Lasagna Bechamel Recipe
Lasagna with béchamel and Italian sausage is an all time favorite comfort food. Smothered in a creamy sauce it's the best homemade lasagna you'll find. Easier than it sounds and perfect if you want to feed a crowd.
Ingredients
- 1 lb. hamburger
- ½ lb. sausage
- 1 cup onion (chopped)
- 1 cup mushrooms (chopped)
- 2 cloves garlic (minced)
- 21 ounces crushed tomatoes (or tomato sauce)
- 1 bay leaf
- 3 teaspoons fresh basil (chopped or 1 tsp dried)
- 6 tablespoons butter
- ⅓ cup flour
- ⅛ teaspoon pepper
- ⅛ teaspoon nutmeg
- 2½ cups milk
- 2 cups mozzarella cheese
- 1 ½ cups parmesan cheese
- 9 pieces pasta (½ lb)
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350º. Grease a deep 9 x 13 inch baking dish.
- In a large skillet cook hamburger and sausage until almost cooked through. Add onions, mushrooms and garlic and cook until tender. Stir in tomato sauce and seasoning. Bring to boil and reduce heat. Boil gently uncovered about 10 minutes.
- For béchamel sauce, melt butter in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Whisk in flour, pepper, nutmeg and salt. Cook for 1 minute and slowly add milk whisking until thickened.
- Cook pasta in boiling salted water, rinse with cold water.
- Arrange a single layer of pasta in a greased 9 X 13 inch pan. Spread with ⅓ béchamel sauce, ⅓ meat and ⅓ cheese. Repeat 2 more times reserving the final cheese layer.
- Bake for 30 minutes uncovered. Remove and add final layer of cheese and bake an additional 10 minutes. Let cool slightly before cutting.
Barbara's Notes + Tips
- You can use tomato sauce or crushed tomatoes, adjust the amount based on your preference.
- For a cheesy top that's easy to cut through add the last layer of cheese with just 10 minutes left to cook.
- Don't use pre shredded cheese, it will not melt as well as a block of cheese.
- You can freeze before or after it has been cooked. Let come to room temperature and bake as directed. If already cooked, cover with foil and warm in the oven at 350º for about 30 minutes.
- You can re-heat individual portions in the microwave.
Nutrition
Calories: 388kcal | Carbohydrates: 31g | Protein: 19g | Fat: 21g | Saturated Fat: 11g | Cholesterol: 57mg | Sodium: 765mg | Potassium: 382mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 8g | Vitamin A: 602IU | Vitamin C: 6mg | Calcium: 389mg | Iron: 3mg
