This spinach mushroom lasagna is the kind of dish that makes your kitchen smell like a cozy Italian trattoria on a cold Sunday afternoon. Layers of earthy portobello mushrooms, tender wilted spinach, and three kinds of melted cheese are tucked between soft lasagna noodles and blanketed in the creamiest homemade Parmesan béchamel you've ever tasted. I first made this for a holiday dinner when I wanted something impressive but meatless, and honestly, nobody missed the meat for even a second. The whole thing comes together with simple, familiar ingredients, and it feeds a crowd beautifully.
If you love cozy, cheesy bakes, you'll want to bookmark this right next to my easy garlic butter baked chicken breasts for your weekly dinner rotation.
I've brought this lasagna to more gatherings than I can count. Once you pull it out of the oven, golden and bubbling at the edges, it has a way of making everyone crowd around the kitchen before you've even had a chance to let it rest. Pair it with a crisp green salad, like my easy smoked salmon salad with lemon dill dressing, and you've got a dinner that feels genuinely special without spending all day cooking.
Why You'll Love This spinach mushroom lasagna Recipe
This spinach mushroom lasagna is rich and satisfying without being heavy, which is a hard balance to hit. The portobello mushrooms bring a deep, savory quality that gives the dish real substance, and the homemade béchamel is silky and full of flavor from the nutmeg and Parmesan folded in. You get three cheeses in every bite, provolone, ricotta, and mozzarella, which means every layer is creamy and stretchy in the best possible way. It's the kind of vegetarian dinner that feels indulgent rather than like a compromise.
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spinach mushroom lasagna Ingredients
Here's everything you'll need to bring this beauty together.
See Recipe Card Below This Post For Ingredient Quantities
- Fresh Spinach: Twenty ounces of fresh spinach, tough stems pulled off and washed. Blanching it first keeps it tender and removes the excess moisture that would make the lasagna watery.
- Shallots: Minced shallots mellow out beautifully when sautéed and add a gentle, slightly sweet onion flavor that doesn't overpower the mushrooms.
- Garlic: Just two teaspoons of minced garlic, but it makes a noticeable difference. It goes in with the shallots for a quick, fragrant start.
- Portobello Mushrooms: Four to five large portobellos, stems removed, sliced and halved. They bring a meaty, earthy depth that makes this lasagna feel incredibly hearty.
- Unsalted Butter: Five tablespoons total. One goes into the mushroom skillet, and four build the béchamel. Using unsalted butter lets you control the salt level throughout.
- Salt and Black Pepper: Three-quarters teaspoon salt and half a teaspoon freshly ground black pepper, divided across the mushroom sauté and the cheese sauce for balanced seasoning.
- Nutmeg: Just one-eighth teaspoon of freshly grated nutmeg. It sounds small, but it adds a warm, subtle complexity to the béchamel that you'd really notice if it was missing.
- Flour: A quarter cup of all-purpose flour goes into the butter to form the roux, which is the base of the cheese sauce. It thickens everything up without any starchy taste.
- Whole Milk: Four cups of whole milk make the béchamel rich and creamy. Whole milk gives you the best body and texture here.
- Parmesan: Two and a half cups of grated Parmesan, divided. One cup melts into the sauce, and the rest goes on top for that gorgeous golden crust.
- Fresh Ricotta: Fifteen ounces of fresh ricotta mixed with mozzarella creates the creamy middle layer that makes every bite feel luxurious.
- Provolone: Eighteen thin slices of provolone. It melts beautifully and adds a mild, slightly tangy layer between everything.
- Mozzarella: One and a half cups of mozzarella blended into the ricotta mixture for stretch and creaminess.
- Lasagna Noodles: Sixteen noodles cooked al dente. They'll finish cooking in the oven, so you don't want them fully soft going in.
how to make spinach mushroom lasagna
Here's how to build this spinach mushroom lasagna from start to finish.
- Cook the Spinach: Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Drop in the spinach and cook for 2 to 3 minutes, stirring occasionally, until fully wilted. Drain through a fine-mesh sieve. Once it's cool enough to handle, squeeze out as much water as you possibly can with your hands, then finely chop it. Set aside. Getting rid of the moisture is the key step here.
- Sauté the Mushrooms: In a large skillet over medium-high heat, melt 1 tablespoon of butter. Add the shallots and garlic and cook for 1 minute until fragrant. Add the sliced portobello mushrooms, ¼ teaspoon salt, and ¼ teaspoon black pepper. Sauté for about 5 minutes, until the mushrooms release their liquid and the pan smells deeply savory. Remove from heat and let cool.
