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    Home » Recipes » Pasta with meat or seafood

    Southern Italian Lasagna Recipe (Lasagne di Carnevale)

    Published: Feb 13, 2023 · Modified: Mar 28, 2025. This post may contain affiliate links. Please read my disclosure policy.

    Recipe Jump to Video
    Southern Italian lasagna pin
    Southern Italian lasagna pin

    This southern Italian lasagna recipe also called lasagna di Carnevale, is a classic dish from Naples served on Fat Tuesday (Martedi grasso). It is a lavish meal traditionally served the day before Lent begins. While the traditional lasagna recipe from Northern Italy is made with Bolognese sauce and white sauce bechamel, this Lasagna alla Napoletana is made with a tomato meat sauce ragu mixed with ricotta cheese and filled with small fried meatballs, mozzarella cheese and hard-boiled eggs.

     southern Italian lasagna recipe also called lasagna di Carneval

    This is an authentic lasagna recipe from southern Italy, and while the details can vary from family to family, it always has a base of a meat ragu, ricotta cheese and is filled with meatballs.

    The ragù alla napoletana can be made with different cuts of beef or pork, but only the tomato sauce is used in the lasagna; the meat can be eaten separately the next day.

    This authentic Italian lasagna is a labor of love.

    You must prepare the ragu and the meatballs first, then make the lasagna.

    However, it is worth all the effort as it is delicious, very fulfilling, and will feed the entire family for days.

    A similar filling is often used in southern Italian cuisine; for example, you can also use it in different recipes like the Italian mashed potato pie Gateau or the Eggplant parmigiana.

    Jump to:
    • Ingredients
    • Instructions
    • Which cut of beef is best for ragu
    • Variations
    • Equipment
    • Storage
    • Top tips
    • FAQ
    • Related
    • Pairing
    • 📋Southern Italian Lasagna Recipe (Lasagna di Carnevale)
    lasagna di Carnevale served on a plate a bite on a fork

    Ingredients

    For the ragu

    The ragu is made by simmering the meat in tomato sauce for a long time. However, only the tomato sauce is used for the lasagna, while the meat can be eaten the following day separately.

    • diced carrot, stalk of celery and onion to make a soffritto
    • sausages
    • pork ribs
    • beef shank or round or chuck
    • red wine optional
    • Tomato sauce: you can check out the Italian homemade tomato sauce. As this lasagna doesn't use bechamel sauce; you need a large amount of tomato sauce to keep it creamy
    •  salt
    •  extra virgin olive oil
    ingredients for the ragu with names

    Meatballs

    The little meatballs should be very small to keep the lasagna layers leveled

    • lean ground beef
    • stale bread
    • milk
    • freshly grated Parmesan cheese (Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese)
    • egg
    • salt
    • vegetable oil for frying
    ingredients for the little meatballs with names

    Lasagna

    Once the ragu and the meatballs are done, you can proceed to layer the lasagna

    • fresh lasagna sheets
    • ricotta
    • mozzarella block
    • freshly grated Parmesan
    • boiled eggs

    See recipe card for quantities.

    ingredients for the lasagna with names

    Instructions

    Making the ragu

    To make this ragu I use a pressure cooker. If you use a regular pan you will have to simmer it for 2 hours

    Dice the carrot, celery and onion

    Dice the carrot, celery and onion

    Stir fry with some extra virgin olive oil to make a soffritto

    Stir fry with some extra virgin olive oil to make a soffritto

    Add the pork rib, the sausage and the beef shank

    Add the pork rib, the sausage and the beef shank

    Stir with a wooden spoon until the meat is seared

    Stir with a wooden spoon until the meat is seared

    Add some red wine and let it evaporate

    Add some red wine and let it evaporate

    Season with salt and add the tomato sauce

    Season with salt and add the tomato sauce

    Let the ragu cook for 35 minutes in the pressure cooker

    Let the ragu cook for 35 minutes in the pressure cooker

    Remove the meat from the ragu

    Remove the meat from the ragu

    Hint: if you don't have a pressure cooker, let it simmer at low heat for 2 hours

    Pour the ragu into a large bowl

    Pour the ragu into a large bowl and let it cool down at room temperature

    Making the little meatballs

    Soak the stale bread in milk for an hour

    Soak the stale bread in milk for an hour

    Drain the excess milk

    Drain the excess milk

    Add to the bread the minced meat, egg and Parmesan cheese

    Add to the bread the minced meat, egg, Parmesan cheese and salt

    Mix with your hand until they are combined

    Mix with your hand until they are combined

    Roll in the palms of your hands a small piece of the mixture

    Roll in the palms of your hands a small piece of the mixture

    Make small meatballs 0.5 in - 1 cm diameter

    Make small meatballs 0.5 in - 1 cm diameter

    Lay the meatballs over a tray

    Lay them over a tray

    Heat some vegetable oil for deep frying

    Heat some vegetable oil for deep frying (you can use a deep fryer)

