How to Make Lasagna Sauce

Mix up your lasagna sauce.

There are just about as many versions of lasagna as there are cooks. Filling ingredients vary, but two main sauces are used: a red and a white. You can choose one or even alternate them between the layers of pasta and filling, starting with red on the bottom and finishing with white on the top.

Difficulty:

Moderately Easy

Instructions

Things You'll Need

• 3 cups milk
• 6 tablespoons butter
• 6 tablespoons flour
• 1/8 teaspoon nutmeg
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1/8 teaspoon pepper
• 3 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 medium onion
• 1 stalk celery
• 2 cloves garlic
• 1 large can Italian tomatoes in juice
• 6 ounces tomato paste
• 1 bay leaf
• 2 teaspoons dried Italian herb seasoning
• 1/4 cup chopped fresh basil
• 1/2 teaspoon salt

White Sauce

1. Heat milk over low until it is steaming but not boiling. Watch it carefully to be sure it doesn't scald or burn. Remove from heat.

2. Melt butter over medium in a large saucepan. Add flour to the melted butter and stir well to combine. Continue stirring and cooking for 3 to 4 minutes. Do not allow it to brown.

3. Add nutmeg, salt and pepper to the butter and flour mixture. Cook another 30 seconds.

4. Add the hot milk to the butter and flour mixture, whisking to combine. Once the milk is incorporated, cook until the mixture bubbles. Allow it to simmer, stirring constantly for 2 to 3 minutes.

Red Sauce

1. Chop the onion, celery and garlic finely. Heat the olive oil over medium in a large saucepan.

2. Add the chopped vegetables to the olive oil and saute until they are transparent and soft. Puree the canned tomatoes in the blender for 5 seconds and then add them to the pan, along with the tomato paste, bay leaf, Italian seasoning, basil and salt.

3. Fill the tomato paste can with water and add to sauce.

4. Stir occasionally over medium heat until the sauce becomes moderately thick and cohesive.

Tips & Warnings

• You can add 2 tablespoons of freshly grated Parmesan, Romano or Asiago cheese to the white sauce just before removing it from the heat.

• Make a meat sauce by crumbling 1/4 pound of Italian sausage or ground beef and brown it with the vegetables for the red sauce.

• Alternate these two sauces with lasagna noodles and your choice of cheeses and fillings.

• Stir the white sauce constantly; it will burn easily.

• Once your lasagna is cooked, let it set for at least half an hour, or it will fall apart when you cut it.

Resources

• Read this Article in Spanish