This creamy, flavorful meatless white mushroom lasagna layers pasta with velvety Parmesan béchamel, a rich mushroom ragù, and melted Parmesan for a truly comforting meal.
This is 100% comfort food — a plateful feels like a warm, satisfying hug.
“Oh my gosh, I tried this recipe and was a little skeptical as I don’t usually go meat-free… But I am so so impressed and surprised! It was INSANELY good! Definitely a new favourite. So happy to have found such a good meat-free alternative to a classic dish I cook all the time. Thank you!” – Ella
Grab a 9×13 baking pan, pour a glass of wine, turn on your favorite tunes, and settle in — tonight is all about creamy, cheesy comfort food.
This lasagna is one of the best uses for homemade mushroom ragù — a hearty roasted mushroom sauce that’s excellent over pasta, polenta, potatoes, or eggs.
Use mushroom ragù for pizza, creamy mushroom pasta, soups, sandwiches, or tucked into ravioli. It’s a versatile sauce that elevates many dishes.
Ingredients
This lasagna is built from four main components:
- Mushroom ragù: A rich, savory mushroom sauce made with roasted and sautéed mushrooms. Make a double batch to freeze for later.
- Parmesan béchamel: A creamy white sauce made from a butter-and-flour roux and milk or half-and-half, finished with grated Parmesan for a luxurious texture and flavor.
- Pasta: 12 oven-ready no-boil lasagna noodles, or 1 pound fresh pasta dough rolled into sheets.
- Extra Parmesan: More grated Parmesan is layered into the lasagna for a melty, cheesy finish.
Step-by-step photos and instructions
Make the mushroom ragù first. This meatless ragù uses dried and fresh mushrooms for depth of flavor and hearty texture. It takes about an hour but can be prepared up to five days ahead.
To make the Parmesan béchamel, melt butter in a medium saucepan. Add flour and cook, whisking constantly for a couple of minutes to form the roux.
Gradually add milk or half-and-half, whisking constantly. Adding liquid slowly and whisking keeps the sauce smooth and lump-free.
Cook, stirring frequently, until the béchamel thickens and the flour taste cooks out, about 10–12 minutes.
The sauce should be thick enough to coat a spoon.
Whisk in grated Parmesan until fully melted and smooth.
Remove from heat and stir in chopped fresh parsley.
Fold the mushroom ragù into the Parmesan béchamel until evenly combined, then season to taste with salt and pepper and keep covered until ready to assemble.
Pro tip for oven-ready lasagna noodles: Soak oven-ready noodles in very hot water for a few minutes before assembling. This prevents them from pulling moisture from the béchamel and keeps the lasagna extra creamy. After soaking, lay the noodles on a clean towel and pat dry before using.
Time to layer:
Layer 1: Spread a thin layer of béchamel and mushroom mixture in the bottom of a 9×13 pan. Arrange 4 noodles over the sauce, spread 1/3 of the remaining béchamel mixture over the noodles, and sprinkle with 1/3 of the grated Parmesan.
Layer 2: Repeat with 4 more noodles, another 1/3 of the béchamel mixture, and 1/3 of the cheese.
Layer 3: Finish with the last 4 noodles, the remaining béchamel and ragù, and the final 1/3 of Parmesan.
Cover with foil and bake until the sauce bubbles around the edges and the cheese melts. Remove foil for the last 5–10 minutes to brown the top. Let the lasagna rest for 5–10 minutes before slicing. Sprinkle with extra parsley to serve.
What’s the best kind of pasta for lasagna?
I like either oven-ready no-boil noodles or fresh homemade pasta sheets. If using no-boil noodles, pre-soak them in very hot water for about 10 minutes to prevent them from absorbing too much sauce and to keep the final lasagna creamy.
To soak, arrange the noodles in a baking dish, drizzle with a little olive oil and sprinkle with salt, then add enough hot water to cover. Swish them a couple times, let sit 10 minutes, then remove and pat dry on a clean towel before assembling.
FAQs and expert tips
A: A mix of dried porcini or shiitake plus fresh cremini mushrooms works beautifully. Dried mushrooms add concentrated umami; fresh mushrooms add texture. White button, cremini, and portobello are the same mushroom at different stages of maturity — cremini are firmer and more flavorful than young white buttons, and portobellos are the most mature.
