Beef
Cottage Pie
Cottage pie tops a savoury minced-beef filling with mashed potato. A reduced filling supports the potato layer, while forked ridges on top create extra…
Beef
Beef Lasagna
Beef lasagna layers a concentrated meat sauce with pasta, smooth béchamel and a browned cheese top. Good structure comes from balancing moisture: the sheets need enough liquid to soften, but the filling must not run freely when sliced.
Home Cook View
Follow the measured ingredients, numbered method, substitutions, safety notes and cooking mode below.
Professional Kitchen View
Standard Yield6 servings
Professional Chef Notes
This formulation uses oven-ready lasagna sheets; sheets requiring pre-cooking need their own packet instructions. Finely dice the onion, carrot and celery so they integrate into the meat sauce. Grate cheese evenly for consistent coverage.
Cook minced beef thoroughly and reduce the tomato sauce to a spoonable consistency. Whisk milk into the cooked butter-flour base to prevent lumps. Assemble even layers with sauce covering sheet edges, bake until hot through, and rest before cutting.
Hard pasta corners usually lacked sauce coverage or sufficient baking moisture. A collapsing slice may need longer settling or a more reduced meat sauce. If cheese darkens before the middle reaches the safe casserole temperature, cover loosely and continue.
About This Recipe
Beef lasagna layers a concentrated meat sauce with pasta, smooth béchamel and a browned cheese top. Good structure comes from balancing moisture: the sheets need enough liquid to soften, but the filling must not run freely when sliced.
Before You Start
1. Read firstRead every step once before switching on the cooker.
2. MeasureWeigh and prepare all ingredients in the order listed.
3. Control heatLow means a gentle bubble, medium cooks steadily, and high is for quick browning.
4. Check donenessUse the texture, timing and safe-temperature checks written in the method.
Equipment
- ✓ Two saucepans
- ✓ Whisk
- ✓ 30 x 20 cm baking dish
- ✓ Foil
- ✓ Food thermometer
Ingredients
Easy Step-by-Step Method
Complete one numbered step before moving to the next. Keep the heat and timing exactly as written.
- Cook ragù: Heat oil in a saucepan, cook onion, carrot and celery for 8 minutes, then add beef and brown while breaking up clumps. Add garlic and tomato paste for 1 minute.
- Simmer: Add passata, stock, oregano, pepper and half the salt. Simmer for 30 minutes until thick but spreadable, ensuring beef is thoroughly cooked.
- Make béchamel: Melt butter in another saucepan, stir in flour for 2 minutes, then whisk in milk gradually. Simmer gently for 5 minutes and season with nutmeg and remaining salt.
- Layer: Heat oven to 190°C conventional / 170°C fan. In a 30 x 20 cm dish alternate ragù, pasta and béchamel. Finish with béchamel, Parmesan and mozzarella.
- Bake: Cover with foil and bake for 30 minutes, then uncover for 20–25 minutes until browned. A knife should pass easily through the pasta and the centre must reach at least 74°C.
- Rest: Stand for 15 minutes before cutting into six portions; this is additional to the cooking time.
Chef Notes & Tips
Keep all dry pasta covered by sauce. If the top browns before the sheets soften, cover loosely and continue baking rather than serving firm pasta.
Ingredient choices: This formulation uses oven-ready lasagna sheets; sheets requiring pre-cooking need their own packet instructions. Finely dice the onion, carrot and celery so they integrate into the meat sauce. Grate cheese evenly for consistent coverage.
Cooking control: Cook minced beef thoroughly and reduce the tomato sauce to a spoonable consistency. Whisk milk into the cooked butter-flour base to prevent lumps. Assemble even layers with sauce covering sheet edges, bake until hot through, and rest before cutting.
If something goes wrong: Hard pasta corners usually lacked sauce coverage or sufficient baking moisture. A collapsing slice may need longer settling or a more reduced meat sauce. If cheese darkens before the middle reaches the safe casserole temperature, cover loosely and continue.
Ingredient Substitutions
- ↔ Minced beef → minced lamb
- ↔ Parmesan → another hard grating cheese
- ↔ Oven-ready sheets → pre-cooked sheets, adjusting liquid and baking time
Food Safety & Doneness
Check the centre of the baked dish or filling reaches at least 74°C. Keep cooked and raw components separate during preparation and refrigerate leftovers promptly in shallow containers.
Serving & Plating
Cut after the layers have settled and lift with a broad spatula. Serve a fresh green salad alongside rather than adding more richness to the plate.
Storage
Refrigerate promptly in shallow covered containers at 4°C or below and use within 3 days. Reheat only the portion needed to at least 74°C throughout. Discard food left unrefrigerated for more than 2 hours, or 1 hour above 32°C.
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