Mixed Mushroom Lasagna Recipe

Lasagna is a labor of love. Not only do you have to cook the noodles and make a filling, you also need to whisk together a béchamel and shred several different kinds of cheese. After all that prep, you still have to build and bake the lasagna. So why pour all of this time and effort into a pasta dish? Because it's the best thing you'll ever eat.

That might be an exaggeration, especially if you've been somewhere like Italy and have eaten hand-crafted pasta deep in the rolling hills of Tuscany (that's hard to beat, to be fair). However, as far as home cooking goes, this white lasagna shared by developer Michelle McGlinn is a showstopper packed with flavor, texture, and cheese. So much cheese.

This creamy mixed mushroom lasagna is the perfect vegetarian entrée. Using a flavorful mix of cremini, porcini, and chanterelle mushrooms, the filling is bursting with umami that pairs perfectly with the creamy thyme béchamel and seasoned ricotta. Melty, gooey mozzarella and fontina cheeses then fold between each layer to make an irresistibly decadent lasagna. Sold yet? Told you it was worth the effort.

For the mushroom filling, you'll need olive oil, garlic, salt and pepper, parsley, and a variety of mushrooms. We recommend using cremini, chanterelle, and porcini, which pair best with cream and thyme, but any mix of mushrooms will work and we encourage you to use what's available in your market. Whichever variety you pick should equal a total of 1 pound (1 ounce of dried mushrooms is about 8 ounces rehydrated).

From there, you'll need cooked lasagna noodles, butter, shallot, flour, milk, fresh thyme, ricotta, mozzarella cheese, and fontina cheese. You can use dried thyme instead of fresh if preferred. For the cheeses, McGlinn recommends buying shredded mozzarella (as opposed to the ball in water) and fontina you can grate or shred rather than the packaged snacking cubes. Not only will the shredded cheeses be easier to build with, but they will melt faster for a more gooey, creamy result.

To avoid slathering the cooked pasta in oil, which will cause the fillings to slide around, instead lay each piece of pasta flat on a baking sheet. Shingle the pieces so they aren't directly on top of each other, then cover them with a towel to retain the moisture. When ready to use, carefully pull each strip from the pile to avoid ripping any noodles. McGlinn's tip? Cook a few extra, just in case.

Once you've rehydrated and chopped all of the mushrooms (we recommend saving the water you used to rehydrate them for dishes like risotto), heat some oil in a skillet and brown them until glossy and dark. The mushrooms will soften and caramelize in the heat. Add the garlic, salt, and pepper and cook until fragrant, then sprinkle with parsley and remove from the heat.

Béchamel sounds intimidating, but it's as simple as whisking together cooked flour and milk. Sauté the shallots in butter until soft, then sprinkle in the flour. The flour will turn into a brownish paste, which you'll want to whisk constantly to avoid burning. The paste forms in a matter of seconds, so don't walk away — whisk until just browned and clumpy, then start adding the milk. Add the milk slowly while whisking to smooth the clumped flour, then cook for a few minutes to thicken into a gravy. The consistency should be similar to glue. If it gets too thick, just splash in a little more milk. Season with salt, pepper, and thyme.

To remember which layers go where, write a quick mnemonic blueprint to follow before beginning the lasagna. Our recommended layering order looks like this: B,N,R,M,C,B, or béchamel, noodles, ricotta, mushrooms, cheese, béchamel. Spread a thin layer of béchamel on the bottom of the baking dish, then layer with three lasagna noodles. Spread about half the ricotta onto the noodles (or dollop spoonfuls into the dish), then layer with the prepared mushroom mixture. Sprinkle with cheese and be generous, if you can, but remember you need this cheese two more times. Then, drizzle another layer of béchamel over the cheese. The order isn't vital to get right, but try to remember that the béchamel acts as a glue to the noodles and should always go underneath them.

Once you've filled all the layers of the lasagna and trimmed the sides, place the casserole in the oven and bake until the cheese on top is melted and browning. Let the lasagna rest for 10 to 15 minutes after baking to make it easier to cut into. If you serve it immediately, the gooey, warm cheese will slide around and cause messy slices.

This lasagna is as rich as it is flavorful and is best served with simple, vegetable-heavy sides like broccoli salad, roasted eggplant, or sautéed spinach. To satisfy the meat-eaters in your family, serve after a charcuterie board or alongside grilled sausages; but promise, even the carnivores will enjoy this meatless Monday dinner.