In this elegant and delicious Vegan Mushroom Lasagna, an assortment of mushrooms is layered with a creamy white vegan bechamel sauce, jewel-green leeks, vegan mozzarella and vegan parmesan. It's the perfect dish to impress family and guests!
For more lasagna deliciousness, try this classic vegan lasagna or this low-carb zucchini lasagna.
Get a double dose of decadence and deliciousness with my Vegan Wild Mushroom Lasagna drunk on a creamy, silky bechamel sauce.
The lasagna noodles cook up perfectly tender and toothsome, absorbing the delicious bechamel and the flavors of the mushrooms. I used a mix of dried wild mushrooms and fresh cremini mushrooms, but the recipe is versatile enough that you can use any mushrooms of your choice.
Most lasagna recipes can be time consuming, but not this one. You can get the prep work done in minutes, and you can also make the different elements, or the whole lasagna, ahead of time. Assemble and/or bake before serving and you'll have a dish to wow!
Table of Contents
Why you will love this vegan mushroom lasagna
- Differently delicious. Everyone loves a classic lasagna, but if you're looking for something different to serve for dinner you can't go wrong with this vegan mushroom lasagna. The creamy sauce and chewy mushrooms along with the al dente lasagna offer a vivid interplay of textures and flavors.
- Healthy recipe. I use whole-wheat lasagna in this recipe, and the homemade cashew cream adds a boost of healthy protein. Mushrooms, a health star, and leeks or scallions, add more yummy nutrition.
- Easy recipe. This is a pretty simple recipe and although, like with any lasagna, there are a few different elements and steps, you can't go wrong if you follow the directions.
- Soy-free and vegan, can be gluten-free and nut-free. You can make this recipe with gluten-free lasagna noodles and you can use a nut-free milk for the bechamel.
Ingredients
- Extra virgin olive oil. EVOO acts as a wonderful flavoring agent in addition to being a cooking medium.
- Herbs: garlic and oregano
- Mushrooms: I used a mix of 12 oz cremini mushrooms and 2 ounces of dried wild mushrooms, which I rehydrated. You can choose to use just one kind of mushroom, like crimini or portobello, or use fresh wild mushrooms.
- Leeks or scallions. You can use either in this recipe, with great results.
- Lasagna noodles. I used whole wheat lasagna noodles but I sometimes make this recipe with regular lasagna noodles with equally good results. The whole wheat noodles I used were not oven-ready, so I added more liquid to the baking dish to help them cook to the perfect texture, without having to cook the noodles separately first. You can also use gluten-free noodles in this recipe if you can't or won't eat wheat.
- Vegan mozzarella shreds and vegan parmesan cheese. I buy the mozzarella shreds and make my own vegan parmesan cheese, which is fabulous. You can make the parm several days ahead and store it in the refrigerator to sprinkle on your favorite pasta dishes.
For the vegan bechamel
- Raw cashews or non-dairy milk. I like making my own cashew milk for the bechamel because it adds a boost of protein, but you can also use a store-bought non-dairy milk of your choice. If you can't eat nuts, you can also make a protein-rich homemade milk by blending pumpkin seeds.
- Garlic. To add flavor to the bechamel.
- Shallots or red onions. Shallots with their garlicky flavor are great here, but you can use red onions if that is what you have on hand.
- Nutmeg. Nutmeg is essential in a bechamel sauce and it adds amazing flavor.
How to make vegan mushroom lasagna
Place the dried mushrooms in a bowl with 2 cups boiling water. Set aside for 30 minutes for the mushrooms to rehydrate. Before using the mushrooms, squeeze out all the stock and reserve the stock.
In a wok or skillet, place 1 tablespoon of olive oil with garlic, cremini mushrooms and oregano. Season with salt and freshly ground black pepper.
Saute until the mushrooms begin to brown and express juices. Stir in the drained dried mushrooms. Add the wine and continue cooking over medium-high heat until most of the liquid has evaporated and the wild mushrooms are still chewy but tender.
