Sausage and mushroom lasagna is the hearty, deeply savory answer to the question of what to make when you want a dinner that feels like a Sunday project but eats like pure comfort. Sweet or hot Italian sausage crumbles are browned hard so the edges caramelize, then simmered with garlic, tomato, and wine until the sauce is thick enough to hold a spoon upright.
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The mushrooms are the quiet hero here. Slicing them and searing them in a dry pan first drives off their water so they turn golden and meaty instead of steaming into rubbery little sponges inside the layers. Between the sauce, the no-boil noodles, and a ricotta-egg-mozzarella filling, every forkful pulls a clean, cheesy cross-section.
This recipe feeds six generously from a 9×13 pan, and it is honestly better on day two. If you are feeding a crowd or want leftovers for the week, this is the pan to make.
Why You'll Love This Recipe
About the Ingredients
1 lb (450g) Italian sausage, casings removed (sweet or hot)
Buy loose sausage or slit the casings and crumble the meat. For a lighter version, swap in ground turkey sausage, but add 1 tablespoon olive oil since it has less fat to render.
1 lb (450g) cremini mushrooms, sliced 1/4 inch thick
Creminis (baby bellas) have far more flavor than white buttons. If they look wet, wipe them with a damp paper towel instead of rinsing so they sear rather than steam.
1 tablespoon olive oil
Use regular, not extra-virgin, for the high heat of browning. Avocado oil works as a neutral substitute with a higher smoke point.
1 medium yellow onion, diced (about 1 cup)
Yellow onion gives the sweetest, deepest base. A red onion will work but turns the sauce slightly pink and sharper.
4 garlic cloves, minced
Fresh garlic only here; jarred garlic tastes flat and burns faster. Add it last so it toasts without turning bitter.
1 jar (24 oz / 680g) marinara or crushed tomatoes
A good jarred marinara saves 30 minutes. If using crushed tomatoes, add 1 teaspoon sugar and 1 teaspoon dried oregano to round out the acidity.
1/2 cup (120ml) dry red wine or beef broth
Wine adds depth; broth keeps it family-friendly. Either way, scrape the browned bits off the pan bottom for maximum flavor.
15 oz (425g) whole-milk ricotta
Whole-milk ricotta is creamier and less watery than part-skim. Drain off any liquid on top before mixing.
1 large egg
The egg binds the ricotta so the layers slice cleanly instead of sliding apart. Skip it and the filling turns runny.
3 cups (340g) shredded low-moisture mozzarella, divided
Low-moisture mozzarella melts without weeping. Reserve 1 cup for the top so it browns into that stretchy golden crust.
3/4 cup (75g) grated Parmesan, divided
Freshly grate it from a block; pre-shredded Parmesan has anti-caking starch that refuses to melt smoothly.
12 no-boil lasagna noodles (about 8 oz / 225g)
No-boil sheets are thinner and absorb sauce as they bake. If using regular noodles, boil them 2 minutes shy of the package time so they finish in the oven.
Tips & Tricks
Dry-Sear the Mushrooms
Cook them in a dry hot pan first, then add oil only once their water evaporates, so they brown instead of boil. Wet mushrooms are the number one cause of a soupy lasagna.
Thicken the Sauce First
Simmer the meat sauce until a spoon dragged across the pan leaves a clean trail. Runny sauce makes runny lasagna because the noodles cannot absorb excess liquid.
Cover, Then Uncover
Bake covered for the first 40 minutes so the noodles hydrate and the cheese melts evenly, then uncover for the last 15 so the top turns golden and the edges bubble.
Pro Tips
Step-by-Step Instructions
1. Heat the oven
Preheat the oven to 375F (190C) with a rack in the middle position. This moderate heat lets the noodles hydrate while the cheese melts without the top scorching before the center is hot.
2. Brown the sausage
Heat 1 tablespoon olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the sausage and cook 6 to 8 minutes, breaking it into small crumbles, until deeply browned and no pink remains. Transfer to a bowl with a slotted spoon, leaving the fat behind.
3. Sear the mushrooms
Add the mushrooms to the same skillet and cook 7 to 9 minutes over medium-high heat without stirring for the first 3 minutes, until their liquid evaporates and they turn golden brown. Season with a pinch of salt and set aside with the sausage.
4. Build the sauce
Add the onion to the pan and cook 4 minutes until translucent, then stir in the garlic for 30 seconds until fragrant. Pour in the wine or broth and scrape up the browned bits, then add the marinara and return the sausage and mushrooms.
5. Simmer until thick
Simmer the sauce 10 to 12 minutes over medium-low heat, stirring occasionally, until it thickens enough that a spoon dragged across the pan leaves a clear trail. Taste and adjust salt and pepper.
6. Mix the ricotta filling
In a bowl, stir together the ricotta, egg, 2 cups mozzarella, 1/2 cup Parmesan, 1/2 teaspoon salt, and 1/4 teaspoon black pepper until smooth and spreadable.
7. Layer the lasagna
Spread 1 cup sauce in a 9×13-inch baking dish. Add 3 noodles, then 1/3 of the ricotta mixture, 1 cup sauce, and repeat twice more, finishing with the last 3 noodles, remaining sauce, and the reserved 1 cup mozzarella and 1/4 cup Parmesan.
8. Bake covered
Cover tightly with foil and bake at 375F (190C) for 40 minutes. The noodles will soften and the filling will set during this covered phase.
9. Uncover and brown
Remove the foil and bake another 15 minutes, until the top is golden brown, the edges are bubbling vigorously, and the center registers 165F (74C) on an instant-read thermometer.
