Farmhouse Lasagne

This Farmhouse Lasagne is not a quick meal to make but it does my family two good sized serves so that means I get a night off coking which is always a good thing! It’s is a hearty, nourishing meal perfect for feeding a crowd or making ahead for easy weeknight dinners. Packed with layers of rich, delicious meat and vegetable sauce and creamy béchamel, it’s a comforting classic that’s sure to be a family favourite.

Using the Thermomix or a food processor to do the grating and chopping is a huge time saver for this recipe. This is very versatile so feel free to switch up any of the veggies, or you could even sub the mince for chicken or turkey.

Health benefits

Unlike store-bought versions, this homemade lasagne is free from preservatives, additives and damaging vegetable oils. By using high-quality meats, veggies, and homemade sauces, you’re getting a really nutrient-dense meal filled with protein, vitamins, and healthy fats. Plus, by swapping out processed sauces with homemade options, you avoid unnecessary sugars and artificial ingredients, making it a much healthier alternative.

Ingredients

This easy lasagne combines simple, wholesome ingredients like ground beef mince, pork mince, a variety of fresh veggies, rich tomato passata, and a creamy béchamel made with wholemeal spelt flour. It’s a recipe that sticks to whole foods while delivering incredible flavour and texture. You only need to check out the comments below to see this is the best lasagna recipe!

How to make this farmhouse lasagne

To make this classic lasagne recipe, in a large pot or large skillet, saute the garlic, onion, and celery until soft, then add the pork and beef mince and cook until browned. Add the herbs, wine, veggies, stock, and tomato passata, and let it simmer to develop rich flavours. While the meat sauce is simmering, prepare your creamy béchamel sauce. Once both are ready, take a baking dish and layer the lasagna noodles with the meat sauce and béchamel, topping it off with extra cheese (cheddar or parmesan cheese). Bake until golden and bubbly, and enjoy! If you own a Thermomix, we’ve also included Thermomix instructions for this recipe.

Serving suggestions and how to store

Serve your lasagne with a fresh side salad or steamed veggies for a balanced meal. This dish is perfect for meal prepping—it can be stored in the fridge for up to three days or store in the freezer for a quick and easy dinner later. Just reheat in the oven until heated through. If I’m cooking this for two separate meals I assemble the lasagne in two dishes – one casserole dish to eat that night, and a rectangular pyrex or glass lock that I can cook it in, allow to cool, pop the lid on and freeze for another day. Thaw in the fridge, remove the lid and reheat in a moderate oven. If the top browns too much you can cover with baking paper then aluminum foil.

Vary this farmhouse lasagne to suit your dietary needs

You can easily adapt this farmhouse lasagne to suit different dietary needs. For a gluten-free version, swap the lasagne sheets for gluten-free ones and use a mix of buckwheat and rice flour in the béchamel. For a dairy-free option, try a cauliflower-based sauce with nutritional yeast for that cheesy flavour. You can also reduce the meat by substituting pork with cooked lentils for a plant-based boost.

Take a look at the variations below the main recipes to adjust the recipe to suit your dietary requirements and taste.

For more delicious, easy to make healthy lasagne recipes, click HERE.

Farmhouse Lasagne

Prep 30 minutes minutes

Cook 1 hour hour 40 minutes minutes

Total 2 hours hours 10 minutes minutes

Serves: 8

This Farmhouse Lasagne is not a quick meal to make but it does my family two good sized serves so that means I get a night off! Super versatile so feel free to switch up any of the veggies, or you could even sub the mince for chicken or turkey.

MetricUS Customary

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Ingredients

• 60 ml extra virgin olive oil
• 4 clove/s garlic – minced
• 2 onion/s – diced
• 3 stick/s celery – finely diced
• 500 g free-range pork mince
• 1000 g beef mince
• 1 tsp dried thyme – or (1 tbsp) fresh
• 1 tbsp fresh rosemary leaves – or (1 tsp) dried
• 2 bay leaves
• 125 ml red wine
• 150 g mushrooms – roughly diced
• 2 carrot/s – large, finely diced
• 1 zucchini/s – large, finely diced
• 250 ml chicken broth or stock (can also use beef)
• 680 g tomato passata (puree)
• 1 tsp sea salt – or to taste
• ground black pepper – to taste
• 700 g lasagne sheets – approx.

