Classic Lasagne with Minced Meat and Cheese Sauce

Thermomix recipe: Classic Lasagne with Minced Meat and Cheese Sauce. Ready in 100 minutes. Serves 6. Step-by-step Thermomix instructions on Chef Amai.

Ingredients

• 1 onion, peeled and quartered
• 2 cloves garlic, peeled
• 20 g butter
• 20 g olive oil
• 500 g minced beef or mixed mince
• 800 g canned peeled tomatoes (whole or chopped)
• 1 tsp dried thyme
• 1 tsp paprika powder
• 1 bay leaf
• Salt, to taste
• Black pepper, to taste
• 80 g butter, extra (for cheese sauce)
• 80 g plain flour
• 1000 g cold milk
• Pinch ground nutmeg
• 200 g grated cheese (e.g., Gouda, Emmental, or a mix), divided
• 12-15 dry lasagne sheets (approx. 250-300g)
• 200 g cooked ham slices

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 200°C (400°F).
2. **For the Minced Meat Sauce:**
3. Add onion and garlic to the mixing bowl. Chop 5 sec / Speed 5. Scrape down the sides of the bowl.
4. Add 20 g butter and 20 g olive oil. Sauté 5 min / 120°C / Speed 1. Place the simmering basket on the lid instead of the measuring cup to allow evaporation.
5. Add 500 g minced beef or mixed mince. Cook 8 min / 120°C / Speed 1 (Reverse), using the spatula to break up the mince through the lid opening if necessary. Place the simmering basket on the lid.
6. Add 800 g canned peeled tomatoes, 1 tsp dried thyme, 1 tsp paprika powder, 1 bay leaf, salt, and pepper to taste. Cook 20 min / 98°C / Speed 1 (Reverse). Place the simmering basket on the lid to prevent splatter and allow gentle evaporation.
7. Pause, scrape down the sides and bottom of the bowl to ensure even cooking and prevent sticking. Check thickness and adjust liquid if needed (add a splash of water if too thick).
8. Remove the bay leaf. Transfer the minced meat sauce to a separate bowl and set aside. Clean the mixing bowl thoroughly.
9. **For the Cheese Sauce (Béchamel-style):**
10. Add 80 g extra butter to the clean mixing bowl. Melt 2 min / 100°C / Speed 1.
11. Add 80 g plain flour. Cook 2 min / 100°C / Speed 2 to cook the roux.
12. Gradually add 1000 g cold milk, a pinch of ground nutmeg, salt, and pepper to taste. Cook 10 min / 90°C / Speed 3. Place the simmering basket on the lid. Check the consistency; if it's not thick enough, cook for an additional 2 minutes at the same settings.
13. Add 100 g of the grated cheese to the sauce. Mix 30 sec / Speed 3 (Reverse) until well combined.
14. Transfer the cheese sauce to a separate bowl and set aside.
15. **Assembly:**
16. Cut the cooked ham slices into rectangular shapes if they are too large for your lasagne sheets.
17. Spread a thin layer of cheese sauce on the bottom of an ovenproof dish (approx. 30x20 cm).
18. Place a layer of dry lasagne sheets over the cheese sauce, ensuring they do not overlap too much.
19. Top with a layer of cooked ham slices, then a layer of the minced meat sauce.
20. Repeat the layers: cheese sauce, lasagne sheets, ham, minced meat sauce, until all ingredients are used. Always start and end with a layer of cheese sauce.
21. Sprinkle the remaining 100 g of grated cheese evenly over the top layer of cheese sauce.
22. Bake in the preheated oven for 35-40 minutes, or until golden brown and bubbling. Let the lasagne rest for 5-10 minutes before serving to allow it to set.

View this recipe on Chef Amai — convert any recipe to Thermomix format at chefamai.com.