Before living in France, I never knew that there was a version of lasagna that was particularly French. And I had never tried to make it until my niece told me that she loved the lasagna from a local bakery in California called Sweet Wheat. Unfortunately, they never seemed to have it available when we stopped by so I decided to try to find a French lasagna recipe. In fact, the key differences are the cheese used, Emmental instead of mozzarella, and the layers and topping of Bechamel sauce. The meat sauce is similar to the Italian original.
I’ve since made this recipe for French lasagna a few more times, and it is always popular. However, I have learned not to try to rush the Bechamel as sometimes I have made it too runny or too lumpy. Also, it is better to use the lasagna noodles that look a bit wavy and need to be pre-cooked. The texture is better than the ones you can use straight out of the package.
Ingredients
700g (about 1.5 pounds) minced beef
1 Tbsp olive oil
1 medium red onion, peeled and finely chopped
2 garlic cloves, peeled and minced
225 g (8 oz) Swiss Emmental cheese
70g fresh flat-leaf parsley, chopped
2 jars (500g) smooth pasta sauce
Pinch of dried oregano
100 ml water
Salt and ground black pepper, to taste
1 package (16 oz) lasagna noodles, cooked according to the package
Bechamel sauce (see recipe below)
Fresh basil leaves to garnish (optional)
Bechamel Sauce
3 Tbsp butter
5 Tbsp plain flour
750 ml milk, warmed
Salt and white pepper to taste
Ground nutmeg (Optional)
Instructions
Preheat oven to 170C (350F)
First, in a large frying pan, heat the olive oil. Then brown the minced beef, onion and garlic over medium-high heat. Meanwhile, chop the parsley and grate the cheese. Set aside. Also, boil water with salt in a large pot, and cook the lasagna noodles according to the package. Drain and then coat with a little bit of olive oil to prevent the noodles from sticking together.
Next, drain excess oil from the meat, then stir in the pasta sauce. Sprinkle in the oregano. Add the water to skillet and stir until well blended. Add salt and pepper to taste.
In a separate saucepan, make the bechamel sauce. First, over medium heat make a roux by combining the butter and flour. Stir frequently until the mixture is bubbling and starting to change colour. Then slowly add the milk and constantly mix with a whisk. The mixture should start to thicken. When the sauce is done, season with salt and white pepper. Add a bit of ground nutmeg if desired.
Layer 1/4 of the meat sauce onto the bottom of a 13×9-inch baking dish. Then top with layers of 3-4 lasagna noodles, 1/3 of the bechamel sauce and 1/4 of the meat sauce. Repeat layers two more times. Top with remaining 3 noodles and Emmental cheese.
Bake covered for about 45 minutes. Then uncover and increase heat to 200C for another 10 minutes. The top should be lightly browned and bubbling. You may need to use the broil setting to brown the cheese. Finally, remove from the oven and let stand for 15 minutes before cutting. Serve hot.
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