Béchamel

• 150 g cheddar cheese – or parmesan
• 40 g butter
• 50 g wholemeal spelt flour
• 200 ml chicken broth or stock
• 200 ml milk (of choice)
• Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper – to taste

Method

• Heat the oil in a large pan and add the garlic, onion and celery. Saute over a moderated heat with the lid on for 10 minutes, stirring occasionally. You want to sweat the veggies, not brown them.
• Add the pork and beef mince and continue to cook, stirring until cooked through and most of the liquid has gone.
• Add the herbs.
• Turn the heat to high and add the red wine so it sizzles and reduces.
• Add the mushrooms, carrot, zucchini, broth, passata and seasoning.
• Reduce to a simmer for 1 hour with the lid slightly ajar.
• Meanwhile grate the cheese and make the bechemel.
• Melt the butter in a small pot. Add the flour and mix to combine to a paste.
• Now gradually add the milk and stock or broth, stirring as you go. I usually add about a ¼ cup at a time and once it heats and thickens, add more. Be patient here. Mix in about quarter of the cheese once the sauce has thickened nicely.
• Set aside until the meat sauce has cooked. When meat has approximately 10 minutes to go, preheat your oven to 180°C/350°F (fan-forced).
• To assemble, alternate layers of the meat and lasagne sheets finishing with a layer of the bechamel and the remaining cheese.
• I always assemble this into two baking dishes, bake and then keep one for another night or to freeze.
• Bake for 20 – 40 minutes or until the lasagne is cooked through. Fresh pasta cooks quickly, dried sheets will take longer (and the time will vary a lot between brands so check your sheets feel soft when cut before serving).

Thermomix

• Chop the garlic, 5 seconds, speed 5. Next chop the celery and onion, 10 seconds, speed 4.
• Heat the oil in a large pan and add the garlic, celery and onion. Saute over a moderated heat with the lid on for 10 mins, stirring occasionally. You want to sweat the veggies, not brown them.
• Add the pork and beef mince and continue to cook, stirring until almost cooked through and most of the liquid has gone.
• Add the herbs.
• Turn the heat to high and add the red wine so it sizzles and reduces.
• Chop the mushrooms, 3 seconds, speed 4. Chop the carrot and zucchini, 5 seconds speed 4.
• Then add the rest of the ingredients to the pan, stir and reduce to a simmer for 1 hour with the lid ajar. When meat has approximately 10 minutes to go, preheat your oven to 180°C/350°F (fan-forced).
• Rinse the Thermomix, dry with a paper towel, and make the bechemel.
• Grate the cheese, 10 seconds, speed 6 and set aside.
• Add the butter, flour, broth and milk into the bowl and cook, 10 minutes, 90, speed 4, MC on.
• Once the bechamel has thickened, season with a pinch of salt and a grind of black pepper and mix in a quarter of the cheese. Thermomix, 10 seconds, speed 5.
• To assemble, alternate layers of the meat and lasagne sheets finishing with a layer of the bechamel and the remaining cheese.
• Bake for 30 – 45 minutes or until the lasagne is cooked through.

Variations

Reduce the meat

Replace the pork with one can (or cup) of cooked brown lentils.

Gluten-free

Chose gluten-free lasagne sheets. replace the spelt flour in the bechamel with gluten-free flour (I like a mix of buckwheat and rice flours 50/50).

Dairy-free cheese sauce

Steam half a large head of cauliflower, then puree with a tablespoon of nutritional yeast, a generous pinch of sea salt and pepper and a splash of almond milk to achieve a Béchamel consistency (thick sauce). Top with grated vegan cheese.

Another option is this Dairy-free Béchamel Sauce– increase the servings to match the volume of milk and stock required for your meal.

Onion and Garlic-free

Replace both with finely diced fennel sautéed with a pinch of cumin and chilli powder.

Make your own pasta sheets

If you have the time, making your own pasta sheets is fun and gives an extra special level of deliciousness! Click HERE for the recipe! You will need to reduce the liquid a little since this is fresh pasta.

 

 

 

 

A great meal to make ahead for those evenings where you don’t feel like cooking.  Let me know how you enjoyed this recipe in the comments below.

Course: Main Course

Author: Georgia Harding

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