Best Homemade Lasagna (Canada & USA): Beef Lasagna with Cream-Enhanced Ragù, No-Béchamel Option
Lasagna is North America’s ultimate comfort casserole—crowd-pleasing, freezer-friendly, and perfect for Sunday dinner or holiday potlucks from Toronto to Texas. This upgraded “Cabin in Canada” version keeps the pepper-forward personality of my video while fixing the two classic problems: watery layers and cheese that slides. The secret is a properly reduced meat ragù, fresh herbs added at the right time, and cream used as an emulsifier (or a light béchamel if you prefer classic). I’ll show you how to use fresh sheets or dry no-boil pasta, how to scale for a 13×9-inch pan, and how to rest the lasagna so it slices like a dream.
Ingrédients
Meat Ragù
- 900 –1000 g lean ground beef 2–2.2 lb
- 300 g bell peppers diced (2 peppers, 10.5 oz )
- 200 –250 g onion red or yellow, finely chopped ( 7–9 oz )
- 20 g garlic minced (about 4 cloves, 0.7 oz )
- 30 ml olive oil 2 Tbsp
- 120 –150 ml dry red wine or water for deglazing ½–⅔ cup
- 120 –150 g tomato paste ¼–⅓ cup , see notes
- 1.2 –1.5 L tomatoes total: crushed + passata 5–6 cups
- 10 –12 g kosher salt 2 tsp , divided and adjusted
- 1 –2 g black pepper ¼–½ tsp
- 2 bay leaves + 4–5 thyme sprigs bundled
- 10 –15 g fresh basil chopped ( 2–3 Tbsp , added at the end)
- 120 ml heavy cream 35% ½ cup , folded into ragù off heat
Pasta & Cheeses
- 380 –420 g fresh lasagna sheets 12 sheets, 13–15 oz or 12 dry sheets
- 80 –100 g Parmesan finely grated ( 1–1¼ cups )
- 300 –350 g Emmental + Gruyère grated ( 3–3½ cups )
- 120 –130 ml heavy cream 35% ½ cup , drizzled on top before the final bake
Instructions
- Brown & sweat. Heat a large pan to high. Brown beef, breaking it up, until lightly caramelized and nearly dry. Transfer to a pot. In the same pan, add olive oil; sweat peppers and onion with a pinch of salt until no liquid remains. Add garlic 30–60 seconds. Deglaze with wine/water; scrape fond into the pot.
- Build ragù. Stir in tomato paste, crushed tomatoes and/or passata, bay and thyme. Simmer 75–90 minutes, stirring occasionally, until spoon-coating thick. Remove herbs; stir in basil. Adjust salt/pepper. Off heat, fold in ½ cup cream.
- Assemble. Heat oven to 375°F (190°C). Spread a thin ragù layer in a 13×9-inch pan. Add 3 sheets pasta → ragù → light Parmesan. Repeat for 4 levels (12 sheets). Keep the top for cream/cheese.
- Bake covered. Cover with parchment then foil. Bake 35 minutes. Internal should approach 165–170°F (74–77°C).
- Cream & cheese. Uncover. Drizzle ½ cup cream evenly over the surface. Top with Emmental + Gruyère. Bake 20–25 minutes more until deep golden.
- Rest & serve. Rest 15–20 minutes before slicing. Finish with a few basil leaves.
Vidéo
Notes
Substitutions & Variations
- Half beef, half pork: 500 g beef + 400–500 g pork for a juicier ragù.
- Hidden veggies: Finely chopped mushrooms (150 g) sautéed dry melt into the meat base.
- Ricotta layer: If you miss ricotta, mix 425 g ricotta with 1 egg, ½ cup grated Parmesan, and a pinch of nutmeg. Spoon in small dollops between sauce layers.
- Classic béchamel: Replace the cream with a quick 500 ml béchamel (2 Tbsp butter + 2 Tbsp flour + 2 cups milk; salt, white pepper, nutmeg).
- Spice profile: Add ½ tsp smoked paprika or chili flakes for a gentle kick.
- Gluten-free: Use GF lasagna sheets and thicken béchamel (if using) with cornstarch.
FAQs
Can I use dry, no-boil pasta?Yes. Keep your ragù slightly looser or add ½–¾ cup hot water around the edges before covering. Bake covered as directed, then uncover to brown. How do I avoid watery lasagna?
Reduce the ragù to spoon-coating thickness, sweat peppers/onion completely, and rest 15–20 minutes after baking. Is the cream necessary?
It’s optional, but stirring ½ cup into the ragù off heat gives a beautiful body without heaviness. You can skip the surface drizzle and go full béchamel if you prefer. Can I make it ahead?
Assemble (without the top cream and cheese), cover tightly, and refrigerate up to 24 hours or freeze. Add the surface cream/cheese just before the final bake. What should I serve with it?
Crisp salad, simple veg, and a bright soup—see the suggestions below. Leftovers?
Cool fully, cover, and refrigerate up to 4 days. Reheat covered at 325°F until hot, then uncover briefly to re-crisp. For a lighter soup pairing, see Creamy Pumpkin Soup or Creamy Tomato Soup. For quick pastas, try Pasta alla Zozzona.