This Lasagna Bolognese is one of my family’s favorite comfort food dinners! It’s made with a hearty bolognese sauce and bechamel sauce, and everything is assembled easily with oven-ready no-boil lasagna noodles.
This lasagna is so cozy and layered with so much cheesy goodness. Truly so comforting and incredibly delicious! It is also make-ahead and freezer friendly.

Lasagna Bolognese is possibly one of the best comfort foods in this world. I crave it year-round, but especially when it’s gloomy out or when I need something warm and hearty, just like our favorite Rigatoni Bolognese and Cheesy Ravioli Bake.
This classic lasagna bolognese is made with layers of meat bolognese sauce, bechamel sauce (no ricotta here!), lots of melty mozzarella cheese, and oven-ready lasagna sheets.
That’s right, you don’t need to pre-boil your noodles or anything like that! With oven-ready noodles, there is no pre-boiling or pre-soaking. As long as the noodles are covered in the sauce, they will cook fully and beautifully. This saves so much time and makes building a whole lasagna very easy!
It is also make-ahead friendly and freezes very well. This is great for making a batch to have on hand for later. I included tips and directions below.
This lasagna bolognese recipe uses bechamel sauce, which is the authentic way to make this dish. If you like using ricotta, give my Skillet Lasagna a try!
If you are looking to try more comforting dishes, check out my Summer Lasagna (this one’s no-bake!), my Spinach Ricotta Stuffed Shells, or Baked Penne Pasta with Italian Sausage.
Why I love making lasagna bolognese at home:
- Pure comfort food. Nothing better than this when you need something warm and cozy.
- Made with bolognese and bechamel sauce. The bolognese is hearty, and the bechamel adds a light creamy texture.
- Made with no-boil oven-ready noodles: No need to pre-boil separately. Just assemble and bake!
- Make-ahead, freezer, or reheat. So convenient!
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Ingredient Notes
Below are a few notes from recipe testing that I hope are helpful, especially when getting the ingredients.
- Oven-ready lasagna sheets: I like to use Barilla’s brand. For a large 9×13 inch lasagna, you need a 9-ounce box or about 15 sheets.
- Shredded mozzarella: Use whole milk shredded mozzarella, which melts better than part-skim.
- Parmesan cheese: I’d recommend freshly grated.
- Ground beef and Italian sausage: I recommend using ground beef and Italian sausage with the casings removed.
- Celery, onions, carrots: The “sofrito” combination that will be the base for the Bolognese sauce. Dice everything finely so it melts into the sauce.
- Fresh garlic: Can’t skip this one. Adds so much flavor.
- Diced pancetta: This is the secret ingredient! Adds depth of flavor throughout from the rendered fat.
- Red wine: I’d recommend using Pinot Noir for this recipe. It has good balance.
- Crushed canned tomatoes: You can also use canned whole peeled tomatoes, but blend them first.
- Thyme and bay leaves: Adds a subtle flavor. Fresh or dried are fine. Instead of fresh thyme, you can also use dried Italian seasoning.
- Whole milk: Used primarily both the bechamel sauce.
- Unsalted butter and all-purpose flour: The roux for the bechamel sauce. This will thicken then milk to make the bechamel.
- Nutmeg: A pinch of grated or ground for warm flavors.
Quantities for each ingredient are listed in the recipe card down below.
Step-by-Step Tutorial
Prep takes about 45 minutes, and bake time should be about 40 minutes. It’s definitely a weekend recipe! Let me show you how to make it.
Step 1 | Make the bolognese sauce
Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F.
In a large pot, cook the ground beef and Italian sausage until browned. Remove from the pot and set aside. In the same pot, cook the diced onions, carrots and celery over medium heat until softened, about 8 minutes. Scrape the brown bits and add a splash of wine to deglaze if needed.
Add the pancetta and cook for a few minutes to let the fat render (lots of flavor!). Then, add garlic and thyme, and cook until fragrant for another few seconds. Stir in the red wine and simmer until about half reduced.
Stir in the crushed tomatoes and bay leaves. Return the cooked ground meat, season with salt and pepper. Bring to a boil and reduce to simmer for 30-35 minutes with the lid partially covered. Finish with a half cup of whole milk to balance out flavors.
Step 2 | Make the bechamel sauce
Meanwhile, in a medium pot, melt butter over medium-low heat. Add in the flour, whisking constantly until it smells a bit nutty, about 3 minutes. Make sure it doesn’t burn.
Gradually add the milk, stirring to break up any lumps. It will start to thicken with the heat. Season with salt, pepper and a pinch of nutmeg to taste.
