Herb topped, mild chilli beef lasagne

As part of the Schwartz ‘Flavour your way’ campaign to encourage everyone to experiment with herbs and spices to create dishes just right for them, I’ve recreated one of their popular recipes: Lasagne with Chilli Bolognese and Thyme & Oregano Topping

This classic lasagne is given a tasty twist with the addition of a gently spiced bolognese and a thyme and oregano herb crumb topping.

Here’s how to make a good family-sized tray full.

Ingredients

For the chilli beef bolognese:

• 2 tbsp olive oil
• 1 onion, finely chopped
• 450g (1lb) extra lean beef mince
• 1 tbsp Schwartz Chilli Powder Mild
• 1 tbsp Schwartz Thyme
• 1 tbsp tomato purée
• 225ml (8 fl oz) red wine
• 400g (14.1 oz) tin chopped tomatoes
• 1 beef stock cube
• Schwartz Sea Salt Mill and
• Schwartz Ground Black Pepper to season

For the white sauce:

• 100g (4oz) butter
• 100g (4oz) plain flour
• 4 litre (2½ pints) milk

For the pasta:

• 400g (14oz) dried lasagne sheets

For the crumb topping:

• 100g (4oz) fresh breadcrumbs (I used dried)
• 2 tsp Schwartz Oregano
• 2 tsp Schwartz Thyme
• 50g (2oz) parmesan, finely grated 

Instructions

To make the chilli beef bolognese:

1. Heat the olive oil in a large saucepan, add the onion and cook for 2-3 minutes until translucent.
2. Add the minced beef to the pan and cook for 4-5 minutes.
3. Once it has browned stir in the mild chilli powder and thyme, followed by the tomato purée.
4. Cook everything together for 1 minute.
5. Add the red wine to the pan and bring to a simmer.
6. Cook for 5 minutes or until reduced by half.
7. Add the tomatoes to the pan and crumble in a stock cube.
8. Cover and simmer gently for 1 hour, then season with salt and pepper.

To make the white sauce:

1. Melt the butter in a pan, add the flour and stir well.
2. Cook for two minutes to cook out the flour.
3. Remove from the heat and add the milk a little at a time, whisking out any lumps that form.
4. Place the pan back on the heat and whilst stirring constantly, bring to a boil and cook for a couple of minutes, season with salt and pepper and set to one side.

Bring it all together:

1. Pre-heat the oven to 180C (160C fan, 350F, Gas Mark 4).
2. Spread a little of the bolognese sauce over the bottom of a 3 litre ovenproof dish. I used a 35cmx23cm Pyrex casserole dish.
3. Cover this with a single layer of pasta sheets, snapping them in half if needed so that they fit in a single layer.
4. Spoon over another layer of the bolognese sauce, then top with ¼ of the white sauce.
5. Top with pasta sheets.
6. Repeat the process (bolognese, white sauce and pasta) twice more using up all the bolognese sauce.
7. Top with a final layer of pasta and the remaining white sauce.

Top with the herby crumb:

1. Mix together the breadcrumbs, oregano and thyme.
2. Scatter over the top of the white sauce.
3. Then sprinkle with parmesan.
4. Place the dish in the oven and cook for 1 hour until golden brown and the pasta cooked.
5. Once cooked, remove from the oven and leave to stand for 5 minutes before serving.

Here’s that herb topped mild chilli beef lasagne recipe again in a printable format.

Print Recipe

5 from 1 vote

Herb topped, mild chilli beef lasagne

This classic lasagne is given a tasty twist with the addition of a gently spiced bolognese and a thyme and oregano herb crumb topping.

Course: Pasta meals

Cuisine: Italian

Keyword: beef, beef lasagne, chilli, lasagne, pasta

Author: Emily Leary

Ingredients

For the chilli beef bolognese:

• 2 tbsp olive oil
• 1 onion finely chopped
• 450 g (15.87 oz) extra lean beef mince
• 1 tbsp Schwartz Chilli Powder Mild
• 1 tbsp Schwartz Thyme
• 1 tbsp tomato purée
• 225 ml (7.61 floz) red wine
• 400 g (14.11 oz) tin chopped tomatoes
• 1 beef stock cube
• Schwartz Sea Salt Mill and Schwartz Ground Black Pepper to season

For the white sauce:

• 100 g (3.53 oz) butter
• 100 g (3.53 oz) plain flour
• 4 litres milk

For the pasta:

• 400 g (14.11 oz) dried lasagne sheets
• For the crumb topping:
• 100 g (3.53 oz) fresh breadcrumbs (I used dried)
• 2 tsp Schwartz Oregano
• 2 tsp Schwartz Thyme
• 50 g (1.76 oz) parmesan, finely grated

Instructions

To make the chilli beef bolognese:

• Heat the olive oil in a large saucepan, add the onion and cook for 2-3 minutes until translucent.
• Add the minced beef to the pan and cook for 4-5 minutes.
• Once it has browned stir in the mild chilli powder and thyme, followed by the tomato purée.
• Cook everything together for 1 minute.
• Add the red wine to the pan and bring to a simmer.
• Cook for 5 minutes or until reduced by half.
• Add the tomatoes to the pan and crumble in a stock cube.
• Cover and simmer gently for 1 hour, then season with salt and pepper.

To make the white sauce:

• Melt the butter in a pan, add the flour and stir well.
• Cook for two minutes to cook out the flour.
• Remove from the heat and add the milk a little at a time, whisking out any lumps that form.
• Place the pan back on the heat and whilst stirring constantly, bring to a boil and cook for a couple of minutes, season with salt and pepper and set to one side.

Bring it all together:

• Pre-heat the oven to 180C (160C fan, 350F, Gas Mark 4).
• Spread a little of the bolognese sauce over the bottom of a 3 litre ovenproof dish. I used a 35cmx23cm Pyrex casserole dish.
• Cover this with a single layer of pasta sheets, snapping them in half if needed so that they fit in a single layer.
• Spoon over another layer of the bolognese sauce, then top with ¼ of the white sauce.
• Top with pasta sheets.
• Repeat the process (bolognese, white sauce and pasta) twice more using up all the bolognese sauce.
• Top with a final layer of pasta and the remaining white sauce.
• Top with the herby crumb:
• Mix together the breadcrumbs, oregano and thyme.
• Scatter over the top of the white sauce.
• Then sprinkle with parmesan.
• Place the dish in the oven and cook for 1 hour until golden brown and the pasta cooked.
• Once cooked, remove from the oven and leave to stand for 5 minutes before serving.

* Note: nutritional information is estimated, based on publicly available data. Nutrient values may vary from those published. Cuisines identify the primary region of inspiration for a dish.

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Are you tempted to try this twist on the classic lasagne?

For more twists on traditional lasagne, why not swap the beef mince for soya mince, or check out this grilled veggie lasagne with wild garlic pesto, or these creamy aubergine lasagne rolls. For a vegetarian pasta dish, try this butternut squash, spinach and ricotta lasagne.

This is a commissioned post for Schwartz.