Lasagna al Forno

What could be more comforting than a gooey, delicious bite of Lasagna al Forno? This classic recipe brings together layers of delicate pasta, rich slow-cooked meat sauce, and velvety besciamella, with plenty of cheese to tie it all together.

It’s everything you crave in a hearty, homemade lasagna!

This is a favorite recipe of my childhood. My late mother was an incredible cook, and her Lasagna al Forno was the dish everyone knew her for. No picnic was complete without it, and some of my fondest memories are of swimming at the beach and then sitting down to enjoy her lasagna for lunch.

Lasagna al Forno takes a bit of time and patience, but trust me, it’s absolutely worth it. You can make both sauces ahead of time, and using store-bought fresh lasagna noodles keeps things simple. It’s a family favorite in my house, and I’m sure it’ll be a hit in yours too!

What is Lasagna al Forno

Lasagna al Forno is a beautiful combination of Italy’s best—fresh pasta sheets, rich bolognese sauce, besciamella sauce (béchamel sauce), and plenty of cheese. Unlike the southern Italian version with ricotta, this recipe comes straight from northern Italy, offering its own unique charm.

Why you’ll love this recipe

• Comfort food: This classic lasagna recipe is so comforting and hearty making it ideal when the weather is cold and rainy. 
• Crowd-pleaser: What could be more of a crowd favorite than lasagna? Whether it’s Sunday lunch, dinner with friends, or a festive occasion, lasagna will feed a crowd and keep everyone happy.
• Holiday Favorite; Lasagna al Forno is a special dish that sings of celebration making it the ideal addition to your holiday meal. 
• Delicious leftovers: Like many baked pasta dishes and my Vegetable Lasagna with White Sauce, any leftovers will improve in flavor.

For complete ingredient quantities and full instructions, please scroll to the printable recipe card at the bottom of the page.

Ingredients

• Fresh lasagna noodles – These are also called lasagna pasta sheets. This recipe uses fresh egg lasagna sheets, which you can usually find in the refrigerated section of the grocery store. If you can’t find them, I’ve included a list of substitutes below.
• Besciamella sauce – For the besciamella, or white sauce, you’ll need milk, salted butter, and all-purpose flour.
• Vegetables for soffritto – The meat sauce starts with a traditional Italian soffritto, which forms the flavor base of the dish. For this, you’ll need onion, carrot, and celery, finely diced. These ingredients are gently cooked together to create a rich, aromatic foundation that’s essential for an authentic Italian taste.
• Meat – You’ll need pancetta, ground beef, and ground pork for the meat sauce. Choose good quality meats that have some fat throughout.
• Tomato puree – What you want is pure, thick tomato puree or tomato passata. Be sure to avoid anything with additives.
• Dry white wine – A good-quality white wine works perfectly, and the alcohol will cook off entirely.
• Extra virgin olive oil – I like to use this extra virgin olive oil for the best flavor in most of my recipes, but if you only have regular olive oil, that will work just fine too.
• Seasonings – All you need are salt, black pepper, and a fresh grating of nutmeg, which you can find in the spice aisle at the grocery store.
• Cheese – This recipe uses two types of Italian cheese— mozzarella and Parmesan cheese (try to find authentic Parmigiano Reggiano)—for that perfect ooze and flavor. I prefer to use low-moisture mozzarella. Fresh mozzarella can also be used. Be sure to drain it well to remove excess moisture.

See recipe card for quantities.

Instructions

Heat oil and butter in a pan, then add vegetables and pancetta. Cook gently to soften the vegetables and release the fat from the pancetta.

 Add the ground meat, breaking it up as you go, and cook until browned. Stir in wine and let it evaporate. Add tomato puree, water, nutmeg, salt, and pepper, and bring to a simmer. Cover and simmer for 2 hours, stirring occasionally.

To make the besciamella sauce, melt the butter in a pan and mix in the flour. Slowly whisk in the hot milk, a little at a time.

Cook over medium heat, stirring constantly with a whisk, until the mixture thickens. Remove from heat and set aside.

Grease a lasagna dish and spread a little besciamella sauce on the bottom. Lay down a layer of lasagna noodles. Spread some meat sauce over the lasagna noodles.

Dollop some of the besciamella sauce over the meat sauce.

Scatter cubed mozzarella and grated Parmesan cheese evenly over the meat sauce.

Repeat with four more layers, then add a final layer of lasagna noodles. Top with the remaining meat sauce, besciamella, and cheese.

Bake at 350ºF (180ºC) for 30–40 minutes, or until golden and bubbling. Allow to rest for 20 to 30 minutes before slicing.

