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I’m always excited to make a delicious pasta recipe, and this Lasagna with Béchamel (no ricotta) is indeed DELICIOUS. The béchamel sauce and homemade beef & pork Ragu make it even more special!

About this recipe

Layer 1: A thin layer of homemade beef & Italian sausage ragu
Layer 2: Lasagna sheets
Layer 3: 1/3 of the homemade beef & Italian sausage ragu
Layer 4: 1/3 of the homemade béchamel sauce
Layer 5: Lasagna sheets
Layer 6: 1/3 of the homemade beef & Italian sausage ragu
Layer 7: 1/3 of the homemade béchamel sauce
Layer 8: Lasagna sheets
Layer 9: 1/3 of the homemade beef & Italian sausage ragu
Layer 10: 1/3 of the homemade béchamel sauce
Layer 11: Lots of mozzarella cheese

Béchamel sauce is a white sauce that is one of the basic sauces in French cuisine and serves as a versatile foundation for many dishes. It is a simple and classic sauce made from a roux (butter and flour) combined with milk. I love ricotta cheese, but using a béchamel sauce creates a much creamier and richer lasagna. And it’s a more traditional way of making lasagna.

Lasagna with Béchamel Ingredients:

Beef & Italian Sausage Ragu

2 tbsp Butter
2 tbsp Extra Virgin Olive Oil
1 Yellow Onion finely chopped
1 cup Carrots finely chopped (about 2 carrots)
1 cup Celery finely chopped (about 2 stalks)
4 cloves Garlic minced
1 lb Ground Beef I used 93% lean
1 lb Ground Hot Italian Pork Sausage can also use mild
1 tsp Salt divided
1/2 tsp Black Pepper divided
1 cup Whole Milk
1/4 tsp Nutmeg
2 Bay Leaf
1/2 cup White Wine dry
6 oz Tomato Paste
28 oz San Marzano Whole Peeled Tomatoes 1 can
1 cup Water
1 tsp Dried Basil
1 tsp Dried Oregano

Béchamel Sauce

6 tbsp Butter
3/4 cup All Purpose Flour
6 cups Milk I used 2%
1 tsp Salt
1/2 tsp Black Pepper
1/4 tsp Nutmeg

Other

12 Lasagna Sheets I used no boil lasagna sheets and used 4 sheets per layer; see note
8 oz Mozzarella Cheese freshly grated; I used whole-milk mozzarella
1/4 cup Parmesan Cheese freshly grated; optional (to serve)
2 tbsp Fresh Parsley finely chopped; optional (to serve)
2 tbsp Fresh Basil finely chopped; optional (to serve)

Recipe Instructions:

Beef & Italian Sausage Ragu

Melt the butter and olive oil over medium heat in a Dutch Oven or large heavy-bottomed pot. Add the chopped onion, carrot, and celery. Stir to combine. Cook for 10 minutes until softened, stirring occasionally. Then add the minced garlic, stir to combine, and cook another 2 minutes.
Add the ground beef and sausage. I used a potato masher to mash the meats together and break into smaller pieces. Season with 1/2 tsp of salt and 1/4 tsp black pepper. Cook for a few minutes, but don’t brown the meat at this point.
Pour in the milk, 1/4 tsp nutmeg, and the 2 bay leaves. Simmer for about 20 minutes or until the liquid is almost evaporated.
Pour in the wine and simmer for about 5 minutes or until almost evaporated. Add the tomato paste, can of whole peeled tomatoes, and water. Use a wooden spoon to break the whole tomatoes into smaller pieces. Stir in the dried basil, dried oregano, and 1/2 tsp salt, and 1/4 tsp black pepper.
Reduce the heat to low. Cook the sauce, with the lid ajar, for about 2 hours. The sauce will have an occasional bubble, but should not be simmering or boiling. Add an additional splash of water if the liquid is evaporating too quickly. After 2 hours, skim away any fat from the surface. Season to taste with salt and pepper.

Bechamel Sauce

Melt butter in a medium sauce pan over medium heat. Then whisk in flour until combined.
Add milk and bring to a boil. Whisk continuously until mixture is smooth and thickens.
Once mixture thickens, season with salt, pepper, and nutmeg. Stir to combine, then remove from heat.

Assembly

Preheat oven to 375 degrees.
Spoon a thin layer of the ragu sauce to the bottom of a 9″ x 13″ oven-safe baking dish. Place 4 no-boil lasagna sheets over the first thin layer of ragu sauce.
Then add 1/3 of the remaining ragu sauce, then add 1/3 of the béchamel sauce, then 4 more no-boil lasagna sheets. Repeat 2 more times. There will be 3 layers of lasagna sheets, ragu sauce, and béchamel sauce. The top layer will be béchamel sauce.
The top layer should be béchamel sauce. Sprinkle with freshly grated mozzarella cheese in an even layer.
Place the assembled lasagna in the oven with a cookie sheet under the baking dish to catch any potential drippings. Bake for 40-45 minutes or until golden and bubbly.
Remove the lasagna from the oven and let it sit for 20 minutes before cutting into 12 equal pieces. Optionally sprinkle with fresh parsley, fresh basil, and parmesan cheese before serving.

Did you try this Lasagna with Béchamel (no ricotta)? Leave a Review!

Get ready to cut yourself a big slice of this amazing lasagna. Each slice will reveal the layers of flavor, texture, and hard work you put into making it! Plus you’ll get some crave-worthy cheese pulls with the golden and melted mozzarella on top.

If you try this recipe, feel free to rate/leave a review. You can also tag me on Instagram or TikTok!