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Slice of vegetarian lasagna with mushroom walnut filling, cheese layers, and browned topping

Vegetarian Lasagna with Mushroom Walnut Filling and Cheese

Vegetarian lasagna is a creamy, hearty baked pasta dish with a savory mushroom walnut filling and rich layers of cheese. It is a comforting choice for weeknight dinners or gatherings when you want a satisfying meatless meal.
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Prep Time 20 minutes
Cook Time 45 minutes
Rest Time 10 minutes
Total Time 1 hour 15 minutes
Servings: 6 jumbo servings
Course: Pasta
Cuisine: American
Calories: 890
Ingredients Method Notes

Ingredients
  

Vegetable Filling
  • 4 cloves garlic
  • 1 onion, peeled and cut into chunks
  • 2 medium carrots, cut into chunks
  • 8 oz / 225 g fresh mushrooms
  • 1 cup walnuts
  • 1 small zucchini, cut into chunks
  • 2 tablespoons butter or olive oil
  • 1 teaspoon oregano
  • 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning
  • 1-2 teaspoons kosher salt + black pepper to taste
Sauce
  • one 24-ounce jar tomato sauce
Cheese Filling
  • one 8-ounce container mascarpone
  • 2 cloves garlic, grated
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • 2 cups shredded Parmesan cheese
  • 2 1/2 cups shredded mozzarella cheese
Assembly
  • 1 box uncooked lasagna noodles (about 12 noodles for a 9×13 pan)
  • 1 box uncooked lasagna noodles (about 12 noodles for a 9x13 pan)

Method
 

Preparation
  1. Add the mushrooms, walnuts, and zucchini to a food processor and pulse until finely chopped. Move the mixture to a bowl, then process the garlic, onion, and carrots in the same way.
  2. Heat butter or olive oil over medium-high heat. Add the chopped vegetables and seasonings, then sauté for 7-10 minutes until the vegetables are very soft and fragrant.
  3. Stir the tomato sauce and salt into the vegetable mixture. Taste and adjust the seasoning based on the sauce used.
Assembly
  1. Preheat the oven to 400°F (204°C). Combine the mascarpone with grated garlic and salt.
  2. Spread a layer of sauce across the bottom of a 9×13 pan. Build each layer with a few noodles, 1 cup sauce, a few dollops of mascarpone, 1/2 cup Parmesan, and 1/2 cup mozzarella. Repeat the layers, usually creating 4 layers from the ingredients.
  3. Finish the top with noodles, sauce, cheese, and additional dollops of sauce.
Baking
  1. Cover the pan with foil and bake for 40-45 minutes.
  2. Remove the foil and broil for 5 minutes to brown the cheese on top.
  3. Allow the lasagna to stand for about 10 minutes, then cut and serve.

Notes

Allowing the baked lasagna to stand before slicing helps the layers settle for cleaner portions.