Lasagna with Béchamel Sauce

Move over ricotta, bechamel sauce is the way to go to make a velvety creamy lasagna

Unpopular opinion: the best Lasagna is made with béchamel, not ricotta. I know you’re probably scoffing at me right now; ricotta is most likely what you’re used to. Most will mix it with parmesan, mozzarella, and an egg to make that white cheese layer throughout the lasagna. I’m here to tell you there’s a different, dare I say better, way. With a little more work you can take your lasagna to the next level.

What is béchamel sauce? Béchamel is a white sauce that is made from milk, butter, and flour and is seasoned with nutmeg. It is not alfredo sauce. It is one of the mother sauces of French Cuisine, meaning it’s the basis of many “common” sauces we know. 
I like using béchamel sauce instead of ricotta because it holds the mouthwatering lasagna layers together and gives the dish an overall creamy texture. Using béchamel is also the authentic Italian way to make lasagna. The final topping is a melody of cheeses, herbs, and spices, so don’t worry, the cheesy flavor you’re looking for is still there. Dive right in, for a delicious dinner that can feed a whole family, or portion and freeze for a quick meal in the future.

Variations

vegetarian

While many vegetarians sub meat for spinach, for a heartier, lasagna try this melody of vegetables, the end results are reminiscent of ratatouille.

• 2 cups Eggplant, chopped
• 2 cups Zucchini, chopped
• 1 Bell Pepper, chopped
• 1 medium Onion, diced
• 5 cloves of Garlic, roughly chopped
• 3 tablespoons Tomato paste
• 28oz Canned Tomatoes
• 2 tablespoons Italian Seasoning
• Salt and Pepper to tasted

Vegetable Noodles (Low Carb/ Gluten-Free)

There are a lot of different ways to make this Low Carb and GF, if you have noodles you prefer feel free to follow those instructions and use them as directed. I like taking a noodles approach and adding more vegetables into the mix. You can either use eggplants or zucchini.

2-3 Medium size zuchinnis
or
1-2 medium-size eggplants

I have used both before, you’ll need about 3 vegetables total. So feel free to mix and match if you already have both.

Line a baking sheet with clean dish towels, or tea towels,

using a mandolin size slice either zucchini or eggplant slice long ways about 1/8″ thick. They should resemble lasagna sheets.

Place vegetable slices on towels in a single layer, sprinkle generously with salt. Let sit for 15 mins. Pat Dry flip and repeat.

You do not need to boil the vegetable sheets, use them instead of the noodle layers, and bake as normal.

Bechamel and Ricotta (slutty Lasagna)

This is called “Slutty Lasagna” due to its pure indulgence, mixing bechamel and ricotta you’ll get the best of both worlds. Make the recipe as normal, but incorporate the ricotta mixture below, on top of your meat layer.

• 1 16oz container of ricotta,
• 1 egg
• 2 teaspoons of Italian seasoning
• 1 teaspoon garlic seasoning
• salt and pepper to taste

Lasagna with Béchamel Sauce

Prep Time: 30 minutes | Cook Time: 1 hour 30 minutes | Serving: 10

Gather

Béchamel Sauce

• 7 tablespoons unsalted butter
• 6 tablespoons all-purpose flour
• 3 ½ cups milk, heated just until steaming
• 1/8 teaspoon (a pinch) of nutmeg 
• 1/2 teaspoon coarse salt Ground pepper to taste

Meat Sauce

• 1 pound ground beef 
• 1 pound Italian sausage (I like using hot sausage)
• 28-ounce can of canned tomatoes (crushed, chopped or whole is fine) 
• 4 tablespoons tomato paste
• 1 onion, medium; chopped 
• 2 medium carrots, diced
• 5 cloves of garlic  
• 2 tablespoons basil 
• 2 tablespoons oregano 
• 1 tablespoon thyme
• Salt and pepper to taste

Lasagna 

• 1 pound lasagna noodles, (cook per instructed if not oven-ready)
• 1 cup mozzarella 
• 1/2 cup parmesan, shredded (if you shred a wedge yourself, keep the rind! See how to use it below). 
• 3 teaspoons oregano  2 teaspoons basil 1 tablespoon parsley (optional)  Olive oil 

Follow

Bechemel Sauce

1. Melt butter in a heavy medium saucepan over medium-low heat. Add flour, whisking constantly. Cook for 2 to 3 minutes; do not let the roux brown.
2. Whisking constantly, add 2 tablespoons of hot milk to the saucepan. Milk should be steaming, not boiling. I like making a double boiler with a large pot (one you’ll make the lasagna noodles in later) and a heat safe bowl (aluminum or glass) to heat up my milk. It will stay warm while you add it to the béchamel but not scald or burn the milk. 
3. Pour half of the remaining hot milk into the saucepan in small increments, whisking the mixture constantly, until a smooth paste forms.
4. Whisk remaining milk into pan; add nutmeg and salt. Cook, whisking occasionally. Be sure to scrape bottom and sides, until sauce is thick and creamy, about 15 minutes.
5. If lumps form, whisk rapidly. Season with pepper and remove from heat. Let rest until lukewarm, about 30 minutes, before building lasagna. Make the meat sauce while it cools.

meat sauce

1. Preheat the oven to 425 F. Grease a casserole dish. 
2. In a heavy deep skillet or saucepan, over medium heat, brown the meat and season with salt and pepper. Add basil, oregano, thyme, onions, carrots and garlic. Cook until onions become fragrant and begin to soften. 
3. Add canned tomatoes, and tomato paste. If you have a parmesan rind add it here. No need to cut the rind, just add the whole thing; you will remove it later.
4. Stir and let simmer for 15 minutes. If you use whole tomatoes, break them up with your spoon or spatula.
5. Once sauce begins to thicken, remove the parmesan rind(s) from the sauce. remove from heat

Assemble Lasagna

1. MIx Mozzarella, Parmesan  and herbs in a bowl.
2. Start with a noodle layer, then place approximately 1 ½ cups of meat sauce, then about 1/3 to 2/3 cups of béchamel. Spread the mixture around with a rubber spatula. Repeat layers as desired
3. Final layer should be lasagna noodles, topped with mozzarella and herb mixture. Drizzle olive oil on top before placing in the oven.
4. Bake for 30 to 45 minutes until bubbling and golden brown.