James Martin Saturday Morning Lasagne is made with slow-cooked beef and pork ragu, fresh pasta sheets, a velvety nutmeg-spiced béchamel, mozzarella, and Parmesan cheese. The result is a bubbling, golden bake with tender layers of pasta, deeply savory meat, and creamy, cheesy goodness in every bite. It is the perfect cozy main course for a satisfying Saturday night dinner and serves six to eight people.
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Why You Will Love This Saturday Morning Lasagne:
- Deep, Slow-Cooked Flavor: This isn’t a fast sauce. The recipe involves slow-simmering the mixed meat ragu for over an hour, which builds an intense, savory flavor that simple, weeknight lasagnas lack.
- Velvety, Nutmeg-Spiced Béchamel: The white sauce is homemade and seasoned with a pinch of fresh nutmeg. This sophisticated touch makes the béchamel light, creamy, and far more flavorful than using ricotta cheese.
- The Ultimate Make-Ahead Meal: Lasagne tastes even better the day after it’s baked! You can assemble the entire dish on Friday night and bake it fresh on Saturday, making it a perfect, stress-free centerpiece for entertaining.
- Rich Weekend Comfort: The combination of the hearty beef and pork ragu, creamy sauce, and golden-brown melted cheese creates the gold standard of comfort food—it’s warm, cozy, and incredibly satisfying.
James Martin Saturday Morning Lasagne Ingredients
For the Slow-Cooked Ragu (Meat Sauce):
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 onion, 1 carrot, 1 celery stalk (all finely diced for soffritto)
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 500g (1 lb) minced beef (ground beef)
- 250g (1/2 lb) minced pork (ground pork)
- 1/2 cup dry red wine
- 1 can (700ml) crushed tomatoes (passata)
- 2 tablespoons tomato puree (tomato paste)
- 1 teaspoon dried oregano
- 1 bay leaf
- Salt and freshly ground black pepper
For the Béchamel Sauce (White Sauce):
- 50g (3 1/2 tbsp) unsalted butter
- 50g (1/3 cup) plain flour
- 600ml (2 1/2 cups) whole milk, warmed
- A pinch of freshly grated nutmeg
For Assembling:
- 9-12 fresh lasagne sheets (or no-boil dried sheets)
- 200g (7 oz) mozzarella cheese, torn or grated
- 50g (1/2 cup) Parmesan cheese, grated (plus extra for topping)
How To Make James Martin Saturday Morning Lasagne
- Start the ragu: Heat the olive oil in a large pot or Dutch oven. Add the diced onion, carrot, and celery (soffritto) and cook gently for 8-10 minutes until soft. Add the minced garlic and cook for 1 minute.
- Brown the meat: Add the minced beef and pork to the pot. Cook over medium-high heat, breaking up the meat with a spoon, until it is thoroughly browned. Drain off any excess fat.
- Simmer for depth: Pour in the red wine and bring it to a boil, scraping up any browned bits from the bottom. Let the wine reduce by half. Stir in the crushed tomatoes, tomato puree, oregano, bay leaf, salt, and pepper. Bring to a gentle simmer, then cover and cook for 1 to 1 1/2 hours. Remove the bay leaf before assembling.
- Make the béchamel: While the ragu simmers, melt the butter in a separate saucepan. Whisk in the flour and cook for 1 minute (making the roux). Gradually pour in the warm milk, whisking constantly to prevent lumps. Simmer gently until the sauce thickens. Season with salt, pepper, and a pinch of nutmeg.
- Assemble the lasagne: Preheat your oven to 400°F (200°C). Spoon a thin layer of the ragu into the bottom of a large ovenproof dish. Top with a layer of lasagne sheets.
- Layer the ingredients: Spread a layer of ragu over the pasta, followed by a spoonful of béchamel and a sprinkle of mozzarella. Repeat the process until you have used all the ragu and pasta, finishing with a layer of pasta.
- Top and bake: Pour the remaining béchamel sauce evenly over the top layer of pasta. Sprinkle generously with the grated Parmesan and the remaining mozzarella. Bake for 30 minutes, or until the top is golden brown and the sauce is bubbling.
Recipe Tips
- Time for the Ragu: The long, slow simmer is the most important step. It allows the flavors to truly marry and gives the sauce a deep, rich taste that is worth the wait.
- Nutmeg in the Béchamel: The secret to a perfect, classic béchamel is a pinch of freshly grated nutmeg. It adds a subtle warmth and savory complexity that you cannot achieve with just salt and pepper.
- Warm the Milk: When making the béchamel, warm the milk first. Adding cold milk to the hot roux can cause the sauce to seize up and become lumpy.
- Let It Rest: Always allow the lasagne to rest on the counter for at least 15 minutes after it comes out of the oven. This allows the sauce and pasta layers to set, making it much easier to cut a clean, perfect slice.
What To Serve With Saturday Morning Lasagne?
This rich lasagne is a centerpiece meal serve it with a simple, crisp side to cut through the richness, such as an arugula salad tossed in balsamic vinaigrette. Warm, crusty garlic bread is also essential for soaking up the remaining sauce and ragu.
James Martin's Saturday Morning
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Check Price: £12.50 »How To Store Leftovers Saturday Morning Lasagne?
- Refrigerate: Once cooled, cover the dish with foil or transfer slices to an airtight container store in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.
- Freeze: Lasagne freezes very well. Assemble the entire dish (without baking it), wrap it tightly in plastic wrap and foil and freeze for up to 3 months. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator before baking.
How To Reheat Leftovers Saturday Morning Lasagne?
1. In the Oven (The Recommended Method)
This method ensures the dense layers heat through evenly while reviving the golden, cheesy crust.
- Preheat: Set your oven to 350°F.
