Bechamel Pasta Bake
  1. In a pot, add the butter and allow for it to melt. Then, add the flour to this and mix together. This will develop a roux. Allow the roux to get lightly caramelized but not too brown. Start adding in 1 cup of milk at a time to this while stirring consistently. You do not want to leave the bechamel; it can burn easily.

  2. Season with salt, pepper, and nutmeg and continue stirring on medium heat until the sauce starts to thicken. This will take a few minutes. At that point, add in both types of cheese and mix together.

  3. Once you have a creamy and smooth sauce then the bechamel is ready to go and just set it aside covered while working on the meat sauce.

  4. First, add olive oil to a pan. To that, add the minced onions and garlic. Let it cook for a few minutes until fragrant then add in the cherry tomatoes. Season with salt and pepper and stir.

  5. Next, add in the ground beef and make sure to break it apart into smaller pieces into the onions, garlic, and tomato. To this, season with salt, pepper, all spice, garlic powder, and add the tomato paste.

  6. Allow for all these flavors to cook with each other until meat is cooked through. Add in the stock and mix everything together. Let this come to a simmer for a few minutes and make a nice hearty sauce. Taste and see if it needs more seasoning. Then, set aside.

  7. Spray a lasagna pan with cooking spray. Add the cooked pasta evenly to the bottom of the pan. Sprinkle with some salt, pepper, and parmesan cheese.

  8. Next, add the meat sauce to the top of the pasta and spread that out evenly.

  9. Lastly, add the bechamel sauce to the top of the meat sauce and spread that out evenly. If the bechamel got too thick while set aside, just warm it up on the stove top until it is looser in consistency then pour on top.

  10. Sprinkle with a little more salt, pepper, and parmesan cheese. Bake in a 400 F oven for about 45 minutes uncovered. The top should be lightly browned; that is signal it is ready to be enjoyed. Then, take out and allow to cool to room temperature for a good 30 minutes before slicing through. This is so the bechamel has set. Then, enjoy as is or with a side of house salad!

Course🍽️Main Course

Diets🥩Carnivore...

Category🍝Pasta Bake

Cuisine🇮🇹Italian

Occasions📆Everyday👨‍👩‍👧‍👦Family Meal

Season🔁Year-round

DifficultyMedium ⏰ 1h

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