10. Rest and serve
Let the lasagna rest 15 minutes before slicing so the layers firm up. Cut into 6 portions and serve warm with a crisp green salad.
Delicious Variations
Spicy Calabrian Version
Use hot Italian sausage and add 1 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes plus 2 tablespoons Calabrian chili paste to the sauce for a fiery, glossy kick.
Mushroom-Forward Vegetarian
Drop the sausage, double the mushrooms to 2 pounds, and add 1 cup cooked lentils for body so the lasagna still eats hearty.
White Sauce Spinach Lasagna
Swap the marinara for a garlic béchamel, add 5 ounces thawed squeezed spinach, and use fontina in place of half the mozzarella for a richer, creamier bake.
How to Store Sausage And Mushroom Lasagna
Refrigerator
Cool leftovers within 2 hours, cover tightly, and refrigerate up to 4 days. The flavor actually improves by day two as the layers settle.
Freezer
Wrap individual portions tightly in plastic then foil and freeze up to 3 months. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator before reheating for the best texture.
Reheating
Reheat covered at 350F (175C) for 20 to 25 minutes, or microwave single slices covered for 2 to 3 minutes until steaming in the center. Add a splash of sauce if it looks dry.
Frequently Asked Questions
Q: Do I need to boil no-boil lasagna noodles?
No, no-boil noodles go into the pan dry and hydrate from the sauce while baking. Just make sure every noodle is fully covered with sauce, or the exposed edges will stay crunchy.
Q: How do I keep lasagna from getting watery?
Thicken your sauce until a spoon leaves a clean trail and sear the mushrooms until their moisture cooks off before layering. Also drain any liquid off the ricotta and avoid overfilling with watery vegetables.
Q: Can I make sausage and mushroom lasagna ahead of time?
Yes, assemble the entire pan, cover, and refrigerate up to 24 hours before baking. Add 10 to 15 extra minutes to the covered bake time since it starts cold.
Q: What is the best sausage for lasagna?
Sweet or hot Italian pork sausage is the classic choice because its fennel and spice blend complements tomato and mushrooms. Turkey or chicken sausage works as a lighter swap with a little added olive oil.
Q: How long does lasagna need to rest before cutting?
Rest it 15 minutes after it comes out of the oven so the cheese sets and the slices hold together. Cutting immediately gives you a loose, runny pile instead of clean squares.
Make this sausage and mushroom lasagna this weekend and let the bubbling, golden edges do the talking. Snap a photo of your slice, tag me, and tell me whether you went sweet or hot with the sausage.
Sausage And Mushroom Lasagna
Sausage and mushroom lasagna layers savory Italian sausage, buttery mushrooms, and three cheeses into one bubbling, golden-baked comfort dinner.
🧂 Ingredients
- 1 lb (450g) Italian sausage, casings removed (sweet or hot)
- 1 lb (450g) cremini mushrooms, sliced 1/4 inch thick
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 medium yellow onion, diced (about 1 cup)
- 4 garlic cloves, minced
- 1 jar (24 oz / 680g) marinara or crushed tomatoes
- 1/2 cup (120ml) dry red wine or beef broth
- 15 oz (425g) whole-milk ricotta
- 1 large egg
- 3 cups (340g) shredded low-moisture mozzarella, divided
- 3/4 cup (75g) grated Parmesan, divided
- 12 no-boil lasagna noodles (about 8 oz / 225g)
📋 Instructions
- 1Heat the oven — Preheat the oven to 375F (190C) with a rack in the middle position. This moderate heat lets the noodles hydrate while the cheese melts without the top scorching before the center is hot.
- 2Brown the sausage — Heat 1 tablespoon olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the sausage and cook 6 to 8 minutes, breaking it into small crumbles, until deeply browned and no pink remains. Transfer to a bowl with a slotted spoon, leaving the fat behind.
- 3Sear the mushrooms — Add the mushrooms to the same skillet and cook 7 to 9 minutes over medium-high heat without stirring for the first 3 minutes, until their liquid evaporates and they turn golden brown. Season with a pinch of salt and set aside with the sausage.
- 4Build the sauce — Add the onion to the pan and cook 4 minutes until translucent, then stir in the garlic for 30 seconds until fragrant. Pour in the wine or broth and scrape up the browned bits, then add the marinara and return the sausage and mushrooms.
- 5Simmer until thick — Simmer the sauce 10 to 12 minutes over medium-low heat, stirring occasionally, until it thickens enough that a spoon dragged across the pan leaves a clear trail. Taste and adjust salt and pepper.
- 6Mix the ricotta filling — In a bowl, stir together the ricotta, egg, 2 cups mozzarella, 1/2 cup Parmesan, 1/2 teaspoon salt, and 1/4 teaspoon black pepper until smooth and spreadable.
- 7Layer the lasagna — Spread 1 cup sauce in a 9×13-inch baking dish. Add 3 noodles, then 1/3 of the ricotta mixture, 1 cup sauce, and repeat twice more, finishing with the last 3 noodles, remaining sauce, and the reserved 1 cup mozzarella and 1/4 cup Parmesan.
- 8Bake covered — Cover tightly with foil and bake at 375F (190C) for 40 minutes. The noodles will soften and the filling will set during this covered phase.
- 9Uncover and brown — Remove the foil and bake another 15 minutes, until the top is golden brown, the edges are bubbling vigorously, and the center registers 165F (74C) on an instant-read thermometer.
- 10Rest and serve — Let the lasagna rest 15 minutes before slicing so the layers firm up. Cut into 6 portions and serve warm with a crisp green salad.