    Fry the meatballs

    Fry the meatballs

    Remove from the oil

    Remove from the oil

    Place on a paper towel to drain the excess oil

    Place on a paper towel to drain the excess oil

    Preparing the ingredients

    Prepare the rest of the ingredients you need to layer the lasagna.

    Hard boil the eggs

    Hard boil the eggs

    Remove the shell

    Remove the shell

    Slice them very thinly with an egg slicer

    Slice them very thinly with an egg slicer

    mozzarella and boiled eggs cut into thin slices

    Cut the mozzarella into thin slices, I use the egg slicer for the mozzarella as well

    In a bowl, add some ragu to the ricotta

    In a bowl, add some ragu to the ricotta

    Work it with a fork to loosen it up

    Work it with a fork to loosen it up

    Composing the lasagna

    Place all the ingredients around the lasagna baking dish

    Place all the ingredients around the lasagna baking dish

    Start spreading some ragu at the base of the baking dish

    Start spreading some ragu at the base of the baking dish

    Place the first layer of pasta

    Place the first layer of pasta (I do no boil lasagna noodles)

    With a spoon, spread some ricotta cheese

    With a spoon, spread some ricotta cheese mixture over the lasagna pasta sheets

    Hint: I use fresh lasagna sheets and do not boil it before making the lasagna. I use a large amount of tomato sauce so the lasagna cooks in it

    Then spread the ragu sauce

    Then spread the ragu sauce

    Place some meatballs

    Place some meatballs

    slices of boiled egg and mozzarella cheese in between the meatballs

    In between the meatballs, place some slices of boiled egg and mozzarella cheese

    Sprinkle some Parmesan cheese

    Sprinkle some Parmesan cheese

    Cover with the next layer of lasagna sheets

    Cover with the next layer of lasagna sheets

    Keep building the layers until all the pasta sheets are use

    Keep building the layers until all the pasta sheets are use

    On the top layer, pour the remaining sauce and sprinkle with Parmesan cheese

    On the top layer, pour the remaining sauce and sprinkle with Parmesan cheese

    Bake in a hot oven at 355 F - 180 C for 30 minutes

    Bake in a hot oven at 355 F - 180 C for 30 minutes

    Serve the lasagna warm

    Serve warm

    How to serve it

    This Lasagna di Carnevale is a complete meal containing plenty of proteins and vegetables.

    We do not serve side dishes in Italy with pasta or Lasagne al forno.

    However, you can serve a salad as a starter or a bruschetta with Caprese or mushrooms

    For dessert, as this lasagna is served at Carnival, you can serve it with the classic Italian Carnival desserts: fried Italian donuts Graffe di Carnevale or Chiacchiere.

    Southern lasagna served on a plate showing the meatballs inside

    Which cut of beef is best for ragu

    The best cuts of beef to use in the stew are the cheaper cuts, usually well-worked muscles.

    Because they worked a lot, they are lean and tough but with a lot of connective tissues.

    Those tissues melt when cooked for a long time forming thick creamy gelatin.

    lean cut of beef for stew cut in cubes

    In the chart below you can see where those cuts are located. They are called:

    • 8 & 9 Shank in Italian Campanello or Muscolo, in French Jarret, Gîte
    • 10 & 11 Round in Italian Girello or Controgirello, in French Semelle, Jumeau
    • 12 Chuck in Italian Giovarro or Collo, in French Collier

    If you want to know more about the difference among those cuts you can read an interesting article on Seriouseats.com : Stew Science: How to Choose the Best Cuts for Beef Stew.

    Are you interested in knowing more about cuts of beef and their names also in French and Italian? You can find more information in the article: Cuts of Beef for Barbecuing 

    Beef cuts for stew chart

    Variations

    There are many lasagna variations in Italy; you can check out the easy no-boil lasagna recipe made with dry noodles, ragu and bechamel.

    I will publish more types of lasagna in the coming days.

