A recipe for Pasticho (Venezuelan Lasagna)! Lasagna noodles are layered with a meat sauce, ham, béchamel, and cheese, then baked until golden.
This Pasticho (Pasticho Venezolano) is such an incredibly comforting pasta dish and packed with flavor!
Inspired by the Italian lasagna, it is filled with layers of tender noodles, ham, a creamy béchamel sauce, and a savory tomato-based meat sauce.
After layering, the dish is baked until golden and bubbly. Allow to rest for a few minutes before cutting and serving individual slices. I added a little extra fresh basil over the top for an extra burst of color.
A Few Pasticho Tips
Use a deep 9×13 inch (23×33 centimeter) baking dish to hold all the different layers.
When making the béchamel sauce, slowly add the milk to create a smooth, creamy sauce. Cook while constantly stirring until it is thickened enough to coat the back of a spoon.
I have come across different ways of layering this pasta dish. I went with béchamel sauce, pasta, meat sauce, ham, béchamel, Mozzarella, Parmesan, then more pasta, until I used up all the ingredients.
The ham is optional, but I included it in this latest recipe update. If avoiding pork, you can simply omit.
I have made this dish with both cooked noodles and ready-to-bake noodles. If boiling the pasta sheets first, cook just until pliable and barely tender. It will continue to cook in the oven.
Once out of the oven, let the Pasticho rest for at least 10-15 minutes before slicing and serving. This will allow the pasta layers to settle and create more clean slices.
This Pasticho is best warm from the oven after resting for a few minutes. Leftovers can be refrigerated in an airtight container for up to 3 days. Reheat individual slices in the microwave until heated through.
Looking for more baked pasta dishes?
Try my:
- Baked Macaroni and Cheese
- Macarrones con Chorizo (Spanish Pasta with Chorizo)
- Älplermagronen (Swiss Alpine Macaroni)
This recipe was originally posted in March 2014 and updated in August 2022.
Pasticho (Venezuelan Lasagna) Recipe
Adapted from Mommy’s Home Cooking
Pasticho (Venezuelan Lasagna)
Ingredients
Meat Sauce:
- 2 tablespoons (30 milliliters) olive oil
- 1 medium onion peeled and chopped
- 4 cloves garlic peeled and minced
- 1 pound (450 grams) ground beef
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- 2 tablespoons (35 grams) tomato paste
- 1 tablespoon (15 milliliters) soy sauce
- 2 teaspoons Worcestershire sauce
- 1/2 cup (120 milliliters) red wine or beef stock
- 1 can (28 ounces, 794 grams) whole, peeled tomatoes
- 1 tablespoon dried oregano
- 1 tablespoon granulated sugar
- 1 bay leaf
- 1/4 cup (9 grams) fresh basil finely chopped, plus more for garnish
Bechamel Sauce:
- 1/2 cup (113 grams) unsalted butter
- 1/2 cup (63 grams) all-purpose flour
- 4 1/2 cups (1 liter) milk
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- 1/4 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg
For assembling:
- 1 pound (450 grams) dried lasagna noodles
- 12 ounces (340 grams) thinly sliced ham
- 12 ounces (340 grams) low moisture mozzarella cheese shredded
- 4 ounces (113 grams) Parmesan cheese freshly grated
Instructions
To make the meat sauce:
- In a large saucepan, drizzle the olive oil over medium heat.
- Add the onion and cook, stirring occasionally, until beginning to soften. Stir in the garlic and cook until just fragrant, 30 seconds to 1 minute.
- Crumble in the beef, breaking apart the pieces with a spoon.
- Continue to cook, stirring occasionally, until browned and broken into small pieces. Season with salt and pepper.
- Stir in the tomato paste until well coated. Add the soy sauce and Worcestershire sauce.
- Pour in the red wine and stir well to deglaze the pan. Cook until the liquid is thickened and nearly evaporated.
- Add the tomatoes, oregano, sugar, bay leaf, and basil. Once the mixture is boiling, reduce to a simmer and cook, stirring occasionally, until the tomatoes are completely softened and easily broken apart, about 30-45 minutes.
- Adjust seasonings to taste, remove the bay leaf, and set aside.
To cook the Bechamel:
- In a large saucepan, melt the butter over medium low heat.
- Once melted, whisk in flour until golden and bubbling.
- Slowly whisk in milk and continue to stir until thickened enough to coat the back of a spoon.
- Season with salt, pepper, and nutmeg. Remove from heat.
To assemble:
- Preheat oven to 375˚F (190˚C). Lightly grease a 9×13 inch (23×33 centimeter) deep baking dish with butter.
- If cooking the pasta first: Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add the dried lasagna noodles and cook until almost al dente, nearly tender. They will cook further in the oven. Drain and set aside.
- Cover the bottom of the prepared baking dish with a thin layer of the béchamel sauce.
- Top with a layer of the lasagna noodles.
- Spread with a layer of 1/2 of the meat sauce.
- Cover with a layer of the thinly sliced ham.
- Top with another layer of béchamel, then 1/3rd of the Mozzarella and Parmesan.
- Cover with another layer of pasta, then the remaining meat sauce, then ham, béchamel, and 1/3rd Mozzarella and Parmesan.
- Add a final layer of noodles, then the remaining béchamel sauce, Mozzarella, and Parmesan.
- Cover the baking dish with foil and bake in preheated oven for 30 minutes.
- Remove the foil and bake until cheese is bubbly and beginning to turn golden, 15-20 minutes.
- Allow to cool for 10 minutes before slicing and serving. Garnish with additional basil if desired.
Kata
Gracias chica! Will make it tonight. Was my fav dish in Caracas (and the world) 🙂 abrazos
Jennifer
I have been using this recipe to make pasticho for my Venezuelan husband for about three years but am just commenting! I always come back to this one. The meat sauce is the best! For some reason he insists on having peas and sliced ham in his pasticho though. Thank you 🙂
Tara
So glad to hear Jennifer! I will definitely have to remake it soon with ham.
Sabine
Hey Tara,
Your pasticho looks very good! However, this particular dish does not originate from Italy, Spain or Portugal the origin is Greece. I know this because it’s a staple in Greek households and I make it quite often :). We call it by basically the same name (pastitsio) and the components such as the béchamel sauce and meat are filling virtually the same.
-Sabine
Arianna
Good observation that it does have indeed the same name as the Greek Pastitsio but it is an Italian-Venezuelan dish that comes from Italian Lasagna, there’s speculation as to how this happened but to everyone in Venezuela My grandparents immigrated from Italy to Venezuela, he had an Italian restaurant and everything and like all Italians in Venezuela they made this and called it Pasticho
J
Después van a decir que la hallaca también es griega 🙄
Linda Myers de Romero
Hi Tara and Jenifer! I lived 25 years in Mérida, Venezuela. The pasticho I learned to make was very similar to yours but used thyme instead of oregano, thinly sliced ham layered in along with meat sauce, and peas. This is the way all the restaurants in Mérida made it. This was about 25 years ago and I’m sure things have changed. Pasticho de Berenjena (Eggplant) was made exactly the same using sautéed eggplant slices which were not breaded instead of flat, not crimped, noodles. Crimped noodles were used for lasagna, which didn’t have peas or ham. I congratulate you for having the recipe closest to traditional Andean Venezuelan Pasticho that I’ve seen on line!!
Tara
Thank you so much!
Valentina
I’m half Italian n Portuguese born in Canada. And my Italian nonna has made this her whole life her recipe coming from her mother. Over 100 years ago. And they are from the mountains above Venice. I recently found it’s a Greek word but never would have thought I would find it in Venezuelan cooking. It truly is a small world.