No-Fuss Sausage and Mushroom Lasagna

Easy Sausage and Mushroom Lasagna: Experience the rich flavors of a classic Italian-American dish with incredible ease! This recipe leverages smart shortcuts to transform what’s often a labor-intensive meal into a simple, delightful experience perfect for any weeknight or special gathering.

There’s nothing quite like the comforting layers of a perfectly baked lasagna, and this Homemade Lasagna stands out as the ultimate dish for family meals. Imagine a robust, flavorful meal that doesn’t demand hours in the kitchen, allowing you to savor the moments with loved ones rather than breaking a sweat over dinner prep. Our Easy Sausage and Mushroom Lasagna recipe is designed to deliver maximum flavor with minimal effort, making it an instant family favorite.

Why This Easy Sausage and Mushroom Lasagna Is a Must-Try

Lasagna holds a special place in the hearts of many as the quintessential comfort food. But often, the thought of making it from scratch can feel daunting due to the multiple steps involved. This recipe, adapted from the culinary experts at Red Gold, purveyors of premium tomatoes, revolutionizes traditional lasagna preparation by incorporating ingenious shortcuts that simplify the process without compromising on taste. Here’s why this Easy Sausage and Mushroom Lasagna will become a staple in your kitchen:

• Revolutionary No-Boil Noodles: One of the biggest time-savers in this recipe is the elimination of pre-cooking your lasagna noodles. That’s right – you don’t have to boil them! This innovative technique relies on the pasta absorbing moisture directly from the sauce as it bakes, resulting in perfectly tender noodles every time. This shortcut not only saves you a significant amount of prep time but also reduces the number of messy pots and pans, making cleanup a breeze.
• Uncooked, Flavorful Sauce: Forget simmering your sauce for hours. This recipe features a vibrant, uncooked sauce that comes together in minutes. The fresh flavors of the tomatoes, seasoned sausage, and earthy mushrooms meld beautifully during baking, creating a deep and complex taste profile that rivals slow-cooked versions. This method further cuts down on stovetop time and simplifies the entire cooking process.
• Effortless Adaptability for Every Palate: This Easy Sausage and Mushroom Lasagna is incredibly versatile, allowing you to tailor it to your family’s preferences.
  • Vegetarian Options: Not a fan of meat? Simply omit the sausage and perhaps add more mushrooms, zucchini, bell peppers, or spinach for a hearty vegetarian lasagna.
  • Meat Alternatives: If Italian sausage isn’t your preference, ground beef, ground turkey, or even a mix of ground pork and beef can be used. Ensure any ground meat is properly browned for maximum flavor.
  • Mushroom Variations: While button mushrooms are standard, feel free to experiment with cremini, shiitake, or a wild mushroom blend for a more gourmet touch. If mushrooms aren’t your thing, simply leave them out or substitute with another vegetable.
• Hearty, Delicious Comfort Food: Lasagna is the epitome of comfort food – warm, cheesy, and incredibly satisfying. This easy homemade version provides all the deliciousness you expect from a classic Italian dish, making it perfect for cozy family dinners, entertaining guests, or preparing a special meal without the stress. It’s a dish that truly nourishes the soul.

Essential Ingredient Notes for Your Perfect Lasagna

Crafting an exceptional lasagna begins with understanding your ingredients. Here’s a closer look at what you’ll need and why specific choices make a difference in our Easy Sausage and Mushroom Lasagna:

