Looking for the best lasagna recipe? One that is perfect for family dinners and will be your go-to hearty meal that will impress your guests? I leave you with my three meats lasagna recipe! This, add a nice panzanella and your dinner menu is all set!
Table of Contents
Why I Love This Recipe
Lasagna is one of those classic dishes that is always a hit. This recipe takes it up a notch by adding three meats - veal, beef, and pork. It's absolutely delicious, and honestly the best lasagna I've ever had. (Seriously, it's that good.) Plus, it's really easy to make so you can impress your friends and family with little effort. Give this meat lasagna recipe a try for your next get together - I promise you won't be disappointed!
Lasagna is a classic Italian dish that is perfect for a family dinner or a special event. But what goes into a good lasagna recipe? In this blog post, we'll walk you through everything you need to know to make the best lasagna, from the correct order of the layers to the perfect baking temperature.
Now this isn't just any lasagna... it's the best homemade lasagna recipe I've ever made in my entire life. And here is why.... 3 kinds of meat plus a béchamel sauce and it uses no-cook noodles which makes this a very simple lasagna recipe! (which are kind of the best invention of all times) It's a little bit time consuming to make this, since the ragú sauce takes a bit of time to cook down, but trust me when I tell you that it's absolutely worth it! Plus, learning the ragú technique can lead you to other wonderful things like bolognese. This lasagna is perfect for any dinner party that calls for a hearty meal!
What is a béchamel sauce?
A béchamel sauce is a sauce when you cook flour, butter, milk, and seasoning together (also known as a roux). This in my opinion is the most important part of the lasagna recipe.
What's goes into a good lasagna recipe?
The general ingredient list is fairly simple. There are three main elements to a lasagna: the meat sauce, the cheese, and the noodles.
Ingredients & Substitutions
- No-cook Lasagna Sheets
- Parmesan Cheese shredded
- Mozzarella shredded
For the Béchamel
- Unsalted Butter
- Flour
- Milk
- Salt and Black Pepper freshly ground
- Nutmeg
For the Ragu
- Pancetta
- Onion
- Stalk Celery
- Carrot
- Boneless Veal Shoulder or round ground
- Pork Loin
- Beef Skirt Steak
- Prosciutto di Parma
- Red Wine
- Chicken Stock
- Milk
- Plum Tomatoes canned
- Salt and Black Pepper freshly ground
*For a full list of ingredients and instructions please see recipe card below.
How to Make Three Meat Lasagna
Step 1: In a large saucepan melt the butter over medium high heat. Add the flour and cook, stirring with a whisk, for 3 minutes.
Step 2: Slowly add the milk, and whisk together. Add the grated nutmeg.
Step 3: Whisk and cook over medium heat for several minutes, until slightly thickened. Remove from heat and let cool.
Step 4: Heat a large Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Add the pancetta and sauté, stirring frequently with a wooden spoon, for 5 minutes until some of the fat renders. Add the onion, celery and carrot and continue to cook for 6-7 minutes until softened and fragrant.
Step 5: Add the ground and chopped meats and cook, stirring frequently until deep brown in color.
Step 6: Add the wine to the skillet, and reduce the heat to medium low. Stir occasionally until the wine has reduced by half, about 3 minutes.
Step 7: Stir ½ cup stock into the saucepan and let it bubble slowly, 10 minutes, or until totally evaporated. Repeat with another ½ cup stock. Stir in the last ½ cup stock along with the milk. Partially cover the pot, and cook for 1 hour, stirring frequently.
Step 8: Add the tomatoes, crushing them as they go into the pot. Cook uncovered, on medium low heat for another 45 minutes so the sauce resembles a thick, meaty stew. Season with salt and pepper.
Step 9: In a large baking dish, place a thin layer of your béchamel sauce. Add a layer of pasta on top.
Step 10: Add a layer of béchamel on the pasta and a layer of the ragu. Repeat until you have used all of your pasta.
Step 11: On the top layer of pasta, spread the béchamel sauce and top with Parmesan and mozzarella cheese. Cover with tin foil and bake at 350 degrees for about 40-45 minutes.
Step 12: Remove the foil and bake another 10 minutes until golden brown. Once cooked, remove this from the oven and let rest for 10 minutes before serving!
