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A Mushroom Lasagna to Wow Family and Friends

There’s something undeniably magical about a dish that layers flavors, textures, and pure comfort. This Mushroom and Caramelized Onion Lasagna isn’t your typical lasagna—it’s a tasty surprise where earthy mushrooms, sweet caramelized onions, and creamy béchamel come together in perfect harmony.

Whether you're hosting a dinner party or simply indulging in a cozy night at home, this recipe is guaranteed to steal the spotlight. 

The Ultimate Mushroom and Caramelized Onion Lasagna: Step-by-Step Recipe

Mushroom and Caramelized Onion Lasagna
Mushroom and Caramelized Onion Lasagna
Add this mushroom lasagna to your repertoire and standby for the raves.  You will be a lasagna hero.  It freezes well, so you can make the mushroom lasagna ahead of time to dazzle your family and friends with mushroom yumminess.

This Mushroom and Caramelized Onion Lasagna is a family favorite.  I make it once a year for our Christmas dinner because it is just that special.  Family members ask specifically whether this lasagna will be on the holiday dinner menu.  They would be very disappointed to hear it is not.  

I first discovered this delicious lasagna about twenty years ago, thanks to a talented caterer. I was hosting a holiday party for my work colleagues and asked her to create a menu that would shine on a buffet table. One of her suggestions was a mushroom lasagna, and it turned out to be the star of the evening—a hit with every single guest! 

Of course, I asked the caterer for the recipe. Not surprisingly, it was an Ina Garten recipe.  That recipe is the inspiration for my Mushroom and Caramelized Onion Lasagna.

Mushroom and Caramelized Onion Lasagna

How to Make Mushroom Lasagna

You'll love that the recipe is fairly simple in that the main focus is mushrooms.  A simple white sauce binds the dish together. 

I've made a few changes to the original Barefoot Contessa recipe over the years. 

First, I always use Crimini mushrooms because they are easier to find at my local stores than the larger Portobello mushrooms, but you can use whatever kind of whole mushrooms look best in your market.

Crimini Onions are Perfect for Mushroom Lasagna
Crimini Mushrooms are Perfect for Mushroom Lasagna
Secondly, I always use two - two and a half pounds of mushrooms per lasagna.  More mushrooms make this a more substantial lasagna. 

Lastly, Adding caramelized onions adds a little extra flavor.

Tips for Mushroom Lasagna Success

1. Whole Mushrooms for Uniformity: I purchase whole mushrooms for this dish to control the size of the mushroom slices. You can use pre-sliced mushrooms to speed the preparation. Cleaning and slicing two and a half-pound of mushrooms can be a tedious and time-consuming process so purchasing already sliced mushrooms will shorten your prep time.

2. Don't Crowd the Mushrooms: Two and a half pounds of sliced mushrooms are a lot of mushrooms.  You'll need a large frying pan to be sure there is enough space for the mushrooms to get a little brown on them.  I use the large rectangular electric frying pan that gets the job done for me.  If you have a smaller frying pan, split the amount of mushrooms in half when cooking them.

3: Grind Your Nutmeg: You should plan to grate fresh nutmeg for this lasagna. There aren't many ingredients in this dish so you'll want the nutmeg flavor to shine through. I have this nutmeg grater that does the job for me.

4: Don't Rush Your Prep: Even though there are just a few ingredients in this lasagna, the process is time-consuming.  I average about an hour and a half of preparation time when making this dish.  You'll need to clean and slice the mushrooms, chop the onions, cook the onions and mushrooms, prepare the white sauce, and assemble the lasagna.  This deliciousness takes time and is very much worth your effort.

5: Make Ahead: You can make this lasagna ahead of time and freeze prior to baking.  Just be sure to thaw the lasagna completely before cooking for the best results.  Thawing the lasagna overnight in your refrigerator works well. I like to use disposable aluminum baking dishes when making multiples of this lasagna for my freezer.

Mushroom and Onion Lasagna
Mushroom Lasagna from Simple Ingredients

The Steps

Clean your mushrooms by brushing them gently with a towel or a pastry brush.  Trim the stems and slice the mushrooms.

Heat two tablespoons of butter with the olive oil in a large skillet.  Add the mushrooms to the pan.  Leave them without turning until they are lightly browned on one side.  Season with a ittle salt and pepper. Stir and continue cooking until soft.  Remove to a bowl.  