A: Yes. The mushroom ragù can be made up to 4–5 days ahead. The Parmesan béchamel keeps up to 1 day refrigerated; rewarm over low heat and whisk smooth before combining with the ragù. Assemble the lasagna and refrigerate covered up to one day before baking. Leftovers keep 3–4 days refrigerated and reheat in a 325°F (162°C) oven or in the microwave.
A: Traditional Parmesan is often made with animal rennet, so the dish is meatless but not strictly vegetarian if you use that cheese. Look for vegetarian-labeled or plant-based alternatives if you need a fully vegetarian or vegan option.
“This is an amazingly delicious recipe. My entire family loved it. We are so used to our traditional marinara meat sauce and this was a nice change. Excellent recipe!” – Amanda
More lasagna recipes
-
Lasagna Bolognese with Parmesan Béchamel
-
The Ultimate Cheesy Lasagna with Sausage and Homemade Marinara
-
Skillet Vegetable Lasagna with White Sauce
-
Asian Short Rib Lasagna
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📖 Recipe
Mushroom Lasagna with Parmesan Béchamel
This creamy, flavorful meatless lasagna layers noodles with Parmesan béchamel, mushroom ragù, and melted Parmesan for a deeply satisfying meal.
1 hour 30 minutes
40 minutes
40 minutes
Ingredients
- Mushroom Ragù
For the Parmesan Béchamel
- 6 tablespoons (3 ounces/84 grams) salted butter, cut into pieces
- ¼ cup (30 grams) all-purpose flour
- 4 cups (1 quart) half-and-half or milk
- ½ teaspoon ground nutmeg
- 1 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
- Salt and pepper, to taste
- 5 ounces (about 1½ cups) finely grated Parmesan cheese (see note on vegetarian Parmesan)
- ½ cup packed chopped fresh Italian (flat-leaf) parsley
For the Lasagna
- 12 oven-ready no-boil lasagna noodles, or 1 pound fresh pasta dough rolled into sheets
- 5 ounces (about 1½ cups) grated Parmesan
- ¼ cup chopped parsley for sprinkling
Instructions
- Make the mushroom ragù. It takes about an hour but can be made up to five days ahead.
- Make the Parmesan béchamel: In a 3-quart saucepan over medium heat, melt butter. Add flour and whisk constantly, cooking 2 minutes to form a roux.
- Slowly add the half-and-half (or milk), whisking constantly. Add nutmeg and red pepper flakes and bring to a gentle simmer.
- Cook over medium-low, whisking frequently, until thickened and no longer tasting of raw flour, about 10–12 minutes. It should coat a spoon.
- Remove from heat and whisk in 4.5 ounces grated Parmesan until melted. Stir in chopped parsley and the mushroom ragù. Season with salt and pepper and keep covered.
- Preheat oven to 350°F (176°C). If using oven-ready noodles, soak them in very hot water for about 10 minutes, then pat dry. If using fresh pasta, roll and cut sheets to fit the pan.
- Assemble: Spread a thin layer of the béchamel-ragù mixture in the bottom of a 9×13 dish. Layer 4 noodles, 1/3 of the béchamel mixture, and 1/3 of the Parmesan. Repeat for two more layers.
- Cover the pan with foil and bake 30 minutes. Remove foil and bake another 5–10 minutes until the top is melted and the sauce is bubbling around the edges.
- Let rest 5–10 minutes before slicing. Sprinkle with chopped parsley and serve.
Notes
Preparing oven-ready noodles: Lay noodles in a 9×13 dish, drizzle with 1 tablespoon olive oil and sprinkle 1 tablespoon salt. Add very hot water (about 140°F/60°C) to cover. Swish once or twice to separate, let sit 10 minutes, then remove and pat dry on a clean towel.
Make-ahead
Mushroom ragù: Can be made up to 4–5 days ahead.
Parmesan béchamel: Keeps up to 1 day refrigerated. Reheat gently, whisk smooth, then combine with ragù.
Assembled lasagna: Can be covered and refrigerated up to 1 day before baking.
Storage: Leftovers keep 3–4 days refrigerated. Reheat in a 325°F (162°C) oven or in the microwave.
Nutrition Information
Yield: 8
Serving Size: 1
Amount per serving (approximate):
Calories: 631
Total Fat: 38g
Saturated Fat: 20g
Cholesterol: 93mg
Sodium: 1037mg
Carbohydrates: 49g
Fiber: 3g
Sugar: 8g
Protein: 21g