Lasagna With Mascarpone

A few smart shortcuts take this homemade mascarpone lasagna recipe from an all weekend prep-a-thon to a quick and easy weeknight dinner. Classic meat sauce gets a speedy upgrade by using prepared tomato sauce and stirring in fresh herbs and milk for a homemade flavour boost. A smooth mixture of mascarpone, milk and Parmesan replaces traditional béchamel sauce without sacrificing creaminess.

Serve with this simple Caesar salad with homemade croutons.  for an easy weeknight dinner.

Lasagna With Mascarpone

Louisa Lorang

Lasagna layered with mascarpone instead of béchamel for a richer, smoother texture. Made with savoury beef sauce, fresh basil and Parmesan, this easy recipe is a comforting take on a classic.

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Ingredients

Meat Sauce

• 2 yellow onions finely chopped
• 2 tbsp olive oil
• 400 g ground beef
• 1¾ cups store-bought tomato sauce
• 1 handful fresh basil
• 100 mL whole milk
• salt and freshly ground black pepper

Lasagna

• 1 cup mascarpone
• 50 mL whole milk
• ½ cup finely grated Parmesan
• 12 lasagna noodles cooked according to instructions
• salt and freshly ground black pepper

Instructions

 

Meat Sauce:

• Fry onion in oil. Add ground beef and fry for a few minutes until browned. Add tomato sauce and bring to a boil.
• Pick basil leaves and stir into sauce along with milk. Let sauce simmer for 5 to 10 minutes; season with salt and pepper.

Lasagna:

• Preheat oven to 400°F.
• Mix mascarpone and milk in bowl. Add parmesan and season with salt and pepper.
• Place a layer of cooked lasagna sheets in bottom of small greased baking dish. Spread meat sauce on top, then some mascarpone cream. Build layer upon layer until everything is used up, finishing with mascarpone cream.
• Bake lasagna until it is golden and bubbling, about 25 minutes. Let cool a little before serving.

Keyword lasagna, lasagna recipes, mascarpone, meat sauce, quick lasagna

Tips from the ELLE Gourmet Editors

What is mascarpone cheese?

Mascarpone, also referred to as Italian cream cheese, is a rich, creamy spreadable cheese with a sweet milky flavour. Why is mascarpone used in lasagna? Commonly used in Italian desserts like tiramisu or cheesecake,  mascarpone is used in this savoury lasagna to form the creamy layer between the pasta and meat sauce.

How to cook lasagna noodles perfectly

Kitchen maven, Ina Garten has the hot tip of the century for perfect lasagna noodles every time. Simply soak them. Lay the dried noodles in a large dish of hot water for 20 minutes (the same amount of time it takes to prep the sauce and cheese layers). Then drain and assemble. The result is perfectly pliable, not sticky, fuss-free noodles that absorb just the right amount of sauce for easy, homemade lasagna.

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