Evaporating the liquid will take a few minutes. (When adding wine or any alcohol to a pan on a gas stove, reduce flame to the lowest setting or turn off the flame temporarily for safety).
Stir in the leeks or scallions and saute another couple of minutes. Add salt and more ground black pepper as needed. Set aside.
In a saute pan or saucepan, heat remaining 1 tablespoon olive oil with garlic and onions. Add salt and ground black pepper. Saute the onions over medium heat until they are soft and translucent.
Add the flour to the pan and mix well to form a roux.
Saute the roux until it is no longer lumpy and becomes grainier and aromatic.
Whisk in the mushroom stock from the reconstituted mushrooms slowly, making sure you get all the lumps out.
Pour in all of the nondairy milk and mix well.
Add the nutmeg to the milk.
Bring the sauce to a boil over medium heat. Continue cooking and turn off the stove once the sauce is thick enough to coat the back of a spoon. Add more salt and pepper if needed.
Place one fourth of the bechamel sauce in the lasagna pan, spreading it around evenly.
Layer five noodles over the bechamel. (These instructions are for no-boil noodles or oven-ready noodles. If using regular noodles see FAQs below for instructions).
Ladle a fourth of the sauce over the lasagna noodles...
...followed by a third of the mushroom mixture.
Sprinkle a third of the vegan parmesan cheese and vegan mozzarella shreds over the mushrooms. Follow with another layer of five lasagna noodles followed by a third of the mushrooms and the cheeses.
Once you have topped the final layer of lasagna noodles with the mushrooms, parm and mozzarella, cover the lasagna pan tightly with aluminum foil and bake in a preheated 350-degree Fahrenheit/180-degree Celsius oven for 45 minutes. Remove the foil and continue baking another 15 minutes. Let stand 10 minutes before cutting.
Tips for success
- Save and use the mushroom stock from reconstituting the noodles. It adds amazing umami. If you don't use dried mushrooms, you can use a good quality or homemade mushroom stock or vegetable broth to make the bechamel.
- Using a mix of dried and fresh mushrooms gives great texture to the lasagna, which would satisfy even a meat-eater. But you can use only fresh mushrooms if you want to.
- Because the vegan parmesan cheese and the vegan mozzarella can both be salty, factor that saltiness in when you salt the bechamel and the mushrooms.
- For a golden-brown color to the top of the lasagna, turn on the broiler for a minute or two at the end of baking. Be careful and watch the lasagna so you don't burn the cheese.
Recipe FAQs
You definitely can, and you can either cook them first, according to package directions, or do this: Carefully add 1 ½ cups of hot mushroom stock or vegetable stock to the sides of the pan after assembling the lasagna and before you cover it with aluminum foil. The added water will help cook the noodles perfectly. Add 5 more minutes to baking time with the aluminum foil on.
Yes, spinach or chard would be a great addition. You can add the leafies instead of the leeks or scallions or along with them. Be sure you cook out the liquid they express.
You can use any fresh or dried mushrooms in this recipe. I use a mix because they add great texture. That said, cremini, button mushrooms, portobello mushrooms, oyster mushrooms, shiitake mushrooms and chanterelle mushrooms would all work beautifully here.
Make-ahead and storage instructions
- Make-ahead: You can make the vegan parmesan, the mushroom mixture and the bechamel up to three days ahead and refrigerate. You can also assemble the mushroom lasagna and refrigerate it, unbaked, for up to three days. Or cover with two layers of freezer-safe wrap and freeze for up to two months.
- Refrigerate: The baked mushroom lasagna can be refrigerated for up to three days.
- Freeze: Freeze the mushroom lasagna for up to three months.
- Reheat: Thaw overnight in the fridge and reheat in a 350-degree F/180-degree C oven until warmed through.
Perfect pairings with vegan mushroom lasagna
- A fresh salad, like a vegan Caesar salad or a shaved Brussels sprouts salad.
- Roasted Brussels sprouts or air-fryer Brussels sprouts.
- Creamy mashed potatoes with vegan gravy or mashed orange sweet potatoes.
