Potato and Meat Lasagna

This potato lasagna is made with thinly sliced potatoes instead of traditional pasta, a rich and delicious meat filling mixture and creamy bechamel sauce, topped with mozzarella cheese and baked until golden. Easy to make, satisfying and full of flavour!

My potato lasagna is a delicious alternative to classic lasagna. In this version the meat filling is separated by layers of sliced, cooked potatoes and topped with creamy bechamel/white sauce. I made the filling mixture using a combination of ground beef, pork and a few vegetables for added flavour (see also turkey lasagna where I’ve used similar ingredients). I used a moderate amount of cheese, but you can adjust this amount to suit your taste.

This lasagna with potato and white sauce is easy to make but does require a bit of time to cook - this allows the meat to soften and the flavour to fully develop. To save time, however, you can prepare the filling mixture in advance (scroll down to the bottom of the post for details).

Potato lasagna ingredients and substitutions

• Potatoes: Use floury/starchy potatoes or all-rounders, such as russets or regular white potatoes (or Maris Piper in the UK). See preparation tips below.
• Meat: I used a combination of beef and pork (2:1), but you can just use beef if preferred.
• Vegetables: These include onion (use any), celery, garlic and carrot (the carrot adds a little sweetness and cuts through the richness of the filling mixture but is not absolutely necessary to use).
• Herbs: I used Italian herbs and bay leaf.
• Passata.
• Beef stock.
• Soy sauce and Worcestershire sauce: add depth of flavour.
• Ale: I find that ale/beer (which can be alcohol free) works better in this recipe than classic red wine. You can also use cider, instead.
• Olive oil.
• Cheese: I used a combination of mozzarella and a little cheddar cheese for added flavour (2:1 ratio), but you can just use mozzarella if preferred.
• White sauce: made with butter, flour, milk (use light/semi-skimmed), nutmeg and salt to taste.
• Salt and pepper.

How to prepare the potatoes

The best way of preparing potatoes for this lasagna is to cut them into approx. 3 mm-thick slices and boil for a few minutes until softened before assembling the dish. The slices will absorb the flavour of the filling mixture (while still keeping their shape) as the lasagna cooks in the oven.

If you don’t precook the potatoes, you will end up with layers of raw potato slices (I tested it!).

I recommend using large/very large potatoes rather than small ones. You’ll spend less time peeling and cutting and the layers will look better.

How to season meat and potato lasagna

To avoid a bland tasting lasagna it’s important to season each component of this dish.

Although you may not need to add any salt into the filling mixture (but taste it just to be sure before assembling the recipe), be generous with the pepper and use freshly ground, if possible. Multicoloured peppercorns work especially well.

It’s also important to add a little salt to the potatoes as they cook (see Instructions) as well as season the white sauce (but do so with moderation as it will be covered with a layer of cheese).

Equipment you’ll need

• Large sturdy dish with lid (for example cast iron) for cooking the filling mixture.
• Saucepan and whisk for making the white sauce.
• 8-11”/20-28cm oven dish, approx. 2.5”/6cm deep. Alternatively use equivalent size round dish.
• Large sharp knife for cutting the potatoes.
• Box grater for shredding the cheese and carrot.

Step-by-step recipe instructions

1. Cook vegetables: Heat the oil, add the onion, celery, garlic and bay leaf and cook over a medium heat for about 3 minutes stirring often.

2. Add meat: Add the meat, stir and cook for several minutes over a med/high heat until all the moisture has disappeared stirring often. Add the ale and soy sauce, stir and continue cooking until, again, the moisture has been absorbed and the meat starts to brown.

3. Cook filling mixture: Pour in the stock, passata, Worcestershire sauce, add the herbs and lots of freshly ground pepper. Stir, cover and bring to the boil then lower the heat and simmer for about 1 hour 20-25 minutes, stirring occasionally. Stir in the carrot, cover and continue cooking for 15 more minutes. Remove from the heat, taste the sauce and adjust the flavour if required.

TIP: Once you have added the carrot preheat the oven to 375F/190C/170 fan/gas mark 5.

