Mary Berry Lasagne with Mozzarella Recipe

Mary Berry Lasagne with Mozzarella is a rich, comforting family meal made with layers of tender pasta, a hearty meat sauce, creamy béchamel, and plenty of melted mozzarella cheese. The mozzarella creates a beautifully golden topping while adding a soft, stretchy texture to every bite. This recipe is easy enough for home cooks and delivers classic Italian-inspired flavors with a comforting homemade touch. Expect a total time of around 1 hour 45 minutes, including preparation and baking.

Ingredients

For the Meat Sauce

• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 large onion, finely chopped
• 2 garlic cloves, crushed
• 500g lean minced beef
• 400g canned chopped tomatoes
• 2 tablespoons tomato purée
• 1 teaspoon dried oregano
• Salt and black pepper to taste

For the Béchamel Sauce

• 50g butter
• 50g plain flour
• 600ml whole milk
• Pinch of nutmeg
• 50g grated Parmesan cheese

For Assembly

• 9 lasagne sheets
• 250g mozzarella cheese, grated
• Extra Parmesan cheese for topping
• Fresh parsley for garnish

How to Make Mary Berry Lasagne with Mozzarella Recipe

• Prepare the oven: Preheat the oven to 200°C or 180°C fan. Lightly grease a large ovenproof baking dish.
• Cook the onion and garlic: Heat the olive oil in a large frying pan. Add the onion and cook until softened. Stir in the garlic and cook for another minute.
• Brown the beef: Add the minced beef and cook until fully browned, breaking it apart with a spoon.
• Make the meat sauce: Stir in the chopped tomatoes, tomato purée, oregano, salt, and pepper. Simmer gently for 25 minutes until thick and rich.
• Prepare the béchamel sauce: Melt the butter in a saucepan. Stir in the flour and cook for 1 minute. Gradually whisk in the milk until smooth.
• Thicken the sauce: Continue stirring until the sauce thickens. Add the nutmeg and Parmesan cheese and mix well.
• Assemble the lasagne: Spread a little meat sauce into the dish. Add lasagne sheets, béchamel sauce, and mozzarella. Repeat the layers until all ingredients are used.
• Finish the topping: Spread the remaining béchamel over the top and sprinkle generously with mozzarella and Parmesan.
• Bake the lasagne: Place in the oven and bake for 40 to 45 minutes until golden brown and bubbling.
• Cool before serving: Leave the lasagne to rest for 10 minutes before slicing. Garnish with fresh parsley and serve.

Tips for the Best Lasagne

How do I stop lasagne from becoming watery?

Simmer the meat sauce until thick and avoid adding excess liquid. Fresh mozzarella should also be drained well before use.

Can I make the lasagne ahead of time?

Yes. Assemble the lasagne up to one day ahead, cover, and refrigerate until ready to bake.

Why should lasagne rest before serving?

Resting allows the layers to settle, making the portions easier to cut and serve.

Can I use fresh lasagne sheets?

Yes. Fresh sheets work very well and often reduce the overall baking time slightly.

Serving Suggestions

• Serve with garlic bread.
• Pair with a crisp green salad.
• Add roasted vegetables on the side.
• Enjoy with steamed green beans.
• Serve with a glass of red wine.

Storage

Room Temperature

Do not leave lasagne at room temperature for more than 2 hours after cooking.

Refrigerator

Store leftovers in an airtight container for up to 4 days. Reheat thoroughly before serving.

Freezing

Freeze baked or unbaked lasagne for up to 3 months. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator before reheating or baking.

Nutrition

• Calories: 520 kcal
• Carbohydrates: 35g
• Protein: 33g
• Fat: 27g
• Saturated Fat: 12g
• Sodium: 680mg

Nutritional values are estimates and may vary depending on ingredients used.

FAQs

Mary Berry Lasagne with Mozzarella Recipe

Recipe by Milli RoseCourse: Main CourseCuisine: Italian, BritishDifficulty: Medium

Servings

8

servings

Prep time

30

minutes

Cooking time

1

hour 

15

minutes

Total time

105

minutes

Calories

520

kcal

1

hour 

45

minutes

A hearty homemade lasagne layered with rich meat sauce, creamy béchamel sauce, lasagne sheets, and plenty of mozzarella cheese baked until golden and bubbling.

Ingredients

• 2 tbsp olive oil

• 1 onion, finely chopped

• 2 garlic cloves, crushed

• 500g lean minced beef

• 400g canned chopped tomatoes

• 2 tbsp tomato purée

• 1 tsp dried oregano

• Salt and black pepper

• 50g butter

• 50g plain flour

• 600ml milk

• 50g Parmesan cheese, grated

• 250g mozzarella cheese, grated

• 9 lasagne sheets

• Pinch nutmeg

• Extra Parmesan for topping

• Fresh parsley

• Cooking spray or butter for dish

Directions

• Preheat oven to 200°C (180°C fan). Grease a large baking dish.
• Heat olive oil and cook onion until softened. Add garlic and cook for 1 minute.
• Add minced beef and cook until browned.
• Stir in tomatoes, tomato purée and oregano. Simmer for 25 minutes.
• Melt butter in a saucepan. Stir in flour and cook for 1 minute.
• Gradually whisk in milk until smooth. Cook until thickened. Add nutmeg and Parmesan.
• Layer meat sauce, lasagne sheets, béchamel and mozzarella in the dish.
• Repeat layers and finish with béchamel, mozzarella and extra Parmesan.
• Bake for 40-45 minutes until golden and bubbling.
• Rest for 10 minutes before serving. Garnish with parsley.

Notes

• Allow the lasagne to rest before slicing for neat portions.
• Fresh mozzarella can be used but drain it well first.
• The lasagne can be assembled a day ahead and refrigerated.