This creamy, flavorful meatless mushroom lasagna is made with layers of pasta, velvety parmesan béchamel, rich and savory mushroom ragù, and melted parmesan cheese.
This dish is 100% comfort food and eating a plateful is like giving yourself a gigantic hug.
How to Make Mushroom Lasagna with Béchamel Sauce
Go grab your 9x13 baking pan, pour yourself a glass of wine, turn on your favorite tunes, and cozy up to the truth that tonight is all about creamy, cheesy comfort food.
Step #1: Make the mushroom ragù
Ragù is an Italian pasta sauce that typically uses minced meat and vegetables cooked with wine, broth, tomato paste and usually a little bit of heavy cream or milk.
This meatless version of ragù uses both dried and fresh mushrooms instead of meat, but is every bit (if not more) hearty and flavorful. Here's how to make it...
- Put some dried porcini or shiitake mushrooms in a bowl, cover them with boiling water, and let them mushrooms soak while you prepare the other ingredients.
- Place a rack on the top third of your oven and preheat it to 425ºF (220ºC).
- Chop up about a pound of cremini mushrooms (white button mushrooms will work too), coat them with a bit of olive oil and salt and let them roast until they are dark, well-reduced, slightly crisp, and utterly delicious.
- Strain the dried mushrooms from their soaking liquid and chop them up as well. Reserve about a cup of the soaking liquid and add some Better than Bouillon Mushroom Base. (The mushroom base is optional, but highly recommended. More about that in a bit.)
- Sauté some chopped onions or shallots with tomato paste, garlic, sumac, cumin, crushed red pepper flakes, salt and ½ teaspoon pepper. Pour in some fruity white wine, let it reduce, then add the chopped mushrooms and the soaking liquid. Let the ragù simmer until it's all happy and flavorful.
Step #2: Make the parmesan béchamel
Béchamel (besciamella) is a creamy sauce made from a white roux (flour and butter) and milk.
This parmesan version is rich, creamy, and positively luxurious. It's also surprisingly simple to make. Here's how...
- Cook some butter and flour in a saucepan until it's smooth and foamy. This is the roux - a combination of flour and fat that will thicken the béchamel.
- Gradually pour in a quart of half and half, whisking constantly as you do. It's very important to add the half and half slowly while whisking. If you add it all at once, you'll end up with a lumpy sauce.
- Add a bit of ground nutmeg and crushed red pepper flakes and cook until the béchamel has thickened enough to coat a spoon.
- Add some grated parmesan, fresh parsley, salt and pepper, then stir in the mushroom ragù.
Step#3: Assemble the Lasagna
Before laying the lasagna in your baking dish, soak the noodles in hot water for a few minutes.
Yes, I know we are using "oven ready" lasagna noodles, but giving them a quick soak prevents them from absorbing too much moisture from the béchamel and mushrooms. The result is a super duper saucy, creamy lasagna. Worth it.
After soaking, simply lay the noodles out on a clean kitchen towel, blotting them with a paper towel to dry.
Ok. Time to layer.
Layer #1: Spread a thin layer of the béchamel and mushroom mixture over the bottom of the dish. Lay 4 noodles in an even layer over the sauce. Spread ⅓ of the béchamel and mushroom mixture over the noodles and top with ⅓ of the cheese.
Layer #2: Lay 4 more noodles in an even layer over the last layer. Spread ⅓ of the béchamel and mushroom mixture over the noodles and top with ⅓ of the cheese.
Layer #3: Lay the remaining 4 noodles over the last layer, spread with the remaining béchamel and mushroom mixture, and top with the remaining cheese.
Cover the pan and bake until the cheese is melted and the sauce is bubbling up along the edges of the pan. Let the lasagna sit for a few minutes (I know, I know, impossible) before slicing and digging in.
What's the Best Kind of Pasta to Use for Lasagna?
I have made lasagna bolognese with fresh sheets of pasta, regular dried lasagna noodles that have been boiled, and ready to bake, no-boil lasagna noodles. To my surprise, I preferred the no-boil noodles over the other options.
I also made this lasagna with no-boil noodles that had been pulled straight from the package and with noodles that had been soaked for about 10 minutes in hot water. Again, to my surprise, I preferred the lasagna in which the oven-ready noodles had been soaked.
Pre-soaking the noodles prevented them from absorbing too much moisture from the béchamel and bolognese sauces, resulting in the creamiest, sauciest lasagna.