- Make the Cheese Sauce: In a large saucepan over medium heat, melt the remaining 4 tablespoons of butter. Whisk in the flour and cook for 2 minutes, stirring constantly, until it smells faintly nutty. Slowly pour in the milk while whisking to avoid lumps, then bring the mixture to a gentle simmer. Keep stirring until it thickens noticeably. Add the remaining ½ teaspoon salt, ¼ teaspoon pepper, the nutmeg, and 1 cup of the Parmesan. Stir for another 2 minutes until the sauce is thick and smooth. Remove from heat.
- Mix the Ricotta: In a medium bowl, stir together the ricotta and mozzarella with ¼ cup of the béchamel you just made. The sauce loosens the ricotta just enough to make it spread easily.
- Prepare the Baking Dish: Preheat your oven to 350°F. Spray a 9x13 inch baking dish with cooking spray. Spoon about ½ cup of the cheese sauce into the bottom and spread it evenly. This keeps the noodles from sticking and starts building flavor from the very first layer.
- Layer the Lasagna: Divide the mushrooms and spinach into 4 equal portions. Scatter one portion over the sauce in the bottom of the dish. Lay 4 noodles side by side over the vegetables. Spread slightly less than ½ cup of sauce over the noodles. Top with one-quarter of the remaining mushroom and spinach mixture, one-third of the ricotta mixture, and 6 slices of provolone. Repeat this layering two more times, ending with a final layer of noodles on top.
- Top and Bake: Spread the remaining béchamel sauce over the top noodles and sprinkle the remaining 1 ½ cups of Parmesan evenly across the top. Cover the dish tightly with foil. Bake for 30 minutes, then remove the foil and bake for another 10 to 15 minutes until the top is golden and the edges are bubbling. If you want an extra golden crust, slide it under the broiler for about 1 minute, but watch it closely.
- Rest and Serve: Let the lasagna rest for 10 to 15 minutes before cutting. This is important. It sets up the layers so you get clean, beautiful squares instead of a sliding pile. Serve hot.
Substitutions & Variations
This spinach mushroom lasagna recipe is flexible if you need to swap a few things.
If you can't find portobello mushrooms, cremini or baby bella mushrooms work well and have a similar earthy flavor. You can also use a mix of both.
No provolone? Fontina or even sliced fresh mozzarella makes a lovely substitute.
Whole milk béchamel gives you the best results, but 2% milk will work in a pinch. The sauce will be slightly thinner, so give it an extra minute or two to thicken up.
If you want to skip blanching the spinach, you can use frozen chopped spinach instead. Just thaw it completely and squeeze out every drop of water before using it. About 10 ounces of frozen works in place of 20 ounces fresh.
For a gluten-free version, use your favorite gluten-free spinach mushroom lasagna noodles and swap the all-purpose flour in the béchamel for a 1:1 gluten-free flour blend.
EQUIPMENT for spinach mushroom lasagna
You don't need any special tools for this spinach mushroom lasagna recipe, just the basics.
Wooden spoon
Large pot for boiling the spinach
Fine-mesh sieve for draining
Large skillet for the mushrooms
Large saucepan for the béchamel
Medium mixing bowl for the ricotta mixture
9x13 inch rectangular baking dish
Whisk
Storage Tips
Leftover spinach mushroom lasagna keeps well in the fridge for up to 4 days. Store it covered tightly with foil or transfer individual portions to airtight containers. It reheats beautifully in the oven at 350°F, covered with foil, for about 20 minutes, or in the microwave for 2 to 3 minutes.
You can also freeze this spinach mushroom lasagna, either before or after baking. Wrap it tightly in plastic wrap and then foil and freeze for up to 3 months. Thaw overnight in the fridge before reheating. Baking from frozen works too but takes about 90 minutes covered at 350°F, then 15 minutes uncovered to brown the top.
Expert Tips
Squeeze the spinach really, really well. This is the single most important technique in the whole recipe. Any extra water left in the spinach will pool in the layers and make your spinach mushroom lasagna soupy. Use your hands, squeeze in batches, and squeeze again.
Cook the mushrooms until they actually release and then reabsorb their liquid. This concentrates their flavor and means they won't make the layers wet.
Don't skip the resting time after baking. Ten to fifteen minutes makes a genuine difference in how cleanly the spinach mushroom lasagna slices.
Use freshly grated Parmesan rather than pre-shredded. It melts into the sauce more smoothly and gives you a better crust on top.