Step 3 | Assemble the lasagna
In a 9×13-inch baking pan, spread a thin layer of bolognese sauce. Add a single layer of oven-ready sheets on top. Spoon more bolognese over, followed by a layer of bechamel sauce and shredded mozzarella. Repeat about 3 more times to get a few layers.
The final layer should be three lasagna sheets fully covered with the remaining sauces, a thin layer of mozzarella and freshly grated parmesan cheese. The pasta sheets need to be fully covered in the sauce so that they cook properly.
Step 4 | Bake
Cover loosely with aluminum foil. Place it on a large sheet pan (to catch any spills) and bake for 30 minutes at 375 F. Uncover and bake for another 8 minutes until bubbly and melted on top. Broil for 1-2 minutes until beautifully golden brown. Keep a close eye on it so it doesn’t burn.
Let cool for 15 minutes before serving. And there you have it, an amazing lasagna bolognese!
Tips for Success
- Make sure the bolognese sauce is properly thickened and is not runny. Simmer for 30 minutes with the lid partially covered so some of the water evaporates.
- The bechamel sauce is ready when it easily coats the spoon. You can run your finger through the spoon, if the sauce stays in place, it’s ready.
- The oven-ready lasagna noodles need to be fully covered in sauce so they cook properly.
- I’d recommend using whole milk shredded mozzarella. Part-skim mozzarella doesn’t melt as well.
- Let the lasagna rest 15-20 minutes before slicing so that it sets properly. Otherwise it may fall apart when too hot.
Make Ahead and Freezing
Since this lasagna Bolognese takes time to make, I often make it ahead or freeze it for later whenever I get a craving.
There are several ways to make it ahead:
- Let both the bolognese and bechamel sauces completely cool before assembling. Once cooled, you can layer and assemble the lasagna per the instructions and refrigerate, covered, overnight. Bake as directed, adding a few extra minutes until the center is hot.
- Prep the sauces and keep both refrigerated. When ready, reheat the sauces and assemble the lasagna as directed and bake.
Freezing: Unbaked lasagna can be frozen for up to 2 months. I like to portion it out into my Souper Cubes. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator and bake, or bake from frozen (you’ll need to add extra time if baking from frozen).
Pairing and Serving Ideas
This lasagna Bolognese is definitely a rich and hearty dish, so we always balance it out with a fresh house salad. Soup and bread are also wonderful! Here are a few pairing recommendations:
- Italian Chopped Salad
- Lemon Arugula Salad
- Warm Brussels Sprouts Salad
- Tomato Burrata Salad
- Cheesy Garlic Bread
- Summer Minestrone Soup
- Italian Wedding Soup
Recipe FAQs
As long as you are using oven-ready sheets, there is no need. They will fully cook in the oven as long as they are fully covered in the sauce.
Yes, but they need to cook first according to package directions before assembling.
You can, but I’d highly recommend using bechamel for this recipe. It’s creamier and so good! I also have a Skillet Lasagna recipe that uses ricotta, if you’d like to try that.
Make sure the bolognese sauce is thickened properly by simmering it with the lid partially uncovered to allow excess moisture to evaporate. Also, let it rest 15-20 minutes before slicing.
This post was originally published in 2022 and updated in April 2025 to include new photos and information. The recipe remains the same.
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Lasagna Bolognese (with No Boil Noodles)
Equipment
- 6-quart Dutch oven or a large pot, for the bolognese
- 3-quart Dutch oven or a medium pot, for the bechamel
Ingredients
Bolognese sauce
- 1 pound ground beef
- ½ pound Italian sausage - casings removed
- Olive oil
- 1 medium yellow onion, finely diced
- 1 large carrot, peeled and finely diced
- 1 stalk celery, finely diced
- 2 ounces finely diced pancetta - or prosciutto
- 5 to 6 cloves fresh garlic, minced
- 3 teaspoons fresh thyme leaves - or 1 teaspoon dried Italian seasoning
- ¾ cup red wine - Pinot Noir
- 3 cans (14-ounce each) crushed tomatoes
- 2 bay leaves - dried or fresh
- Salt and pepper to taste
- ½ cup whole milk - plus more to taste
Bechamel sauce
- ½ cup unsalted butter
- ½ cup all-purpose flour
- 4 ½ cups whole milk - plus more as needed
- A pinch of grated or ground nutmeg
- Salt and pepper to taste
To assemble the lasagna
- 1 (9-ounce) box oven-ready lasagna sheets - I use Barilla brand
- 1 pound whole milk shredded mozzarella
- ½ cup freshly grated parmesan cheese - plus more for serving
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.
