A hearty vegan lasagna featuring tender aubergine or eggplant, savoury mushrooms, and a robust tomato sauce, topped with cheesy white sauce and garnished with black olives and fresh basil.
Eggplant and Mushroom Lasagna is the ultimate comfort food that brings together the rich, delightful flavours of Italian cuisine, all in a healthy, plant-based version. I love how this lasagna celebrates fresh vegetables, with tender slices of aubergine or eggplant, savoury mushrooms, and a handful of spinach leaves layered together.
Each layer is smothered in a robust, aromatic tomato sauce, perfectly seasoned with a blend of herbes de Provence which is my personal touch to this dish. But you may also use Italian herbs too for more traditional flavours.
The topping of cheesy white sauce forms a delightful, golden crust that’s garnished with briny black olives and fresh basil leaves, adding an extra burst of flavour. The combination of textures – from the creamy sauce to the tender, roasted vegetables – makes every bite incredibly satisfying.
What I particularly love about this lasagna is that it not only caters to vegans but also appeals to anyone looking for a wholesome and hearty meal. It’s perfect for family dinners, potlucks, or any occasion where you want to impress with a dish that’s both comforting and nourishing. Every time I dive into a slice of this delicious lasagna, I enjoy the perfect harmony of flavours and textures in every mouthful.
I hope you’ll enjoy the recipe.
Eggplant and Mushroom Lasagna
Ingredients
Lasagna
- 9 lasagna sheets (ensure they are vegan)
Filling
- 1 large eggplant, sliced
- 2 tablespoons Hoi Sin sauce (ensure it is vegan)
- 250 g (8.8 oz) fresh mushrooms, sliced (a mix of oyster mushrooms and white mushrooms recommended)
- 100 g (3.5 oz) fresh spinach leaves
- 2 tablespoons vegetable oil
- Salt to taste
Tomato Sauce (see notes)
- 2 cans (400 ml / 15 oz each) tomato puree
- 1 medium onion, chopped
- 1 teaspoon olive oil
- 1 teaspoon herbes de Provence or Italian herbs
- Salt to taste
Cheesy White Sauce:
- 400 ml (13.5 fl oz) coconut milk or other plant-based milk
- 2 tablespoons cornstarch or potato starch
- 2 tablespoons nutritional yeast
- Salt to taste
- Water as needed to adjust consistency
Garnish
- Halved or sliced black olives
- Fresh basil leaves
- Black pepper to taste
Instructions
Prepare the aubergine
- Lightly coat each eggplant slice with Hoi Sin sauce and sprinkle with salt.
- In a non-stick pan, shallow fry the eggplant slices in vegetable oil for 5-7 minutes, turning occasionally.
- Remove from heat and set aside.
Make the Tomato Sauce
(skip if using pre-made pasta sauce)
- In the same pan, heat 1 teaspoon of olive oil.
- Add chopped onions and sauté until they begin to brown.
- Pour in the tomato puree, add salt and herbes de Provence or Italian herbs.
- Simmer on low heat for 3-5 minutes.
Make the cheesy white sauce
- In a medium saucepan, dissolve cornstarch in a small amount of coconut milk.
- Add the remaining coconut milk, nutritional yeast, and salt.
- Cook over medium heat, stirring constantly until the mixture thickens to a pourable sauce. If too thick, add water to adjust consistency.
- Remove from heat.
Assemble and bake the lasagna
- Preheat oven to 180°C (350°F).
- Spread a thin layer of tomato sauce on the bottom of a lasagna dish (approximately 23cm x 33cm / 9x13 inch).
- Place three lasagna sheets over the sauce, leaving a little space between them.
- Layer with some tomato sauce, followed by the fried eggplant slices, and more tomato sauce.
- Add another layer of lasagna sheets and some more tomato sauce.
- Layer with sliced mushrooms, spinach leaves, more tomato sauce, and a bit of the white sauce.
- Place the final layer of lasagna sheets and pour the remaining cheesy white sauce over the top.
- Cover with foil and bake for 30 minutes.
- Remove the foil, sprinkle with black olives and black pepper, and bake for an additional 20 minutes.
- Turn off the oven, remove the lasagna, and let it cool and set for 15 minutes before cutting and serving.
Notes
You may substitute the tomato sauce ingredients with
1 large jar (500 g / 17.6 oz) ready-made pasta sauce of your choice
