:max_bytes(150000):strip_icc():format(webp)/white-and-red-sauce-lasagna-recipe-995925-hero-1-fb2c2142b39042069f0c50310047256d.jpg)
The Spruce Eats / Cara Cormack
Filling and easy to make, lasagnas are great one-dish meals that check all the boxes, as they can be filled with all sorts of veggies, sauces, and proteins, and can be adjusted to many special dietary needs. Our red and white sauce lasagna is a flavorful combination of a basic white sauce, rather than ricotta cheese, and a tomato-based sauce with beef and pork that's flavored with spices and mushrooms. Covered in cheese and baked until golden, this is a great weeknight meal served with a simple salad and crusty bread.
We use oven-ready (also called no-boil) lasagna noodles to speed up the cooking time. Simply assemble the lasagna with the uncooked noodles, seal it tight with foil, and bake. As the sauce simmers, the noodles cook all on their own thanks in part to the moisture in the sauces. The key is to keep the lasagna covered in the oven until the noodles are soft. Removing the foil allows the upper layer of the lasagna to achieve an appetizing golden color. The oven-ready noodles are also available in a gluten-free version if someone in your household has special dietary needs.
Although a few steps are required to complete this dish, the recipe is fairly simple and can be a great first lasagna for novice cooks.
Ingredients
For the White Sauce:
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4 tablespoons butter
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2 1/2 cups whole milk
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1/3 cup all-purpose flour
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1/2 teaspoon kosher salt, or to taste
For the Red Sauce:
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2 tablespoons olive oil
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1/2 pound ground beef
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1/2 pound ground pork
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1 medium onion, chopped
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6 to 8 white mushrooms, sliced
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3 cloves garlic, chopped
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2 (28-ounce) cans tomato sauce
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2 teaspoons dried oregano
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2 teaspoons dried basil
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Kosher salt, to taste
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Black pepper, to taste
For Assembling:
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1 package oven-ready lasagna noodles
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2 cups shredded mozzarella cheese
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1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese
Steps to Make It
Make the White Sauce
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Gather the ingredients.
The Spruce Eats / Cara Cormack
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Melt the butter in a heavy-bottomed saucepan.
The Spruce Eats / Cara Cormack
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Warm up the milk in a small saucepan, but don't let it boil.
The Spruce Eats / Cara Cormack
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Add the flour to the melted butter and stir to form a roux. Cook for about two minutes.
The Spruce Eats / Cara Cormack
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Slowly whisk in the warm milk, stirring well to get rid of any flour lumps. Season with kosher salt.
The Spruce Eats / Cara Cormack
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Turn off the heat and reserve, covered.
The Spruce Eats / Cara Cormack
Make the Red Sauce
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Gather the ingredients.
The Spruce Eats / Cara Cormack
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In a large skillet or heavy-bottomed saucepan, heat up the olive oil and add the ground beef and pork.
The Spruce Eats / Cara Cormack
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Cook until all the meat is well browned, approximately 8 minutes.
The Spruce Eats / Cara Cormack
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Drain excess fat from the meat, reserving 2 tablespoons in the skillet, and remove the meat mixture from the pan. Cover and set aside.
The Spruce Eats / Cara Cormack
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Add the onion to the skillet with the reserved fat and sauté until translucent, for about 6 to 7 minutes.
The Spruce Eats / Cara Cormack
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Add the mushrooms and garlic to the skillet and cook until the mushrooms are soft, or 5 minutes.
The Spruce Eats / Cara Cormack
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Return the meat to the pan and stir well.
The Spruce Eats / Cara Cormack
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Add the tomato sauce and dried herbs to the meat, garlic, and onions. Stir well.
The Spruce Eats / Cara Cormack
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Bring the meat sauce to a simmer and cook for another 5 minutes, stirring occasionally. Remove the red sauce from heat and season to taste with kosher salt and black pepper.
The Spruce Eats / Cara Cormack
Assemble the Lasagna
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Gather the ingredients.
The Spruce Eats / Cara Cormack
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Preheat the oven to 400 F. In a 3-quart ovenproof baking dish, ladle enough of the red meat sauce to cover the bottom of the baking dish.
The Spruce Eats / Cara Cormack
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Arrange a layer of pasta atop the red meat sauce and then another layer of red sauce.
The Spruce Eats / Cara Cormack
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Drizzle roughly 1/3 of the white sauce evenly atop the red sauce.
The Spruce Eats / Cara Cormack
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Repeat the previous step twice by layering layers of pasta, red sauce, and white sauce.
The Spruce Eats / Cara Cormack
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Spread the shredded mozzarella on top of the final white sauce layer.
The Spruce Eats / Cara Cormack
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Sprinkle the grated Parmesan on top of the mozzarella.
The Spruce Eats / Cara Cormack
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Cover the dish tightly with foil and bake for 40 minutes.
The Spruce Eats / Cara Cormack
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After 40 minutes, remove foil and bake for about 10 more minutes, or until the cheese on top has browned slightly. Remove lasagna from oven and let rest for 10 minutes.
The Spruce Eats / Cara Cormack
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Serve and enjoy!
The Spruce Eats / Cara Cormack
Nutrition Facts (per serving) | |
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633 | Calories |
39g | Fat |
36g | Carbs |
38g | Protein |
Nutrition Facts | |
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Servings: 6 | |
Amount per serving | |
Calories | 633 |
% Daily Value* | |
Total Fat 39g | 50% |
Saturated Fat 18g | 88% |
Cholesterol 125mg | 42% |
Sodium 2079mg | 90% |
Total Carbohydrate 36g | 13% |
Dietary Fiber 6g | 20% |
Total Sugars 17g | |
Protein 38g | |
Vitamin C 22mg | 111% |
Calcium 479mg | 37% |
Iron 6mg | 32% |
Potassium 1447mg | 31% |
*The % Daily Value (DV) tells you how much a nutrient in a food serving contributes to a daily diet. 2,000 calories a day is used for general nutrition advice. |
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