Mushroom and spinach lasagne recipe

Prepare: less than 30 mins
Cook: 30 mins to 1 hour
Serve: Serves 6
Dietary: Healthy Vegetarian

This classic vegetarian lasagne is layered with a rich tomato and mushroom sauce, wilted spinach and a creamy cheese sauce. Soaking the lasagne sheets before assembling helps them cook evenly in the oven. Ideal for batch cooking or a hearty family dinner.

By Mary Berry

From Mary at 90: A Lifetime of Cooking

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Ingredients

For the lasagne

6–8 sheets dried lasagne
2 tbsp olive oil
1 large onion, roughly chopped
500g/1lb 2oz button mushrooms, sliced
2 large garlic cloves, finely grated
30g/1oz plain flour
2 x 400g tins chopped tomatoes
1 tbsp freshly chopped thyme leaves
2 tsp balsamic vinegar
2 tbsp sun-dried tomato paste
200g/7oz baby spinach, trimmed

For the cheese sauce

55g/2oz unsalted butter
55g/2oz plain flour
600ml/1 pint hot milk
2 tbsp Dijon mustard
150g/5oz mature cheddar, coarsely grated
55g/2oz Parmesan (or alternative vegetarian hard cheese), coarsely grated
salt and freshly ground black pepper

Recipe tips

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Method

Soak the lasagne sheets in hot water for 15 minutes to soften. Drain and refresh under cold water, then drain again.
Preheat the oven to 200C/180C Fan/Gas 6. You will need a 2.25-litre/4-pint rectangular ovenproof dish.
Heat the oil in a large non-stick frying pan over a high heat. Add the onion and fry for a few minutes. Add the mushrooms and garlic and fry for 3–4 minutes, stirring, to drive off any excess liquid.
Sprinkle in the flour and mix well. Add the tomatoes, thyme, vinegar, tomato paste and spinach. Fry over a high heat for a further 3–5 minutes, or until the spinach has wilted and the sauce is bubbling. Season with salt and freshly ground black pepper, then remove from the heat and set aside.
To make the cheese sauce, melt the butter in a saucepan over a medium heat. Stir in the flour, then whisk in the hot milk. Add the mustard and two-thirds of the cheeses. Season, then bring to the boil, whisking for a few minutes, until thickened.
To assemble the lasagne, spoon a third of the mushroom and tomato sauce into the base of the dish. Top with a third of the cheese sauce, then place half the lasagne sheets in a single layer on top.
Repeat the layers until you have three layers of mushroom and tomato sauce, three layers of cheese sauce and two layers of pasta. Sprinkle with the remaining cheeses.
Bake for about 40 minutes, or until golden brown, bubbling around the edges and the pasta is tender.