To soak the noodles, simply lay them out in a baking dish, drizzle them with a bit of olive oil and sprinkle with salt. Then, add enough hot water to cover the noodles. Swish them around in the pan and then let them soak for 10 minutes.
After soaking, simply lay the noodles out on a clean kitchen towel, blotting them with a paper towel to dry.
Lasagna Béchamel FAQs and Expert Tips
A: I recommend using dried porcini or shiitake mushrooms and fresh cremini mushrooms. Using both dried and fresh mushrooms to make the ragù improves both the flavor and texture of the sauce.
The only difference between cremini mushrooms and white button mushrooms is age. White button mushrooms are cultivated to be white, soft, and harvested young. Cremini mushrooms are simply more mature versions of white button mushrooms and have a browner color, firmer texture, and better flavor.
Cremini mushrooms also hold up better to long cook times and absorb less liquid.
If you can't find cremini mushrooms, white button mushrooms will do just fine. But, if you have the option, cremini mushrooms are the better choice.
A: Better than Bouillon Mushroom Base is a concentrated mushroom base that gives the ragù a more robust mushroom flavor. The base can be found in most major supermarkets or ordered on Amazon.
If you can't find it, it's perfectly acceptable to leave it out. The ragù will have a more mild mushroom flavor but will still be delicious.
A: Sumac is a spice that is popular in the Middle East. One of the more common uses of sumac is in the spice blend, zaatar.
Sumac is both sweet and sour, much like the flavor of fresh lemon juice. I love to use it in recipes that could use an acidic punch, but in which I don't want to add extra liquid.
As the spice increases in popularity, you can sometimes find it in the spice section of major grocery stores. Otherwise, you can order sumac on Amazon.
You can substitute fresh lemon juice for sumac in this recipe. Simply add a couple tablespoons of lemon juice to the mushroom ragù when you add the mushroom soaking liquid.
A: Yes! All the components for this lasagna can be made ahead of time.
The Mushroom Ragù can be cooked up to 4 days before stirring it into the béchamel, assembling the lasagna and baking it.
Parmesan béchamel can be made up to a day in advance of using it for this lasagna. Store it in the refrigerator in a covered container. Warm over low heat, whisking until smooth, then stir in the Mushroom Ragù.
The assembled lasagna can be tightly covered and refrigerated for a day before baking.
Store leftover lasagna in the refrigerator in a covered container for 3 or 4 days. Reheat in an oven that's been heated to 325ºF (162ºC), or in a microwave.
A: No. If made with parmesan cheese, this recipe is meatless but not vegetarian.
Most parmesan cheese contains animal rennet and is not vegetarian. This is also true of other cheeses, such as Pecorino Romano, Grana Padano, and Gorgonzola, and some french cheeses. There are more and more plant-based vegan and vegetarian cheese available every day. So, if eating vegetarian is important to you, look for those.
📖 Recipe
Lasagna Béchamel with Mushroom Ragù
This creamy, flavorful meatless lasagna is layer upon layer of noodles, velvety parmesan béchamel, rich and savory mushroom ragù, and melted parmesan cheese.
This dish is 100% comfort food and eating a plateful is like giving yourself a gigantic hug.
Ingredients
For the Mushroom Ragù:
- 1 oz dried porcini or shiitake mushrooms
- 1 lb cremini mushrooms (or white button mushrooms), sliced
- ¼ cup (59ml) + 2 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil, divided
- Salt and pepper
- 1 tablespoon Better than Bouillon Mushroom Base (optional; see note below)
- ½ cup (75g) diced shallot or yellow onion
- 1 tablespoon tomato paste
- 3-4 cloves garlic, minced
- 2 teaspoon sumac
- 1 teaspoon cumin
- ½ - 1 ½ teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
- 1 cup (236ml) fruity white wine (See note below for suggested varieties)
For the Parmesan Bechamel
- 6 tablespoon (3oz/ 84g) salted butter, cut into 6 pieces
- ¼ cup (30g) all-purpose flour
- 4 cups (1 quart) half and half
- ½ teaspoon ground nutmeg
- 1 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
- Salt and pepper
- 5 ounces (1 ½ cups) finely grated parmesan cheese (*See note below about vegetarian parmesan)
- ½ cup, packed (.6 oz) chopped fresh Italian (flat leaf) parsley
For the Lasagna:
- 12 oven ready no-boil lasagna noodles
- 5 oz (about 1 ½ cups) grated parmesan
- ¼ cup (.3 oz) chopped parsley, for sprinkling over the top of the lasagna
Instructions
Make the Mushroom Ragù :
- Place the dried mushrooms in a bowl and pour 2 cups boiling water over them. Let the mushrooms soak for 30 minutes, while you prepare the other ingredients.
