Brisket Ragù Lasagna is a luxurious, hearty twist on a classic Italian dish. The slow-cooked brisket ragù gives this lasagna an unparalleled depth of flavour. While the velvety béchamel sauce and fresh lasagna sheets tie everything together perfectly.
While this dish may take time and effort to prepare, the results are undoubtedly worth it. Rich, tender meat, creamy sauce, and perfectly cooked pasta layers come together to create an unforgettable meal. Whether you’re cooking for a special occasion or simply want to indulge in a comforting meal, this Brisket Ragù Lasagna will impress.
Table of Contents
- Ingredient Breakdown
- Slow-Cooked Brisket: The Heart of the Ragù
- Creating a Velvety Béchamel Sauce
- Assembling the Lasagna
- Make-Ahead and Storage Tips
- More Lasagna Recipes
Ingredient Breakdown
- Beef brisket joint: Slow-cooked to tender perfection, it forms the base of the rich ragù sauce.
- Sea salt & freshly-ground black pepper: Essential for seasoning the brisket and ensuring a well-balanced flavour throughout.
- Extra-virgin olive oil: Used for searing the brisket and sautéing the vegetables, adding depth and richness to the ragù.
- Unsmoked pancetta: This Italian cured meat adds savoury richness and depth to the ragù.
- Sweet onions, carrots, and celery: These aromatic vegetables are the base of the ragù, providing natural sweetness and a depth of flavour.
- Garlic: A flavourful addition that complements the richness of the meat.
- Fresh rosemary: Adds a fragrant, herbaceous note that enhances the ragù’s savoury profile.
- Tomato purée & sundried tomato paste: Adds a concentrated tomato flavour, balancing the richness of the beef and pancetta.
- White wine: Used to deglaze the pan, it adds acidity and complexity to the ragù.
- Canned whole peeled plum tomatoes: Form the base of the sauce, adding texture and natural sweetness.
- Chicken stock & whole milk: Provide moisture and create the luxurious, smooth base for the ragù.
- Unsalted butter: Used to make the creamy béchamel sauce that layers the lasagna.
- Plain flour: The base for the béchamel, helping to thicken the sauce and give it that velvety texture.
- Parmigiano Reggiano: Adds a sharp, nutty flavour to the béchamel and serves as the perfect finishing touch.
- Nutmeg: A pinch of this warming spice in the béchamel complements the richness of the cheese and milk.
- Fresh lasagna sheets: These form the structure of the lasagna, absorbing the flavours of the ragù and béchamel while maintaining a delicate texture.
Slow-Cooked Brisket: The Heart of the Ragù
The key to creating an unforgettable Brisket Ragù Lasagna lies in the slow-cooked brisket. Braising the brisket in a mixture of wine, tomatoes, chicken stock, and milk creates a tender, flavour-packed ragù that will melt in your mouth. This process, while time-consuming, ensures that the brisket becomes incredibly soft and pulls apart effortlessly.
Searing the brisket first before simmering it in the ragù mixture adds depth to the flavours. The caramelisation from the searing process, often referred to as “fond”, infuses the dish with rich, savoury undertones. The slow cooking ensures that the brisket soaks up the flavours from the aromatics, spices, and liquids, creating a ragù that is both comforting and complex.
Once the brisket is fully cooked and tender, it is shredded and returned to the sauce, adding texture and richness. The resulting ragù is not just a filling for the lasagna, but the star of the dish. It provides deep, beefy flavours that are balanced with the sweetness of the tomatoes and the aromatic herbs.
Creating a Velvety Béchamel Sauce
Béchamel sauce is the unsung hero in many traditional lasagna recipes. It plays a crucial role in this Brisket Ragù Lasagna. Made from just butter, flour, milk, and seasoning, it creates the creamy, smooth layers that contrast beautifully with the rich and hearty ragù. The texture of the béchamel is just as important as its flavour. It should be thick enough to coat the back of a spoon but still pourable. This helps it blend seamlessly with the ragù and fresh pasta sheets.
What sets this béchamel apart is the addition of Parmigiano Reggiano. It lends a nutty, sharp flavour that balances the richness of the butter and milk. A pinch of nutmeg in the sauce adds warmth and complexity, making the overall flavour more rounded. This sauce serves not only as a binder between the layers of lasagna but also as a crucial flavour carrier, ensuring every bite contains that perfect balance of richness and creaminess.
The process of making béchamel requires careful attention. Overcooking the roux or adding cold milk too quickly can result in a lumpy sauce. So take your time and ensure each step is followed properly. The effort involved in creating a smooth, creamy béchamel pays off in spades when the lasagna comes together, with the sauce creating a luscious contrast to the brisket ragù and pasta.
Assembling the Lasagna
Once you have your ragù and béchamel ready, the next step is to assemble the lasagna. While traditional recipes often call for pre-cooking the lasagna sheets, this recipe eliminates that step by using a slightly wetter ragù. The extra moisture ensures that the pasta cooks perfectly in the oven without the need for pre-blanching, saving both time and effort.
