Mary Berry’s easy lasagne recipe that’s been ‘perfected’ over 50 years is perfect for family dinner

Mary Berry’s classic lasagne recipe can be whipped up super quickly and is perfect for family dinners

Sophie Harris Senior Lifestyle Reporter and Shania King-Soyza

16:02, 18 Mar 2026

Lasagne stands as a firm favourite for dinner(Image: Getty)

Lasagne is a firm favourite for dinner, with countless ways to prepare it. However, Mary Berry’s time-tested recipe has remained a hit for more than half a century and can be rustled up in no time. According to the recipe guidance, “This is Mary’s classic lasagne, which has been perfected over the years.

“For the best results, leave the lasagne to stand for six hours before cooking.” Back in the 1970s, when Mary first prepared this dish, she relied on dripping to fry the meat and veg.

Whilst this delivers a richer, meatier taste, olive oil has become the go-to choice nowadays. This recipe serves 8 to 10 diners, making it ideal for hosting a supper gathering or feeding the entire household.

Ingredients

For the ragu

Two tablespoons of olive oil900g beef minceTwo onions, roughly choppedFour sticks of celery, finely choppedTwo garlic cloves, crushedTwo level tablespoons of plain flour150ml beef stockOne tablespoon of redcurrant jelly or one teaspoon of caster sugar, optionalThree tablespoons of tomato pureeOne tablespoon of chopped thymeTwo 400g tins of chopped tomatoes

Mary Berry’s ‘classic’ lasagne recipe has been ‘perfected’ over 50 years(Image: Getty)

For the white sauce

50g butter50g plain flour750ml hot milkTwo teaspoons of Dijon mustard50g Parmesan, finely gratedSalt and freshly ground black pepper

For the lasagne

12 lasagne sheets75g mature cheddar, gratedMethod

Set your oven to 160 °C/140 °C Fan. To prepare the ragu, get a large frying pan nice and hot before adding the oil. Brown the mince thoroughly, then take it off the heat and transfer onto a plate.

Toss the onion, celery and garlic into the pan and let them soften nicely. Pop the meat back in and work in the flour. Pour in the stock and bring to a rolling boil. Mix in the redcurrant jelly or sugar, tomato puree and thyme, giving it a good stir.

The lasagne takes around 45 minutes to cook(Image: Getty)

Fold in the tinned tomatoes. Bring everything back to the boil, then cover and let it simmer away in the oven for one to one and a half hours, until the beef becomes beautifully tender.

For the white sauce, get the butter melting in a saucepan. Work in the flour and let it cook for one minute over the heat. Slowly whisk in the hot milk, whisking until it thickens. Add the Dijon mustard and Parmesan, then season liberally with salt and pepper.

For the lasagne, spread one-third of the meat sauce across the bottom of a 2.3L shallow ovenproof dish. Dollop one-third of the white sauce over it. Season with salt and pepper. Lay down one layer of lasagne sheets on top.

Spread half of the remaining meat sauce over this, then add half the remaining white sauce. Season with salt and pepper. Add another layer of lasagne sheets, then the rest of the meat sauce and finally the remaining white sauce. Scatter the cheddar over the top.

Cover and chill in the fridge for six hours before cooking, then heat the oven to 200°C/180°C Fan. Bake for 45 minutes, until it’s golden brown on top, bubbling round the edges, and the pasta has softened through.