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Meaty Mushroom Lasagna

A a vegetarian mushroom-based lasagna that doesn't skimp on flavor.
Author Emma Chapman

Ingredients

For the Sauce:

  • ¼ cup red onion chopped
  • 5 cloves garlic minced
  • 1 to 2 tablespoons olive oil
  • 8 oz. baby bello mushrooms chopped
  • ⅔ cup TVP textured vegetable protein
  • 1 tablespoon soy sauce
  • 28 oz. can whole stewed tomatoes
  • ¼ teaspoon cumin
  • ⅛ teaspoon cayenne
  • salt and pepper generous amount

For the Filling:

  • 16 oz. lasagna noodles one package
  • 8 oz. mozzarella cheese shredded
  • 8 oz. cream cheese softened
  • 1-2 tbsp pasta water
  • 2 tbsp fresh parsley or basil chopped, plus more for serving
  • ½ cup parmesan cheese

Instructions

  • For the sauce, sauté the chopped onion and olive oil in a large pan or skillet over medium/high heat until softened, 3-4 minutes. Then toss in the garlic, mushrooms and TVP. As the mushrooms release moisture, the TVP will begin to absorb some of it.
    This is a good thing! Season with soy sauce, cumin, cayenne and a generous sprinkle of salt and pepper. 
  • You can especially feel free to be generous with the pepper because I think this helps with the “meaty” flavor we are going for here. Drain the tomatoes from most of their juices (the can juices).
    Pulse these in a blender or food processor. You don’t want a perfectly smooth texture, more of rough chop. Add this to the pan and cook until everything is warmed through. Set aside until you need.
  • Cook the noodles according to the package so they are al dente. Do not overcook. Once you drain them, quickly spread them over your counter lined with aluminum foil so they don’t all stick together.
  • In a large bowl blend together the mozzarella, cream cheese, pasta water (to thin out the cream cheese a little) and parsley.
  • Now you are ready to layer your lasagna. I do a layer of noodles, then the mushroom sauce, then crumbled cheese filling, and then repeat.
    The top layer should be mushroom sauce over noodles topped with the Parmesan cheese. Remember that we are making two pans with the above measurements, so divide everything up accordingly.
  • Label your freezer lasagna and tuck it away in your freezer. On the day you plan to bake it, move it from the freezer to the refrigerator the morning of so it can thaw out (or mostly thaw out) before baking.
  • Bake at 375°F for 25-28 minutes. The edges should begin to brown and there will likely be some bubbles along the edges.
    Serve warm topped with a few more fresh herbs

Notes

For my pans, I used one 8 inch round cast iron pan and for the freezer version one 8×5.5 inch aluminum foil pan. There are probably a few different sized baking dishes you could use for this recipe, but I wanted to share what I used so you have an idea of how much this will make (you can also see in the photos).