Rao’s Classic Meat Lasagna with Béchamel Sauce

Name: Rao’s Classic Meat Lasagna with Béchamel Sauce
Prep time: 35 min
Cook time: 1 h 45 min
Total time: 2 h 20 min
Yield: Serves 8
Ingredients: 1 (24 oz) jar Rao’s Homemade® Marinara Sauce 1 lb ground beef (or beef/pork blend) 1 small onion, diced (optional) 16–18 lasagna noodles 1½ cups freshly grated Parmigiano-Reggiano 4–6 oz fresh mozzarella, torn into pieces For the béchamel: 3 tbsp butter 3 tbsp all-purpose flour 2½ cups whole milk Salt and a pinch of nutmeg

Rao's Classic Meat Lasagna with Béchamel Sauce, featuring layers of pasta, seasoned meat, creamy béchamel, and melted cheese baked until golden.

Prep Time: 35 mins

Total Time: 140 mins

Serves: 8 People

This quick meat lasagna recipe swaps traditional ricotta for a silky homemade béchamel sauce, layered with rich Rao's Homemade® Marinara meat sauce, tender pasta, and melted mozzarella and Parmigiano-Reggiano for an easy, restaurant-quality lasagna the whole family will love; with about 35 minutes of active prep, this simplified take on classic Italian lasagna delivers all the comforting, cheesy layers you crave in less hands-on time, making it a perfect weeknight dinner or cozy Sunday family meal.

Ingredients

1 (24 oz) jar Rao’s Homemade^® Marinara Sauce
1 lb ground beef (or beef/pork blend)
1 small onion, diced (optional)
16–18 lasagna noodles
1½ cups freshly grated Parmigiano-Reggiano
4–6 oz fresh mozzarella, torn into pieces

For the béchamel:

3 tbsp butter
3 tbsp all-purpose flour
2½ cups whole milk
Salt and a pinch of nutmeg

Directions

Bring a large pot of salted water to boil. Cook the lasagna noodles until al dente, about 8–10 minutes. Drain and lay flat on paper towels to prevent sticking.
In a large skillet over medium-high heat, brown the ground beef (and onion, if using), about 8–10 minutes.
Stir in the Rao’s Homemade^® Marinara Sauce and simmer for 10–15 minutes, until slightly thickened. You should have about 4 cups of meat sauce in total.
Meanwhile, melt the butter in a saucepan over medium heat. Whisk in the flour and cook for 1 minute.
Slowly stream in the milk, whisking constantly, until smooth. Simmer until lightly thickened, about 5–7 minutes, then season with salt and a pinch of nutmeg.
Preheat oven to 375°F.
Spread 1 cup of meat sauce on the bottom of a 9×13-inch baking dish. Top with a layer of cooked noodles (about 4).
Spread ½ cup of béchamel over the noodles, then sprinkle with ⅓ cup Parmigiano-Reggiano.
Repeat the layers (sauce, noodles, béchamel, Parmigiano-Reggiano) three more times, for 4 layers total.
Top with the remaining béchamel and Parmigiano-Reggiano, then scatter the torn mozzarella over the top.
Bake for 50 minutes, until bubbly and golden. Let rest 10–15 minutes before slicing. For an extra-crispy top, broil for 1–2 minutes at the end.