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Lasagne recipe

43 replies

Whatisgoingoff2024 · 20/03/2026 21:09

I’m desperately trying to perfect my lasagne recipe but can’t seem to get the tomato sauce rich enough. Where am I going wrong?

Olive oil
Carrots/Onion/Celery/Garlic
Beef & pork mince
Beef stock
Tomato Puree
Tinned tomato’s (purposely paid for Mutti tinned tomatoes thinking this would be the golden ticket!)
Sun dried tomato paste
Rosemary
Mixed Herbs

I also used fresh lasagne sheets this time which I thought would be great but wasn’t overly keen.

My white sauce also tasted great but wasn’t as flavoursome in the actual lasagne…

OP posts:
Nelly91 · 20/03/2026 21:10

Red wine

pourmeawine · 20/03/2026 21:11

My favourite lasagne recipe is the Hairy bikers one - https://www.hairybikers.com/recipes/view/easy-biker-lasagne

I was also going to say red wine Same as the previous poster

Whatisgoingoff2024 · 20/03/2026 21:13

What kind of tomatoes are you using?

OP posts:
ProfessorRedshoeblueshoe · 20/03/2026 21:14

Oregano. And I just use cheap tomatoes but let the sauce cook for ages.

ShredderQueen · 20/03/2026 21:14

Google traditional lasagne using white wine and milk in the ragu.. game changer I learnt on here

TheAutumnCrow · 20/03/2026 21:14

You need to fry lots of tomato paste/purée in with the chopped/grated vegetables. This sweetens it.

Also red wine and/or tomato ketchup and or anchovies and/or chicken stock and/or sodium help.

Gorbie · 20/03/2026 21:15

Mines
Mince
Garlic
Oregano
Tomato puree
1/2 bottle red wine
Tim tomato
Salt and pepper

Cooked for a good 2/3 hrs

Snugglemonkey · 20/03/2026 21:17

I so recommend the Sarah cook recipe on good food. I add more herbs, my fresh herbs and some extra dried probably, because I don't measure, but this was my base recipe and my lasagna is famed.

NorthFaceofthelaundrypile · 20/03/2026 21:19

https://pin.it/4fMZluouE

I always use this recipe for my sauce… uses white wine and milk. It’s so good!

shellyleppard · 20/03/2026 21:19

I use a bit of red wine, Oxo cubes, beef mince, onion, garlic chopped tomatoes (cheap or whatever is in the cupboard). Tomato and garlic puree, Italian seasoning. But I also simmer it for a good hour and a half to really get a good flavour.

Jellycatspyjamas · 20/03/2026 21:19

Red wine and a splash of Worcestershire sauce. A grate of nutmeg in the bechamel, just a little cost it’s very strong.

BillieWiper · 20/03/2026 21:20

Sounds nice and tasty!

I think dry sheets are more reliable and less likely to go soggy.

I'd fry off the meat and drain the oil. Then take it out. Then add veggies and fry off. Add tinned toms, pinch of salt and sugar, slug of wine and herbs and cook down to about half the size. Then add meat again.

Then in the baking dish; add in sauce and layer onto pasta and bechamel and then add parmesan near the end. I cook it for about 45 mins.

I often cheat the bechamel with mascrapone and melted grated cheddar. Can use a tsp of cornflour mixed with water to thicken if needed before you put in layers.

Whatkindoffuckeryisthiss · 20/03/2026 21:23

If you are keeping to your recipe as the baseline, I’d add red wine (before the tomatoes are added). Simmer for ages to really reduce the sauce. Either a bit of brown sugar, or a squirt of HP brown sauce, depending on the mood.

EmbarrassmentLovesCompany · 20/03/2026 21:24

Yes to red wine.
I've actually started using pasatta rather than tinned tomatoes.
I also grate the carrot, rather than chop.

LiveLuvLaugh · 20/03/2026 21:27

Milk. Softens the meat. Parmesan rind. Home made chicken stock - high collagen. Bay leaf. Slow cooker (after sautéing meat and soffrito) But I bet yours is absolutely delish - I’m going to try sun dried tomato paste in mine. Cheese sauce rather than plain bechemel.

