I love this lasagna bolognese! Better yet is the fact that Allen loved it too! It is absolutely the best dish to feed a crowd or to feed just a few. Don’t forget about the leftovers! I honestly think lasagna is better the next day.
I had made bolognese a couple of days ago and had some left. What better way to use the leftovers than with this lasagna. I added some spinach and a béchamel and it turned into a perfect dish! Here’s the bolognese I made the other day:https://the2spoons.com/simple-bolognese-over-pappardelle/.
the best lasagna bolognese with spinach and béchamel.
Because I already had the bolognese made that was very simple, all I had to do was sauté a bag of fresh spinach and make the béchamel. Béchamel is just butter and flour cooked to make a roux, milk is added and a little nutmeg. I layered the oven ready noodles with the bolognese, fresh mozzerella, grated parmesan, then the béchamel, continuing and finishing with one final layer of pasta on top with the remaining sauces and parmesan cheese along with a dotting of more fresh mozzerella.
I love a good lasagna pan and I really love a non-stick pan. This is a good pan if you don’t have one: https://amzn.to/2S6uNg2
I just made a simple salad with this dish and some garlic bread. That is absolutely all we needed.
This salad was like a chopped salad. I thinly sliced romaine then added these beautiful halved cherry tomatoes, some Kalamata olives, thinly sliced red onions, sliced provolone and salami, then a few capers. To dress it I just squeezed lemon on and added salt and fresh ground pepper, then tossed a little. I then added olive oil and a few chunks of gorgonzola. It is a delicious salad and our favorite.
Here’s the easy recipe for this delicious lasagna! Enjoy!
Ingredients
Method
- For the Bolognese:" Add the olive oil and butter to a large saucepan. Add the carrots, celery and onions and sauté until the vegetables are tender. Add the ground beef and cook until browned, breaking up the meat. Add the jar of marinara along with salt and pepper to taste along with the red pepper flakes if adding and cook until the sauce has thickened, about 30 minutes. Add the heavy cream.
- For the Béchamel: Melt the butter in a heavy-bottom saucepan over medium low heat. Add the flour, whisking 2 to 3 minutes, not allowing to brown. Whisking constantly, add the milk and continue whisking until a smooth sauce forms. Add a pinch of nutmeg and salt and pepper to taste.
- For the Spinach: Add a little olive oil to the bottom of a skillet. When medium hot add the spinach and toss until the spinach has wilted completely. Season with a little salt and pepper. Drain, pressing down to release as much liquid as possible. You can dry in paper towels or a dish towel too.
- Preheat your oven to 350 degrees. This is a small recipe so I just just used an 8 x8 pan but you double or triple. Add a layer of the prepared marinara to the bottom of the pan. Top with 2 lasagna sheets side by side, then place 2 more going the opposite direction. You could just use 2 sheets, but I like a thicker layer of pasta. Ladle some of the Bolognese over the sheets, dot with some of the mozzarella and some of the spinach. Add some of the béchamel and a sprinkling of grated parmesan cheese. Continue layering, I think I had 3 layers, with the final layer being two sheets of pasta, then the Bolognese, dotted with some remaining mozzarella and parmesan cheese. Cover with foil and bake for 45 minutes, Take the foil off and cook an additional 15 minutes. To serve, I pour a little of the marinara sauce in a bowl, or on a plate, top with a piece of lasagna and have additional marinara for passing. Enjoy.