Want the earthy heartiness of traditional lasagna without the meat? Mushroom lasagna is a solid vegetarian choice.
Lasagna, with its layers of alternating meat sauce and cheese sauce, divided by the lasagna noodles, is a delicious way to feed a crowd. Traditional lasagna is one of the oldest and most popular dishes in Italian cooking, and especially in American cooking, every cook has their favorite way of making it. But what if you don’t eat meat, or are just wanting to cut down on your meat consumption without sacrificing flavor? Enter this Mushroom Lasagna. It is a vegetarian spin on the traditional version that is so good, it may soon be a classic as well!
From cheese lasagna to spinach lasagna to this Mushroom Lasagna, there are a bunch of ways to sub out meat with veggies. The main layer to replace is the meat sauce, so with its texture and bulk, diced mushrooms are a no-brainer. Their immunity-boosting benefits and vitamin B and D power aren’t too shabby either!
From your first bite, the hearty, earthy flavor of Mushroom Lasagna is what sticks with you – not the absence of meat. The tomato-mushroom sauce (or ragu) layer is a veritable rainbow of flavors, with garlic, celery, carrots, spinach, and of course mushrooms and tomatoes, and its acidity and bulk is the perfect foil to the creamy cheese sauce layer. Layers of flavor and a hearty texture make this a filling and satisfying main dish. And, like all lasagnas, it can definitely be assembled ahead and baked just before serving, which is always a bonus.
What is Mushroom Stock?
If you regularly cook vegetarian dishes, you are probably already familiar with mushroom stock. If not, you may need a quick intro. Basically, mushroom stock consists of mushrooms, seasonings, and water simmered together to create a flavorful vegetarian stock that is perfect to use as a base for soups, stews, or sauces like the one in this lasagna. The resulting broth is deep in savory flavor and while you can make your own, I prefer to just pick up a carton at the grocery – there are organic as well as conventional brands to choose from.
Ingredients
- 2 Tbsp olive oil
- 1 red onion finely diced
- 2 cloves garlic, crushed
- 2 sticks celery, diced
- 2 large carrots, diced
- 18 oz mushrooms, diced
- 2 tsp fresh thyme leaves
- 2 Tbsp Worcestershire sauce (vegan)
- 1 tsp dried Italian herbs
- 14 oz can crushed tomatoes
- 2 cups mushroom stock
- 2 cups baby spinach
- Salt and pepper
- ½ cup parmesan, finely grated
- ¼ cup butter
- ¼ cup flour
- 3 cups whole milk
- 1 cup Cheddar, shredded
- 1 pinch nutmeg
- 12 no-boil lasagna sheets
- 1 cup Mozzarella, shredded
How to Make Mushroom Lasagna
Step 1: Heat the olive oil in a large heavy-based pot over medium heat then add in the onion, garlic, celery, and mushrooms. Sauté for 10 minutes.
Step 2: Pop in the thyme leaves along with the Worcestershire sauce, Italian herbs, crushed tomato, and mushroom stock. Stir it and bring it to a boil. Then turn it down to simmer for 20 minutes or until the liquid has mostly cooked away and you are left with a lovely thick ragu sauce.
Step 3: In the meantime preheat the oven to 350F. Then make the cheese sauce by melting the butter in another medium-sized pot over medium heat. Sprinkle in the flour and whisk it together, it should form a lovely thick slurry. Slowly pour in the milk, and sprinkle in the nutmeg, whisking the whole time until it becomes thick. Once the sauce is thick take the pot off the heat and mix in the cheese.
Step 4: Grate ¼ cup of parmesan into the ragu pot and stir.
Step 5: Now that your mushroom sauce has cooked and your cheese sauce is done you can start assembling your lasagna by spreading a layer of mushroom sauce into a 9×13 inch lasagna dish, then a layer of lasagna sheets then a layer of cheese sauce. Repeat this two or three times until all the sauce is used up.