Add the onion to the pan.  Season the onion with a little salt and pepper. Cook the onion until lightly browned and caramelized.  Remove to the bowl with the mushrooms.

Crimini Mushroom and Caramelized Onion Lasagna Filling
Crimini Mushroom and Caramelized Onion Lasagna Filling

Heat the milk in a heat-safe, four-cup measuring cup in your microwave or in a pot on your stove.  Melt a stick of butter in a saucepan over medium heat.  Add the flour to the melted butter and cook for about a minute. Add the hot milk to the butter mixture, stirring to combine.  Season with salt, pepper, and the nutmeg.  Stir and keep cooking until the sauce thickens.  You'll be able to draw a line through the sauce on the back of your spoon when it is ready.  Remove the sauce from the heat.

Cook the lasagna noodles according to the package directions.  

To assemble, spread a few spoonfuls of sauce in the bottom of your lasagna pan.  Spread four lasagna noodles over the sauce.  Add a layer of sauce to the noodles.  Spread one-third of the mushroom and onion mixture over the sauce.  Sprinkle with 1/4 cup of Parmesan cheese.  

Complete two more layers of noodles, sauce, mushroom mixture, and Parmesan cheese.  Top with a final layer of noodles, sauce, and Parmesan cheese.

A Mushroom and Caramelized Onion Lasagna Ready to Bake
A Mushroom and Caramelized Onion Lasagna Ready to Bake

Bake the lasagna in a preheated 375 degrees F oven for approximately 45 minutes or until browned on top and bubbly.  Let sit for twenty to thirty minutes before serving. You absolutely want to let the layers set before cutting the lasagna.  This mushroom lasagna also tastes great at room temperature.

Mushroom and Onion Lasagna Recipe

vegetable lasagna, Christmas dinner recipe
dinner
American
Yield: 10
Author: Donna Urso
Mushroom and Onion Lasagna

Mushroom and Onion Lasagna

A tasty vegetable lasagna where earthy mushrooms, sweet caramelized onions, and creamy béchamel come together in perfect harmony.
Prep time: 60 MinCook time: 45 MinTotal time: 1 H & 45 M

Ingredients

Instructions

  1. Clean your mushrooms by brushing them gently with a towel or a pastry brush. Trim the stems and slice the mushrooms.
  2. Heat two tablespoons of butter with the olive oil in a large skillet. Add the mushrooms to the pan. Leave them without turning until they are lightly browned on one side. Season with a little salt and pepper. Stir and continue cooking until soft. Remove to a bowl.
  3. Add the onion to the pan. Season the onion with a little salt and pepper. Cook the onion until lightly browned and caramelized. Remove to the bowl with the mushrooms.
  4. Heat the milk in a heat-safe, four-cup measuring cup in your microwave or a pot on your stove.
  5. Melt eight tablespoons of butter in a saucepan over medium heat. Add the flour to the melted butter and cook for about a minute. Add the hot milk to the butter mixture, stirring to combine. Season with salt, one teaspoon of pepper, and the nutmeg. Stir and keep cooking until the sauce thickens. You'll be able to draw a line through the sauce on the back of your spoon when it is ready. Remove the sauce from the heat.
  6. Cook sixteen lasagna noodles according to the package directions. Spread a few spoonfuls of sauce in the bottom of your lasagna pan.
  7. Spread lasagna noodles over the sauce, overlapping slightly. Add a layer of sauce to the noodles. Spread one-third of the mushroom and onion mixture over the sauce. Sprinkle with 1/4 cup of Parmesan cheese. Complete two more layers of noodles, sauce, mushroom mixture, and Parmesan cheese. Top with a final layer of noodles, sauce, and Parmesan cheese.
  8. Preheat your oven to 375 F. Bake the lasagna for 45 minutes or until heated though, bubbly, and lightly browned on top.
  9. Let the lasagna rest for 15 to 30 minutes before serving.

Notes

The number of lasagna noodles you need will vary with the size of your pan.

Nutrition Facts

Calories

447

Fat (grams)

21 g

Sat. Fat (grams)

11 g

Carbs (grams)

49 g

Fiber (grams)

3 g

Net carbs

46 g

Sugar (grams)

9 g

Protein (grams)

16 g

Sodium (milligrams)

940 mg

Cholesterol (grams)

51 mg

Nutritional information is approximate.

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Updated 12/28/2024

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