- Cover for Moisture: Place the lasagne (whole dish or a slice) in an oven-safe dish.1 Add a few tablespoons of water or milk to the bottom of the dish around the edges to create steam.
- Seal: Cover the dish or slice tightly with aluminum foil. This is crucial to trap moisture and prevent the pasta from drying out.
- Bake: Heat a large tray for 30–40 minutes, or a single slice for 15–20 minutes.
- Crisp the Top: Remove the foil for the last 5 minutes of baking. This melts the top cheese and gives it a golden crust again.
2. In the Microwave (Fastest for Single Slices)
Use this only for speed, as it can soften the pasta edges.
- Prep: Place a single slice in a microwave-safe dish. Add a small spoonful of water or milk to the edges of the plate to add steam.
- Cover: Cover the dish loosely with a paper towel or microwave-safe lid.
- Heat: Microwave on medium power (50-60%) for 2–3 minutes, rotating halfway. This prevents the edges from overcooking while the center warms.
FAQs
A watery lasagne is usually caused by using too much sauce, or by not draining the meat well enough. Make sure to simmer your ragu long enough to reduce and thicken the sauce before assembling the dish.
Yes if you use dried, no-boil pasta sheets, they will work just like the fresh ones. If you use regular dried pasta, you may want to add a splash of extra liquid to the ragu, as the pasta will absorb more moisture during baking.
Yes, and you should! The ragu tastes even better when made a day or two in advance. Cool it completely and store it in the refrigerator until you are ready to assemble the lasagne.
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Saturday Morning Lasagne Nutrition Facts
Serving Size: 1 slice (1/8 of dish)
- Calories: 510 kcal
- Total Fat: 28g
- Saturated Fat: 15g
- Cholesterol: 105mg
- Sodium: 950mg
- Total Carbohydrate: 39g
- Dietary Fiber: 4g
- Sugars: 7g
- Protein: 27g
James Martin Saturday Morning Lasagne Recipe
Course: Beef, Dinner, Lunch, BreakfastCuisine: American, British, ItalianDifficulty: Easy8
servings30
minutes1
hour50
minutes510
kcalJames Martin Saturday Morning Lasagne is made with slow-cooked beef and pork ragu, fresh pasta sheets, a velvety nutmeg-spiced béchamel, mozzarella, and Parmesan cheese. The result is a bubbling, golden bake with tender layers of pasta, deeply savory meat, and creamy, cheesy goodness in every bite. It is the perfect cozy main course for a satisfying Saturday night dinner and serves six to eight people.
Ingredients
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 onion, 1 carrot, 1 celery stalk (all finely diced for soffritto)
2 cloves garlic, minced
500g (1 lb) minced beef (ground beef)
250g (1/2 lb) minced pork (ground pork)
1/2 cup dry red wine
1 can (700ml) crushed tomatoes (passata)
2 tablespoons tomato puree (tomato paste)
1 teaspoon dried oregano
1 bay leaf
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
- For the Béchamel Sauce (White Sauce):
50g (3 1/2 tbsp) unsalted butter
50g (1/3 cup) plain flour
600ml (2 1/2 cups) whole milk, warmed
A pinch of freshly grated nutmeg
- For Assembling:
9-12 fresh lasagne sheets (or no-boil dried sheets)
200g (7 oz) mozzarella cheese, torn or grated
50g (1/2 cup) Parmesan cheese, grated (plus extra for topping)
Directions
- Start the ragu: Heat the olive oil in a large pot or Dutch oven. Add the diced onion, carrot, and celery (soffritto) and cook gently for 8-10 minutes until soft. Add the minced garlic and cook for 1 minute.
- Brown the meat: Add the minced beef and pork to the pot. Cook over medium-high heat, breaking up the meat with a spoon, until it is thoroughly browned. Drain off any excess fat.
- Simmer for depth: Pour in the red wine and bring it to a boil, scraping up any browned bits from the bottom. Let the wine reduce by half. Stir in the crushed tomatoes, tomato puree, oregano, bay leaf, salt, and pepper. Bring to a gentle simmer, then cover and cook for 1 to 1 1/2 hours. Remove the bay leaf before assembling.
- Make the béchamel: While the ragu simmers, melt the butter in a separate saucepan. Whisk in the flour and cook for 1 minute (making the roux). Gradually pour in the warm milk, whisking constantly to prevent lumps. Simmer gently until the sauce thickens. Season with salt, pepper, and a pinch of nutmeg.
- Assemble the lasagne: Preheat your oven to 400°F (200°C). Spoon a thin layer of the ragu into the bottom of a large ovenproof dish. Top with a layer of lasagne sheets.
- Layer the ingredients: Spread a layer of ragu over the pasta, followed by a spoonful of béchamel and a sprinkle of mozzarella. Repeat the process until you have used all the ragu and pasta, finishing with a layer of pasta.
- Top and bake: Pour the remaining béchamel sauce evenly over the top layer of pasta. Sprinkle generously with the grated Parmesan and the remaining mozzarella. Bake for 30 minutes, or until the top is golden brown and the sauce is bubbling.
Notes
- Time for the Ragu: The long, slow simmer is the most important step. It allows the flavors to truly marry and gives the sauce a deep, rich taste that is worth the wait.
Nutmeg in the Béchamel: The secret to a perfect, classic béchamel is a pinch of freshly grated nutmeg. It adds a subtle warmth and savory complexity that you cannot achieve with just salt and pepper.
Warm the Milk: When making the béchamel, warm the milk first. Adding cold milk to the hot roux can cause the sauce to seize up and become lumpy.
Let It Rest: Always allow the lasagne to rest on the counter for at least 15 minutes after it comes out of the oven. This allows the sauce and pasta layers to set, making it much easier to cut a clean, perfect slice.
