Three-cheese meatball lasagne

 

Method 1

Ingredients

12 sausages

2 tbsp olive oil

2 onions

chopped

4 garlic cloves

crushed

2 tsp fennel seeds

2 tsp dried oregano

or a small handful of fresh oregano leaves, chopped

½ tsp chilli flakes

(optional)

1 tbsp sugar

500ml passata

400g can chopped tomatoes

100g butter

2 bay leaves

100g plain flour

1l milk

¼ fresh nutmeg

finely grated

100g baby spinach

handful basil

leaves torn

50g parmesan

grated

250g dried lasagne sheets

(about 12 sheets)

50g cheddar

grated

150g ball mozzarella

torn into small pieces

step 1

Squeeze the meat from the sausages and roll into meatballs – you’ll get about four balls from each sausage. Heat 1 tbsp oil in a wide, deep frying pan or casserole dish. Cook the meatballs in batches, making sure you don’t overcrowd the pan, until they’re all golden brown. Put them aside on a plate when they’re ready.

step 2

Heat the rest of the oil in the pan and add the onion. Cook for 8-10 mins until soft, then stir in the garlic, fennel, oregano and chilli, if using. Stir around for a min or 2, then add the sugar, passata and tomatoes. Swish a little water around the containers to wash out all the tomatoes and add to the pan. Season well and simmer, uncovered, for 30-40 mins over a gentle heat until the sauce thickens and the chopped tomatoes break down.

step 3

Heat the butter in a saucepan, add the bay leaves and let them sizzle in the butter for 1 min, then add the flour. Whisk to make a smooth paste, then add the milk, a little at a time, stirring continuously until it’s all incorporated and you have a thick white sauce. Add the nutmeg and some seasoning. Leave over a low heat for 5 mins to allow the bay to infuse, whisking every now and then.

step 4

Keep about 10 meatballs aside and add the rest to the tomato sauce. Spoon half the tomato sauce and meatballs into a baking dish (ours was 25cm x 35cm). Top with half the spinach, the basil and a little parmesan. Pour over about a third of the white sauce, and top with a layer of lasagne sheets, breaking them up to fit the dish if you need to.

step 5

Repeat the layers once more; meatballs and sauce, spinach, basil, parmesan, white sauce, pasta. Pour the remaining white sauce over the lasagne, spreading it to the corners to cover the pasta. Dot with the meatballs you set aside earlier and the mozzarella, then scatter over a generous helping of parmesan and cheddar. Heat oven to 190C/170C fan/gas 5. Or if not eating straight away, chill for up to 24 hrs or freeze for two months (defrost in the fridge overnight before cooking).

step 6

Bake the lasagne for 40-50 mins until bubbling and golden with lots of crusty cheesy bits around the edges. Leave to sit for 5-10 mins before serving.

Method 2

🍝 Three-Cheese Meatball Lasagne

🧑‍🍳 Serves: 6–8

⏱️ Prep Time: 45 mins | Cook Time: 45–60 mins

🧀 Comfort food level: Extreme

🧂 Ingredients

🧆 For the Meatballs:

Ground beef – 500g (1.1 lb)

Ground pork – 250g (½ lb) (optional, for juicier texture)

Breadcrumbs – ½ cup

Milk – ¼ cup

Egg – 1

Garlic – 2 cloves (minced)

Onion – ½ small (grated or finely minced)

Parmesan – ¼ cup (grated)

Fresh parsley – 2 tbsp (chopped)

Salt – 1 tsp

Black pepper – ½ tsp

🍅 For the Sauce:

Olive oil – 2 tbsp

Garlic – 2 cloves (minced)

Onion – 1 small (chopped)

Crushed tomatoes – 2 cans (400g each / ~28 oz total)

Tomato paste – 2 tbsp

Dried oregano – 1 tsp

Dried basil – 1 tsp

Sugar – 1 tsp (to balance acidity)

Salt and pepper – to taste

Fresh basil – handful (optional)

🍝 For the Lasagne:

Lasagna noodles – 9–12 sheets (regular or no-boil)

Ricotta cheese – 1 cup

Mozzarella – 2 cups (shredded)

Parmesan – ½ cup (grated)

Egg – 1 (mixed into ricotta)

Salt & pepper – to taste

🔪 Instructions

1. Make the Meatballs

Soak breadcrumbs in milk for 5 min.

In a bowl, mix beef, pork, soaked breadcrumbs, egg, garlic, onion, parmesan, parsley, salt, and pepper.

Form small meatballs (~1 inch diameter).

Sear in a skillet with olive oil until browned (they don’t need to be fully cooked). Set aside.

2. Make the Sauce

In the same pan, sauté garlic and onion until soft.

Add tomato paste, cook 2 min.

Add crushed tomatoes, herbs, sugar, salt, and pepper.

Simmer for 15–20 min.

Add meatballs into sauce, cover and simmer another 10–15 min.

3. Cook the Lasagna Noodles

Cook according to package directions (skip if using no-boil noodles).

Drain and lay flat on parchment or a towel.

4. Prepare the Ricotta Mixture

In a bowl, combine ricotta, egg, a pinch of salt and pepper, and a bit of grated parmesan.

🧱 Assemble the Lasagne

Use a 9x13 inch baking dish.

Bottom layer: Spoon a bit of sauce to coat the bottom.

Noodles: Layer 3–4 noodles.

Ricotta mix: Spread ⅓ of ricotta mixture.

Meatballs: Add some meatballs and sauce (slice them in half for better layering).

Cheese: Sprinkle mozzarella and parmesan.

Repeat layers (noodles → ricotta → meatballs/sauce → cheese) 2–3 times.

Finish with noodles, sauce, and generous mozzarella + parmesan on top.

🔥 Bake

Cover with foil (lightly oiled or parchment underneath to prevent sticking).

Bake at 180°C / 350°F for 30 minutes covered.

Uncover and bake for 15–20 minutes until golden and bubbling.

Let rest 10–15 minutes before slicing.

🧄 Serving Suggestions

Serve with garlic bread, a crisp green salad, and optionally red wine (Chianti, Zinfandel).

Add chili flakes or hot honey drizzle for a twist.

📝 Make-Ahead Tips

Assemble 1 day in advance, refrigerate, then bake.

Freeze before or after baking — it keeps beautifully.