The Best Cheese Lasagna

Lasagna is a project, but it is the most rewarding one in the pasta repertoire. A good one has distinct layers — pasta, sauce, cheese — that hold their shape when cut and taste of more than the sum of their parts. This version is a cheese-forward lasagna, with a rich ricotta layer, a béchamel for creaminess and plenty of mozzarella.

The layers, in order

1. A thin layer of sauce on the base so the pasta does not stick
2. Pasta sheets
3. A layer of the cheese filling
4. Sauce
5. A little béchamel
6. Repeat two or three times
7. Finish with pasta, sauce, béchamel, mozzarella and Parmesan

The cheese filling

• 500 g ricotta, drained and beaten smooth
• 1 egg, to bind
• 80 g Parmesan, grated
• Nutmeg, black pepper, salt
• Optional: a handful of chopped parsley or basil

Beating the ricotta before layering makes a smoother, more luxurious filling than simply spooning it in.

Two sauces, two jobs

Tomato sauce gives the backbone, and béchamel adds the creaminess that makes a lasagna taste restaurant-made. You do not have to make both from scratch, but if you only make one properly, make it the béchamel. A quick béchamel: equal weights of butter and flour cooked together, then milk whisked in, seasoned with nutmeg.

Method

1. Make the meat-free tomato sauce and the béchamel, and mix the ricotta filling.
2. If using dried sheets that need pre-cooking, boil them; if using no-boil sheets, skip this.
3. Layer as above in a deep baking dish.
4. Bake covered with foil at 180°C / 350°F for 30 minutes, then uncovered for 15–20 minutes, until bubbling and browned.
5. Rest for at least 15 minutes before cutting. This is essential — a lasagna cut too soon collapses.

Why resting matters

Straight from the oven, lasagna is molten and will slop onto the plate. Fifteen to twenty minutes of rest lets it set so the slices hold. It will still be hot, and it tastes better for it.

Make-ahead and freezing

Assemble and refrigerate up to a day ahead, or freeze before baking. Bake from fridge temperature with an extra 10–15 minutes. Leftovers reheat well, covered, in a moderate oven.

See our cheese sauce guide for the béchamel, and our Parmigiano guide to pick the right grating cheese.