Creamy Pasticho Lasagna (Venezuelan Style Lasagna)
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Ingredients
For The Meat Sauce
- 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
- 1 onion chopped
- 3 cloves garlic minced
- 1 pound ground beef
- 1 tablespoon soy sauce
- 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
- 1 27- ounce can whole peeled tomatoes
- 1 6- ounce can tomato paste
- 1 teaspoon dried oregano
- 1 teaspoon dried basil
- 1 bay leaf
- 1 tablespoon sugar
- 1/2 cup beef stock
- Salt and pepper to taste
Bechamel Sauce
- 1/2 cup butter or a vegan butter alternative
- 1/2 cup flour regular or gluten-free
- 4 1/2 cups milk regular or dairy-free
- Salt and pepper to taste
- 1/4 teaspoon nutmeg
- 1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese or a vegan cheese alternative
For Assembling The Lasagna
- 1 pound no-boil lasagna noodles regular or gluten-free
- 1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese or a vegan cheese alternative
- 10 ounces grated Mozzarella cheese or a vegan cheese alternative
Instructions
Making The Red (Meat) Sauce
- In a large saucepan, heat the olive oil. Add the garlic and onion and sauté for about 5 minutes or until softened.
- Add the soy and Worcestershire sauces and the beef. Cook, stirring continuously, until the beef is browned (you may want to add a little extra olive oil to prevent the meat from sticking to the bottom of the pan as it cooks).
- Add the tomato paste, basil, oregano, tomatoes, bay leaf, stock, and sugar. Simmer over low heat for about 30-45 minutes until the sauce thickens.
- Season with salt and pepper to taste. Turn off the heat and leave the red sauce covered with a lid while you make the bechamel sauce.
Making The Bechamel Sauce
- In a saucepan, melt the butter over low heat. Stir in the flour. Cook, stirring continuously until the mixture starts to bubble. Don’t let the mixture brown!
- Gradually add the milk. Turn the heat up to medium. Continue stirring until the sauce thickens.
- Add the nutmeg and Parmesan cheese (or vegan cheese alternative, if using).
- Season with salt and pepper to taste. Turn off the heat. Set aside.
Assembling The Lasagna
- Assembling the lasagna involves alternating layers of the bechamel sauce, lasagna noodles, and the red (meat) sauce.
- Preheat the oven to 350° Fahrenheit (175° Celsius).
- Lightly spread a 9×13 baking dish with some of the bechamel sauce.
- Add a first layer of the lasagna noodles.
- Cover with about 1/3 of the meat sauce.
- Layer more lasagna noodles on top.
- Add a thicker layer of the bechamel sauce.
- Sprinkle on some of the mozzarella cheese and the Parmesan cheese.
- Layer more lasagna noodles on top.
- Add another layer of the meat sauce and cover with another layer of lasagna noodles.
- Spread on another layer of the bechamel sauce and the cheeses.
- Cover with lasagna noodles.
- Spread on the last of the meat sauce. Top with the last of the noodles and add the remaining bechamel sauce and cheeses as the final layer.
- Cover with foil and bake for 30 minutes.
- Remove the foil and continue baking the lasagna until the cheese is completely melted after about another 5 minutes.
- Serve immediately.
Video
Nutrition
Pasticho lasagna proves that lasagna isn’t just an Italian thing. This creamy, cheesy dish comes from Venezuela. Let’s dive right into the recipe.
Notes & Tips
New and experienced chefs often have trouble making a successful roux. Make sure you are using an equal amount of butter and flour, and whisk it almost constantly, or the roux will burn. Bechamel sauce calls for a white roux, which does not need to cook that long (the longer you cook a roux, the darker it will get).
Common Questions
Venezuelans adapted lasagna to their regional taste. It is rich and creamy and full of cheese. The key difference is that pasticho lasagna uses bechamel sauce and regular lasagna does not usually use this kind of sauce.
Bechamel sauce is typically made from butter, flour, and milk. The butter and flour are typically combined in a roux (1:1 ratio) before the milk is added.
Yes, you can use a vegan meat alternative.
This is a delicious, creamy, hearty dinner loaded with cheesy flavor.
Optional Sides Or Compliments
- Red wine or grape juice
- Green beans
- Crusty bread (regular or gluten-free) with regular or vegan butter
Storage
It is very easy to store and reheat pasticho lasagna.
You should refrigerate it within two hours of cooking (make sure to let it cool first on the stove). Refrigerate the pasticho lasagna in an airtight, preferably glass, container. If you don’t want the smell of the lasagna to absorb into the lid, place a piece of wax paper between the container and the lid. Properly stored, the pasticho lasagna will keep for three to five days in the fridge.
You can further extend the shelf life of the lasagna by freezing it. Freeze pasticho lasagna in a covered airtight container or heavy-duty freezer bag. It will maintain its peak quality for two to three months in the freezer, but the lasagna will be perfectly safe beyond that time.
To reheat the lasagna from the fridge, preheat the oven to 350° Fahrenheit (176° Celsius). Splash the lasagna with a little water first (this will prevent it from tasting dry). Cover the lasagna with foil and place it in the oven. Bake the lasagna until it’s completely heated through, or about 30 to 45 minutes.
To reheat the lasagna from frozen, defrost it in the fridge first for about a day or so. Then, when you’re ready to bake it, preheat the oven to 350° Fahrenheit (176° Celsius). Splash the lasagna with a little water first (this will prevent it from tasting dry). Cover the lasagna with foil and place it in the oven. Bake the lasagna until it’s completely heated through, or about 45 minutes to an hour (you will need to add about ten to fifteen minutes of extra cooking time).