• Quality Olive Oil – A good quality extra virgin olive oil forms the base of your sauté, imparting a subtle fruity and peppery note. It’s essential for browning your aromatics and sausage, enhancing their flavor.
• Water – Used to slightly thin the sauce, ensuring there’s enough liquid for the no-boil noodles to absorb and cook perfectly.
• Salt to Taste – Crucial for seasoning every layer. Remember to taste your sauce before assembling and adjust as needed, keeping in mind that the cheese will also contribute salinity.
• Medium Onion – We recommend a white or yellow onion, peeled and finely chopped. Onions provide an aromatic foundation, adding sweetness and depth once sautéed and softened.
• Sliced Mushrooms – Button mushrooms are a great choice for their mild flavor and tender texture. If you buy whole mushrooms, trim the very end of their stems and slice them uniformly for even cooking. Sautéing them first brings out their earthy umami.
• Mild Italian Sausage Links or Ground Sausage – Mild Italian sausage offers a wonderful blend of spices that complements the tomato sauce beautifully. If using links, a handy trick is to slice them when they’re partially frozen, which makes cutting much easier and cleaner. Browning the sausage before adding it to the lasagna is vital; this creates a rich, savory depth of flavor through the Maillard reaction. For a leaner alternative, ground beef or ground turkey works well.
• Canned Crushed Tomatoes (28 oz) – These provide the luscious body for your sauce. Don’t discard the puree in the can; it’s packed with flavor and contributes to the sauce’s ideal consistency.
• Canned Diced Tomatoes With Basil, Garlic & Oregano (two 14.5 oz cans) – These seasoned diced tomatoes are a fantastic shortcut, infusing your sauce with classic Italian flavors without needing to chop fresh herbs and garlic. If you can’t find this specific blend, plain diced tomatoes can be substituted. In this case, simply add about 1 teaspoon each of dried basil and dried oregano, along with ½ teaspoon of garlic powder (or two cloves of minced fresh garlic) to taste.
• Box of Lasagna Noodles (Traditional, Uncooked, 16-ounces) – The cornerstone of our no-boil method. Ensure you’re using traditional, oven-ready lasagna noodles, not the pre-cooked “oven-ready” variety which can behave differently. These uncooked noodles will absorb the sauce’s moisture as it bakes.
• Low-fat Ricotta Cheese – Ricotta cheese creates the creamy, decadent layer that defines lasagna. While low-fat works perfectly, full-fat ricotta will lend an even richer texture and flavor profile.
• Shredded Mozzarella Cheese – The ultimate melting cheese for lasagna. For the best flavor and stretch, opt for full-fat, low-moisture mozzarella. Pre-shredded cheese is convenient, but block mozzarella shredded at home often melts more smoothly.
• Grated Parmesan Cheese – Always aim for real Parmigiano Reggiano. Its sharp, salty, nutty flavor is unparalleled and elevates the entire dish. Avoid the pre-grated variety in green cans, as it often contains anti-caking agents and lacks the authentic flavor.

Mastering Your Easy Sausage and Mushroom Lasagna: Expert Tips

Having prepared countless lasagnas over the years—or “rizzoni,” as my daughter Katie affectionately called it as a toddler—I’ve gathered some invaluable insights to make the process smoother and the results even more spectacular. My biggest frustration used to be the mountain of messy dishes after a lasagna feast, but these tips will help you minimize cleanup while maximizing flavor.

• Embrace the No-Boil Noodle Method: The concept of not boiling lasagna noodles might seem unconventional, but it’s a game-changer. Initially, I experimented with soaking noodles in hot water, and later with specifically designed no-boil pasta. However, the absolute easiest and most effective time-saving trick is to use traditional uncooked lasagna noodles straight from the box.
• PRO-Tip: The Secret to No-Boil Success: The key to perfectly cooked, traditional lasagna noodles without boiling is to make your sauce slightly more watery than you might for a regular pasta dish. As the lasagna bakes, these dry noodles absorb the excess liquid from the sauce, softening and cooking to a tender perfection. This ingenious method not only saves a significant amount of time and effort but also ensures every layer is infused with flavor.
• Uncooked Sauce, Fewer Dishes: A major advantage of this recipe is that the pasta sauce is uncooked. This means fewer pots and pans to wash after your prep work is complete. The flavors develop beautifully in the oven, simplifying your kitchen routine.
• PRO-Tip: The Maillard Reaction for Maximum Flavor: Whether you opt for ground beef or Italian sausage, always take the time to properly brown your meat. This crucial step is not just about cooking; it’s about creating flavor through the Maillard reaction. This chemical process occurs when amino acids and reducing sugars react, producing hundreds of new flavor compounds and a rich, browned crust that adds incredible depth and umami (savory sense of taste) to your lasagna. Don’t rush this step!
• Patience is a Virtue: Let Your Lasagna Rest: It can be tempting to dive into a freshly baked lasagna right out of the oven, but resist the urge! Allowing your lasagna to rest for 20-30 minutes after baking is crucial. This resting period allows the layers of cheese, sauce, and noodles to set and firm up, preventing it from collapsing into a messy pile when sliced. You’ll get cleaner, more beautiful portions and a much more enjoyable eating experience.
• PRO-Tip: Spinach Lovers Rejoice! If you adore spinach lasagna, it’s incredibly easy to incorporate it into this recipe. Simply take a package of frozen chopped spinach, thaw it, and squeeze out as much excess water as possible. Then, mix this dry spinach directly into your ricotta cheese mixture before layering. This adds a lovely boost of color, nutrition, and a classic flavor pairing.
• Cottage Cheese: A Time-Honored Alternative: Back in the 1970s, when ricotta cheese was often difficult to find in smaller towns, my mom frequently made lasagna using cottage cheese. It’s a perfectly viable and delicious alternative if ricotta isn’t available or if you simply prefer its texture and milder flavor. Full-fat cottage cheese will offer the creamiest result.
• Expand Your Lasagna Horizons: The original recipe from Red Gold, which inspired this Easy Sausage and Mushroom Lasagna, is incredibly versatile. On their website, you can find other delightful variations such as Chicken Parmesan Lasagna, Fresh Harvest Lasagna, and even Eggplant Florentine Lasagna. Each offers a unique twist on the beloved classic, demonstrating the adaptability of a well-crafted lasagna base.