- Place a rack on the top third of your oven and preheat it to 425ºF (220ºC).
- Chop the cremini mushrooms into pieces that are roughly the size of peas and spread them out on a baking sheet. Drizzle the chopped mushrooms with ¼ cup olive oil and sprinkle them with about 1 teaspoon of salt. Stir the mushrooms, olive oil, and salt around on the baking sheet, then spread them out in an even layer. Roast the mushrooms in the oven until they are dark, well-reduced, and slightly crisp, about 35 minutes.
- Line a strainer with cheesecloth or paper towels and set it over a bowl. Pour the dried mushrooms and their soaking liquid into the strainer. Squeeze the mushrooms over the strainer to extract all the flavorful juices. Measure out 1 cup of the soaking liquid and stir in the mushroom base (if using). Set aside.
- If using shiitakes, cut away and discard the stems. Chop the mushrooms into pieces that are about the same size as the chopped cremini mushrooms.
- Heat 1 tablespoon olive oil in a large, heavy skillet over medium heat and add the diced shallots or onion. Cook, stirring often, until soft and translucent, about 3 to 5 minutes.
- Add the tomato paste, garlic, sumac, cumin, crushed red pepper flakes, 1 teaspoon salt and ½ teaspoon pepper. Cook, stirring constantly, for about 1 minute longer.
- Pour in the wine and cook, stirring every now and then, until nearly all the liquid has evaporated.
- Add all the mushrooms and the reserved mushroom soaking liquid. Turn the heat to medium high and cook, stirring frequently, until broth has reduced by a little more than half, about 10 to 15 minutes.
- Remove the Ragù from the heat, taste, and add more salt and pepper if you like. Set aside while you make the béchamel.
Make the Parmesan Béchamel.
- Add the butter to a 3 quart or larger saucepan and set it over medium heat. When the butter is melted, add the flour, stirring constantly with a wire whisk. Cook, whisking constantly, for 2 minutes.
- Add the half and half gradually, whisking constantly as you slowly pour it into the saucepan. Add the nutmeg and red pepper flakes and bring the sauce to a simmer.
- Cook over medium-low heat, whisking frequently, until the béchamel is thickened and does not taste like raw flour, about 12 minutes. (The sauce should be thick enough to coat a spoon; see photos above.)
- Remove the saucepan from the heat and whisk in 4.5 oz grated parmesan, stirring until the cheese is melted.
- Stir the fresh parsley and the mushroom ragù into the béchamel. Add salt and pepper to taste, then cover and set aside. (*See notes below for make-ahead instructions.)
Make the Lasagna:
- Heat the oven to 350 degrees F (176 degrees C).
- Lay the the noodles out in a 9x13 baking dish. Drizzle with the remaining 1 tablespoon olive oil and sprinkle in 1 tablespoon salt. Add enough very hot water (about 140 degrees F/ 60 degrees C) to cover the noodles. Swish the noodles around in the water and then let stand for 10 minutes, moving them around once or twice to ensure they don’t stick together.
- Remove the noodles from the water and lay them out on a clean kitchen towel. Pat dry with another towel or paper towels. Dump the water out of the baking dish and dry with a towel.
- Layer #1: Spread a thin layer of the béchamel and mushroom mixture over the bottom of the dish. Lay 4 noodles in an even layer over the sauce. Spread ⅓ of the béchamel and mushroom mixture over the noodles and top with ⅓ of the cheese.
- Layer #2: Lay 4 more noodles in an even layer over the last layer. Spread ⅓ of the béchamel and mushroom mixture over the noodles and top with ⅓ of the cheese.
- Layer #3: Lay the remaining 4 noodles over the last layer, spread with the remaining béchamel and mushroom mixture, and top with the remaining cheese.
- Cover the pan with foil and bake for 30 minutes. Remove the foil and bake for another 5-10 minutes, until the cheese across the top of the lasagna is melted and the sauce is bubbling around the edges of the pan.
- Remove the lasagna from the oven and let stand for 5-10 minutes before slicing and serving. Sprinkle with more fresh parsley before serving.
Notes
Is Parmesan Cheese "vegetarian"?