How to Store Three Meat Lasagna
Once completely cooled, store your lasagna in a container with a fitted lid or one covered tightly with plastic wrap. These are my favorite Glass Tupperware containers for storing leftovers. Keep the lasagna in the fridge until you're ready to reheat the leftovers. Warm in the oven preferably, until warmed through.
How to Freeze Three Meat Lasagna
You sure can freeze lasagna! The best method I've found to freeze lasagna is to assemble the lasagna but hold off on baking it. Instead, add a fitted lid or cover tightly with plastic wrap and then freeze. When ready to eat, either defrost in the fridge overnight or bake frozen and double the baking time.
Tips & Tricks
Make sure you use no-boil noodles, and don't worry if it looks like a lot of sauce because that's how the noodles soften up.
FAQs
What is the correct order to layer lasagna?
The order goes like this: sauce, noodles, cheese, repeat. Why does this order matter? Well, if you start with the cheese, it will melt and become congealed by the time you bake it. Starting with sauce prevents this from happening and results in a more cohesive dish.
How many layers should a lasagna have?
A lasagna should have at least three layers of pasta, but no more than five. Any less than three, and your lasagna will be dry. Any more than five, and it will be difficult to cut and serve.
What temp do I bake lasagna?
Bake your lasagna at 350 degrees Fahrenheit for about 45 minutes to an hour. You'll know it's done when the cheese is melted and bubbly and the sauce is hot and slightly thickened.
How do you make lasagna pasta?
Lasagna pasta is made from durum wheat semolina flour, water, salt, and eggs. For this particular lasagna recipe, we use no bake noodles, however if you want to swap out the no-bake noodles and make them from scratch, please do so. To make lasagna pasta it at home, simply combine the above ingredients in a food processor and pulse until they come together to form a dough. Then, roll the dough out into thin sheets using a rolling pin or pasta machine. Cut the sheets into 12-inch by 18-inch rectangles before layering them in your lasagna dish.
What to do when lasagna is runny?
To fix watery lasagna first, be sure to cook down the ragu long enough until the sauce resembles a thick, meaty stew. Then, when layering the pasta sheets, béchamel sauce, and ragu, ensure each layer is thin. The thicker your layers are, the more chances your lasagna will be runny.
Can lasagna go bad?
Cooked lasagna, when stored in a tightly sealed container, is good for up to 5 days in the fridge and up to three months in the freezer.
Similar Recipes
Now that you know all there is to know about lasagna and what makes a great lasagna recipe, it's time to get cooking! This classic Italian dish is perfect for any occasion, from a casual family dinner to a more formal event. Be sure to follow our tips on how to make the best lasagna so that your dish turns out perfect every time. Buon appetito!
If you tried this recipe, please leave a 🌟 star rating and let me know how it goes in the 📝 comments below. Thanks for visiting today
Three Meat Lasagna
Ingredients
- 12-15 No-cook lasagna sheets
- ½ cup shredded Parmesan cheese
- 1 cup shredded mozzarella
For the Béchamel
- 4 tablespoons unsalted butter
- 4 tablespoons flour
- 2 ⅔ cups milk
- Salt and freshly ground pepper to taste
- Freshly grated nutmeg to taste
For the Ragu
- 2 ounces pancetta finely chopped
- 1 medium onion minced
- 1 medium stalk celery with leaves minced
- 1 small carrot minced
- 4 ounces boneless veal shoulder or round ground
- 4 ounces pork loin trimmed of fat, or 4 ounces, ground
- 8 ounces beef skirt steak ground
- 1 ounce thinly sliced Prosciutto di Parma chopped
- ⅔ cup dry red wine
- 1 ½ cups chicken stock
- 2 cups milk
- 3 whole plum tomatoes from a can drained (you'll have some whole plum tomatoes left over that you can save for another use)
- Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
Instructions
For the Béchamel:
- In a large saucepan melt the butter over medium high heat. Add the flour and cook, stirring with a whisk, for 3 minutes. Slowly add the milk, and whisk together. Add the grated nutmeg. Whisk and cook over medium heat for several minutes, until slightly thickened. Remove from heat and let cool.