Frequently Asked Questions About Lasagna

Explore More Delicious Recipes

If you enjoyed this Easy Sausage and Mushroom Lasagna, you’ll love these other culinary delights that share similar flavor profiles or offer equally satisfying comfort:

• Homemade Sausage and Mushroom Pizza: Another fantastic way to enjoy the savory combination of sausage and mushrooms on a delicious crust.
• Homemade Pasta Sauce: Master the basics with a versatile sauce that can elevate any pasta dish, including your next lasagna!
• Cheesy Lasagna Dip: All the flavors of lasagna in a fun, shareable dip, perfect for parties and appetizers.
• Discover more of theBest Pasta Recipes: Dive into a collection of comforting and flavorful pasta dishes suitable for any occasion.

The Recipe:

Easy Sausage and Mushroom Lasagna

Prep Time
30 minutes

Cook Time
1 hour 30 minutes

Additional Time
30 minutes

Total Time
2 hours 30 minutes

Yield
12 servings

Simplify your lasagna prep with this Easy Sausage and Mushroom Lasagna

Ingredients

• 1-2 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 medium onion, chopped
• 8 ounces sliced mushrooms
• 1 pound mild Italian sausage links, sliced (or ground sausage)
• ½ cup water
• 1 (28 ounce) can Crushed Tomatoes In Thick Puree
• 2 (14.5 ounce) cans Diced Tomatoes With Basil, Garlic & Oregano
• Salt to taste
• 1 (16 ounce) box lasagna noodles, traditional, uncooked
• 1 (15 ounce) carton low fat ricotta cheese
• 3 cups shredded mozzarella cheese
• ½ cup grated Parmesan cheese

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 350ºF (175ºC).
2. In a large sauté pan, heat 1 tablespoon of olive oil over medium heat. Add the chopped onions and sliced mushrooms, cooking until they are soft and slightly browned, about 5-7 minutes.
3. Transfer the cooked onions and mushrooms to a large mixing bowl.
4. Add another tablespoon of olive oil to the skillet if needed. Add the mild Italian sausage (sliced or ground) and cook, breaking it up with a spoon if ground, until thoroughly browned on all sides. Drain any excess fat.
5. Add the browned sausage to the mixing bowl with the onions and mushrooms.
6. To the same mixing bowl, add the crushed tomatoes, diced tomatoes with basil, garlic & oregano, water, and salt to taste. Stir all ingredients thoroughly to combine into a well-mixed sauce.
7. Spread 1½ cups of the sauce mixture evenly over the bottom of a 9x13x2 inch greased baking pan.
8. Arrange ⅓ of the uncooked lasagna noodles over the sauce, slightly overlapping them. Top this noodle layer with ½ of the ricotta cheese, followed by 1 cup of shredded mozzarella cheese, and then 1 cup of the sauce mixture.
9. Repeat the layering process: another ⅓ of the noodles, the remaining ½ of the ricotta cheese, another 1 cup of mozzarella cheese, and another 1 cup of sauce. Finish with the last ⅓ of the noodles and pour the remaining sauce over the top, spreading it to cover the noodles completely.
10. Evenly sprinkle the remaining mozzarella cheese and the grated Parmesan cheese over the top layer of sauce.
11. Cover the baking pan tightly with aluminum foil. Bake for 1 to 1½ hours, or until the noodles are tender when pierced with a fork and the sauce is bubbling. Remove the foil during the last 15-20 minutes of baking to allow the cheese to melt and brown slightly. Let the lasagna stand for 10-20 minutes before slicing and serving. This resting period helps the layers set for cleaner cuts.

Notes

This fantastic recipe has been adapted to perfection from an original concept by Red Gold, a trusted name in quality tomato products.

Recommended Products for Perfect Lasagna

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• Nesting Mixing Bowls
• OXO Cutting Board
• 9 x 13 Revol Ceramic Baking Dish

Nutrition Information:

Yield:

12

Serving Size:

1

Amount Per Serving:
Calories: 416Total Fat: 30gSaturated Fat: 12gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 20gCholesterol: 70mgSodium: 886mgCarbohydrates: 11gFiber: 1gSugar: 4gProtein: 25g

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