Make the bolognese sauce
- In a large 6-quart pot over medium-high heat, cook the ground beef and Italian sausage, breaking it up, for about 6-8 minutes until browned and cooked through. Remove from the pot and set aside. Tip: If it starts releasing too much moisture, absorb with paper towel.
- In the same pot (don’t wipe it clean), heat a few drizzles of olive oil and cook the diced onions, carrots, and celery over medium heat for about 6-8 minutes until softened, scraping to release the brown bits with a wooden spoon.
- Add the pancetta, and let it cook for a few minutes to render the fat. Then, stir in the minced garlic and thyme leaves and cook for another 2 minutes until fragrant.
- Stir in the red wine, scraping any leftover brown bits. Simmer over low heat until about half-reduced for just a few minutes.
- Next, add the crushed tomatoes and bay leaves. Return the cooked ground beef and sausage. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Bring to a boil and then reduce to a simmer for 30-35 minutes, with the lid partially covered. This will allow moisture to escape, helping the sauce to thicken faster.
- Once it’s done, finish with ½ cup whole milk. This will balance flavors and add a touch of richness.
Make the bechamel sauce
- Meanwhile, make the bechamel. In a medium pot, melt butter over medium-low heat. Sprinkle in the flour, and cook for about 3-4 minutes, whisking constantly with a wooden spoon until it smells a bit nutty. Note: Use medium-low heat to prevent any burning.
- Next, gradually add 2 cups of milk, stirring to break up any lumps. It will thicken as it heats up. Season with salt and pepper, plus a pinch of ground nutmeg. Tip: It’s ready when it easily coats the spoon. You can also run your finger through the spoon – if the sauce stays in place, it's ready.
Assemble the lasagna
- Layer a thin layer of the prepared bolognese sauce in a 9×13 inch baking pan.
- Top with a single layer of no-boil lasagna sheets. Next layer is bolognese sauce (about 2-3 ladles). Next is a layer of bechamel sauce, about 2-3 ladles. Next, spread a layer of mozzarella cheese. Repeat this process 3 more times to build the layers.
- The last layer should be three lasagna sheets fully covered with the remaining sauces, a thin layer of mozzarella, and ½ cup of freshly grated parmesan cheese. Note: Make sure the lasagna sheets are fully covered with sauce so they cook properly.
Bake the lasagna
- Cover loosely with aluminum foil. Place it on a large sheet pan (just in case it spills over) and bake for 30 minutes at 375 degrees F.
- Uncover and bake for 8 more minutes until bubbly and melted on top. Broil for 1-2 minutes until beautifully golden brown. Tip: keep a close eye on it so it doesn’t burn, broiling happens very fast.
- Let it cool for 15-20 minutes before serving. Serve with extra parmesan cheese if desired. Enjoy!
Notes
- Use oven-ready lasagna sheets. If you’d like to use the regular, you need to pre-boil them as directed on the package.
- Make sure the lasagna sheets are fully coated in sauce so they cook properly.
- Mozzarella: Use whole milk shredded mozzarella instead of part-skim mozzarella. It melts a lot better.
- The bolognese sauce is ready when it is thick (not runny) but not dry. You can achieve this by simmering it on the stove for 30 minutes with the lid partially covered.
- The bechamel sauce is ready when it easily coats the spoon. You can run your finger through the spoon, if the sauce stays in place, it’s ready.
- Make Ahead: Let the sauces cool then assemble the lasagna. Refrigerate, covered, overnight. When ready, bake as directed, adding a few extra minutes since it will be cold.
- Freezing: Unbaked lasagna can be frozen for up to 2 months. Thaw overnight in the fridge and bake, or bake from frozen (add extra time). I’d recommend portioning them out so they bake faster.
- Store leftovers in an airtight container and refrigerate for up to 3 days.
- Reheating: Place in a 350 degree F oven until warmed through. The microwave oven also works.
- Meat: Ground pork, ground turkey.
- Pancetta: Diced bacon or prosciutto.
- Fresh thyme: Use 1 teaspoon of dried Italian seasoning.
Melinda A Krupcyznski says
Delicious! Thank you so very much for a wonderful recipe. The family loved this so much!
Marg Chaput says
Totally awesome. Did not change a thing. Thank you.
Val Sulser says
This is the best Bolognese lasagna. I make it for special occasions and everyone loves it.
Tania says
So happy to hear, Val!
Anne Jardine says
Tania this is a truly delicious recipe. I was looking for a rich, creamy lasagna and this is it! The addition of pancetta and red wine gave a rich depth and I so prefer béchamel over ricotta. Thank you so much for the make ahead/freezing tips, very helpful for getting ready for guests. Great add to my entertaining file.