This easy Lasagna With Béchamel Sauce has layers of noodles, creamy white sauce, meaty tomato sauce, mozzarella and parmesan cheeses. It's a classic Italian comfort food dinner that everyone will enjoy!
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Most lasagna recipes call for ricotta cheese...and they're very good. BUT what if you don't care for ricotta, or you want to change things up a bit?
Then, friends, this recipe for lasagna without ricotta is for you!
We're replacing the ricotta with a rich and creamy homemade béchamel sauce that comes together in just a few minutes. It's a different and absolutely delicious way to make lasagna!
Béchamel is a simple white sauce made from butter, flour, milk, salt, and pepper. One of the "mother" sauces of classical cuisine, it can be used on its own or as the base for other sauces.
We're also making the meat sauce from scratch, because it's absolutely worth it. But don't worry...it won't take you all day. It's a slightly modified version of my Quick and Easy Spaghetti Sauce, and it'll be ready in less than 30 minutes.
And - bonus - we're skipping a prep step by using no-boil lasagna noodles. Not only will this will save you some time, but there will be one less pot to wash!
Ingredients You Need
Note: Ingredient amounts are in the recipe card at the bottom of the post.
- Olive oil
- Ground beef - I use 80/20; it's got great flavor and texture
- Mild Italian sausage (bulk) - or sweet Italian sausage; if you can only get links, just remove the meat from the casings
- Aromatics - onions and garlic
- Tomatoes - canned crushed tomatoes and tomato paste
- Beef broth - or stock
- Sugar - helps balance out the acidity of the tomatoes
- Dried herbs & seasonings - basil, oregano, parsley, salt, and pepper
- Butter
- All-purpose flour
- Whole milk - use whole milk for the best creamy béchamel; reduced-fat milk or skim milk will result in a less-creamy sauce
- No-boil lasagna noodles - also called oven-ready lasagna noodles
- Cheeses - mozzarella and parmesan; freshly shredded is best because it tends to melt better since there are no added anti-caking agents, but you can use pre-shredded cheese if you prefer
- Fresh chopped parsley - for garnish (optional)
How to Make Lasagna With Bechamel Sauce
Note: This is just a brief overview of the steps. For the full printable recipe with ingredient amounts and detailed instructions, please go to the recipe card at the bottom of the post.
Make the meat sauce:
In a medium saucepan, cook the beef, sausage, onions and garlic in olive oil. Add the tomatoes, broth, sugar, and seasonings. Simmer for 15 minutes.
Make the béchamel sauce:
In a medium saucepan, melt the butter. Add the flour, whisk to combine, and cook for 1 minute. While whisking, add the milk, salt and pepper. Bring to a boil, then reduce the heat and simmer, whisking, until thickened.
Assemble the lasagna:
Spread ½ cup of the meat sauce in a 9x13x2-inch baking dish. Top with 3 lasagna noodles, then ⅓ of the meat sauce, ⅓ of the bechamel sauce and ⅓ of the cheeses.
Repeat the layers (noodles, meat sauce, béchamel sauce, cheeses) 2 more times.
Cover the baking dish with foil. Bake in a preheated 375°F oven for 45 minutes. Remove the foil and bake an additional 15 minutes or until bubbly and the cheese is lightly golden in spots.
Allow the lasagna to rest for 20 to 30 minutes before slicing. Enjoy!
Recipe Tips
- To use your time most efficiently, make the béchamel sauce while the meat sauce is simmering. Whisk the sauce constantly while it is cooking to keep it smooth and to prevent the sauce from sticking or burning on the bottom of the pot.
- When using no-boil/oven-ready lasagna noodles, make sure that they are completely covered with sauce so they cook completely through.
- Spray the underside or the foil with cooking spray before covering the baking dish to help prevent the top layer of cheese from sticking to the foil while the lasagna bakes.
- Always let the lasagna rest for 20 to 30 minutes before slicing and serving so it will hold together rather than fall apart.
Substitutions & Variations
- Instead of a combination of ground beef and sausage, you can do all beef or all sausage. You could also use ground turkey, ground pork or a combination of any of these meats. Use hot sausage if you like things spicy.
- A 32-ounce jar of your favorite marinara sauce or spaghetti sauce can be used instead of making the homemade sauce. Cook the beef, onions and garlic in the olive oil as directed. Drain off any excess grease, add the jarred sauce and heat through.
- Try adding a pinch of ground nutmeg to the béhamel sauce.
- Regular lasagna noodles can be used instead of no-boil noodles. You'll still use 9 noodles (3 for each layer).Boil and drain the noodles according to the package directions before assembling the lasagna.
- For some leafy green goodness, add cooked and very-well-drained spinach to each layer.
Storing Leftovers, Reheating & Freezing
Storing Leftovers
Once completely cooled, store leftover lasagna in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 to 4 days. For longer-term storage, freeze the leftovers (see below).
Reheating
Place the desired amount of lasagna in a baking dish. Cover with foil and bake in a preheated 325°F oven until heated through. If desired, add a splash or two of water to the baking dish before putting it in the oven to help keep the lasagna from drying out.
You can also reheat individual servings in the microwave.
Freezing
To freeze leftover lasagna, once it has completely cooled, place the desired number of slices in a freezer bag, remove as much air as possible (to help prevent freezer burn), seal and freeze for up to 2 to 3 months. Thaw completely in the refrigerator before reheating as directed above.
Serving Suggestions
This lasagna is perfect for a Sunday dinner, a special occasion or a holiday dinner. As with most of my favorite Italian dishes, I recommend rounding out the meal by serving it with a salad and bread.
