No-Boil Lasagna Bechamel with Mushroom Bolognese
Homemade no boil lasagna bechamel with mushroom bolognese. Two traditional sauces in the world's favorite casserole. What's not to love?
Ingredients
Bolognese:
- 6 tablespoons oil
- 1 onion larger, diced
- 3 garlic cloves minced
- 16 ounces ground beef
- 10.5 - 12 ounces portabello mushrooms
- 7 ounces tomato sauce
- Herbs and spices to taste parsley, celery, basil, oregano, salt, pepper or about ½ teaspoon each
- 1 tablespoon sugar
Bechamel:
- 3 tablespoons butter unsalted
- 3 tablespoons flour
- 16 ounces milk warm
- 7 ounces heavy cream warm
- ½ tablespoon salt
Other ingredients:
- 14-16 ounces cheese gouda, edam, or other hard yellow cheese, grated
- No boil lasagna sheets I used 12 sheets sized 3.5x7 inches*
Instructions
Bolognese:
- In a large pan, heat up oil over medium (2 min). Add onion and garlic and simmer until crystalized (3-5 min).
- Add ground beef and simmer until no longer pink, stirring occasionally (5 min).
- Add mushrooms, stir well and simmer until mushrooms sweat (6-7 min).
- Stir in tomato sauce, herbs, spices and sugar. Simmer (2-3 min), and remove off heat. The sauce should have more liquid than the usual bolognese.
Bechamel:
- In a large, wide pan melt butter on low to medium (2 min).
- Add flour and whisk vigorously to prevent lumps from forming while forming a paste (1-2 min). The mix should achieve a golden color and be smooth.
- Stir (or whisk) in milk.
- Stir (or whisk) in heavy cream and salt. Continue stirring (2-3 min) and watching the thickness. When the sauce is about the thickness of tomato sauce, or thinner it is done.* Remove off heat.
Assembly:
- Line bottom of a baking pan (9x13 inch or 22x33cm) with lasagna sheets.* Heat oven to 400°F (200°C).
- Add a layer of bechamel (roughly ¼ of the sauce), and evenly distribute, covering lasagna sheets completely.
- Add a layer of bolognese (roughly ¼ of the sauce) over bechamel, and evenly distribute.
- Top bolognese with cheese (¼ of grated cheese). Repeat steps 1-4 three more times, but don’t put the cheese on the top most layer right away. (Layer 1: lasagna sheets, bechamel, bolognese, cheese; layer 2: lasagna sheets, bechamel, bolognese, cheese; layer 3: lasagna sheets, bechamel, bolognese, cheese; layer 4: lasagna sheets, bechamel and bolognese.) Bake 15 minutes.
- Take lasagna out and top with remaining cheese. Return to oven for 5 more minutes.
- Serve warm.
Video
Notes
*Bechamel step 3: If the sauce is too thick add more milk. If it’s too thin simmer longer or add a little more roux. However, for this recipe it’s preferable that bechamel runs on a thinner side.
*Assembly step 1: The number of sheets will depend on the type of lasagna you buy. We needed 3 sheets each layer, and had 4 layers for the total of 12 no boil lasagna sheets.
Ingredient notes: Sheet size: adjust these to your pan. I used 12 sheets (3 per a layer) sized 3.5x7 inches as these fit my pan. Bolognese meat: Sub with ground turkey or pork. For a stronger taste, add 2-3 ounces diced bacon to the beef. Bechamel: Sub the sauce with ricotta but be aware that the texture is gritty and dry, especially when baked. Mushrooms: Sub with cremini, shiitake or a mix of. Not a fan of mushrooms? Sub with diced zucchini. Cheese: Sub with parmesan for a more Italian taste. Otherwise, use gouda. For freshest taste shred cheese at home.
Method notes: Regular vs no boil sheets: You can easily substitute no boil for regular sheets. You simply skip the boiling step, and layer them as they are. Make ahead: Assemble lasagna just before baking. Bolognese can be made ahead and stored in the fridge. Bechamel should be made just ahead of the assembly. Storage: Keep leftover lasagna in the fridge up to 2 days in a tightly sealed plastic wrap. Freezing: After baking, allow it to cool down, put into freezer bags (or containers), then freeze. You can cut it up or freeze it whole up to 1 month. To bake, thaw lasagna completely. Bake for 20 minutes, add cheese on top, and bake another 5-10 minutes. Reheating: Heat in the oven (highly preferred!) or microwave. If it was frozen, let thaw completely before baking.
Nutrition information is a rough estimate.
Nutrition
Sodium: 1952mgSugar: 11.7gFiber: 2.2gCholesterol: 242mgCalories: 1082kcalSaturated Fat: 34.8gFat: 71.8gProtein: 62.1gCarbohydrates: 46.7g
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