Cook the noodles al dente, meaning they should still have a slight bite. They'll finish cooking in the oven and if they go in fully soft they'll turn mushy.
FAQ
What are common mistakes in veggie spinach mushroom lasagna?
The biggest one is watery layers. Vegetables like spinach and mushrooms hold a lot of moisture, and if you don't cook it out before assembling, it will pool at the bottom of the pan. Always squeeze blanched spinach thoroughly and sauté mushrooms until their liquid evaporates. Another common issue is under-seasoning, so taste your sauce and filling as you go. A family tip: season each component separately rather than trying to fix everything at the end.
Should spinach be cooked before adding to spinach mushroom lasagna?
Yes, always. Raw spinach holds too much water and will release it as the lasagna bakes, making the whole dish soggy. Blanching it for 2 to 3 minutes, then squeezing out every bit of liquid, ensures you get tender spinach that stays put in the layers without waterlogging anything.
What are common spinach mushroom lasagna mistakes?
Aside from watery fillings, the big ones are skipping the rest time (the lasagna needs 10 to 15 minutes to set after baking or it falls apart when cut), not salting the pasta water, and using low-fat dairy in the sauce which can result in a thin, broken béchamel. Also, covering with foil for the whole bake will prevent browning, so remember to remove it for the last 10 to 15 minutes.
What to serve with spinach mushroom lasagna?
Simple sides work best. A crisp green salad, crusty garlic bread, roasted vegetables, or a light soup all pair well. Because the spinach mushroom lasagna is rich and cheesy, you want sides that are fresh and a little lighter to balance the meal.
Related
Looking for other recipes like this? Try these:
Pairing
These are my favorite dishes to serve with spinach mushroom lasagna:
Creamy Spinach and Mushroom Lasagna
Ingredients
- 20 oz fresh spinach stems removed, thoroughly washed
- 6 tablespoon unsalted butter divided softened
- ⅓ cup shallots finely minced
- 2 teaspoon garlic minced fresh
- 5 large portobello mushrooms stems removed sliced and halved
- 1 teaspoon salt divided
- ½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper divided
- ¼ cup all-purpose flour for thickening
- 4 ½ cups whole milk room temperature
- ⅛ teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg optional for warmth
- 3 cups Parmesan cheese freshly grated
- 17 oz ricotta cheese fresh room temperature
- 18 slices provolone cheese thinly sliced
- 1 ¾ cups mozzarella cheese shredded or sliced
- 20 lasagna noodles cooked al dente drained
Directions
- Bring a large pot of salted water to a rolling boil. Add the spinach and cook for 2–3 minutes, stirring occasionally to ensure even cooking. Drain thoroughly in a fine-mesh sieve, then squeeze out excess water. Chop finely and set aside.
- Meanwhile, melt 1 tablespoon butter in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add shallots and garlic, stirring for 1 minute until fragrant. Add mushrooms, ¼ teaspoon salt, and ¼ teaspoon pepper. Cook, stirring, until mushrooms release their liquid, about 5 minutes. Remove from heat and allow to cool.
- In a medium saucepan, melt the remaining 5 tablespoon butter over medium heat. Sprinkle in the flour and whisk continuously for 2 minutes to cook the flour. Gradually pour in the milk while whisking constantly. Bring to a simmer, whisking until thickened. Stir in ½ teaspoon salt, ¼ teaspoon pepper, nutmeg, and 1 cup Parmesan, stirring for 2 minutes until creamy. Remove from heat.
- In a medium bowl, combine ricotta and mozzarella with ¼ cup of the prepared sauce until evenly mixed.
- Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C). Grease a 9×13-inch baking dish lightly with cooking spray. Spoon ½ cup of sauce onto the bottom.
- Divide mushrooms and spinach into four portions. Sprinkle 1 portion of mushrooms and spinach over the sauce, then layer 4 noodles side by side.
- Spread slightly less than ½ cup of sauce over noodles. Top with ¼ of mushrooms and spinach, ⅓ of the ricotta mixture, and 6 provolone slices.
- Repeat the layering process twice more, finishing with a final layer of noodles. Cover noodles with the remaining sauce and sprinkle with the remaining 1 ¾ cups Parmesan.
- Cover tightly with aluminum foil. Bake for 30 minutes, then remove foil and bake an additional 10–15 minutes until bubbly and golden. Optionally broil for 1 minute to crisp the top.
- Allow lasagna to rest for 10–15 minutes before slicing and serving hot.
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