For the salad, try my Italian tossed salad or Caesar salad. For the bread, try my homemade garlic bread, easy homemade Italian bread or 90-minute dinner rolls.
And if you're craving lasagna but are a little more pressed for time, check out my quick and easy skillet lasagna (ready in 30 minutes) or easy lasagna soup. Both are great for a weeknight dinner.
I hope you try this Lasagna With Bechamel Sauce recipe and love it as much as I do. It just might become your new favorite lasagna. Thanks for visiting today!
More Italian Dinner Recipes to Try
If you make this recipe, I'd love to know how it went. Please leave a star rating and comment below (you can ask a question there as well). Thanks!
📋Recipe
Lasagna With Bechamel Sauce
Ingredients
For the Meat Sauce
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- ½ pound ground beef, I use 80/20
- ½ pound bulk mild Italian sausage, or sweet Italian sausage (if you can only get links, just remove the meat from the casings)
- 1 cup diced onions
- 4 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 (28-ounce) can crushed tomatoes
- 2 tablespoons tomato paste
- ½ cup beef broth or stock
- 1 tablespoon sugar, or to taste
- 1 teaspoon dried basil
- 1 teaspoon dried oregano
- 1 tablespoon dried parsley
- salt and pepper, to taste
For the Béchamel Sauce
- 3 tablespoons butter
- 3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
- 3 cups whole milk
- salt and pepper, to taste
For the Lasagna
- 9 no-boil lasagna noodles, also called oven-ready lasagna noodles
- 2 cups shredded mozzarella cheese, freshly shredded is best
- ½ cup shredded parmesan cheese, freshly shredded is best
- chopped fresh parsley, for garnish (optional)
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 375°F.
Make the Meat Sauce
- In a medium saucepan (I use a 3-quart saucepan), heat the olive oil over medium heat. Add the ground beef, Italian sausage and onions; cook until the meat is no longer pink, breaking it up into smaller pieces as you go. Drain off any excess grease.
- Add the garlic; cook, stirring constantly, for one minute.
- Add the crushed tomatoes, tomato paste, beef broth, sugar, oregano, basil, dried parsley, salt, and pepper; stir to combine.I use about ½ teaspoon of kosher salt and ¼ teaspoon of pepper at this point.
- Increase the heat and bring to a boil, then reduce the heat and simmer, uncovered, stirring occasionally, for 15 minutes.
- Taste and adjust the salt, pepper and/or sugar, if needed. Remove from the heat and set aside.
Make the Béchamel Sauce
- In another medium saucepan (I use a 3-quart saucepan), melt the butter over medium heat.
- Add the flour and whisk to combine (it will look like a loose paste). Cook, whisking constantly, for one minute.
- While whisking, slowly add the milk; continue whisking until the mixture is smooth. Add salt and pepper.I use about ½ teaspoon of kosher salt and ¼ teaspoon of pepper at this point.
- Increase the heat and bring to a boil, whisking constantly, then reduce the heat and simmer, again whisking constantly, until the mixture has thickened, about 1 to 2 minutes.
- Taste and adjust the salt and/or pepper, if needed. Remove from the heat and set aside.
Assemble & Bake the Lasagna
- Spread ½ cup of the meat sauce in the bottom of a 9x13x2-inch baking dish.
- Top the sauce with 3 of the lasagna noodles, then ⅓ of the remaining meat sauce (about 1⅓ cups), ⅓ of the béchamel sauce (about ¾ cup), and ⅓ of the mozzarella cheese (about ⅔ cup) and parmesan cheese (about 2½ tablespoons).
- Repeat the layers 2 more times: noodles, meat sauce, béchamel sauce, cheeses, noodles, meat sauce, béchamel sauce, cheeses.
- Cover the baking dish tightly with foil. Bake for 45 minutes.
- Remove the foil and bake for an additional 15 minutes or until bubbly and the cheese starts to turn lightly golden in spots.
- Remove the lasagna from the oven and let rest for 20 to 30 minutes before slicing and serving (this will help ensure that the lasagna stays together nicely rather than falling apart).
- Slice into 8 equal pieces. Top with chopped fresh parsley, if desired. Enjoy!
Notes
- To use your time most efficiently, make the béchmel sauce while the meat sauce is simmering.
- Use whole milk for the best creamy béchamel. Reduced-fat milk or skim milk will result in a less-creamy sauce.
- Whisk the béchamel constantly while cooking to prevent lumps and to help keep it from sticking or burning on the bottom of the pot.
- When assembling the lasagna, make sure that the no-boil noodles are completely covered in sauce so that they cook through properly.
- Also, don't worry if the dry no-boil noodles don't go all the way to the edges of the baking dish; they will expand during baking.
- To help prevent the top layer of cheese from sticking to the foil, you can spray the underside of the foil with cooking spray.
- Please refer to the post for step-by-step photos, substitutions and variations, storage, reheating and freezing instructions, and serving suggestions.
George says
I made this and it was delicious. Can it be made ahead of time, except for the baking, kept in the refrigerator and baked the next day or two?
Michelle says
Thank you, George! So happy you enjoyed it! I haven't ever made it ahead of time like that, but I definitely think you could try it. Before baking, let it sit out at room temp for about 30 minutes to take the chill off, especially when using a glass or ceramic dish. Also, you will likely need to extend the baking time since it will be colder than when making it fresh. If you try it, let us know how it turns out!
Michelle says
If you're looking for a delicious homemade lasagna without ricotta cheese, this easy and delicious recipe is a must-try!