Marcellina’s Hint: Take your time to spread the meat sauce evenly, ensuring each piece gets the same amount. Do the same with the cheese though the besciamella sauce can be simply dolloped on evenly.

Substitutions

If you can’t find fresh lasagna noodles or sheets at the store, here are a few alternatives:

• Make your own using my fresh egg pasta recipe. Roll out the dough into thin sheets as directed, then cut them to your desired lasagna size.
• Use high-quality dried lasagna noodles and follow the package instructions for parboiling.
• As a last resort, you can use no-boil lasagna noodles. While I’m not a fan of the final result, I’ve used them in a pinch. You’ll need to increase the baking time by 10–15 minutes. To ensure a better texture, make the white sauce with extra milk and add vegetable or beef broth to the meat sauce to make it more liquid. You may also need to cover the top with aluminum foil towards the end to prevent the lasagna from drying out and burning.

Equipment

For this recipe, use a 9 x 13-inch lasagna dish. If you’re using a larger or smaller dish, adjust the recipe as needed.

Storage

Leftover Lasagna al Forno can be stored in the fridge in an airtight container. Reheat in the microwave before serving.

For a make-ahead option, assemble the lasagna the wrap it well and freeze it unbaked. To wrap, I like to place a sheet of parchment paper on the surface of the lasagna then wrap in plastic followed by a layer of aluminum foil. Simply thaw in the fridge overnight and bake as in the recipe.

Top tips

• To make things easier, prepare the meat sauce and besciamella sauce a day ahead. Store them in sealed containers in the fridge until you’re ready to assemble the lasagna.
• Be sure to taste both the meat sauce and white sauce to check the seasoning and adjust if needed. Keep in mind that the Parmigiano Reggiano (Parmesan) cheese will add some saltiness.
• While it’s tempting, avoid using pre-grated cheese. It contains additives that prevent proper melting and can affect the flavor.
• Take your time layering, ensuring the filling and sauce are spread evenly so every bite is flavorful. Make sure the lasagna noodles or sheets are fully coated to cook evenly.
• If the top begins to brown too much, cover it with aluminum foil.
• Lastly, let the lasagna rest for at least 15-20 minutes after baking. This allows it to set, making it easier to slice while ensuring each piece holds together. Don’t worry—it will stay warm.

FAQ

Serving Suggestions

This Lasagna al Forno pairs perfectly with Focaccia Genovese and a fresh salad, like my Orange and Fennel Salad. A glass of red wine doesn’t go astray either!

Related

Creamy Sausage Pasta
Cream Cheese Pasta

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Lasagna al Forno Recipe

What could be more comforting than a gooey, delicious bite of Lasagna al Forno? This classic recipe brings together layers of delicate pasta, rich slow-cooked meat sauce, and velvety besciamella, with plenty of cheese to tie it all together.

5 from 1 vote

Print Pin Review

Prep Time: 30 minutes minutes

Cook Time: 2 hours hours 30 minutes minutes

Resting Time: 20 minutes minutes

Total Time: 3 hours hours 20 minutes minutes

Servings:8

Author: Marcellina

Equipment

• ▢
  9 inch by 13 inch baking dish (23 cm by 33 cm)

Ingredients

Meat Sauce for lasagna

• ▢ 3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
• ▢ 2 tablespoons salted butter
• ▢ 1 small onion
• ▢ 1 carrot
• ▢ 1 stick celery
• ▢ 4 ounces (113 grams) pancetta
• ▢ 1 pound (450 grams) ground beef
• ▢ 8 ounces (225 grams) ground pork
• ▢ ½ cup (120ml) dry white wine
• ▢ 2 ½ cups (600mls) tomato puree or tomato passata (or blended canned tomatoes)
• ▢ ½ cup water more as needed
• ▢ ½ teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg
• ▢ 1 teaspoon fine sea salt or more to taste
• ▢ ¼ teaspoon black pepper

Besciamella Sauce

• ▢ 4 cups (960ml) whole milk
• ▢ ⅔ cup (86 grams) all purpose flour
• ▢ 3 ounces (85 grams) salted butter
• ▢ Pinch freshly grated nutmeg
• ▢ 1 teaspoon salt

For assembling

• ▢ 13 ounces (375 grams) fresh lasagna noodles (purchased at the grocery store in the chilled section)
• ▢ 8 ounces (227 grams) mozzarella cheese or more (cut into cubes or roughly chopped)
• ▢ 1¼ cups (140 grams) finely grated Parmigiano Reggiano cheese (Parmesan cheese) or more

