Lentil Ragu Lasagne
User Reviews
5
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Prep Time
10 mins
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Cook Time
1 hr 5 mins
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Total Time
1 hr 15 mins
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Servings
4 people
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Calories
514 kcal
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Course
Main Course
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Cuisine
Italian
Lentil Ragu Lasagne
Description
The recipe begins by gently sautéing finely chopped carrot, celery, and onion until soft, then adding sliced mushrooms for a brief cook. Tomato passata, crushed garlic, red wine, salt, and pepper create the base sauce, which simmers before folding in pre-cooked Puy lentils. This produces a thick, flavorful lentil ragu with an earthy tone enhanced by the mushrooms and wine.
Meanwhile, the béchamel is made by cooking butter and flour into a roux, then gradually whisking in milk until thickened and smooth. Grated fontina cheese is incorporated, enriching the sauce’s creamy texture and adding a mild nutty flavor.
The lasagne is assembled by alternating layers of the lentil ragu, béchamel, torn mozzarella, parmesan, and fresh lasagna sheets. The combination yields a baked dish with tender pasta sheets, a rich creamy layer, and a robust, textured tomato-lentil filling highlighted by melted cheeses.
This dish serves 4-6, balanced as a filling main course. Pair it with a fresh green salad for a complete meal. Fontina cheese can be substituted with other melting cheeses such as gruyere or cheddar depending on availability and taste preference.
Ingredients
For the lentil ragu
- 1 carrot
- 1 celery stalk
- 1 white onion
- 2 2/3 cups (200g) mushrooms , sliced
- 2 cups (410g) Puy lentils , pre-cooked
- 6.7 fl oz (200ml) red wine
- 2 cloves garlic crushed
- 2 1/4 cups (500g) tomato puree aka passata
- 1 tbsp olive oil
For the bechamel sauce
- 3 tbsp (50g) butter
- 1/3 cup (50g) flour
- 1 2/3 cup (400ml) milk
- 3.1 oz (90g) fontina cheese grated
- salt
- black pepper
- 1 tbsp parmesan
- 4.4 oz (125g) mozzarella cheese torn
- 6-10 lasagna sheets large, fresh
Instructions
- Finely chop the carrot, celery and onion. Add the olive oil to a large pan and add the chopped vegetables, sauté the veg gently until soft but not browned (around 7-8 minutes). Finely slice the mushroom and add them to the sauted vegetables.
- Fry the mushrooms for 2 minutes then add the pureed tomatoes/passata with the crushed garlic and a pinch of salt and pepper. Stir everything together and add the red wine.
- Let the ragu simmer gently for 10 minutes then add the lentils. If the sauce reduces too much add a little water to the sauce before the lentils are added. Stir the lentils into the sauce and simmer gently for another 2 minutes, turn the heat off.
- To make the bechamel sauce add the butter to a sauce pan over a low heat, once melted add the flour and stir into a paste. Stir the paste for around 30 seconds then add half of the milk, whisk the milk to get rid of any lumps. Once it starts to thicken add the rest of the milk and whisk until it starts to thicken.
- Turn the heat off and add the grated cheese, parmesan, nutmeg and a pinch of salt and pepper. Stir the sauce until the cheese has melted and set aside.
- Preheat the oven to 200°C/400F/gas mark 6. Add 1-2 tbsp of lentil ragu to the bottom of a baking dish and spread it around. Add a layer of fresh lasagna sheets (you may need to cut some sheets to fit your dish). Add another 2-3 tbsp of ragu followed by 2-3 tbsp of bechamel sauce (keep 1/4 of the bechamel sauce for the top layer). Repeat this until all the ragu has been used up, ideally, you want around 6 layers. Finish with the final 1/4 of bechamel sauce.
- Cover the lasagne with tin foil and bake in the oven for 20 minutes. Remove from the oven and top with the mozzarella, bake uncovered for 10-15 minutes until the cheese has melted, browned and bubbling.
- Let the lasagne rest for 5-10 minutes before serving.
Notes
- Metric measurements were used for recipe development; imperial equivalents are approximate.
- Substitute fontina cheese with gruyere, white cheddar, or another strong melting cheese if preferred or unavailable.
- This recipe serves 4 to 6 people and pairs well with a fresh salad for a satisfying meal.
Nutrition Information
Show DetailsNutrition Facts
Serving: 4people
Amount Per Serving
Calories 514 kcal
% Daily Value*
| Calories | 514kcal | 26% |
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet.
User Reviews
Overall Rating
5
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