Prepare the meat sauce: In a large skillet, brown the ground beef over medium-high heat. Drain any excess fat. Add the onion, garlic, and bell pepper, and cook until softened, about 5 minutes. Stir in the crushed tomatoes, tomato paste, oregano, basil, salt, and pepper. Bring to a simmer and cook for at least 30 minutes, stirring occasionally.
Make the béchamel sauce: In a saucepan, melt the butter over medium heat. Whisk in the flour and cook for 1-2 minutes, until a smooth paste forms (a roux). Gradually whisk in the milk until smooth. Bring to a simmer, stirring constantly, until the sauce thickens, about 5-7 minutes. Remove from heat and stir in the nutmeg, salt, and pepper.
Cook the lasagna noodles: Cook the lasagna noodles according to package directions. Drain and rinse with cold water to prevent sticking.
Assemble the lasagna: Preheat oven to 375°F (190°C). Spread a thin layer of meat sauce in the bottom of a 9x13 inch baking dish. Arrange a layer of lasagna noodles over the sauce, overlapping as needed. Spread half of the ricotta cheese over the noodles, followed by a layer of meat sauce and a drizzle of béchamel sauce. Sprinkle with 1/3 of the mozzarella cheese.
Repeat layers: Repeat the layers twice more, starting with noodles, ricotta cheese, meat sauce, béchamel sauce, and mozzarella cheese. Finish with a final layer of noodles, meat sauce, béchamel sauce, and the remaining mozzarella cheese.
Bake: Cover the baking dish with foil and bake for 25 minutes. Remove the foil and bake for another 20 minutes, or until the cheese is melted and bubbly and the lasagna is heated through.
Rest: Let the lasagna rest for 10-15 minutes before cutting and serving.
Very tasty lasagna! The sauce was flavorful, and the cheese melted perfectly. I loved how comforting it was.
Excellent lasagna. The béchamel was creamy and the meat sauce was very flavorful. I would give it five stars, but it was a bit too salty for my taste.
A decent lasagna. It was a bit bland, so I added some red pepper flakes. It was ok overall.
It was okay. The lasagna was a bit dry, maybe I needed more sauce. The flavors were good, but not outstanding.
Fantastic lasagna! Everyone loved it. The layers were perfect. This is a keeper recipe.
