Let’s face it, lasagne might just be the perfect meal. Homemade beef tomato sauce? Check. Creamy sauce? Check. Bubbling cheese on top? Yes please! Try this delicious lasagne with mince and spinach to enjoy the ultimate comfort food.
Homemade Beef Mince Sauce
The mince sauce is where most of the flavour lies. By adding ingredients like green and red pepper brings a pop of freshness to the mixture. Feel free to add any more vegetables that you feel will compliment the rest of the flavours. We love adding a few extra mushrooms, or even some carrots. And, of course, garlic is the magic ingredient that ties it all together.
Béchamel Sauce
Béchamel sauce can be tricky if it is your first time making it. Just remember to never stop stirring! If you do stop stirring, you run the risk of getting clumps in your sauce. When you think your sauce is ready, try the wooden spoon test. Dip your spoon in the sauce and run your finger through the sauce on the spoon. If the sauce stays separated on the spoon, you’re ready to go.
A béchamel sauce can be quite bland without any seasoning, so don’t be shy with salt and pepper. We want to push the flavour boundaries even more with this sauce by adding mustard and cayenne pepper, yum!
Now all you have to do is perfect your layering skills and your delicious lasagne with mince and spinach will be ready to be popped into the oven. Sprinkle some extra mozzarella cheese and cayenne pepper on top to ensure that bubbling cheese effect.
Turn This Lasagne Into A Vegetarian Dish
This recipe will be just as delicious if you would turn it into a vegetarian dish. All you have to do is replace the beef mince with lentils, as they are a great meat replacement.
Delicious lasagne layered with Spinach and Mince
Ingredients
- 12 – 16 dried or fresh lasagna noodles (the quantity depends on the oven dish you are using)
- 1 kg lean mince
- 2 cloves garlic – minced
- 1 red pepper – deseeded and diced
- 1 green pepper – deseeded and diced
- few mushrooms – diced (optional)
- 2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
- 1 tin diced tomatoes with freeze-dried herbs (400 g)
- 280 g single leaf baby spinach (1 small packed)
Sauce
- 200 ml flour
- 150 ml butter
- 1 tsp mustard
- ¼ tsp cayenne pepper
- pinch of salt
- pinch of white pepper
- 2 eggs whisked
- 1 & ½ lt milk (depending on how you want your cheese sauce, add more milk)
- Salt and freshly ground black pepper
- 1 cup mozzarella cheese – extra for sprinkling
Instructions
Sauce
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees F /175 degrees C
- Prepare a large oven dish with nonstick spray.
- Place a saucepan on medium heat then add the butter, remove from the heat, and mix in the flour until a thick consistency.
- Replace the saucepan to the heat and add milk, little by little, whisk well ensuring there are no lumps, add the mustard and cayenne pepper, season to taste.
- Add whisked eggs, mixed with a little hot mixture to heat the eggs, then add eggs. Set aside. (The sauce will cook the lasagne pasta, so ensure it is not too thick, Just add a little more milk if necessary)
Mince
- In a skillet over medium-high heat, cook mushrooms, onions, garlic, green and red pepper in olive oil until onions are tender.
- Add the mince and sauté until completely browned, then add the tomato puree, brown onion soup, and tinned tomato and mix well and set aside.
- Lay uncooked lasagne noodles at the bottom of the baking dish, and spread one-third of the mince, layer with spinach then spread 1 cup of the pasta sauce and some of the mozzarella cheese sprinkled over this.
- Repeat layering 2 times until all has been used.
- Cover with leftover sauce, add more mozzarella, and sprinkle with cayenne pepper.
- Cover dish with aluminum foil (optional) and bake in a preheated oven for 1 hour.
- Cool 15 minutes before serving.