Cooking with Kids: A Fun and Delicious Homemade Bolognese Lasagna Recipe
The Joy of Homemade Bolognese Lasagna
Homemade Bolognese lasagna is more than just a meal—it’s a labor of love, a project that rewards you with layers of rich, slow-cooked meat sauce, cheese, and tender homemade pasta. Making everything from scratch may seem daunting, but it’s also an incredibly fun and rewarding experience—especially when you involve your kids in the process!
The Origins of Lasagna in Italy
Lasagna has a long history in Italy, with origins tracing back to the city of Bologna, the heart of Emilia-Romagna’s rich culinary traditions. The classic Lasagna alla Bolognese features layers of handmade egg pasta (traditionally green from spinach), a slow-cooked ragù alla Bolognese, béchamel sauce, and Parmesan cheese. The Bolognese version focuses on a delicate balance of flavors and textures, with a deeply savory sauce and velvety béchamel binding everything together. On our trip to Bologna, Italy we loved exploring the city in search for amazing lasagna and other dishes. Stopping for lunch and getting a few different dishes to taste and then following that up with second lunch as we wandered became the norm each day. This version of homemade Bolognese lasagna is simplified with kids in mind as we replace the bechamel with mozzarella cheese.
Making Fresh Pasta as a Family
There’s something magical about making pasta from scratch, especially when it becomes a family affair. The simple act of mixing flour and eggs, kneading the dough, and rolling it out into silky sheets is not just about cooking—it’s about bonding, learning, and creating lasting memories.
Kids love the tactile experience of working with pasta dough, from cracking eggs into the flour to feeling the texture change as they knead. Rolling out the dough and cutting it into sheets is a wonderful hands-on task that keeps them engaged, and there’s a real sense of accomplishment in seeing those golden layers come together. Our 4 year old and 9 year old girls worked together as a team to first mix the dough and then flatten the pasta in the pasta press.
Check out our easy homemade pasta guide that only requires 3 regular household ingredients
Making fresh pasta teaches patience and mindfulness. It’s a slow, intentional process that contrasts with the fast-paced world of prepackaged meals. And when the whole family is gathered around the table, enjoying a lasagna they helped create, there’s a shared pride that makes the meal taste even better.
The Beauty of Cooking Together
Cooking together strengthens family bonds in a way few other activities can. It is a labor of love, but it encourages teamwork, creativity, and a shared appreciation for food. Even small children can participate, stirring ingredients, layering sauces, or sprinkling cheese on top. Older kids can take on more responsibility, learning how to knead dough or assemble the lasagna layers with precision.
It’s also an opportunity to pass down traditions. Whether your family has Italian roots or you simply love Italian cuisine, making Bolognese lasagna together is a way to celebrate culture and history through food. Talking about the origins of lasagna, the importance of fresh ingredients, and the patience required for slow-cooked sauces can inspire a deeper appreciation for home-cooked meals.
Creating Lasting Memories
In a world filled with distractions, cooking together offers a rare chance to unplug and connect. The laughter shared over flour-dusted hands, the friendly debates about the perfect layering technique, and the anticipation as the lasagna bakes in the oven all become cherished moments.
When you finally sit down to eat, the meal is more than just food—it’s a story, a journey, a collective effort that brings everyone together. And long after the last bite is gone, the memories of making it will linger, ready to be relived the next time the family gathers in the kitchen to cook again.
So, grab an apron, invite your little chefs into the kitchen, and start rolling out those pasta sheets. Homemade Bolognese lasagna isn’t just a dish; it’s an experience, a tradition, and a delicious way to celebrate time spent together.