For the Ragu:
- Heat a large Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Add the pancetta and sauté, stirring frequently with a wooden spoon, for 5 minutes until some of the fat renders. Add the onion, celery and carrot and continue to cook for 6-7 minutes until softened and fragrant. Add the ground and chopped meats and cook, stirring frequently until deep brown in color.
- Add the wine to the skillet, and reduce the heat to medium low. Stir occasionally until the wine has reduced by half, about 3 minutes.
- Stir ½ cup stock into the saucepan and let it bubble slowly, 10 minutes, or until totally evaporated. Repeat with another ½ cup stock. Stir in the last ½ cup stock along with the milk. Partially cover the pot, and cook for 1 hour, stirring frequently.
- Add the tomatoes, crushing them as they go into the pot. Cook uncovered, on medium low heat for another 45 minutes so the sauce resembles a thick, meaty stew. Season with salt and pepper.
- In a large baking dish, place a thin layer of your béchamel sauce. Add a layer of pasta and a layer of béchamel on the pasta and a layer of the ragu. Repeat until you have used all of your pasta. On the top layer of pasta, spread the béchamel sauce and top with Parmesan and mozzarella cheese. Cover with tin foil and bake at 350 degrees for about 40-45 minutes. Remove the foil and bake another 10 minutes until golden brown. Once cooked, remove this from the oven and let rest for 10 minutes before serving!
Made this for our “meet the parents” with my fiancé and I. Truly 10/10. Not only was it fantastic, but I sent Gaby a message in my preparation to ask a question and she promptly replied which was so kind. Dinner went well and my future MIL (who is Italian) said it was the best lasagna she had ever had! Thank you Gaby, your recipes are always well thought out and my go-to!
When your dinner guests ask for seconds. You know it’s a hit and worth the time involved to make it!
Also, if making this a day ahead should the ragu cool before putting it on lasagna noodles? Thanks!
you dont have to cool it before assembling
Hi- ragu smells amazing! Can I add some mozz cheeses to the layers or should it only be on top? Thanks
You totally can! more cheese the merrier if you ask me
Hey there. Made this last week and even though the ragu tasted amazing, the lasagna was dry and not at all tomatoey (real word?). I barely had enough liquid to cook the noodles. Enough so that I was worried the noodles were going to be crispy.
I re-read the recipe and I didn't miss anything. I plan on futzing with the liquid and the tomato since it was still good, just not as fabulous as it could be. Any thoughts on what I could have done wrong (I am at 3,500 ft and did make ahead and put in my fridge overnight)? Thanks for your thoughts! I'm excited to dial this recipe in.
Hey Katie! I doubt you did anything wrong - I bet what happened is that some of the liquid was absorbed by the pasta and then there wasn't enough juiciness to bake the next day! Nothing wrong with adding more tomato sauces to give it some extra liquid! xx
Can you make the ragu a day before? Can you assemble the whole lasagna the day before and pull it out of the fridge and bake it? (Working girl time constraints...)
yes and yes!
Suggested wine pairing with this lasagna?
Coming from a wine rep... the best pairing for lasagna: Sangiovese or a Chianti Classico. Wine in Italy is separated by region and not the grape that is used. So go into your liquor store and head to the Italian selection.
Great Chianti, Cafaggio 2017 Chinti Cls Rsv Docg around $31, Castello di Albola 2019 Castello Albola Reserve Chiant Classico around $18.
Sangiovese: Col d'Orcia 2017 Brunello di Montalcino, Petrolo 2016 Torrione Sangiovese
I'm stoked to make this because it doesn't have the layers of ricotta/cheese. I love cheese but, my body is not a fan of cow dairy now. So, I limit here & there. Unless I make your caramelized onion potatoes au gratin, all bets are off and I just suffer with a happy heart! Worth it!! Ok, I have a nerd question here...it is a "Ragu" because it contains mirepoix and meat? And Bolognese is the mirepoix without meat?
Thank you 🙂
Cyn
Making the ragu now. I’m glad I started very early as your cooking time is way off. The ragu simmers for 1 hour 45 minutes after about 20 minutes of cooking the veggies and meat. Definitely need to give a lot of time.
AND, the taste in the ragu so far is OUT OF THIS WORLD! I’m very excited to eat this tonight and fingers crossed my 3 picky eaters do too 😉
WOWOWOOW good catch! mega typo