Rob's Veggie Lasagna Recipe

Preheat oven to 375°F (190°C). Finely slice cremini mushrooms, dice the onion, and mince the garlic.

Heat 2 tablespoons olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add diced onion and 1 tsp salt; sauté until translucent, about 5 minutes.

Add sliced mushrooms and cook, stirring occasionally, until they release their liquid and it evaporates, about 7–9 minutes. Season with 1 tsp black pepper.

Add minced garlic and cook 30–60 seconds until fragrant. Push the vegetable mixture to the side of the pan, add the fresh spinach in batches, stirring until wilted and combined. Remove from heat and set aside.

In a medium saucepan, heat 1 tablespoon olive oil over medium heat. Stir in tomato paste and cook 1 minute to deepen flavor.

Add crushed tomatoes, dried oregano, dried basil, 1 tsp sugar, 1 tsp salt, and 1/2 tsp black pepper. Bring to a gentle simmer, reduce heat to low, and cook uncovered for 15–20 minutes, stirring occasionally, until slightly thickened. Taste and adjust seasoning.

Stir half of the cooked mushroom-spinach mixture into the tomato sauce to incorporate the vegetables into the sauce. Reserve the remaining vegetable mixture for layering.

In a saucepan over medium heat, melt 3 tablespoons unsalted butter. Whisk in 3 tablespoons flour and cook for 1–2 minutes to form a roux, stirring constantly, but do not let it brown.

Gradually whisk in 3 cups whole milk and 1/2 cup heavy cream, smoothing out any lumps. Bring to a gentle simmer, whisking frequently, until the sauce thickens enough to coat the back of a spoon, about 6–8 minutes.

Remove from heat. Stir in 1 cup grated Parmesan, 1/4 tsp ground nutmeg, 1/2 tsp salt, and 1/4 tsp black pepper. Taste and adjust seasoning. If sauce is too thick, add a splash of milk to reach a pourable but substantial consistency.

Spread a thin layer (about 3/4 cup) of the tomato-vegetable sauce on the bottom of a 9x13-inch baking dish to prevent sticking.

Place 3–4 lasagna noodles in a single layer over the sauce (for no-boil noodles, follow package directions for overlap).

Spoon about 1 cup of tomato-vegetable sauce over the noodles and spread evenly.

Dollop or evenly spread about 1/3 of the béchamel-style filling over the sauce layer.

Scatter one-third of the remaining mushroom-spinach mixture over the béchamel, then lay 2–3 provolone slices (or enough to cover) and sprinkle 1/2 cup shredded mozzarella.

Repeat layers twice more: noodles, tomato-vegetable sauce (about 1 cup), 1/3 béchamel, 1/3 vegetable mixture, provolone and 1/2 cup mozzarella. You should end with a top noodle layer, remaining béchamel, and remaining mozzarella.

Finish by sprinkling 1/4 cup grated Parmesan and red pepper flakes (optional) over the top and drizzle with 1 tablespoon olive oil.

Cover the baking dish loosely with foil (to prevent cheese from sticking, tent the foil so it does not touch the cheese). Bake in the preheated oven for 30 minutes.

Remove foil and bake an additional 10–15 minutes, until the top is bubbly and golden and edges are simmering.

If you want a more browned top, place under the broiler for 1–2 minutes—watch closely to avoid burning.

Let the lasagna rest for 10–15 minutes before cutting to allow layers to set.

Garnish with chopped fresh basil leaves before serving. Serve warm.