Begin by spreading a thin layer of ragù at the bottom of your baking dish. Follow this with a layer of fresh lasagna sheets. A generous spoonful of béchamel goes on top, followed by another layer of ragù. Repeat this layering process, ensuring that each layer is even and well-distributed. The final layer should consist of béchamel, which will crisp up beautifully in the oven.
As the lasagna bakes, the pasta absorbs the sauce, and the flavours meld together to create a deliciously comforting dish. The edges become crispy and golden, while the interior remains creamy and tender. Allow the lasagna to rest for 10 minutes after baking. This ensures the flavours set and the lasagna holds together when served.
Make-Ahead and Storage Tips
One of the best things about Brisket Ragù Lasagna is that it can be made ahead of time. The ragù can be prepared up to three days in advance and stored in the fridge, allowing the flavours to develop even further. The béchamel can also be made ahead and refrigerated, saving you time on the day you plan to assemble the lasagna.
If you prefer to assemble the lasagna in advance, you can be refrigerate it overnight before baking. Alternatively, you can freeze the lasagna either before or after baking. Freezing before baking is a great option for meal prep, while baked lasagna can be frozen and reheated for an easy dinner later.
To reheat, simply thaw the lasagna overnight in the fridge and bake until hot and bubbly. It’s the ultimate make-ahead comfort meal that gets better with time.
More Lasagna Recipes
If you, like me, love a good lasagna, why not try some more of my lasagna recipes where I put a twist on the Brisket Ragù Lasagna:
- One Pan Ham Hock Lasagna: This takes everything you love about lasagna – layered flavours, creamy béchamel, and bubbling cheese – but simplifies the process without compromising on depth.
- One Pan Sausage Lasagna: This one-pan sausage lasagna is a comforting, no-fuss meal that delivers all the cheesy, saucy goodness of traditional lasagna without the hassle of layering.
- Roasted Vegetable Lasagna: Loaded with roasted peppers, courgette and aubergine, a tasty homemade tomato sauce and a cheesy béchamel, all baked to perfection.
See how I make all these recipes and more over on my Instagram!
Brisket Ragù Lasagna
Pulled brisket ragù, slow cooked to perfection. A creamy, velvety béchamel laced with Parmigiano Reggiano. Fresh egg lasagna sheets. Put them all together and you’ve got yourself an absolutely delicious lasagna. Lasagna isn’t a difficult dish to make, but it is labour-intensive. It’s got a couple of different components, each of which require a good amount of work. But please don’t let that put you off – it’s well worth the effort!
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Total Time: 8 hours
- Yield: 12 1x
- Category: Pasta, Meat
Ingredients
- 1 kg beef brisket joint
- 2 tsps sea salt
- ½ tsp freshly-ground black pepper
- 1 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil
- 200 g unsmoked pancetta, finely diced
- 2 sweet onions, finely chopped
- 2 medium carrots, finely chopped
- 4 celery stalks, finely chopped
- 4 large garlic cloves, thinly sliced
- 4 sprigs fresh rosemary, leaves only, stems discarded
- 30 g (2 tbsp) double concentrated tomato purée
- 2 tbsps sundried tomato paste
- 400 ml white wine
- 2 x 400 g can of good-quality whole peeled plum tomatoes
- 500 ml good-quality chicken stock
- 400 ml whole milk
- sea salt and freshly-ground black pepper, to taste
- 150 g unsalted butter
- 150 g plain flour
- 2 litre whole milk
- 160 g grated Parmigiano Reggiano
- 1½ tsps sea salt
- ½ tsp freshly-ground black pepper
- pinch of ground nutmeg
- 750 g fresh lasagna sheets
- extra-virgin olive oil, for greasing
Instructions
Making the ragù:
- Mise en place is your friend! Prep the following ingredients: 1) Dice the unsmoked pancetta into small cubes (around ½ cm). 2) Finely chop the sweet onion, carrots and celery stalks. 3) Thinly slice the garlic cloves. 4) Remove the rosemary leaves from their stems, leaving them whole. 5) Measure out the white wine. 6) Carefully pour the tinned tomatoes into a large bowl and crush the tomatoes with your hands. 7) Measure out the chicken stock. 8) Measure out the milk.
- Cut the brisket joint into 8 equal-ish pieces. Pat dry and season with 2 tsp sea salt and ½ tsp freshly-ground black pepper. Use the brisket pieces to mop up the salt and pepper that falls onto the chopping board. It may look like a lot of salt, but trust me on it!
- Heat 1 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil in a large Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Working in 2 batches, sear the brisket pieces, turning occasionally, until browned on all sides; this process should take around 5 minutes per batch. Once browned, transfer the brisket pieces to a plate or shallow bowl.
- Wipe down the pot with some kitchen towel; you want to remove the oil and any loose burnt bits but leave the fond— the caramelized drippings of the brisket that are stuck to the bottom of the pot—behind.
- Turn the heat down to medium, add the pancetta and cook, stirring occasionally, until the fat has rendered out and the unsmoked pancetta is browned and beginning to crisp, 6 to 8 minutes.
