Mushroom Lasagna

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This light yet rich mushroom lasagna is the perfect dish for anyone  trying to eat more vegetables or who is looking for a meatless Monday recipe.

I love lasagna but it really is a labor of love.   Sauce + noodle prep +  construction + baking time.  It’s not a quick dish to whip up.  The baking time alone is 45 minutes.  Perhaps this is why I often order it at restaurants when I see it on the menu.  I know the time and effort that went into making it.

Lasagna is one of my favorite Italian dishes.  Noodles and cheese with tangy sauce.  What is not love? And I must mention, it makes great leftovers to eat for lunch.  What is great about this lasagna recipe is you can make it up to twenty-four hours in advance and the resting time helps develop the flavors. This means less fat so it is lower in calories and fat than traditional meat filled lasagna.  It is a simple yet delicious meatless lasagna.   This recipe is only 9 —Yes NINE— Weight Watchers Smart points per serving.

This recipe took several takes to develop.  Why?  The mushrooms.  I made this recipe using several types and combinations of mushrooms before determining that shiitake mushrooms were the best variety to use.  They have great bite and don’t disintegrate into the dish when cooked.   They are cooked in butter with onions to give them richness and lets their earthiness shine.

Honestly, the mushrooms in this lasagna are to DIE FOR, so much so,  you will never miss the meat.

When making the sauce I only use 3 primary ingredients: diced San Marzano tomatoes, onions and basil.  The ingredients are cooked in the same pan as the mushrooms and the  liquid from the tomatoes deglazes the rich mushroom bits adding a layer of flavor to the sauce. Garlic lovers might want to add a clove or 4 to the sauce.

Another key to making this recipe great is choosing high quality cheese. The ricotta you use can make or break this dish.  I’m very fortunate to have several stores that make fresh ricotta that I can buy.  If I am at a non specialty store, I look for the freshest container I can find.  I find that as the cheese sits on the shelf, it becomes more dense.  I also by 2% ricotta.  Fat free  has no flavor and is a bit gritty.  Full fat is overly rich and high in calories.  2% has just the right amount of milk fat without compromising flavor.

This recipe can be halved easily.  I make four hearty servings in  my  8″ pyrex baking dish.   Instead of oil, sauce the bottom of the pan with a thick layer of the sauce.

Instead of several thin layers of ingredients I like two layers, one with ricotta cheese, one with mushrooms.

I also like the mushrooms as the top layer.  The ricotta layer creates a foundation for a mushroom second floor.  Mushrooms as the base layer make the lasagna wobbly.

The final layer is a fresh mozzarella and grated parmesan.  I cut the mozzarella into 1″ inch cubes.  The cheese when it bakes gets crispy and bubbly and add those crunchy cheese bits that makes a good lasagna great.

Print

6 Ingredient Mushroom Lasagna

Prep Time 25 minutes

Cook Time 45 minutes

Servings 8 servings

Ingredients

Lasagna

• Mushroom Mixture
• Marinara Sauce
• 1 pound no cook lasagne noodles
• 1 pound ricotta
• 8 oz fresh mozzarella about 1 cup
• 1/4 cup grated Parmesan

Mushroom Mixture

• 1 pound shiitake mushrooms sliced
• 1 small onion sliced
• 1 teaspoons salt
• 1 teaspoon pepper
• 2 tablespoons butter

Pan Marinara Sauce

• 1 small onion diced
• 1 cup of basil torn
• 1 16 oz can of diced San Marzano tomatoes

Instructions

Mushroom Mixture

1. In a medium in a heavy skillet, melt butter until it beings to brown. Add mushrooms and onions. Sprinkle with salt and pepper. Sauté until soft. Remove from pan and let cool.

Pan Marinara Sauce

1. In the same pan as mushrooms were cooked in add onions. Cook until soft.
2. Add tomatoes and basil. Bring to a simmer then reduce heat and cover with a lid for 15 minutes.
3. Transfer sauce to a blend and puree until smooth.

Assemble lasagne:

1. Preheat oven to 375°F.
2. In the bottom of a 13 x 9-inch (3-quart) baking dish add a thick layer of sauce.
3. Cover with pasta sheets. Do not overlap.
4. Spread ricotta cheese evenly.
5. Cover with pasta sheets.
6. Spread a thick layer of sauce over noodles.
7. Spread mushrooms evenly.
8. Cover with pasta sheets.
9. Spread a thick layer of sauce over noodles.
10. Add fresh mozzarella and sprinkle with grated parmesan.
11. Bake on middle rack until bubbling and golden, about 45 minutes.
12. Let lasagne stand 20 minutes.
13. I recommend assembling the lasagne1 day in advance before baking.
14. Cover and refrigerate. Bring to room temperature before baking.

Recipe Notes

This recipe can easily be saved for 4 servings.