Lamb and Sausage Lasagna with White Sauce
Layered lasagna combining ground lamb and Italian sausage with fennel and cumin, simmered in tomato sauce for two hours. Assembled with no-boil noodles, creamy ricotta-parmesan white sauce, and mozzarella. Baked until bubbling at 190°C for depth of flavor from both meat and cheese layers.
Ingredients
- ½ pound Italian sausage link
- 1 pound ground lambground beef1:1milder flavor
4
- 1 tablespoon fennel seeds
- 1 teaspoon ground cumin
- 1 yellow onion, chopped
- 3 clove garlic
- 2 carrot, shredded
- 1 zucchini, shredded
- 5 ounce tomato paste
- 1 cup water
- 2 tablespoon granulated sugar
- 2 tablespoon fresh parsley, chopped
- 2 tablespoon fresh basil, chopped
- 1 teaspoon dried oregano
- 2 can crushed tomatoes
- salt, to taste(optional)
- ground black pepper, to taste(optional)
- 4 tablespoon butter
- ½ onion, chopped
- 1 clove garlic
- ½ cup all-purpose flour
- 2 ¾ cup milk
- 2 bay leaf
- 1 cup ricotta cheese
- 1 cup grated parmesan cheese
- 1 box no-boil lasagna noodles
- 2 cup shredded mozzarella cheese
- fresh basil, to taste(optional)
- grated parmesan cheese, to taste(optional)
Instructions
- 1
Shred carrot and zucchini; set aside half the zucchini for assembly.
- 2
In a Dutch oven over medium-high heat, cook Italian sausage, ground lamb, yellow onion, fennel seeds, and ground cumin for 10 minutes until meat is no longer pink, breaking it into crumbles with a spatula.
- 3
Add garlic and half the shredded zucchini and carrots, cook for 3 minutes.
- 4
Stir in tomato paste, sugar, dried oregano, fresh parsley, and fresh basil; cook for 2 minutes.
- 5
Add crushed tomatoes and water, stir well to combine. Cover and simmer for 2 hours, stirring every 15 minutes.
- 6
About 10 minutes before meat sauce finishes, make the white sauce. Melt butter in a saucepan over low heat.
- 7
Add onion and garlic to butter, cook until soft, about 3 minutes.
- 8
Add flour and cook for 1 minute.
- 9
Add milk in batches, whisking until no lumps remain before each addition.
- 10
Add bay leaves and stir for 5 minutes until smooth and thick.
- 11
Discard bay leaves, mix in ricotta cheese and grated parmesan until smooth. Season with salt and black pepper to taste.
- 12
Season meat sauce with salt and black pepper to taste.
- 13
Preheat oven to 375°F on bake setting.
- 14
In a casserole dish, start with a layer of meat sauce on the bottom.
- 15
Layer no-boil noodles, meat sauce, white sauce, zucchini, and mozzarella cheese; repeat until pan is full. Top final layer with noodles, meat sauce, white sauce, and mozzarella.
- 16
Bake for 30 minutes until bubbling. Cover with aluminum foil if top begins to brown.
- 17
Allow to cool before slicing and serving. Garnish with fresh basil and grated parmesan if desired.
Tips
Stir meat sauce every 15 minutes during the 2-hour simmer to prevent sticking and ensure even cooking.
Whisk milk into the white sauce gradually to avoid lumps.
If the lasagna top browns too quickly, cover with foil for remaining bake time.
Allow lasagna to cool slightly before slicing for cleaner portions.
Good to Know
Cover and refrigerate for up to 4 days. Freeze unbaked lasagna for up to 3 months; thaw overnight before baking.
Assemble lasagna up to 24 hours ahead, refrigerate covered, then bake as directed.
Cut into squares and serve warm. Pair with a simple green salad or garlic bread.
Common Mistakes
Do not skip stirring the meat sauce every 15 minutes to avoid burning on the bottom.
Do not add all milk at once to the white sauce to avoid lumps.
Do not slice before cooling to prevent the lasagna from falling apart.