My favourite easy lasagne recipe - step by step photos and instructions to help you make the perfect lasagne and impress your dinner guests! It's a family favourite!
Heat oil in a large frying pan over a medium heat, add the onion & garlic and cook for 2 minutes until fragrant.
Add the mince and cook until brown (10-15 minutes).
Add the remaining meat sauce ingredients and combine. Reduce the heat to low/medium and simmer for around 40 minutes until the sauce has thickened and almost all liquid has evaporated.
Remove the bay leaf and discard.
Cheese sauce
While the meat sauce is cooking, make the cheese sauce. In a microwave proof jug or in a small pot on the stove, heat the milk for about 1 minute, until warm. Set aside. (This step is optional but speeds up the cheese sauce process)
In a medium sized pot add the butter and flour and cook over a medium heat until the butter has melted. Cook for a couple of minutes, being careful not to let it burn. It will almost puff up which is what you want.
Add about ½ cup of the milk and whisk it into the flour mixture until there are no lumps. Add the rest of the milk and bring to boil, whisking every 20 seconds or so to make sure it doesn't stick to the bottom and go lumpy.
Once the sauce thickens (5-8 minutes) take it off the heat and whisk in the grated cheese, mustard, nutmeg and salt & pepper.
To assemble
Preheat the oven to 180°C/350°F.
In a large baking dish (mine is 30cm x 20cm and 6cm deep) assemble the layers of the lasagne. Spread ⅓ of the meat sauce on the bottom of the dish, followed by ⅓ of the pasta sheets (break them up to fit the shape of the dish) and ⅓ of the cheese sauce. Repeat until you have 3 layers of each, ending with the last of the cheese sauce.
Sprinkle the remaining grated cheese on top. If you are going to freeze the lasagne see Note 1.
Bake for 30-40 minutes until the cheese is golden brown. You may want to grill it at the end for a few minutes to get it nice and golden.
Remove from the oven and allow to cool for 10-15 minutes before serving.
Any leftovers can be frozen and reheated according to the directions in Note 1.
Notes
Note 1. If you are making the lasagne in a freezable dish (e.g. foil) once you have finished assembling it, you can cover it and freeze. To cook, defrost the lasagne completely and then bake as per instructions but for 40-50 minutes to ensure it is heated all the way through.
Nutrition Facts
Easy Lasagne Recipe (step by step)
Amount per Serving
Calories
869
% Daily Value*
Fat
48
g
74
%
Saturated Fat
21
g
131
%
Cholesterol
144
mg
48
%
Sodium
761
mg
33
%
Potassium
1062
mg
30
%
Carbohydrates
65
g
22
%
Fiber
4
g
17
%
Sugar
13
g
14
%
Protein
41
g
82
%
Vitamin A
945
IU
19
%
Vitamin C
13.1
mg
16
%
Calcium
393
mg
39
%
Iron
6.7
mg
37
%
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.