4. Prepare potatoes: While the filling mixture is bubbling away prepare the potatoes. Peel then cut the potatoes thinly lengthwise into approx. 3 mm-thick slices. Rinse the potatoes by placing in a pot of water then drain (to get rid of the starch), add fresh water and about ⅓ teaspoon of salt. Cover and bring to the boil then lower the heat and simmer for about 5-6 minutes. The slices should be cooked but still a little firm (so they keep their shape). Drain thoroughly and set aside to cool.

5. Prepare white sauce: In a saucepan melt the butter then add the flour and quickly whisk in until no longer visible. Add a little milk and whisk in until the mixture is smooth then gradually add most of the milk whisking all the time (increase the heat a little to speed things up but don’t stop stirring). When the sauce has thickened and bubbles appear on top cook gently for about 2 more minutes. Remove from the heat, add the nutmeg and a bit of salt to taste and set aside to cool a little.

6. Assemble lasagne: Spread half of the filling mixture over the bottom of your oven dish and cover with ⅓ of the white sauce (add the remaining milk if the sauce has become too thick to spread comfortably). Sprinkle ⅓ of the cheese then arrange a layer of potato slices on top (not overlapping one another). Add the remaining filling mixture, cover with another layer of sliced potato, pour over the rest of the white sauce and sprinkle the remaining cheese over the top.

7. Bake: Bake your potato lasagna in the centre of the oven for 30 minutes then increase the heat to 400F/200C/180 fan/gas mark 6 and bake for another ten minutes or until the top is nicely browned. Remove from the oven, set aside for 10 minutes then serve.

Serving suggestions

This lasagna with potatoes is perfect served with bruschetta, Caesar salad or a simple, refreshing, crunchy tossed salad.

What can I make ahead

• You can cook the filling mixture and potatoes, cool completely (drain the potatoes first), cover and refrigerate overnight. The following day heat the filling mixture in the microwave until warm, cook the white sauce, assemble the lasagna and bake as per Instructions.
• Alternatively prepare the entire dish, cool completely, cover and refrigerate overnight. The following day take out of the fridge about 45 minutes before baking to bring up to room temperature then bake as per Instructions (you may need to cook it a little longer to make sure it’s warmed through).
• You can also cook the bechamel sauce in advance, but heat it a little to help loosen the consistency (and add a drop of milk, if necessary) before assembling the lasagna.

How to freeze this dish

This potato lasagna with meat freezes well, both cooked and raw. Wrap in 2 layers of aluminum foil or place in an airtight container and freeze for up to 3 months. I recommend thawing (uncooked) lasagna in the fridge overnight and removing from the fridge 45 minutes (to bring up to room temperature) before cooking in the oven the following day. Precooked lasagna slices can be microwaved (after defrosting overnight).

You can also prepare 2 smaller potato lasagnas - easier to fit in the freezer and you can enjoy 2 lasagna dinners!

Top tips

• Use floury/starchy potatoes or all-rounders, such as russets/regular white potatoes (or Maris Piper in the UK). Make sure the slices aren’t too thick (so they don’t overpower the filling mixture).
• I used a combination of beef and pork (2:1), but you can just use beef.
• While the filling mixture is bubbling away prepare the potatoes and cook the white sauce.
• Cool the white sauce a little before assembling the dish (it will thicken as it cools). The sauce should be quite thick so it doesn't disappear into the dish. If, however, it becomes too thick to spread comfortably stir in a little more milk.
• I used a combination of mozzarella and cheddar cheese (2:1), but you can just stick with mozzarella, if preferred. Adjust the amount to your taste.
• You can refrigerate your meat and potato lasagna for up to 4 days. Reheat individual portions in the microwave.
• Freeze for up to 3 months.

Related recipes to try next

• Easy Turkey Shepherd’s Pie
• Creamy Salmon Potato Bake
• Stuffed Potato Cakes with Meat
• Leftover Chicken Potato Bake

See also these other easy, delicious dinner recipes!

Recipe

Keep in touch!

If you make this potato lasagna recipe I'd love to know how it turned out for you. How does it compare to classic lasagna? Let me know in the comments below, thanks:)

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