My husband rolls his eyes every time I say we’re having lasagna… He says it’s a food all women love, and maybe he’s right. But, what’s not to love? Mushroom lentil vegetarian lasagna is what’s for dinner!
I usually think of vegetarian lasagna being layered with shredded and chopped veggies. I have a favorite version that is loaded with carrots, zucchini, spinach, mushrooms, and onion. You can find the small batch version of it here.
When I was cooking for one, I often made small batch lasagna (only 4 servings). This way I wasn’t tired of the dish before I was finished eating it. Today, I’m thinking to myself, who gets tired of lasagna?
Tips and Tricks for the Mushroom Lentil Vegetarian Lasagna recipe:
- Have you tried cooking lentils with bay leaf? Lentils can become tough if boiled with salt, which is found in most broth. Bay leaf is the perfect option to add flavor and keep the lentils tender.
- Adding balsamic to the mushrooms and onions when they are hot deglazes the pan, reduces the vinegar, and soaks into the mushrooms. The sweet flavor balances all the earthy flavors in this lasagna!
- I always use whole wheat lasagna sheets, but they do require boiling in advance. To cut down on time, and steps, try the no boil lasagna noodles.
Mushroom Lentil Vegetarian Lasagna
- Prep Time: 20 mins
- Cook Time: 1 hour 5 mins
- Total Time: 1 hour 25 mins
- Yield: 7-8 servings
- Category: Entree
- Cuisine: Italian
Ingredients
- 1 heaping cup dry green lentils, rinsed and drained
- 1 bay leaf
- 16 oz mushrooms, sliced or diced
- 1 medium onion, diced
- 1 TBS balsamic vinegar
- 1/2 tsp salt, divided
- 1/4 tsp black pepper
- 16 oz container cottage cheese (or ricotta cheese)
- 1/4 cup Parmesan cheese
- 1 egg
- 1 tsp each: dried basil and oregano
- 1/4 tsp red pepper flake
- 6 garlic cloves, minced, divided
- 12 whole wheat lasagna noodles
- 25 oz jar marinara sauce
- 2 cups shredded mozzarella cheese
Instructions
- Combine lentils and bay leaf in a large pot. Cover with water and bring to a boil. Simmer for 15 minutes. Drain and remove bay leaf.
- Meanwhile, combine mushrooms and onions in a skillet. Saute until the mushrooms have released their liquid and it has evaporated. Mix in balsamic vinegar, 1/4 tsp salt and pepper.
- In a medium bowl, combine cottage cheese, Parmesan, egg, basil, oregano, remaining 1/4 tsp salt, red pepper flake, and half of the minced garlic. Mix the other half of the minced garlic into the cooked, drained lentils.
- Meanwhile, bring a large stock pot of water to a boil. Cook lasagna noodles according to package directions. If your noodles are cooked before you are ready to assemble the lasagna, lay them out on a parchment lined sheet so that they aren’t touching, otherwise they will stick together.
- Preheat oven to 375 F.
- Spread 1/2 cup marinara sauce into the bottom of a 9×13 inch glass baking pan. Reserve another 3/4 cup for the top of the lasagna and mix the remaining sauce into the cooked lentils.
- Layer 4 noodles over the sauce in the pan, top with half of the lentil mixture, half of the mushroom mixture, half of the cottage cheese mixture, and 1/2 cup shredded mozzarella. Top with another layer of noodles and remaining lentils, mushrooms, cottage cheese and another 1/2 cup shedded mozzarella.
- Top lasagna with the last 4 noodles, the reserved 3/4 cup marinara sauce, and the last 1 cup mozzarella cheese.
- Cover with foil and bake in the preheated oven for 35 minutes.
- Remove foil and bake another 15 minutes, or until the cheese is browned.
- Let cool for at least 15 minutes before serving.
Recipe inspired by Healthy Little Foodies.
For your gluten free fans, can you use a non-wheat lasagna noodle or are we just out of luck for this wonderful recipe?
I think a gluten free lasagna noodle would work wonderfully in this recipe! Let us know how it turns out if you try it!
Yay for leftovers! Sounds amazing!
Thanks Lauren!
The perfect comfort food! Looks delish!
Total comfort food! Thanks Sonali!
This sounds amazing!
Thank you so much, Jessica!
Love the idea of this! Yay for no food waste!
Thanks Farrah! I completely agree, no food waste!
I would love a slice of this!
You would totally love this recipe, Emily!
I’m totally a leftovers person! This looks yummy 🙂
I usually don’t like leftovers, but this recipe is a treat for me, and it reheats well!
Yumm!
Thanks Lin!