- Add the onion, carrots and celery stalks and cook, stirring occasionally, until nice and soft, 10 to 12 minutes.
- Add the garlic and cook for 1 minute, stirring constantly. Add the fresh rosemary leaves and cook for another minute, stirring constantly.
- Add the tomato purée and sundried tomato paste and cook, stirring constantly, until they begin to darken, 4 mins.
- Turn the heat up to medium-high. Add the white wine and cook, stirring occasionally, until it is reduced by around ¾, around 15 minutes.
- Add the tinned tomatoes, chicken stock and milk, return the meat (and its juices) to the pot and bring to a simmer. Reduce the heat to low and cover, leaving the lid slightly ajar. Simmer gently, stirring occasionally, until the meat is fall-apart tender, 4 ½ to 5 ½ hours.
- Alternatively, you can bake the ragù: add the tinned tomatoes, chicken stock and milk, return the meat (and its juices) to the pot and bring to a simmer. Cover, leaving the lid slightly ajar, and bake at 150°C/fan 130°C until the meat is nice and tender, 5 to 6 hours. Don’t forget to preheat your oven beforehand!
- Remove the pot from the heat. Transfer the beef to a large bowl, loosely cover with aluminium foil and allow to rest for 10 mins, then coarsely shred using 2 forks. Return the shredded beef to the sauce. Taste and season with sea salt and freshly-ground black pepper.
MAKE AHEAD: the ragù can be made up to 3 days ahead; cool, transfer to airtight containers and refrigerate. Alternatively, it can be stored in the freezer for up to 2 months; thaw completely before use.
Making the béchamel:
- Gently bring the milk to a bare simmer in a large saucepan over medium heat. Once it begins to bubble, remove the saucepan from the heat.
- Melt the butter in a large stockpot or saucepan over medium heat. Whisk in the flour and cook for 3 mins, whisking continuously.
- Quickly but carefully whisk in the warm milk and increase the heat to medium-high. Bring to a simmer, whisking often. The béchamel will begin to thicken. Once it barely starts bubbling—a few small bubbles coming up to the surface—reduce the heat to medium-low and cook until thick and velvety-smooth, around 5 mins.
- Remove from the heat and whisk in the Parmigiano Reggiano, 1 ½ tsp sea salt, ½ tsp freshly-ground black pepper and a pinch of nutmeg.
MAKE AHEAD: the béchamel can be prepared the day before; cool, cover and refrigerate. Gently reheat in a saucepan to loosen before use.
Assembling the lasagna:
- Heat oven to 200°C/fan 180°C. Lightly oil a deep 35 cm x 25 cm baking dish.
- Spread 2 ½ cups ragù onto the base of the dish. Cover with a single layer of lasagna sheets; you will likely need to cut some of the sheets to fill all the gaps. Spoon 1 ¼ cup béchamel over the lasagna sheets, spreading it in a thin, even layer with a spatula.
- Repeat the layers—ragù, lasagna sheets, béchamel—until you get to the top of the dish; 4 to 6 layers depending on how deep your dish is. Fill the dish right up to the top; the top pasta-béchamel layer will get nice and crunchy when baked.
- Place the lasagna on an oven tray (to catch spills) and bake for 45 mins or until pasta is cooked through and the top is browned and crisp around the edges. Let it rest for around 10 mins before serving.
NOTES: most recipes call for blanching the lasagna sheets before baking; this one does not (it’s such a faff!). We get round it by making the ragù a little looser than usual – the extra liquid ensures that the pasta cooks perfectly in the oven while the lasagna is baking.
STORAGE: the lasagna can be stored in the fridge for up to 4 days; cool, place in an airtight container and refrigerate—to reheat, heat in microwave on high until piping hot. The lasagna can also be stored in the freezer for up to 1 month, either baked or unbaked. Baked: cool, place in airtight, freezer-safe containers and freeze; to reheat, thaw in the fridge overnight then reheat in the microwave or oven. Unbaked: assemble the lasagna, cool, cover and freeze; to bake, thaw in the fridge overnight then bake for 1 hr at 200°C/fan 180°C or until the pasta is cooked through the top is browned and crisp around the edges.
6 Responses
This recipe is delicious! Friends loved it. The 15-minute prep time is unrealistic at best. The cutting, braising, measuring ingredients, and bechamel cooking took at least an hour. Worth it though!!
My apologies for this! I take prep time to mean ingredient prep time, which might be incorrect. I’m glad you thought it was worth it though!
Also re the pasta – is it the soft lasagne sheets rather than the hard dried type? I usually use the dried sheets, unblanched (a total faff, I agree!) and it always works ok.
Yes, it’s the soft ones (fresh lasagne sheets) – much less faff! 🙂 I use the dried ones too sometimes, but I find that it can make for a drier lasagna than I’d like.
Any substitute for the sundried tomato paste? I can’t seem to find it anywhere in my area.
You can use double concentrated tomato puree instead 🙂