I normally default to roast vegetables when I’m looking to make a vegetarian lasagna, so I decided to switch things up this weekend and make a spinach and mushroom lasagna instead. Well pleased with how it turned out and since I’ve had some interest in a recipe, here it is!

Serves 3-4, with a side salad

What you need

Ragu:

• 300g mushrooms - I used a mix of chestnut and closed cup since they were the easiest to find

• 1 large red onion

• 6 large cloves of garlic

• 400g chopped tomatoes in juice (1 can)

• 1 tbsp dried basil (fresh tastes better always!)

• 1/2 tbsp dried thyme (fresh tastes better always!)

• Salt

• Black pepper

• Olive oil

Bechamel sauce:

• 45g butter

• 45g plain flour

• 1 pint milk (I used semi skimmed)

• salt and pepper

Other:

• 200g baby spinach

• 2 cups grated cheddar

• 1 cup grated mozzarella

• Lasagna sheets (I needed 8, 2 per layer, for my square baking dish)

What you do

1. Finely slice the garlic, finely chop the onion, slice the mushrooms

2. Heat 4 tbsp of olive oil in a heavy bottomed, wide pan, on medium

3. Add the garlic and fry for a few minutes until starting to turn colour

4. Then add the onion and a pinch of salt and saute until transluscent

5. Then the mushrooms, and saute until they’ve shrunk and the water has almost evaporated - about 8 minutes or so

6. Then the chopped tomatoes, mix through, turn the heat to low and simmer for about 15 - 20 minutes, until the oil starts to separate, stirring occasionally and adding a splash of water if it starts to stick to the bottom

7. Stir through the herbs, and season and stir. Keep aside

8. Pre-heat the oven to 170C (fan)

9. In a saucepan on medium-low, melt your butter

10. Add the flour

11. Use a balloon whisk to mix the butter and flour to form a roux. Cook for a couple of minutes

12. Start adding the milk slowly, whisking continuously, till your sauce has thickened - you want it to be the thickness of body lotion, pouring consistency but not runny

13. Season, mix and set aside

14. Then blitz the spinach in a blender with 2-3 tbsp of water. Again, you want a slightly thickish consistency, not runny. Season and set aside

15. Boil a kettle, and pour the water into a wide tray/dish. Soak the lasagna sheets, a few at a time, for 5 minutes, just to start to soften them a bit. Keep aside

16. Now to assemble! Spoon a couple of tbsp of ragu into a baking dish, and spread. Then place your lasagna sheets on top, making sure they don’t overlap, and there’s some room around them to expand. I needed 2 per layer. More ragu spread on top, then bechamel sauce, then spinach, then grated cheese. Then another layer of lasagna sheets, ragu, bechamel, spinach and cheese. Go on till you’ve reached the top of your dish, finishing off with cheese

17. Into the oven for 45 mins - 1 hour, until it’s all wonderfully bubbly and brown and DELICIOUS!

Enjoy!