Make-ahead lasagne
Assemble this lasagne a day ahead: rich beef ragù and creamy béchamel layered with oven-ready sheets, bakes to a golden, bubbling top.
This is the no-fuss make-ahead lasagne you’ll actually want to cook for guests. The ragù simmers while you get on with life, then a silky béchamel joins the party for a properly indulgent finish.
Assemble and chill up to a day (or wrap and freeze) — bake from chilled for a perfect golden, sliceable lasagne that serves a crowd with minimal last-minute faff.
Ingredients
- 500 g lean minced beef — for the meat sauce
- 30 ml olive oil — for frying
- 1 brown onion — finely chopped
- 3 garlic cloves — crushed
- 1 carrot — medium, grated
- 2 celery stalks — finely chopped
- 30 ml tomato purée
- 400 g tinned chopped tomatoes
- 200 ml beef stock — low-salt if preferred
- 5 ml dried oregano
- 1 bay leaf
- salt — to taste
- black pepper — to taste
- 9 oven-ready lasagne sheets
- 50 g butter — for the béchamel
- 40 g plain flour
- 600 ml milk — whole milk gives best result
- 0 ml nutmeg, ground
- 80 g Parmesan cheese, grated — reserve a little for finishing
- 150 g Mozzarella, grated
- 6 fresh basil — leaves to garnish
Equipment
- 20 x 30 cm ovenproof baking tin
- large frying pan
- large saucepan
- whisk
- grater
- wooden spoon
Instructions
Prepare the veg: finely chop the brown onion, crush the garlic cloves, grate the carrot and finely chop the celery. Have cheeses grated and lasagne sheets ready.
Heat the olive oil in a large frying pan over a medium heat. Add the brown onion, garlic, carrot and celery with a pinch of salt and soften until translucent and sweet, about 8 minutes.
Increase the heat, add the lean minced beef and break it up with a wooden spoon. Brown thoroughly until there’s no pink visible, about 7 minutes. Season with salt and black pepper.
Stir in the tomato purée and cook for 2 minutes. Add the tinned chopped tomatoes, beef stock, dried oregano and bay leaf. Bring to a simmer, then reduce the heat and gently simmer, uncovered, until thickened and reduced, about 30 minutes.
While the ragù simmers, make the béchamel: melt the butter in a saucepan over medium heat. Add the plain flour and cook, stirring, for 1 minute to form a roux.
Gradually whisk in the milk, starting with a little to form a smooth paste, then add the rest. Bring to a gentle simmer and cook until thick enough to coat the back of a spoon, about 8 minutes. Season with nutmeg, salt and black pepper and stir in half the Parmesan cheese.
Remove the bay leaf from the ragù and check seasoning. Spoon a thin layer of ragù into a 20 x 30 cm ovenproof baking tin. Top with oven-ready lasagne sheets, a third of the ragù, a third of the béchamel and a sprinkle of Mozzarella and Parmesan. Repeat twice to make three layers, finishing with béchamel and the remaining Mozzarella and Parmesan.
Cover the tin tightly with foil and chill in the fridge for at least 2 hours (or overnight) so the layers set and flavours meld. This step makes the lasagne much easier to slice after baking.
When ready to bake, preheat the oven to 180°C fan/200°C conventional. Remove the lasagne from the fridge and leave to come off the cold for 10 minutes while the oven reaches temperature.
Bake the covered lasagne for 25 minutes, then remove the foil and continue to bake for a further 20 minutes until the top is golden and bubbling.
Leave the lasagne to rest for 10 minutes before slicing. Scatter fresh basil leaves over the top to serve.
Tips
- Brown the mince well in batches if needed — good caramelisation adds depth to the ragù.
- Whisk the milk into the roux gradually to avoid lumps; if you get lumps, push the sauce through a sieve or blitz briefly with a stick blender.
- Chill overnight for the cleanest slices; if you must bake straight away, add 10–15 minutes to the covered baking time.
- To freeze: assemble, cover tightly with two layers of foil and freeze for up to 3 months. Bake from frozen, covered, at 180°C fan for 60–70 minutes, then uncover and brown.
- Leftovers keep for 3 days in the fridge; reheat portions in the oven at 160°C fan for 15–20 minutes or in the microwave until piping hot.
Substitutions
lean minced beef → minced pork or a 50:50 mix of beef and pork, same quantity
Stays closeoven-ready lasagne sheets → pre-cooked fresh lasagne sheets (use slightly fewer and check cooking time)
Stays closemilk → matte double cream mixed with equal water for a richer béchamel (use same total volume)
Noticeably differentParmesan cheese, grated → Pecorino Romano, same weight (sharper, saltier)
Noticeably different
Nutrition
Per serving · estimated
- 694
- Calories
- 36 g
- Protein
- 52 g
- Carbs
- 38 g
- Fat
- 5 g
- Fibre
- 10 g
- Sugar
- 700 mg
- Sodium
FAQ
Can I assemble the lasagne the day before and bake it later?
Yes — assemble, cover tightly with foil and refrigerate for up to 24 hours. Remove from fridge for 10 minutes before baking; follow the covered then uncovered timings in the recipe.
How do I stop the top from burning while the centre cooks?
Tent loosely with foil if the top is browning too fast. The lasagne should be bubbling in the centre when the pasta is cooked.
Can I freeze the lasagne?
Yes. Freeze assembled and tightly wrapped for up to 3 months. Bake from frozen at 180°C fan for about 60–70 minutes covered, then uncover and brown.
What if my béchamel is lumpy?
Whisk vigorously and simmer briefly; if lumps persist, push the sauce through a fine sieve or blitz briefly with a stick blender, then return to the pan to thicken.
Community Photos
No photos yet
Be the first to share your creation!