More yummy pasta recipes
Enjoyed this recipe? Subscribe to my free newsletter for more delicious recipe updates in your inbox. You can also follow me on Facebook, Pinterest and Instagram to keep up with what's cooking at Holy Cow Vegan!
Vegan Mushroom Lasagna Recipe
Equipment
- Skillet or wok
- Wide saucepan or saute pan
- 3 to 4 quart lasagna pan
Ingredients
- 15 sheets oven-ready lasagna noodles (you can use oven-ready gluten-free lasagne noodles as well. If using noodles that are not oven-ready, see FAQs below.)
- 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil (divided)
- 8 cloves garlic, finely sliced (divided)
- 12 oz cremini mushrooms
- 2 oz dried wild mushrooms
- 2 teaspoon dried oregano
- ¼ cup white wine (optional)
- 2 leeks (or six to eight scallions, green and white parts finely chopped)
- 1 shallot or small red onion, minced
- ¼ cup all purpose flour (substitute gluten-free all purpose flour or rice flour if gluten-free)
- 1 cup raw cashews (to make the cashew milk. You can skip making this and use 3½ cups of any non-dairy milk of your choice instead).
- ½ teaspoon nutmeg
- 16 oz vegan mozzarella shreds
- 1 cup vegan parmesan cheese (if nut-free, use pumpkin seeds to make vegan parmesan following my recipe)
- Salt and ground black pepper to taste
Instructions
- If making your own dairy-free milk, blend the 1 cup cashews with 3 cups water until a creamy milk forms.
- Place the dried mushrooms in a glass or steel bowl with 2 cups boiling water. Set aside for 30 minutes for the mushrooms to rehydrate. Before using the mushrooms, remember to squeeze out all the stock and reserve it.
Make mushroom mixture
- In a wok or skillet, place 1 tablespoon of olive oil with garlic, cremini mushrooms and oregano. Season with salt and freshly ground black pepper. Turn heat to medium low and saute until the mushrooms begin to brown and express juices. Stir in the drained, dried mushrooms.
- Add the wine and continue cooking over medium-high heat until most of the liquid has evaporated and the wild mushrooms are still chewy but tender. This will take a few minutes. (When adding wine or any alcohol to a pan on a gas stove, reduce flame to the lowest setting or turn off the flame temporarily for safety).
- Stir in the leeks or scallions and saute another couple of minutes. Add salt and more ground black pepper as needed. Set aside.
Make vegan bechamel sauce
- In a saute pan or saucepan, heat remaining 1 tablespoon olive oil with garlic and shallots or onions. Add salt and ground black pepper. Saute the onions over medium heat until they are soft and translucent.
- Add the flour to the pan and mix well to make a roux. Saute the roux until it is no longer lumpy and becomes grainier and aromatic.
- Whisk in the mushroom stock from the reconstituted mushrooms slowly into the roux, making sure you get all the lumps out. Then pour in all of the nondairy milk and mix well.
- Add the nutmeg to the milk. Bring the sauce to a boil over medium heat. Continue cooking and turn off the stove once the sauce is thick enough to coat the back of a spoon. Season if needed with more salt and pepper and turn off the heat.
Assemble and bake lasagna
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F/180 degrees C.
- Place one fourth of the bechamel sauce in the lasagna pan, spreading it around evenly.
- Layer five noodles over the bechamel. (These instructions are for no-boil noodles or oven-ready noodles. If using regular noodles see FAQs for instructions).
- Ladle a fourth of the bechamel sauce over the lasagna noodles followed by a third of the mushroom mixture.
- Sprinkle a third each of the vegan parmesan cheese and vegan mozzarella shreds over the mushrooms.
- Follow with another layer of five lasagna noodles followed by the mushrooms and the cheeses. Once you have topped the final layer of lasagna noodles with the mushrooms, parm and mozzarella, cover the lasagna pan tightly with aluminum foil and bake 45 minutes.
- Remove the foil and continue baking another 15 minutes. Let the lasagna stand 10 minutes before cutting.
