Martha Stewart Mushroom-Eggplant Lasagna

Martha Stewart Mushroom-Eggplant Lasagna is easy make ahead comfort food with cremini mushrooms, silky eggplant, and three cheeses: ricotta, mozzarella, and Parmigiano-Reggiano. Everything bakes together in thick tomato sauce for a cozy fall family dinner.

She blends whole tomatoes with garlic and red pepper flakes, then layers the sauce between no-boil noodles you can assemble a day ahead. Bake it uncovered for the last 20 minutes so the mozzarella gets crisp, golden edges.

Martha Stewart Mushroom-Eggplant Lasagna

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Course: DinnerCuisine: American, ItalianDifficulty: Medium

Servings

10

servings

Prep time

55

minutes

Cooking time

1

hour 

50

minutes

Calories

430

kcal

Thick layers of tender eggplant and earthy cremini in rich tomato sauce, sandwiched between ricotta-filled noodles and topped with a crisp Parmigiano-mozzarella crust.

Ingredients

• 5 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
  

• 1 pound cremini mushrooms, chopped (about 5 cups)
  

• 1 pound eggplant (1 to 2 medium), peeled and chopped (about 5 cups)
  

• 1 medium onion, chopped (1 ½ cups)
  

• 2 carrots, peeled and chopped (¾ cup)
  

• 2 celery stalks, chopped (¾ cup)
  

• Kosher salt
  

• 6 garlic cloves, minced (2 tablespoons)
  

• 2 teaspoons dried oregano
  

• 1/2 teaspoon red-pepper flakes
  

• 3 tablespoons tomato paste
  

• 2 cans (28 ounces each) whole peeled tomatoes in juice
  

• 24 ounces whole-milk ricotta (3 cups)
  

• 1 cup whole milk
  

• 3 large eggs
  

• 4 ounces Parmigiano-Reggiano, finely grated (1 ¼ cups)
  

• 1 pound low-moisture mozzarella, shredded (4 cups)
  

• 3/4 cup chopped flat-leaf parsley
  

• Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper
  

• 18 dry lasagna noodles
  

Directions

• Preheat the oven: Preheat oven to 375 degrees.
• Sauté the vegetables: Heat oil in a large saucepan over medium-high. Add mushrooms and eggplant and sauté 10 minutes. Add onion, carrots, celery, and 1 teaspoon salt; cook until vegetables have browned in places and most of moisture is cooked out of mushrooms and eggplant, about 15 minutes.
• Simmer the sauce: Add garlic, oregano, and red-pepper flakes; cook until fragrant, 1 minute. Add tomato paste; cook 2 minutes more. Puree tomatoes in a blender or food processor; add to pan. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to low and simmer, stirring occasionally, until reduced and thickened slightly but still very loose, about 15 minutes. Remove from heat.
• Mix the cheese filling: In a large bowl, whisk together ricotta, milk, eggs, 1 cup Parmigiano-Reggiano, 2 1/2 cups mozzarella, parsley, 1 teaspoon salt, and 1/4 teaspoon pepper.
• Layer the lasagna: Spread 2 cups sauce evenly in a 9-by-13-inch baking dish, preferably ceramic or enameled cast iron. Arrange 3 lasagna noodles over sauce (space noodles evenly; they will expand as the lasagna cooks). Spread 2 cups cheese mixture over noodles; top with 3 more noodles. Repeat layering of vegetable and cheese mixtures between noodles twice more.
• Top and cover: Spread 2 cups sauce evenly over top layer of noodles. Sprinkle evenly with remaining 1 1/2 cups mozzarella and 1/4 cup Parmigiano-Reggiano. Loosely cover with parchment-lined foil and transfer to a rimmed baking sheet.
• Bake covered: Bake until noodles are tender but still al dente (easily pierced with the tip of a knife), 40 to 45 minutes. Uncover; continue baking until bubbly and puffed slightly along edges and golden brown in places on top, 20 to 25 minutes more.
• Rest and serve: There may appear to be a lot of liquid in the dish. It will be absorbed as the lasagna cools. Transfer dish to a wire rack and let cool slightly and set, about 20 minutes; cut into squares to serve.

FAQs

Can I make this mushroom-eggplant lasagna ahead of time?

You can assemble the full lasagna up to a day before and keep it in the fridge, covered. When you are ready, bake it straight from the fridge and add about 10 extra minutes to the covered baking time. This makes it a solid choice for a dinner party where you want everything done before guests arrive.

How do I store and reheat leftover vegetarian lasagna?

Keep leftovers in the fridge for up to 4 days in an airtight container. For longer storage, wrap individual slices in parchment-lined foil, seal them in a freezer bag, and freeze for up to a month. Reheat frozen slices still in the foil at 375 degrees for about 20 minutes.

What can I use instead of eggplant in this lasagna?

Zucchini or yellow squash work well since they have a similar soft texture when cooked. Slice them about 1/4 inch thick, salt them for 20 minutes to draw out moisture, then pat dry before layering. Skip the initial sauté if you go this route, because the thinner slices will cook through in the oven.

Do I need to use no-boil noodles for this recipe?

The recipe calls for dry noodles that soften during baking from the sauce and cheese moisture. If you swap in regular boiled noodles, cook them 2 minutes under the package time and reduce the milk in the cheese mixture to 1/2 cup, since precooked noodles need less liquid to hydrate.

Why is my vegetarian lasagna watery after baking?

The most common cause is cutting it too soon. Martha says to let it rest on a wire rack for at least 20 minutes so the layers set and absorb the liquid. Cooking the mushrooms and eggplant long enough in step 2 also matters, since both vegetables release a lot of water that needs to cook off before the sauce goes in.