Classic Easy Beef Lasagna Recipe

Classic Easy Beef Lasagna is so quick and easy to make it’s even perfect for a weeknight dinner. When it comes to lasagna there are a few simple truths. Layers of pasta, meat sauce, ricotta or béchamel, and cheese will always warm your soul. The Italians may have created the perfect food with this dish. When it comes to dinner ideas, this recipe is always at the top of my family’s list! Not to mention any meal you can make ahead of time to serve later is a winner in my kitchen.

Ingredients:
Beef Tomato Sauce
1 pound ground beef
1 red onion finely chopped
3 cloves garlic minced
1 tablespoon dried oregano
1 tablespoon dried thyme
2 tablespoons tomato paste
28 ounces diced tomatoes (preferably fire-roasted)
1 bunch basil
Béchamel Sauce
2 Tablespoons butter
2 Tablespoons flour
1 cup milk
1/8 teaspoon ground nutmeg
Lasagna
9 ounces oven-ready lasagna noodles
16 ounces mozzarella cheese shredded (divided)

Instructions:
Preheat the oven to 350ºF.
Beef Tomato Sauce
In a medium saucepan brown the ground beef over medium-high heat until cooked all the way through. Using a slotted spoon, remove the beef into a bowl leaving the fat in the pan.
Add the diced onion and minced garlic to the beef fat and cook until soft and fragrant about 10 minutes. Add the dried herbs to the pan and stir. Add the tomato paste and stir for 1 minute. Mix in the chopped tomatoes and bring to a boil. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Add the beef back to the sauce and stir thoroughly. Set aside.
Béchamel Sauce
Melt the butter in a medium saucepan and whisk in the flour. Continue to mix until thick. Slowly add the milk while whisking continuously to avoid any lumps. Add in the nutmeg and stir. Season to taste with salt and pepper.
Assemble Lasagna
Layer the lasagna sheets until the bottom of your baking dish is covered. Ladle some of the beef sauce onto the pasta and spread to cover. Top the sauce with a layer of mozzarella and then a layer of the béchamel. Sprinkle with some chopped basil.
Continue layering until the baking dish is full and the sauces and pasta are used up. Top with the remaining 1/2 cup mozzarella cheese. Chop the remaining basil and scatter over the top.
Bake uncovered for about 30 minutes, or until the lasagna noodles are cooked and the cheese is brown and bubbling. (If the cheese starts to darken too much, cover the pan loosely with aluminum foil.) Remove from oven and serve.