The Best Homemade Lasagna

Lasagna is one of those comfort foods that feels like a warm hug on a plate. But if you’ve ever found ricotta cheese too heavy or grainy, this recipe is for you. My version skips the ricotta and instead layers tender pasta sheets with a velvety béchamel sauce, hearty meat ragù, and plenty of gooey mozzarella, gouda, and asiago. The result? A creamy, cheesy, perfectly balanced lasagna that melts in your mouth.

Whether you’re making it for Sunday dinner, meal prep, or a special occasion, this lasagna with béchamel sauce is guaranteed to impress!

Why you’ll Love this Lasagna Recipe

• No ricotta needed! The béchamel adds creaminess without the heaviness.
• Classic flavor: rich, slow-simmered meat sauce with red wine
• Perfect for crowds because it easily feeds a family or a dinner party.
• Make-ahead friendly. This refrigerates and reheats beautifully

How much Cheese do I need to Make this Lasagna?

You will need:

• 8 oz (1 block) of Cracker Barrel Asiago cheese
• 8 oz (1 block) of Cracker Barrel or Cabot Gouda cheese
• 16 oz shredded Mozzarella cheese
• 8 oz shredded Pepper Jack cheese
• 8 oz shredded mild Cheddar cheese

**Feel free to substitute with cheese of your liking

Ingredients for the Lasagna Meat Sauce

Servings: 8-10

• 1 lb of Ground Lamb
• 1 lb of Ground Beef
• 1 small Onion, diced
• 6 Garlic cloves, finely chopped
• 1 small Roma Tomato, diced
• 1/4 Green Pepper, diced
• 1/4 Red Pepper, diced
• 12 oz (half jar) of Tomato sauce (I used Prego meat flavored sauce)
• 5 tbsp Tomato Paste
• 1 cup of Red Cooking Wine
• 3 tbsp of Olive Oil
• 1 1/2 tsp All Purpose Seasoning
• 1 tsp Meat seasoning (may substitute with complete seasoning, oxtail seasoning, or cajun seasoning)
• 1 tsp Onion Powder
• 1 tsp Garlic Powder
• 1 tsp Sugar

For the Béchamel Sauce

• 4 tbsp salted butter
• 1/4 cup of All Purpose Flour
• 1 pint of Heavy Cream
• 1 cup of shredded Mozzarella cheese
• 1 cup of shredded Gouda cheese
• 1 cup of shredded Pepper Jack cheese
• 2 tbsp Boursin Garlic & Herb flavored cheese

Step-by-Step Instructions (9 x 13 baking dish pictured)

1. Make the Meat Sauce

1. Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat.
2. Sauté onion until translucent, then add garlic, tomato, and bell peppers
3. Stir in ground beef & ground lamb and cook until browned.
4. Mix in tomato paste, tomato sauce, sugar, and seasonings.
5. Add red cooking wine, cover, and let simmer for 20 minutes until thick and flavorful.

2. Prepare the Béchamel

1. Melt butter in a saucepan over medium heat.
2. Whisk in flour and cook for 1 minute to remove raw taste.
3. Slowly add heavy cream, whisking constantly until smooth.
4. Season with pepper
5. Add Boursin, mozzarella, pepper jack, and gouda cheese
6. Stir until cheese has melted and the béchamel is a thick sauce. This should take approximately 5-7 minutes

3. Assemble the Lasagna

1. Preheat oven to 350°F (176°C).
2. Spread a thin layer of béchamel on the bottom of a baking dish.
3. Add a layer of noodles, followed by meat sauce, béchamel, and a sprinkle of cheese.
4. Repeat layers until all ingredients are used, finishing with béchamel and a generous layer of mozzarella & gouda.
5. You can alternate layers of meat sauce + béchamel, and layers of meat sauce + sprinkled cheese

4. Bake

• Cover with foil and bake for 35-40 minutes. (tip: spray the side of the foil that the food will touch with non stick spray so it doesn’t stick to the cheese)
• Remove foil and broil on 400 degrees Fahrenheit or 200 degrees Celsius for an additional 15 minutes until golden and bubbling.
• Rest for 10 minutes before slicing to let the layers set