Homemade Bolognese Lasagna
Ingredients
Bolognese
- 2 lb mix of ground beef, ground pork, and ground veal
- 1 carrot, minced
- 1 celery stalk, minced
- 1 small onion or shallot, minced
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 2 cups tomato puree, 16 oz
- 1.5 lbs shredded mozzarella, 750 g
- 1 bay leaf
- olive oil
- salt, to taste
- white pepper, to taste
Fresh Pasta
- 4 eggs
- 400 g all purpose flour
- 1 tbsp olive oil
Equipment
- 1 pasta press if making fresh homemade pasta
- 1 large pot for cooking lasagna noodles
- 1 medium for cooking the bolognese
- 1 9×12 glass baking dish for cooking the bologenese lasagna
- 1 large bowl optional for making the pasta
- saran wrap or plastic bag for the pasta to rest
- 1 non-stick silicon mat optional
- 1 spatula
- 1 pasta strainer
- Tin foil to cover the lasagna
Instructions
Homemade Pasta (if using store bought noodles skip to the Bolognese Sauce)
- Pour flour into a large mixing bowl.
- In a small bowl, crack open the eggs and whisk to break up the yolks.
- Pour the eggs on top of the flour along with the olive oil.
- Mix all of the ingredients together until you have a dough ball.
- In the bowl or on a large clean surface (or silicon mat) knead the dough ball for at least 5 minutes until the dough has good elasticity and all of the flour is incorporated.
- Wrap the dough in saran wrap or a plastic bag such as a ziplock.
- Place the dough in the refrigerator for at least 30 minutes and up to 4 hours.
- While the dough rests prepare the ingredients for the bolognese and cook the sauce per the below.
Bolognese Sauce
- Place a medium pot on the stove and turn on the burner to medium.
- Add enough olive oil to coat the bottom of the pot.
- Add the carrot, celery and onion.
- Season with a few pinches of salt.
- Cook until the vegetables are soft, around 10 minutes.
- Add the garlic and cook for 2 minutes.
- Add the chicken or beef stock and cook for another 2-3 minutes until this has mostly evaporated.
- Add the beef, veal, and pork to the pot. Season with a few pinches of salt and the white pepper. Cook the ground meats, stirring every few minutes until cooked through, around 10 minutes.
- Add the tomato puree and bay leaf, stirring to incorporate. Turn the heat to medium low and let the sauce simmer for 30 minutes.
- While the Bolognese cooks, fill the large pot with water 2/3 full. Season with 2 tbsp of kosher salt and turn on the burner to high to bring the water to a boil.
Pressing and Cooking the Pasta (if using store bough noodles, cook them for 3 minutes less than recommended and jump to the Preparing the Lasagna)
- Take the dough out of the refrigerator and pull off a small dough ball about the size of a golf ball.
- Press the dough ball flat and using a pasta press machine start flattening the dough ball. Continue to flatten one setting at a time until setting 6 is reached.
- Sprinkle some extra flour onto the sheet of pasta and lay on a flat clean non-stick surface.
- Continue pressing the pasta flat until all of the dough is used.
Once the large pot of water is boiling gently place 3 or so noodles into the water, using a spatula to help keep the noodles partially submerged.
Cook for 2-3 minutes.
After 2-3 minutes remove to a pasta strainer and run under cold water which will make it easier to handle.- Repeat these cooking steps until all of your pasta sheets are cooked.
Preparing the Lasagna
- In the 9×12 glass baking dish, spread a thin layer of Bolognese sauce.
Top with a noodle, then spread another thin layer of Bolognese sauce, followed by a thin layer of shredded mozzarella.
Continue adding layers, pasta > sauce > cheese until you reach the top of the baking dish or run out of noodles/sauce/cheese
Make sure to have enough sauce and cheese at the end to top the final layer of noodles with sauce and cheese.
Baking the Lasagna
- Heat an oven to 200C / 400F.
- Cover the lasagna with tin foil.
- Place the lasagna in the oven and bake for 30 minutes.
- After 30 minutes raise the temp to 220C / 425F, remove the foil from the top, and bake for another 10 minutes.
At the end for extra browning on the lasagna turn on the broiler and making sure the top of the lasagna is 6 inches from the burner broil for 3 minutes or more. Keep an eye on the lasagna during this tie to make sure you get the right amount of browning you and your kids will enjoy.
Bon appetit!