Step 6: Add the mozzarella on top and then cover with foil and bake for 25 minutes with the foil on. Gently remove the foil and bake for another 15 minutes until the cheese is bubbling and golden brown on top.
FAQs
As long as you end up with shredded cheese on top, there is no right answer. Most lasagnas have between 2 to 4 layers.
Whole milk is best for the cheese sauce, but you can substitute half and half, cream, or even Vitamin D Evaporated milk. For best results, do not use lowfat or skim milk.
For the majority of the baking time, yes. The foil traps the steam in the baking dish so the lasagna noodles soften properly. If you don’t have foil, at least find an ovenproof glass lid that fits your dish. Remove the foil for the final 15 minutes of bake and subsequent broil time.
Button, or white mushrooms are common and they work well. Cremini or portobello are also great.
Once the lasagna is done baking, turn on your broiler and broil the top of your finished lasagna. Just a few minutes are enough.
Give the finished lasagna about 10 minutes to rest on the countertop before cutting and serving. The texture will firm up, making slicing easier.
Serving Suggestions
A really garlicky garlic bread is super tasty with this lasagna. Or any kind of warm, crusty bread, really. A tossed salad is a good side dish, but honestly, lasagna is so filling, you probably don’t need it. If you enjoy it, a glass of wine to sip while enjoying this Mushroom Lasagna is just about perfect.
How to Store Mushroom Lasagna
The beauty part of lasagna is the prep ahead. You can choose your level of make ahead prep: get everything chopped and refrigerate until you’re ready to make the sauces and assemble, or just prep the whole way and chop, make the sauces, and assemble and refrigerate until ready to bake. Just remember to let the refrigerated, uncooked lasagna to sit on your counter while the oven preheats. For leftovers, just refrigerate in a sealed container for up to 4-5 days and reheat in the microwave. Cooked lasagna freezes well, as long as it is in an airtight container, for up to 3 months.
Mushroom Lasagna
Ingredients
- 2 Tbsp Olive oil
- 1 red onion finely diced
- 2 cloves Garlic crushed
- 2 sticks Celery diced
- 2 large Carrots diced
- 18 oz Mushrooms diced
- 2 tsp Fresh Thyme leaves
- 2 Tbsp Worcestershire Sauce Vegan
- 1 tsp dried Italian Herbs
- 14 oz can Crushed Tomato
- 2 cups Mushroom Stock
- 2 cups Baby Spinach
- Salt and Pepper
- ½ cup Parmesan finely grated
- ¼ cup Butter
- ¼ cup Flour
- 3 cups Whole milk
- 1 cup Cheddar shredded
- 1 pinch Nutmeg
- 12 lasagna sheets
- 1 cup Mozzarella shredded
Instructions
- Heat the olive oil in a large heavy-based pot over medium heat then add in the onion, garlic, celery, and mushrooms. Saute for 10 minutes.
- Pop in the thyme leaves along with the Worcestershire sauce, Italian herbs, crushed tomato, and mushroom stock. Stir it and bring it to a boil. Then turn it down to simmer for 20 minutes or until the liquid has mostly cooked away and you are left with a lovely thick sauce.
- In the meantime preheat the oven to 350F. Then make the cheese sauce by melting the butter in another medium-sized pot over medium heat. Sprinkle in the flour and whisk it together, it should form a lovely thick slurry. Slowly pour in the milk, and sprinkle in the nutmeg, whisking the whole time until it becomes thick. Once the sauce is thick take the pot off the heat and mix in the cheese.
- Grate ¼ cup of parmesan into the ragu pot and stir.
- Now that your mushroom sauce has cooked and your cheese sauce is done you can start assembling your lasagna by spreading a layer of mushroom sauce into a 9×13 inch lasagna dish, then a layer of lasagna sheets then a layer of cheese sauce. Repeat this two or three times until all the sauce is cooked
- Add the mozzarella on top and then cover with foil and bake for 25 minutes with the foil on. Gently remove the foil and bake for another 15 minutes until the cheese is bubbling and golden brown on top.
Nutrition