    No-boil lasagna with bachamel and ragu

    Equipment

    To simplify this lasagna recipe, I use a pressure cooker to make the ragu and a deep fryer to fry the meatballs.

    However, if you do not have a pressure cooker you can simmer the rage for 2 hours in a regular large pot.

    You can deep fry the meatballs in a regular pot.

    I use an egg timer for boiling eggs that change the color based on how well the eggs are done.

    To slice the eggs and the mozzarella into very thin slices I use an egg slicer stainless steel

    Boiling egg with egg timer

    Storage

    This lasagna is better eaten fresh the same day; however, it stores well for two days in the fridge in an airtight container.

    If you have leftovers you can freeze them, as long as the ingredients were not previously frozen.

    It is best not to fully cook again a frozen lasagna.

    Let it defrost in the fridge overnight and place it in a hot oven covered with aluminum foil for 10 minutes

    lasagna served on a plate with a fork

    Top tips

    • This is a long recipe to make, you can prepare the ragu and the meatballs the day before
    • Remove the meat from the ragu and only use the sauce for the lasagna. You can eat the meat separately the next day
    • It is best not to freeze it. Do freeze it if you have leftovers, but only if the ingredients were not previously frozen
    • I use fresh lasagna sheets and do not boil them before making the lasagna. I use a large amount of tomato sauce, so the lasagna cooks in it
    lasagna in the baking pan with a slice cut

    FAQ

    What is the difference between northern and southern Italy lasagna?

    Northern lasagna is made with Bolognese ragu and Bechamel white sauce, while southern lasagna is many with Neapolitan ragu, meatballs, ricotta and boiled eggs

    Should lasagne have bechamel or ricotta?

    The lasagna in the north of Italy are made with bechamel, the one from southern Italy is made with ricotta. Both delicious!

    Is lasagna better with ricotta or cottage cheese?

    The authentic Italian lasagna is not made with cottage cheese, either ricotta or bechamel.

    Related

    Looking for other recipes like this? Try these:

    • How to make pasta better than this
      38 Tips On How To Cook Perfect Pasta Like An Italian (Video)
    • black ink cuttlefish pasta
      Pasta With Squid Ink Cuttlefish
    • Spaghetti with bottarga
      Spaghetti Alla Bottarga Di Muggine - Mullet Roe
    • spaghetti nest, small and large
      Homemade Spaghetti Nests - Nidi di Spaghetti

    Pairing

    These are my favorite dishes to serve with Lasagne di Carnevale:

    • Italian bruschetta with mozzarella
      Italian Bruschetta Recipe With Mozzarella
    • Mushroom bruschetta with bacon
      Mushroom Bruschetta With Bacon
    • Italian donuts Graffe, Zeppole di Carnevale covered with sugar
      Italian Donuts Graffe - Zeppole Di Carnevale
    • Chiacchiare Italian fried cookies
      Chiacchiere - Italian Fried Cookies

    If you are making any of this Southern Italian Lasagna Recipe, leave your comment below I would like to hear from you. You can find more delicious ideas if you FOLLOW ME on Facebook, YouTube, or sign up to my newsletter.

    Southern Italian Lasagna Recipe

    📋Southern Italian Lasagna Recipe (Lasagna di Carnevale)

    5 from 1 vote
    Laura Tobin
    Servings 6 people
    Prep Time 30 minutes mins
    Cook Time 3 hours hrs
    Total Time 3 hours hrs 30 minutes mins
    Print Recipe Save Saved! Pin Recipe
    This southern Italian lasagna recipe also called lasagna di Carnevale, is a classic dish from Naples served on Fat Tuesday (Martedi grasso). It is a lavish meal traditionally served the day before Lent begins. While the traditional lasagna recipe from Northern Italy is made with Bolognese sauce and white sauce bechamel, this Lasagna alla Napoletana is made with a tomato meat sauce ragu mixed with ricotta cheese and filled with small fried meatballs, mozzarella cheese and hard-boiled eggs.
    Prevent your screen from going dark

    Equipment

    • Pressure Cooker optional
    • Deep Fryer optional
    • Wooden Turner Set
    • Egg timer for boiling eggs
    • Egg slicer stainless steel
    • Pyrex Baking Dishes

    Ingredients
     

    For the ragu

    • 1 carrot diced
    • 1 stalk of celery diced
    • 1 onion diced
    • 3.5 oz sausages
    • 9 oz pork ribs
    • 5 oz beef shank or Round or Chuck
    • ½ cup red wine optional
    • 3.3 lb homemade tomato sauce
    • 2 teaspoon salt
    • 3 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil

