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Authentic Lasagne alla Bolognese Recipe Alternate Text Bologna, Italy

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We strongly advise you to read the cooking tips before jumping to the recipe though

Introduction & history

Lasagne alla Bolognese is a typical dish of the Italian region Emilia-Romagna, specifically of the city of Bologna. In many Italian families, this dish was and still is the symbol of Sunday lunch and family gatherings. To prepare the lasagne alla Bolognese, you will need pasta sheets, fresh or dried, slowly cooked ragù and béchamel sauce. The first step is to cook the ragù as it requires time; you'll need finely chopped onions, celery, carrots, minced meat (beef/veal and pork), some wine and tomato purée/paste. The second step is to make your green pasta sheets (if you're going to make them yourself); with eggs, flour, nettle or spinach and some olive oil and then to prepare the béchamel sauce; with butter, flour, milk, some nutmeg and grated Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese. The final step is to assemble your lasagne alla Bolognese and to bake them in the preheated oven. Traditionally, lasagne alla Bolognese have seven pasta sheet layers, but 3-5 pasta ... Read more

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Cooking tips

  • pasta sheets

    Pasta sheets for traditional lasagne alla Bolognese have to be green. They can be fresh or dried, store-bought or homemade, but they have to be green. Usually, the green color is obtained from the fresh, cooked, well drained and finely chopped spinach. However, in the past, nettle was typically used. If you're using fresh lasagne sheets, it's good to know that in most of the cases they can go straight ... Read more
  • ragú bolognese

    Ragù alla Bolognese is usually slow cooked, it contains finely chopped, or ground meat, the most common is a mix of veal or beef and pork, finely chopped sautéed vegetables and tomato, either purée or concentrate. Some recipes contain wine, while others do not. It is also common to add a bit of milk in the final stage of cooking to soften the meat and to reduce the tomato acid. The longer it cooks,... Read more
  • bechamel sauce

    The most important thing when making bechamel sauce is not to allow it to turn brown; it should remain white, and be cooked just enough so that there is no raw taste from the flour. Once you’ve prepared roux from melted butter and flour, pour the warm milk in increments, stirring after each addition to allow the milk to incorporate. Using warm milk will not only prevent a lumpy sauce but also help ... Read more
  • technique

    Before you start assembling your lasagne, make sure that all your ingredients and sauces are ready. Start by drizzling a bit of melted butter on the bottom of your dish and then continue with spreading a bit of ragù and continue with a layer of pasta sheets. Add another layer of ragù, then a layer of béchamel sauce and grated cheese. Continue with another layer of pasta sheets and repeat the steps ... Read more
  • equipment

    For this recipe, you will need a glass or a ceramic dish/bakeware. Glass and ceramic are poor conductors of heat, but they distribute heat more evenly; hence these dishes are perfect for baking lasagne. They will also help you keep your lasagne warm for as long as possible once out of the oven and set on the table.

Recipe variations

Italian Academy of Cuisine's Lasagne Verdi alla Bolognese

PREP 2h 30min

COOK 30min

READY IN 3h

4.8

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This recipe published by Accademia Italiana della Cucina is prepared with chicken liver, but contrary to the usual practice, no wine is added. Also, in this recipe, the basic fat for the ragù is butter, and not olive oil which is prevalently used in most recipes.

Ingredients

6 Servings

RAGÚ BOLOGNESE:

A half of onion, sliced

1 carrot, finely chopped

1 stick of celery, finely chopped

30 g butter

200 g beef, finely chopped or minced

150 g pork, finely chopped or minced

100 g chicken liver

1 glass of tomato puree

salt, pepper

GREEN PASTA SHEETS:

400 g white flour

2 eggs

250 g spinach, cooked, squeezed, well drained and chopped finely

BECHAMEL SAUCE:

500 ml milk

2 tbsp flour

small piece of butter

nutmeg

salt

EXTRAS

Parmigiano-Reggiano, grated, generous, for each layer and for topping

butter, for greasing

a few dices of butter, for topping

Preparation

Step 1/5

Melt the butter in a large skillet or sauté pan, add finely chopped vegetables and sauté for a couple of minutes. Add meat and chicken liver, sauté for a couple of minutes, and then add tomato puree, salt, and pepper. Cook until done for about 40 minutes.

Step 2/5

Prepare the pasta sheets by combining flour, eggs, and spinach and by using a fork beat together all the ingredients. Start kneading the dough with hands until elastic and a bit sticky, roll the dough out and cut into large sheets. Allow the sheets to rest. Cook the pasta sheets for a couple of minutes in slightly-salted water. When done, remove from the water using a slotted spoon, and them on a towel to drain.

Step 3/5

Prepare the béchamel sauce by melting the butter, adding the flour and sautéing for a couple of minutes. Then add milk and whisk it well, and cook for a minute until you have smooth, thick white sauce. Finish by seasoning the sauce with salt and nutmeg. Set aside.

Step 4/5

Prepare the bakeware/dish: drizzle some melted butter, add a layer of ragù and a layer of grated cheese. Continue with a layer of pasta sheets, and then with another layer of ragù, add another layer of béchamel sauce and a layer of grated cheese. Continue until you get to the top. Finish off with a layer of béchamel sauce and add few dices of butter.

Step 5/5

Place in the preheated oven and bake at a medium temperature (160°C) for approximately 30 minutes or until the top is golden brown.

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