaspoon kosher salt
• 1/4 teaspoon grated nutmeg
• 15 sheets lasagna noodles (no-boil, 9 ounces)
• 2 1/2 cups Parmesan cheese (grated)

👨‍🍳 Instructions

1. 1--- Meat Sauce ---
2. 2Puree the ½ medium yellow onion, 1 medium carrot, and 1 stalk celery in a food processor, until finely chopped.
3. 3Melt the 2 Tablespoons butter in a large dutch oven or heavy pot over medium heat.
4. 4Add the pureed vegetables and cook, until just softened, about 5 minutes.
5. 5Meanwhile, rinse out the food processor bowl and add the 1 28-ounce can San Marzano tomatoes. Pulse, until roughly pureed. Set aside.
6. 6Add the 12 ounces ground beef & 12 ounces ground pork to the vegetable mixture and break the meat apart for a couple minutes.
7. 7Add the 1 ½ cups whole milk and bring to a simmer, cook and continue to break apart the meat as it cooks. Cook until the liquid has almost evaporated, 20-30 minutes.
8. 8Add the 1 cup dry white wine and cook 20-30 minutes longer, until absorbed.
9. 9Add the 3 Tablespoons tomato paste and stir to combine. Then, add in the pureed tomatoes, 1 ½ teaspoons kosher salt and ¼ teaspoon ground black pepper.
10. 10Simmer until slightly thickened, about 15 minutes.
11. 11Set aside and let cool slightly, about 30 minutes.
12. 12--- Bechamel ---
13. 13While the meat sauce is cooking, heat the 4 Tablespoons butter in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Once melted, add the ¼ cup flour and cook, whisking, until combined, about 1 minute.
14. 14Add the 4 cups whole milk, whisking constantly.
15. 15Increase the heat to medium high and bring to a boil, as you continue to whisk.
16. 16Add the 1 teaspoon kosher salt and ¼ teaspoon grated nutmeg and reduce the heat to a simmer. Cook about 20 minutes, stirring occasionally, until thickened.
17. 17Set aside and let cool slightly, about 30 minutes.
18. 18--- Assembly ---
19. 19Preheat the oven to 425-degrees.
20. 20Soak the 15 sheets lasagna noodles in hot tap water for about 5 minutes, tossing with your hands occasionally to prevent sticking.
21. 21Remove the noodles from the water and pat dry with a clean kitchen towel.
22. 22Spray a 9x13” baking dish with cooking spray.
23. 23Add 1 cup of the meat sauce to the baking dish and spread to coat.
24. 24Place three noodles in a single layer on top.
25. 25Add about 1 ¼ cups more meat sauce evenly over the noodles.
26. 26Add ⅓ cup bechamel over the meat sauce.
27. 27Sprinkle ⅓ cup parmesan over the bechamel.
28. 28Repeat this process 3 more times, then place the final 3 noodles on top and cover completely with the remaining bechamel. Sprinkle on the remaining parmesan.
29. 29Spray a large sheet of tin foil with nonstick cooking spray and cover the lasagna.
30. 30Bake until bubbling, about 30 minutes. Remove the foil and increase the oven temperature to 450-degrees. Continue baking the lasagna, uncovered, until the top is browned, about 15 minutes. Let cool 15 minutes, then slice and serve.