Lasagne

Lasagne is one of those dishes that instantly signals comfort, generosity, and time well spent. This version leans into autumn, slower cooking, deeper flavours, and a softer kind of indulgence. Rich meat ragù, sweet roasted butternut squash, silky béchamel, and layers of pasta baked until golden and calm. This isn’t rushed food. This is food you plan for.

Lasagne (An Autumnal Twist)

Lasagne is already one of the most comforting dishes you can make, but this version takes it a step further. It’s deeper, richer, and more suited to colder days when you actually want something bubbling away on the stove for hours.

This is not a quick midweek lasagne. It’s a slow-cooked, layered, sit-down-and-exhale kind of dish. The sort of food you make when the weather turns, when Sundays stretch out a bit longer, and when feeding people properly matters.

The addition of roasted butternut squash brings sweetness and softness that cuts through the richness of the meat and cheese. It doesn’t dominate. It supports. It makes the whole thing feel warmer, rounder, and more seasonal.

This is lasagne that feels like autumn.

Why lasagne rewards time

Lasagne is one of those dishes where shortcuts are obvious.

You can taste when a ragù hasn’t had time. You can feel when a béchamel has been rushed. You can see when layers have been slapped together instead of built.

This version embraces time as an ingredient. The ragù simmers slowly until the vegetables melt into the sauce and the meat becomes tender and rich. The squash is roasted separately so it keeps its sweetness and structure. The béchamel is made properly, smooth, creamy, and calm.

None of this is difficult. It just asks you not to rush.

Building a proper ragù

The base of this lasagne is a classic beef and pork ragù, cooked slowly and deliberately.

Starting with onion, carrot, and celery gives you sweetness and depth without overpowering the dish. Cooking them gently for a good ten minutes allows their natural sugars to come out. This isn’t browning, it’s softening.

Garlic and rosemary come next, adding warmth and aroma. Rosemary works particularly well here because it stands up to long cooking and rich meat without disappearing.

The beef and pork are cooked separately for a reason. Browning them properly over high heat ensures you get colour, flavour, and depth. You’re not just cooking meat, you’re developing it.

Reducing the red wine by half is another non-negotiable step. This cooks off harshness and leaves behind richness. When it’s added to the vegetables with the tomatoes, stock, and bay, it creates a sauce that feels layered rather than flat.

Once everything is combined, the ragù needs time. Two hours minimum. Four if you’ve got it. The longer it goes, the more cohesive it becomes. This is where lasagne earns its reputation.

Why pork belongs in lasagne

Using a mix of beef and pork isn’t about being fancy. It’s about texture and flavour.

Beef brings depth and structure. Pork brings richness and softness. Together, they create a ragù that feels fuller and more luxurious without being heavy.

It’s one of those small choices that makes a big difference.

The role of butternut squash

This is what makes this lasagne autumnal rather than classic.

Roasted butternut squash adds sweetness, colour, and contrast. Roasting it separately concentrates its flavour and prevents it from turning watery inside the lasagne.

Once cooled, it layers beautifully between the ragù and béchamel, adding softness without losing shape. It also lightens the dish slightly, not in calories, but in feeling. Each bite feels balanced rather than overwhelming.

It’s not traditional. It’s intentional.

A béchamel worth making properly

Béchamel is often treated like an afterthought. It shouldn’t be.

A good béchamel is smooth, creamy, and stable. Warming the milk first prevents lumps. Cooking the butter and flour together for a full two minutes removes the raw flour taste. Adding the milk gradually ensures control.

Cheddar in the béchamel gives savouriness and body, while nutmeg adds warmth without being obvious. The sauce should coat the back of a spoon and feel luxurious, not thick and stodgy.

Covering it with baking paper while it waits stops a skin forming and keeps it silky.

Layering with intention

Lasagne is about balance across layers, not dumping everything in one go.

Starting with ragù on the bottom prevents sticking. Alternating ragù, béchamel, squash, and pasta ensures every slice has variety. Saving béchamel for the final layer keeps the top creamy rather than dry.

Cheddar and parmesan on top give you the golden, bubbling finish that makes lasagne feel celebratory.

This isn’t about perfect geometry. It’s about even distribution and confidence.

Baking and resting

Forty minutes in a hot oven is enough to bring everything together.

You’re not cooking the components now, you’re marrying them. The top browns, the middle settles, the flavours meld.

Letting the lasagne rest before cutting is essential. It firms up, slices cleanly, and tastes better. This is not a dish to rush to the table the second it comes out of the oven.

Give it five minutes. It’s worth it.

Why this lasagne feels special

This is the kind of dish people remember.

It feeds a crowd. It reheats beautifully. It feels generous and considered. It’s the sort of food you make for people you care about, or when you want leftovers that actually improve overnight.

It’s not everyday cooking, but it’s exactly the kind of cooking that makes everyday life feel better.

Ingredients

Bolognese

3 celery sticks, diced
2 carrots, peeled and diced
1 large onion, diced
4 garlic cloves, minced
1 bunch fresh rosemary
750 g minced beef
300 g minced pork
400 ml red wine
3 x 400 g tins chopped tomatoes
200 ml beef stock
3 bay leaves

Béchamel sauce

50 g butter
50 g plain flour
1 litre whole milk
80 g grated cheddar cheese

Lasagne

Lasagne sheets or fresh pasta sheets
100 g parmesan, grated
250 g cheddar cheese, grated
1 butternut squash, cut into chunks

How to make Lasagne

1. Preheat the oven to 190°C.

2. Heat oil in a large saucepan and cook the onion, carrot, and celery over a medium heat for about 10 minutes until softened. Add the rosemary and garlic and cook for another two minutes.

3. In a separate pan, fry the minced beef and pork over high heat until browned and the liquid has evaporated.

4. Add the red wine to the meat and reduce by half, then add everything to the vegetable pan.

5. Pour in the beef stock and chopped tomatoes. Add the bay leaves, stir, and cook on a low-medium heat for 2–4 hours.

6. Roast the butternut squash with oil and seasoning for 30 minutes until tender. Set aside to cool.

7. Warm the milk. Melt butter in a saucepan, add flour, cook for two minutes, then gradually whisk in the milk. Add cheese and nutmeg.

8. Assemble the lasagne in layers of ragù, béchamel, squash, and pasta, finishing with béchamel.

9. Top with cheddar and parmesan and bake for 40 minutes until golden.

10. Rest before serving.

FAQs

Can I make this ahead?
Yes. It’s even better the next day.

Can I freeze it?
Absolutely. Freeze before or after baking.

Why roast the squash separately?
It keeps the flavour concentrated and the texture intact.

Is this traditional lasagne?
No. It’s a seasonal variation built on classic technique.

What should I serve it with?
A green salad is more than enough.

This lasagne is slow, rich, and deeply comforting. It respects the classic while embracing the season, and it’s exactly the kind of dish that makes taking your time feel worthwhile.