Most parmesan cheese contains animal rennet and is not vegetarian. This is also true of other cheeses, such as Pecorino Romano, Grana Padano, and Gorgonzola, and some french cheeses. There are more and more plant-based vegan and vegetarian cheese available every day. So, if eating vegetarian is important to you, look for those.
Make Ahead Instructions:
The Mushroom Ragù can be cooked up to 4 days before stirring it into the béchamel, assembling the lasagna and baking it.
Parmesan béchamel can be made up to a day in advance of using it for this lasagna. Store it in the refrigerator in a covered container. Warm over low heat, whisking until smooth, then stir in the Mushroom Ragù.
The assembled lasagna can be tightly covered and refrigerated for a day before baking.
Store leftover lasagna in the refrigerator in a covered container for 3 or 4 days. Reheat in an oven that's been heated to 325ºF (162ºC), or in a microwave.
About Better than Bouillon Mushroom Base
Better than Bouillon Mushroom Base is a concentrated mushroom base that gives the ragù a more robust mushroom flavor. The base can be found in most major supermarkets or ordered on Amazon. If you can't find it, it's perfectly acceptable to leave it out. The ragù will have a more mild mushroom flavor but will still be delicious.
What kind of wine should you use to make the mushroom ragù for this lasagna?
Use a fruit forward white wine that's on the dry side. Suggestions include:
Sauvignon blanc, a dry pinot grigio or pinot gris, a dry riesling, chinin blanc, Viognier, or grüner veltliner.
What can I use instead of Sumac in this recipe?
Sumac is a middle eastern spice that is both sweet and sour, much like the flavor of fresh lemon juice.
As the spice increases in popularity, you can sometimes find it in the spice section of major grocery stores. Otherwise, you can order sumac on Amazon.
You can also substitute fresh lemon juice for sumac in this recipe. Simply add a couple tablespoons of lemon juice to the mushroom ragù when you add the mushroom soaking liquid.
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Nutrition Information:
Yield:
8Serving Size:
1Amount Per Serving: Calories: 631Total Fat: 38gSaturated Fat: 20gTrans Fat: 1gUnsaturated Fat: 16gCholesterol: 93mgSodium: 1037mgCarbohydrates: 49gFiber: 3gSugar: 8gProtein: 21g
Andreea says
What does 4 cups (1 quart) half and half mean? Half and half of what?
RebeccaBlackwell says
Hi Andreea! Half and half is a mixture of cream and milk that you can find in the dairy section of any grocery store. You can also make it yourself by mixing equal parts whole milk and heavy cream. I hope that helps! Please let me know if you have any other questions! And if you make this lasagna, I'd love to hear what you think of it! xo
Hayley Dhanecha says
I love how unique this lasagna recipe is! I’m always looking for new version of ragu sauce so we don’t get bored with the same old recipe and this one was for sure a win! Loved this mushroom ragu. Thanks for sharing!
RebeccaBlackwell says
I'm so happy to hear that you liked this recipe Haley! Thank you so much for taking the time to leave a comment for me. I truly appreciate it! xo
Tammy says
Love that mushroom ragu sauce! Goodness this is an all-out recipe for lasagna! I make mine with bechamel on special occasions...that bit of creaminess plays so well into the red sauce. This is heaven!
Jacqueline Debono says
I LOVE mushroom lasagna and this version sounds divine. On my to-make list!
Lori | The Kitchen Whisperer says
So SO scrumptious and perfect for any night of the week! The mornay sauce is crazy delish and all those mushrooms are a definite win!
RebeccaBlackwell says
I'm so happy to hear that you liked this recipe Lori! Thank you so much for taking the time to leave a comment for me. I truly appreciate it! xo
Loreto and Nicoletta Nardelli says
Love a white lasagna with bechamel and this one with a mushroom ragu looks absolutely wonderful. Saved it to try soon!
Ann says
This lasagna sounds wonderful! I need one more meatless meal to make for one last Friday during lent, and I will definitely be making this one!
Freya says
This was the most delicious veggie lasagne I’ve made, it was so rich and full of flavour!
RebeccaBlackwell says
I'm so happy to hear that Freya! Thank you so much for taking the time to leave a comment for me. I truly appreciate it! xo
Marta says
I've always felt like bechamel in lasagna was underrated so I'm glad to see it being used in this recipe. It was a hit with my entire family. I never knew I liked mushroom ragu so much.
RebeccaBlackwell says
I am so happy to hear that you liked this recipe Marta! Thank you so much for taking the time to leave a comment for me! I truly appreciate it. xo