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Instructions

Meat Sauce for lasagna

• Peel the onion and carrot, then chop the onion, carrot, and celery into small dice, one vegetable at a time. Use a rocking motion with the knife to chop them even more finely.
• Slice the pancetta into small strips or dice.
• Place a shallow casserole or skillet (that has a lid) over medium-low heat. Add the oil, butter and chopped vegetables. Cook gently, stirring often, until softened and lightly golden. Towards the end of the cooking, add the pancetta.
• Increase the heat to medium-high and crumble the ground beef and pork into the pan with your hands. Use a wooden spoon or fork to break up any clumps and fry until all the liquid evaporates. When the meat begins to crackle in the oil, it’s ready for the next step.
• Add the dry white wine and cook until it has completely evaporated.
• Stir in the tomato puree, ½ cup water, ground nutmeg, salt, and pepper. Reduce the heat to very low, cover with a lid, and simmer for 2 ½ hours. Check periodically to ensure the sauce is gently simmering and not boiling. If it becomes too dry, add a little water. I usually need to add at least another ½ cup of water during this time. Taste and adjust the salt as needed.

Besciamella Sauce

• Heat the milk in a saucepan over medium heat until hot. Set aside.
• In a medium saucepan, melt the butter over low to medium heat. Once melted, whisk in the flour and stir continuously for 1 to 2 minutes, allowing the mixture to turn golden and develop a nutty aroma, which removes the raw flour taste.
• Take the roux off the heat and slowly pour in a small amount of hot milk, whisking constantly to combine. Gradually add the rest of the milk, continuing to whisk to prevent lumps.
• Place the saucepan back on medium-low heat and cook for 5 to 7 minutes, stirring until the sauce simmers. It should be smooth and thick enough to coat the back of a spoon.
• Finally, stir in ground nutmeg and salt, tasting and adjusting the seasoning as needed. Set aside until ready to use.

To assemble the lasagna

• Butter or oil a 13 x 9 (23 cm by 33 cm) lasagna dish and spread two spoonfuls of besciamella sauce at the bottom.
• Layer pasta sheets over the sauce then spread ⅕ of the meat sauce on the pasta. Dollop over about ¼ of the besciamella sauce. Spread it a little with the back of a spoon. Sprinkle over ⅕ of the cubed mozzarella cheese, and the same of the finely grated Parmigiano Reggiano cheese.
• Repeat the layers in the same order, ending with a final layer of meat sauce and the two cheeses. If you have any besciamella sauce leftover (I usually have) just dollop spoonfuls over the meat sauce spreading a little with the back of a spoon. There will be five layers of pasta.
• Bake at 350ºF (180ºC) for 30–40 minutes, until the top is bubbling and golden brown. Let it rest for 20 minutes before slicing.

Notes

Alternatives to fresh pasta noodles

• Use homemade fresh egg pasta, rolled out thinly, and cut to fit your lasagna pan size.
• For dried noodles, select a high-quality brand and follow the package instructions for parboiling.
• If using no-boil noodles, be aware they may change the texture of the lasagna. The besciamella sauce must be thinned by increasing the milk by ¼ cup. Also, add ½ cup extra water to the meat sauce.  Increase the baking time by 10-15 minutes.  Cover with foil at the end if necessary to prevent drying out.

Tips for Success

• Prepare the meat sauce and besciamella sauce a day ahead; store in sealed containers in the fridge.
• Taste both sauces and adjust the seasoning, keeping in mind the saltiness of Parmigiano Reggiano.
• Avoid using pre-grated cheese as it contains additives that affect melting and flavor.
• Layer carefully, spreading the filling and sauce evenly, and ensure the noodles are fully coated for even cooking.
• If the top browns too much, cover with aluminum foil.
• Let the lasagna rest for 15-20 minutes after baking to set and make slicing easier. It will stay warm.

To freeze

For a convenient make-ahead meal, assemble the lasagna and freeze it before baking. To wrap the lasagna before freezing, cover the top with a sheet of parchment paper, then wrap the whole dish in plastic followed by aluminum foil. Thaw in the fridge overnight, then let it sit at room temperature for 30 minutes. Bake for 40-45 minutes, covering loosely with foil if needed to prevent the top from burning.

 

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Nutritional Estimate Per Serving

Calories: 845kcal | Carbohydrates: 48g | Protein: 39g | Fat: 54g | Saturated Fat: 25g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 4g | Monounsaturated Fat: 21g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 177mg | Sodium: 1285mg | Potassium: 970mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 11g | Vitamin A: 2543IU | Vitamin C: 10mg | Calcium: 490mg | Iron: 5mg

Nutritional Disclaimer

Nutritional information is an estimate provided by an online nutrition calculator. For accurate results, it is recommended that the nutritional information be calculated based on the ingredients and brands you use.