Char Siu Pork Lasagna
Sweet-savory Cantonese barbecue pork is simmered with shiitake, ginger and hoisin, then layered with no-boil noodles, a gently spiced béchamel and stretchy mozzarella. Finished with scallions and toasted sesame, it's a cozy East-meets-West bake that feeds a crowd.
- Prep
- 25 min
- Cook
- 1 hr 10 min
- Wait
- 15 min
- Total
- 1 hr 50 min
- Makes
- 1 lasagna (8 generous squares)
Steps
Before you start
- Buy ready-made char siu from a Chinese barbecue shop or market (or use leftovers). It's already cooked, so you only need to dice it.
- Use no-boil (oven-ready) lasagna noodles. Regular noodles will not hydrate properly with this amount of sauce.
- Shred the mozzarella yourself from a block of low-moisture mozzarella for the best melt.
- Grease the baking dish and set an oven rack in the center position. The oven is preheated in step 1.
Prep and preheatOven 375°F / 190°C
- Position a rack in the center of the oven and preheat to 375°F (190°C).
- Lightly grease a 9×13-inch (23×33 cm) baking dish.
- Dice the char siu into ½-inch (1 cm) pieces, slice the shiitake caps, slice the scallions (keeping whites and greens separate), mince the garlic, grate the ginger, and shred the mozzarella.
- Set everything within reach.
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Ready when: Everything is chopped and the oven is at temperature.
Tip: Char siu is sticky, so a lightly oiled knife makes dicing easier.
Make the béchamel
- In a 3-quart (3 L) saucepan over medium heat, melt the butter until foamy.
- Whisk in the flour and cook, whisking constantly, for 1 minute until it smells nutty but has not browned.
- Pour in the milk about ½ cup (120 ml) at a time, whisking until smooth before adding more.
- Bring to a gentle bubble, reduce to medium-low, and simmer 5 minutes, stirring often.
- Whisk in the salt, white pepper and five-spice.
- Remove from heat.
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Ready when: Sauce is pourable but thick enough to coat the back of a spoon, and a finger drawn through it leaves a clean line.
Tip: Add milk gradually to prevent lumps. If lumps form, whisk vigorously or strain the sauce. Go easy on salt, because the pork and hoisin are already salty.
Brown the mushrooms
- Heat the oil in a 12-inch (30 cm) skillet over medium-high heat until shimmering.
- Add the shiitake in an even layer and cook, stirring only occasionally, for 5–6 minutes until their liquid has evaporated and the edges are browned.
- Add the scallion whites, garlic and ginger and stir for 30 seconds until fragrant.
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Ready when: Mushrooms are golden brown and the pan looks dry; garlic smells fragrant but is not dark.
Tip: Don't salt the mushrooms. It draws out water and delays browning.
Simmer the pork filling
- Add the diced char siu, hoisin, soy sauce, Shaoxing wine, rice vinegar and chicken broth to the skillet.
- Stir well, scraping up browned bits.
- Reduce heat to medium and simmer 4–5 minutes, stirring occasionally.
- Off the heat, stir in the sesame oil.
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Ready when: Sauce is glossy and thick like jam, clinging to the pork, with a little loose liquid (about 2 tablespoons) left in the pan.
Tip: Keep a little loose sauce. The dry noodles need that moisture to soften in the oven.
Build the bottom layer
- Spread ½ cup (120 ml) of the béchamel over the bottom of the baking dish.
- Lay 3 noodles lengthwise on top, leaving small gaps between them for expansion.
- Spread one-third of the pork filling over the noodles, then spoon about 1 cup (240 ml) béchamel over the filling and sprinkle with ¾ cup (about 85 g) mozzarella.
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Ready when: Noodles are fully covered with filling and sauce, with no dry exposed spots.
Tip: The sauce under the first noodles prevents sticking and scorching.
Add the middle layer
- Add 3 more noodles, then another third of the pork filling, about 1 cup (240 ml) béchamel, and ¾ cup (about 85 g) mozzarella.
- Spread each layer to the edges and corners.
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Ready when: Layer is even and reaches the corners of the dish.
Finish the top layer
- Place the final 3 noodles on top.
- Spread over the remaining pork filling, then pour on the remaining béchamel (about 1½ cups/360 ml), pushing it to cover every noodle edge.
- Scatter the remaining mozzarella (about 1½ cups/170 g) over the top.
- Cover tightly with foil, with the underside lightly greased.
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Ready when: All noodles are completely covered with sauce.
Tip: Uncovered noodle corners will stay hard and crunchy, so be sure each one is buried in sauce.
Bake coveredOven 375°F / 190°C
- Place the dish on a rimmed baking sheet to catch drips.
- Bake covered at 375°F (190°C) for 35 minutes so the noodles steam and soften.
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Ready when: Sauce bubbles around the edges and a knife slides easily through the noodles.
Tip: If a knife meets resistance, re-cover and bake 5–10 minutes more.
Uncover and brownOven 375°F / 190°C
- Remove the foil carefully, away from your face, to avoid steam.
- Bake uncovered at 375°F (190°C) for 15 minutes more.
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Ready when: Cheese is bubbling with golden-brown spots and the center reads 165°F (74°C) on an instant-read thermometer.
Tip: For deeper browning, broil on high for 1–2 minutes, watching closely.
Rest and garnish
- Let the lasagna rest on a wire rack for 15 minutes so the layers set.
- Sprinkle with the scallion greens and toasted sesame seeds.
- Cut into 8 squares and serve, with chili crisp on the side if you like.
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Ready when: Sauce has stopped bubbling and a cut edge holds its shape.
Tip: Cutting too early makes the layers slide apart.
Good to know
Tips
- Buy char siu with some fat on it. Lean pieces can turn dry in the oven, while fattier cuts stay juicy.
- Leave small gaps between noodles; they swell as they hydrate and will otherwise buckle.
- Make sure the filling is saucy but not soupy. Too dry and the noodles stay firm; too wet and the lasagna slides apart.
- Drizzle chili crisp or a little extra hoisin over each slice for a spicy, sweet finish.
Make ahead
"Assemble through step 7, cover tightly with plastic wrap and refrigerate up to 24 hours. Take it out 30 minutes before baking, replace plastic with foil, and add 10 minutes to the covered baking time. The pork filling and béchamel can also be made 2 days ahead (press plastic onto the sauce surface); rewarm gently with a splash of milk or broth before layering."
Storage & reheating
"Room temperature: up to 2 hours. Fridge: covered, up to 4 days. Freezer: wrap individual squares tightly, up to 2 months. Reheat squares covered with foil at 350°F (175°C) for 20–25 minutes (frozen squares: 40 minutes, thawed in the fridge overnight if possible), or microwave a single portion at 70% power for 2–3 minutes, until steaming hot (165°F/74°C)."
Substitutions
- fresh shiitake mushrooms → cremini (baby bella) mushrooms. Slightly milder flavor; cook the same way until well browned.
- Shaoxing wine → dry sherry. Use the same amount. Avoid sweet cooking wines.
- char siu (Chinese barbecue pork) → roast pork shoulder or pork tenderloin tossed with extra hoisin. Use 1½ lb (680 g) cooked pork and add 1 extra tablespoon of hoisin to mimic char siu sweetness.
- whole milk → 2% milk. Works fine, but the sauce will be slightly less rich. Avoid skim.