RosesAndHellebores · 20/03/2026 21:27

I always make a huge vat of bol when we have lasagne and make two, one for the freezer and ragu left for bol.

My lasagnes also serve 8

4lb good quality mince
4 medium onions - red
Half a dozen crushed garlic cloves
3 tins quality plum tomatoes
Generous half bottle of red
Two thirds of a tube of puree
Plenty of fresh oregano in summer/dried in winter
4 bay leaves
Salt pepper

Add sauteed mince to softened onion and garlic, add the puree, salt and pepper and herbs, stir in the red wine, add the tomatoes and break them up (I find plum give more flavour).

I just use a cheese sauce - not too cheesy and add some parmesan - more needed than you think. I use about a litre of milk.

Layer up in a deep dish - deep enough for four layers. Meat, pasta, sauce.

Mine isn't authentic, isn't sloppy but always pleases. It's quite rich.

Whatkindoffuckeryisthiss · 20/03/2026 21:28

I also use 2 parts beef mince to 1 part pork mince. If I have no pork mince I will add small chunks or either Italian sausage or pancetta cubes.
I second the PP who said try passata. I sometimes substitute chopped tomatoes with Passata

DuchessofStaffordshire · 20/03/2026 21:44

Red wine and a dash of milk in the Ragu. Smoked bacon or pancetta is also a good addition. Nutmeg in your bechamel will elevate it.

CassandraCan · 20/03/2026 21:46

Brown the mince first. Quality tomatoes are key - so stick with Mutti they’re fab (but they’re very sweet so add some salt). Bay leaves.

Also cook for longer. It takes a few hours simmering for the flavours to amalgamate - this is REALLY important. Can NOT be done in 30
mins.

add Worcestershire sauce and/or red wine.

DuchessofStaffordshire · 20/03/2026 21:50

LiveLuvLaugh · 20/03/2026 21:27

Milk. Softens the meat. Parmesan rind. Home made chicken stock - high collagen. Bay leaf. Slow cooker (after sautéing meat and soffrito) But I bet yours is absolutely delish - I’m going to try sun dried tomato paste in mine. Cheese sauce rather than plain bechemel.

Yep, always keep parmesan rinds in the fridge for a decent Ragu.

WhatAMarvelousTune · 20/03/2026 21:59

Diced bacon
Wine
Little bit of Worcestershire sauce
A little bit of dark cocoa powder

Xiaoxiong · 20/03/2026 22:04

Nigella's Lasagne of Love is my absolute perfect recipe: https://www.nigella.com/recipes/lasagne-of-love

Lots of little things about it that make it good but the best part is the ragu going into a pot and sitting in the oven for a good hour. The other thing is infusing the milk for the bechamel with all the peelings of the onions, carrots etc from the ragu, so it really tastes of something while also not wasting anything.

Lasagne of Love

This is what I make for my children’s birthday celebrations, for farewell suppers to send them off before they go away, and for the dinners to welcome them back when they come home again. It’s our family take on a traditional lasagne, though I’m not su...

https://www.nigella.com/recipes/lasagne-of-love

Bulbsbulbsbulbs · 20/03/2026 22:04

Delia's recipe is perfection. Slow cooking is essential.

Helplessandheartbroke · 20/03/2026 22:09

If I've got time i do carrots and celery if I've not got time i do;

Fresh lasagne sheets, pour boiling water over them before layering.
500g mince
1 large red onion
1 pepper
2 garlic cloves
Oregano
Paprika
1 tin of chopped Tomato's
1 passata
Salt and pepper
My own white sauce (milk, flour, nutmeg, pepper and butter)
Layer with a mix of chedder and partisan cheese

No beef stock! Tried both and much prefer without. I've had many a compliment on my lasagne :)

Pineneedlesincarpet · 21/03/2026 12:05

You can actually make a very rich tomato sauce using just garlic, a tin of tomatoes and olive oil. Maybe some basil leaves at the end.The trick is to use a lot of olive oil, let it simmer for over an hour and then season.