White Sauce Lasagna

This homemade lasagna combines a beef and tomato sauce with a creamy mozzarella white sauce. Instead of using a ricotta or cottage cheese filling, the white sauce becomes the creamy layer between the noodles.

Tomato Meat Sauce

• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 1 onion, finely chopped or grated
• 1 1/2 pounds lean ground beef
• 3 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 can (6 ounces) tomato paste
• 6 cups crushed, diced or pureed tomatoes
• 2 teaspoons dried oregano
• 2 bay leaves
• Salt and black pepper, to taste

White Sauce

• 3 tablespoons butter
• 3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
• 3 1/2 cups milk
• 2 cups shredded mozzarella cheese
• Salt and black pepper, to taste

For Assembly

• 1 package oven-ready lasagna noodles, enough for a 9x13-inch baking dish
• Additional shredded mozzarella or Parmesan cheese for topping, optional

Directions

1. Preheat the oven to 350°F.
2. Heat the olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the onion and cook for about 3-4 minutes.
3. Add the ground beef and garlic. Cook, breaking up the meat as it cooks, until the beef is browned and no longer pink. Drain excess fat if needed.
4. Stir in the tomato paste, tomatoes, oregano and bay leaves. Season with salt and pepper.
5. Reduce the heat and simmer for about 15-20 minutes while you prepare the white sauce. Remove the bay leaves before assembling the lasagna.
6. For the white sauce, melt the butter in a saucepan over medium heat.
7. Whisk in the flour and cook for about 1 minute.
8. Gradually whisk in the milk until smooth.
9. Cook for several minutes, stirring frequently, until the sauce thickens.
10. Remove from the heat and stir in the mozzarella cheese until melted. Season lightly with salt and pepper.
11. Spread a thin layer of tomato meat sauce over the bottom of a 9x13-inch baking dish.
12. Add a layer of oven-ready noodles, followed by tomato sauce and white sauce.
13. Continue layering until the ingredients are used, finishing with enough sauce to completely cover the top noodles.
14. Sprinkle with additional mozzarella or Parmesan cheese, if desired.
15. Cover loosely with foil and bake according to the lasagna noodle package directions, generally about 35-45 minutes, or until the noodles are tender and the sauce is bubbling.
16. Remove the foil during the last 10 minutes if you'd like the cheese on top to brown.
17. Let the lasagna stand for about 10-15 minutes before cutting.