Q1: Why is my vegetarian lasagna often watery, and how does this recipe fix that?

Watery vegetarian lasagna is a very common problem, and it's almost always caused by the high water content in vegetables like mushrooms and spinach. This recipe brilliantly solves that problem with a simple but crucial step: roasting the mushrooms first and then draining off all their liquid before you assemble the lasagna. This concentrates their flavor and removes the excess water that would otherwise make your casserole soupy.

Q2: What is "vegetarian Parmesan" and do I really need to use it?

Traditional Italian Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese is made using animal rennet , which is an enzyme from a calf's stomach. This means it is not technically a vegetarian product. Vegetarian Parmesan is a hard, aged, parmesan-style cheese that is made using a microbial or vegetable-based rennet instead. If you are serving this to strict vegetarians, using a vegetarian Parmesan is a very important and considerate choice. You can find it in most well-stocked grocery stores.

Q3: Do I have to use cottage cheese, or can I use ricotta?

You can absolutely use an equal amount of part-skim or whole-milk ricotta cheese instead of the cottage cheese if you prefer a more traditional lasagna. Cottage cheese is used in this recipe as a fantastic "healthy hack," as it is typically higher in protein and lower in fat than ricotta, and it provides a wonderful, creamy texture.

Q4: Can I use regular, boil-style lasagna noodles instead of the no-boil kind?

Yes, you can. If you are using regular lasagna noodles, simply cook them in a large pot of boiling, salted water according to the package directions until they are al dente. Drain them well and then proceed with the layering as directed in the recipe.

Q5: Can I add a different kind of cheese to the topping?

Of course! A layer of sliced provolone cheese on top, under the mozzarella and Parmesan, would be a delicious and classic addition that would provide an even gooier, meltier cheese topping.

The Best Easy & Healthy Spinach and Mushroom Lasagna

A hearty and flavorful vegetarian lasagna featuring layers of roasted mushrooms, fresh spinach, and a creamy cottage cheese filling. Sliced mushrooms are first roasted with garlic powder to deepen their flavor. The lasagna is then assembled in a casserole dish with layers of pasta sauce, no-boil lasagna noodles, the cottage cheese, roasted mushrooms, spinach, and a blend of mozzarella and vegetarian Parmesan cheeses. The casserole is baked until bubbly and golden brown.

Author: Grace
Prep Time: 20 minutes
Cook Time: 55 minutes
Total Time: 1 hour 25 minutes (includes cooling time)
Yield: 4-6 servings 1x
Category: Casserole
Method: Baking, Roasting
Cuisine: Italian-American
Diet: Vegetarian

Ingredients

Scale

8 ounces mushrooms, sliced
1 Tbsp olive oil
1/2 tsp garlic powder
Salt and pepper to taste
1 1/2 cups pasta sauce
8 ounces no-boil lasagna noodles (about 8–10 noodles)
1 1/2 cups small curd cottage cheese
2 cups fresh spinach
1 1/2 cups shredded mozzarella cheese
1/2 cup grated vegetarian parmesan cheese
2 Tbsp chopped walnuts (optional, for topping)

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Instructions

Preheat the oven to 375°F (190°C).
In a casserole dish, toss the sliced mushrooms with the olive oil, garlic powder, salt, and pepper.
Bake the mushrooms for about 10 minutes. Remove them from the oven, set them aside, and drain any excess liquid from the casserole dish.
Assemble the Lasagna: Pour about half of the pasta sauce into the bottom of the empty casserole dish.
Place 3-4 no-boil lasagna noodles on top of the sauce, breaking them as needed to fit. Press the noodles down so they are covered by the sauce.
Spread half of the cottage cheese over the noodles.
Add a layer of half of the roasted mushrooms and half of the fresh spinach.
Top with half of the mozzarella and half of the parmesan cheese.
Repeat the layers: the remaining noodles, the rest of the pasta sauce, the rest of the cottage cheese, the remaining mushrooms and spinach, and the rest of the cheese.
Sprinkle with chopped walnuts, if using.
Bake: Cover the casserole dish with foil and bake for 30 minutes.
Uncover the dish and bake for another 15 minutes, until the cheese is melted and bubbly.
Let the lasagna cool for 5-10 minutes before slicing and serving.

Notes

This recipe uses no-boil lasagna noodles for convenience, eliminating the need to pre-cook the pasta.
Pre-roasting the mushrooms is a key step that concentrates their flavor and prevents them from releasing too much water into the lasagna.
Baking the lasagna covered first allows the noodles to cook through in the sauce, while baking it uncovered at the end creates a golden, bubbly cheese topping.

Nutrition

Serving Size: 1/6 of recipe
Calories: 450-550
Sugar: 10-15 g
Sodium: 1200-1500 mg
Fat: 22-28 g
Saturated Fat: 12-16 g
Trans Fat: 0 g
Carbohydrates: 35-45 g
Fiber: 5-7 g
Protein: 25-30 g
Cholesterol: 60-80 mg

Find it online: https://www.eatswithsoul.com/mushroom-lasagna/