Recipe notes
- To make the mushroom lasagna with regular noodles instead of oven-ready noodles, you can either cook the noodles first, according to package directions, or do this: Carefully add 1 ½ cups of hot mushroom stock or vegetable stock to the sides of the pan after assembling the lasagna, before you cover it with aluminum foil. The added water will help cook the noodles perfectly.
- Make-ahead: You can make the vegan parmesan, the mushroom mixture and the bechamel up to three days ahead and refrigerate. You can also assemble the mushroom lasagna and refrigerate it, unbaked, for up to three days. Or cover with two layers of freezer-safe wrap and freeze for up to two months.
- Refrigerate: The baked mushroom lasagna can be refrigerated for up to three days.
- Freeze: Freeze the mushroom lasagna for up to three months.
- Reheat: Thaw overnight in the fridge and reheat in a 350-degree F/180-degree C oven until warmed through.
Andrea Shine
I am loving all your recipes over this crazy lockdown period. Seeing as it is lockdown and I am avoiding going grocery shopping like the plague, would this work with fresh homemade pasta or would I need to dry it out before using it in this recipe?
Vaishali
I think it should be fine. Reduce the liquid quantity, to be certain you don't overcook the noodles!
Annamaria
How far in advance can I prepare this?
Vaishali
You can assemble and freeze for weeks in advance, and thaw and bake before serving. And it'll keep in the refrigerator for 3-4 days.
Heather
What brand of oven ready noodles do you use? Every one I find has eggs in it.
Thanks.
Marya
SO SO good! This was the best vegan lasagna ever, hands down. I love the creamy béchamel sauce and the wild mushrooms add so much great texture. Thank you for another great recipe.
Diane Jay
This is now my favorite recipe! It is rich and oh-so delicious! I served it with a side of spinach salad with a sweet vegan dressing. The balance of the two was out of this world. I used Simply Balanced gluten-free no-boil lasagna noodles from Target, and Daiya Mozzarella shreds, Malk Pure Cashew Milk. Your parmesan recipe was spot on. Thank you, thank you, thank you.
Vaishali
Hi Diane, thanks for letting me know!
snowy
This lasagna is so worth making! The bechemel is outstanding and the high mushroom taste is exquisite. Thamk you Vaishali. Your pallet suits mine! This wild mushroom lasagna tastes so good. Gives the house a nice smell when it's cooking too. I thought maybe the bechemel was too thin, but it was perfect. This dish will impress your friends. I love the "parmesan cheese" for so many other things, as well. It it is tasty on top of pizza, salads. The daiya mozerella shreds come out perfectly for the topping. No one would know it were not regular dairy cheese.
This lasagna is greatness!
Vaishali
Snowy, thanks for letting me know-- so happy you tried it!
Yvonne
This sounds sooooo delicious! I’m excited to try this.
Question, when would I add the white wine?
Vaishali
Yvonne, step 1. Thanks!
SuryaSmiles
I agree Vaishali, Daiya has great vegan cheeses, including their shreds. They do not shred exactly like real cheese, none do, so dint expect a perfect substitute. But, Daiya is the best I’ve found. I also long ago stopped parboiling lasagna noodles when making my lasagna, as they cook perfectly when baked in the sauce. I also much prefer a white sauce over a red sauce for lasagna, but obviously that’s a personal preference. Your recipe fits that bill with me then! Yum! I have some dried morrels gathered here last spring, that will fill the bill perfectly.
Vaishali
I am completely addicted to the no-boil lasagna noodles, but good to know that technique works with regular lasagna noodles too. How exciting you foraged for your mushrooms!
Supriya
Goodness, this looks beyond delicious. But I tend to gross out on the store-bought vegan cheeses.) Have tried to get over it but blech. The rest of the family is even less enthusiastic. Any substitutions or ideas you can recommend? Or maybe brands? Sorry, I’m dying for a slice of this yumminess.
Vaishali
Hi Supriya, I hear you on the vegan cheese, but the Aldi's in my area sells vegan mozzarella shreds that melt nicely and taste pretty good. That's the one I used here. Daiya also has vegan mozzarella shreds.