This Mushroom Lasagna with Smoked Mozzarella Cream Sauce is earthy, creamy, and packed with savory flavor. A delicious and cozy dinner!
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Mushroom Lasagna
Lasagna is one of those dishes that once a craving strikes, nothing else will satisfy. While the red sauced variety is well-known and loved, sometimes I want something creamy, earthy, and savory with layers of complex flavors. If this sounds like you too, then this dish is for you!
This Mushroom Lasagna with Smoked Mozzarella Cream Sauce is pure decadence. Meaty mushrooms are sautéed with pancetta, offering salty smokiness that compliments the fungi perfectly. They’re layered with a smoked mozzarella and sage cream sauce that’s simple to prepare and outrageously delicious! Read on to learn more about this delicious lasagna and the mushrooms that I used to prepare it!
R&R Cultivation Mushrooms
R&R Cultivation is an urban farm that’s based in Roseville, Minnesota. They grow 12 different species of mushrooms including:
- Black Pearl
- Brown Beech
- Chestnut
- Enoki
- Golden Oyster
- King Trumpet
- Lion’s Mane
- Maitake
- Oyster
- Pioppino
- Shiitake
- White Beech
Not only are they available at multiple local Farmers Markets, they also distribute to 41 Twin Cities retail locations (and counting!), making them readily available at all times. I personally met Nick Robinson, one of the owners, in 2018 when R&R Cultivation was just beginning. Determination and passion are common traits of entrepreneurs, but I was blown away by both him and his business partner, Lance Ramm. The drive that they had (and continue to have!) is what has made their business the success that it is today!
How Are Mushrooms Grown?
I’ve had the opportunity to see the impressive 10,000 square foot R&R Cultivation warehouse where their mushrooms are grown, and it’s a fascinating process. The massive facility includes a wholesale packaging room, cold storage space, and 4 temperature & humidity controlled grow rooms. This warehouse space has allowed them to increase their weekly production nearly 95% in just a few years, going from 100-200 pounds to upwards of 2,000 pounds of mushrooms per week!
How To Make Mushroom Lasagna
Like any proper lasagna, this recipe features layers of mouthwatering ingredients including:
- Sautéed mushrooms with pancetta. A variety of mushrooms are chopped and sautéed with salty pancetta, softening them while adding flavor.
- Smoked mozzarella and sage cream sauce. This smoky sauce starts with a roux, which is equal parts butter and flour. Whole milk is infused with fresh sage, which is whisked in along with smoked mozzarella cheese.
- Lasagna noodles. You can opt for either oven-ready or pre-boil options. Either one will do!
- Gooey mozzarella cheese. Would it be lasagna without it? I like using both fresh and pre-shredded versions for both flavor and extra texture.
The lasagna is ultimately topped with tender roasted mushrooms and fried sage, an indication of what’s in this savory dish.
Using a variety of mushrooms delivers excellent texture and layers of unbeatable flavor. To learn more about the mushrooms used in this dish, head on over to R&R Cultivation’s blog where I share more delicious details!
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Mushroom Lasagna with Smoked Mozzarella Cream Sauce
Ingredients
For the mushroom filling:
- 4 oz pancetta
- 2 lbs assorted mushrooms
For the smoked mozzarella cream sauce:
- 1 stick butter
- 1/2 cup flour
- 4 cups milk, plus more for thinning as needed
- 4 leaves fresh sage
- 1 p smoked mozzarella, grated
- 1/4 cup parmesan cheese, grated
- 1 tsp salt
- Freshly grated nutmeg
To assemble:
- 8 oz oven-ready lasagna,
- 1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese
- 1 cup smoked mozzarella
- 1 lb assorted mushrooms
- 1/4 cup olive oil divided
- Salt and pepper
- 5-7 sage leaves
Instructions
- Add pancetta to a large saute pan set over medium heat.
- Chop mushrooms roughly, slicing any meatier mushrooms. Add to pan with pancetta and stir to combine. Cover and allow to saute, stirring sporadically to distribute the liquids releasing from the mushrooms. Add a splash water to assist with this if your mixture is still rather dry after 3 minutes.
- Meanwhile, set a saucepan filled with the milk over medium low heat. Add 4 sage leaves to the mixture, ensuring they're immersed. You're infusing the milk, so be sure to stir the mixture every so often.
- Once mushrooms have softened and released their liquid, remove from the pan and set aside.
- Add 1 stick of butter to the same saute pan, allowing to completely melt. Whisk the butter as you add in 1/2 cup of flour. The mixture will seize up a little, but keep whisking! It should thin out after 2 minutes.
- Add warm milk, 1 cup at a time and whisking constantly, until you have a thin sauce. Add smoked mozzarella, again whisking until it fully melts, followed by the parmesan. Add 1 teaspoon of salt a some freshly grated nutmeg (start with a tiny pinch). Taste the sauce and adjust to your liking.
- When ready to assemble, preheat the oven to 400º. In a 13 inch baking dish, add enough sauce to completely cover the bottom of the pan. Add lasagna to cover the bottom, followed by half of the mushroom mixture. Top with about 1/2 cup of the sauce - you still have one more layer to go! Repeat with lasagne, mushroom mixture, and sauce until all components are gone.
- Top with smoked and regular mozzarella cheese. Bake for 30-40 minutes until bubbling and lightly golden (you can opt to broil the top at the very end if you'd like more of a golden brown top).
- In the last 20 minutes of baking, toss the remaining mushrooms with 2 tablespoons of olive oil and season with salt and pepper. Roast for 20 minutes until softened and lightly golden. Removefrom oven with the lasagna and allow to slightly cool.
- Add remaining olive oil to a small saute pan over medium heat. Drop your sage leaves in to lightly fry: the oil will be ready when it starts to sizzle when you drop a sage leaf in. Fry for about 1 minute per side, until lightly crispy but still green.
- Top lasagna with roasted mushrooms and fried sage. Serve warm!