Mushroom Spinach Lasagna (Print Version)

# Ingredients:

→ Base Layer

01 - 12 lasagna sheets, soft and ready to use—choose regular or gluten-free if that’s your jam

→ Hearty Vegetable Filling

02 - 10 oz of fresh spinach, or frozen that’s been thawed and squeezed dry
03 - 16 oz of mushrooms, mix it up with cremini and button ones, sliced thin
04 - 3 garlic cloves, freshly minced
05 - 1 small sweet onion, finely diced into small bits
06 - 2 tablespoons olive oil, for cooking

→ Velvety White Sauce

07 - A dash of nutmeg powder, about 1/2 teaspoon, for fragrance
08 - 3 cups of whole milk, making your sauce rich and creamy
09 - 4 tablespoons of butter, unsalted and softened
10 - A sprinkle of sea salt and freshly cracked black pepper
11 - 1/4 cup of general-purpose flour, or gluten-free flour if that’s your thing

→ Cheese Blend

12 - 2 cups shredded mozzarella for that classic stretch factor
13 - Half a cup of Parmesan cheese, finely grated for extra flavor
14 - An egg (large), lightly whisked to mix
15 - 1 1/2 cups of ricotta cheese, mild and creamy

# Instructions:

01 - Boil water in a very large pot, add some salt to it, and let your lasagna noodles cook until just tender but still a bit firm to the bite. After draining, carefully lay them out flat so they don’t stick together.
02 - Heat the olive oil in a big pan over medium heat. Toss in your diced onions and cook until they start to turn clear and soft—about 3 minutes or so. Add the minced garlic, cooking it for another minute until the smell gets amazing. Now, drop in your mushrooms and watch them soften and brown as they cook off their liquid over 8 minutes. Toss in the spinach last, cooking it down just until it wilts. Add enough salt and pepper to make it taste just right.
03 - Grab a saucepan and let the butter melt over medium heat. Stir in the flour, whisking constantly for a little over a minute—keep going until the smell turns slightly nutty and the color deepens. Slowly pour in the milk, mixing it all the while to make a smooth sauce. Keep whisking till it thickens, taking about 5-7 minutes. Stir in nutmeg, salt, and pepper to wrap it up.
04 - In a medium-sized mixing bowl, stir together the ricotta, mozzarella (just 1/2 cup for now), and the egg. Throw in a pinch of salt to bring everything together.
05 - Preheat your oven to 375°F (or 190°C). Coat a 9×13-inch pan lightly with oil. Start building layers by spreading a bit of your white sauce at the base, then lay down the first set of noodles. Spread on a third of your ricotta mixture and half of the veggie filling. Keep stacking layers of noodles, sauces, and fillings until everything's used up, finishing with a top layer of noodles, the remaining sauce, and lots of mozzarella and Parmesan.
06 - Cover the dish with foil and pop it into the oven for 25 minutes. Then take off the foil and bake an extra 15-20 minutes until the top is golden brown and bubbly around the edges. Let it cool for 10 minutes before slicing up and enjoying.

# Notes:

01 - Prep it ahead by assembling the day before—just keep it wrapped up in the fridge until baking time.
02 - Leftovers? No problem! They keep in the fridge for 5 days when packed in an airtight container.
03 - Feel creative? Try experimenting with specialty mushrooms for a unique twist.

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