Lasagne al Forno recipe

Layers of perfect pasta, loaded with four kinds of cheese and full of nutty, creamy, umami flavor, our Lasagne al Forno is the perfect comfort food. We really can’t get enough of this stunning lasagne, it’s our latest obsession, it’s easy to make and well worth the effort.

Why you’ll love our four cheese and mushroom lasagne al forno

• There’s no need to pre-cook your lasagne sheets in this easy lasagne.

• This take on the classic recipe is totally vegetarian with no meat sauce and it’s a real crowd-pleaser when only tasty comfort food will do!

• This lasagne freezes well, so you can make two at the same time, eat one fresh, and freeze the other so you have an amazing vegetarian dinner on hand whenever you want it.

Do I have to use homemade pasta sheets?

In an ideal world, we’d all make our own pasta, it does taste deliciously fresh.

However, we all live busy lives and it’s not always possible to have the time to make homemade pasta.

So use shop-bought and don’t feel bad about it!

And in our recipe, there’s no need to pre-boil the pasta sheets either – saving even more time!

Buy the best brand of pasta that you can afford, as an Italian chef in Sorrento said to me once “don’t be cheap on the main ingredient, you’ll regret it” and he was right, not all pasta is made the same and you can taste the difference.

Is lasagne al forno vegetarian?

‘Lasagne Al Forno’ means ‘baked in the oven,’ it’s not tied to one specific lasagne recipe.

Many lasagne al forno recipes are made with meat, minced beef, minced pork or meat sauce, not ours.

Our lasagne al forno is 100% vegetarian and boy it tastes SO good!

This stunning lasagne al forno is completely vegetarian. We show you that you don’t need a meat sauce to make a hearty dinner. Be warned though, your family will want second helpings!

What cheese is in this lasagne recipe?

All the cheese that we use in our lasagne al forno is 100% vegetarian.

• Mascarpone

• Dolcelatte

• Vegetarian parmesan

• Brie

Can I make this ahead?

Yes, you can.

Making lasagne isn’t a quick job, but totally worthwhile, so make it ahead wherever possible.

Assemble the lasagne al forno up to two days before baking and serving it. Just make sure to cover it and store it in the fridge until you are ready to bake.

Can it be frozen?

Absolutely!

Our four cheese and mushroom lasagne will freeze for up to 3 months.

First, cook it and then let the lasagne completely cool down and then wrap it tightly in plastic wrap (cling film).

The good news is that you can cook your lasagne from the freezer and what’s even better is that you can put it straight into a cold oven!

Do not place a frozen lasagne straight from the freezer into a hot oven, you’ll crack your baking dish, let the oven and the lasagne warm up together.

Usually, a frozen lasagne will take between 1 – 2 hours to bake.

Can I use shop-bought white sauce?

You could, but once you taste homemade white sauce, you’d never buy it again!

There’s no comparison with a shop-bought sauce with preservatives against a freshly made white sauce.

Give it a go, you’ll be pleased you did!

What should I serve with a lasagne?

You could serve your lasagne main course with a lovely fresh green salad, or you could serve it with your favorite vegetables – the choice is yours!

Recipe notes and tips

• Out of mascarpone cheese?
  Ricotta cheese is a good alternative to use and vegetarian friendly.
• Preparation tip
  Prepare your lasagne al forno in the morning and store in the fridge, bring it out a couple of hours before hand before baking in the oven.
• Are leftovers safe to eat?
  Yes, they are! Store any leftovers in the fridge in an airtight container and they’ll keep for 3-4 days. When you want to reheat them, just cover with foil and cook until they look deliciously bubbly.
• Can I eat this cold?
  If you’ve cooked it first then yes, it’s great to eat cold (but not for everyone’s taste).
• Made too much white sauce?
  Freeze it! Place it in a freezer bag and it’ll be great for 3 months.
• Can I use green lasagne sheets?
  Yes you can, they’re veggie friendly too.

How to make lasagne al forno with mushrooms, step-by-step instructions

Full recipe instructions along with ingredient measurements are listed below in our recipe card.

First, place your dried porcini mushrooms in a bowl, add boiling water and then leave them to soak.

Over medium-low heat, heat your olive oil in a large frying pan or wok.

Add your onion and gently fry until it’s soft and caramelised, ensuring that you stir regularly, approximately 15 minutes, when cooked, set them aside.

Add more olive oil, turn the heat up to high and fry half of the portobello and chestnut mushrooms until they are a lovely golden brown, set aside and then repeat with the remaining mushrooms.

Now add all the mushrooms and the onions to the pan, add in your garlic, sage, nutmeg, and salt and pepper to season.

Continue to cook and stir for one minute.

Now it’s time for the porcini mushrooms. Pour the mushrooms into the sieve over the pan and let the water that they have been soaking in drain into your pan.

Then chop them roughly and add to the pan, stir, and cook for approximately 10 minutes until the liquid has reduced.

Now prepare your white sauce. In a medium-sized pan, melt your butter and stir in the plain all-purpose flour.

Cook over low heat for a couple of minutes until you see a smooth thick sauce has formed.

Now gradually add your milk, stirring with a wooden spoon, and gently bring it to a boil, it’s important to keep stirring constantly until it’s a thick and smooth white sauce.

Now add dolcelatte cheese, mascarpone cheese, and half of your vegetarian parmesan cheese to the white sauce and stir until the cheese has completely melted and is perfectly combined. Season to taste and add another pinch or two of grated nutmeg.

Now preheat the oven and take a deep ovenproof dish and lightly brush it with a little olive oil.

It’s time to build your lasagne! Pour in a third of your mushroom mixture and then ensure that it covers the base of your dish evenly.

Then, place a single layer of pasta sheets on top of the mushrooms, again, ensuring that the mushrooms are covered, and you’ve created a complete layer, break the lasagne sheets to fit if you need to.

Next, add your sauce and ladle a third onto the lasagne sheets and spread evenly so that the lasagne sheets are completely covered, then repeat this process twice more and on the final layer lay the thin slices of Brie, scatter the other half of your parmesan cheese and pine nuts.

Cover your baking dish loosely with lightly oiled tin foil and place it on a baking tray.

Bake for 30 minutes and then remove the foil and return to the oven for a further 15 – 20 minutes until it’s deliciously crisp on the top.

Serve it to your eager guests – Bellissima – enjoy!

We hope that you love making our four cheese and mushroom lasagne al forno and would love to hear how you got on making it.

Please leave a comment or question below.

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Other vegetarian recipes for you to try

• Vegan chicken burgers – herby and full of flavor, this hearty burger is fast food done well – give it a try!

• Vegetable bhuna – one of our most popular curries and a regular in our household, if you like a little spice then you’ll love this!

• Easy mushroom pasta – if you can never have enough of mushrooms then try this quick creamy mushroom pasta!

• Veggie sausage and bean casserole – in a wonderful tomato sauce, tasty casserole is a real crowd pleaser.

And why not try this air fryer ravioli from Wendy Polisi?

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