    Meatballs

    • 6 oz lean minced beef
    • 2 oz stale bread
    • 1 cup milk
    • 3 oz freshly grated Parmesan
    • 1 egg
    • 1 teaspoon salt
    • vegetable oil for frying

    Lasagna

    • 9 oz fresh lasagna sheets
    • 9 oz ricotta
    • 7 oz mozzarella block
    • 4 oz freshly grated Parmesan
    • 2 boiled eggs

    Instructions
     

    Making the ragu

    • Dice the carrot, celery and onion
      1 carrot diced, 1 stalk of celery diced, 1 onion diced
    • Stir fry with some extra virgin olive oil to make a soffritto
      3 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
    • Add the pork rib, the sausage and the beef shank
      3.5 oz sausages, 9 oz pork ribs, 5 oz beef shank
    • Stir with a wooden spoon until the meat is seared
    • Add some red wine and let it evaporate
      ½ cup red wine
    • Season with salt and add the tomato sauce
      2 teaspoon salt, 3.3 lb homemade tomato sauce
    • Let the ragu cook for 35 minutes in the pressure cooker
    • If you don't have a pressure cooker, let it simmer at low heat for 2 hours
    • Remove the meat from the ragu
    • Pour the ragu into a large bowl and let it cool down at room temperature

    Making the little meatballs

    • Soak the stale bread in milk for an hour
      2 oz stale bread, 1 cup milk
    • Drain the excess milk
    • Add to the bread the minced meat, egg, Parmesan cheese and salt
      6 oz lean minced beef, 3 oz freshly grated Parmesan, 1 egg, 1 teaspoon salt
    • Mix with your hand until they are combined
    • Roll in the palms of your hands a small piece of the mixture
    • Make small meatballs 0.5 in - 1 cm diameter
    • Lay the meatballs over a tray
    • Heat some vegetable oil for deep frying
      vegetable oil for frying
    • Fry the meatballs
    • Remove from the oil
    • Place on a paper towel to drain the excess oil

    Preparing the ingredients

    • Hard boil the eggs
      2 boiled eggs
    • Remove the shell
    • Slice them very thinly with an egg slicer
    • Cut the mozzarella into thin slices, I use the egg slicer for the mozzarella as well
      7 oz mozzarella block
    • In a bowl, add some ragu to the ricotta
      9 oz ricotta
    • Work it with a fork to loosen it up

    Composing the lasagna

    • Place all the ingredients around the lasagna baking dish
    • Start spreading some ragu at the base of the baking dish
    • Place the first layer of pasta (I do not boil lasagna noodles)
      9 oz fresh lasagna sheets
    • With a spoon, spread some ricotta cheese mixture over the lasagna pasta sheets
    • Then spread the ragu sauce
    • Place some meatballs
    • In between the meatballs, place some slices of boiled egg and mozzarella cheese
    • Sprinkle some Parmesan cheese
      4 oz freshly grated Parmesan
    • Cover with the next layer of lasagna sheets
    • Keep building the layers until all the pasta sheets are use
    • On the top layer, pour the remaining sauce and sprinkle with Parmesan cheese
    • Bake in a hot oven at 355 F - 180 C for 30 minutes
    • Serve warm

    Video

    Notes

    • This is a long recipe to make, you can prepare the ragu and the meatballs the day before
    • Remove the meat from the ragu and only use the sauce for the lasagna. You can eat the meat separately the next day
    • It is best not to freeze it. Do freeze it if you have leftovers, but only if the ingredients were not previously frozen
    • I use fresh lasagna sheets and do not boil them before making the lasagna. I use a large amount of tomato sauce, so the lasagna cooks in it

    Nutrition

    Calories: 700kcalCarbohydrates: 50gProtein: 43gFat: 36gSaturated Fat: 17gPolyunsaturated Fat: 3gMonounsaturated Fat: 13gTrans Fat: 0.1gCholesterol: 213mgSodium: 3253mgPotassium: 1210mgFiber: 5gSugar: 13gVitamin A: 3693IUVitamin C: 20mgCalcium: 766mgIron: 6mg
    Tried this recipe?Please consider Leaving a Review!
    important notes on ingredients

    More Pasta with meat or seafood

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      Authentic Italian Pasta Dough: The Secret to Perfect Al Dente
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      Healthy Smoked Salmon Pasta Recipe
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      Italian Cheesy Baked Tortellini Souffle Recipe

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