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    Home » Recipes » Pasta

    Lentil Ragu Lasagne

    Published: Oct 4, 2017, Last updated: Feb 9, 2021 by Emily This post may contain affiliate links.

    4904 shares
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    A comforting and easy lasagne made with a mushroom, lentil ragu, fresh pasta and a fontina bechamel sauce. This flavour packed lasange will satisfy both vegetarian and meat lovers!

    If you are looking for a great, hearty and delicious meat-free meal then look no further. This lentil ragu lasagne is not only incredibly delicious but so simple and easy to make. You don't have to simmer the ragu for hours upon end and it can be made in advance making dinner time so much easier and so much more delicious!

    Lentil ragu lasagne in a baking dish cut into four

    I've got a new favourite peeps, I mean I am seriously in love with this lasagne recipe. I can't believe how little time it takes to make (compared to traditional lasagne recipes) obviously because there is no meat involved but it's in no way lacking in flavour and dare I say it?...

    It's just as good as my all time favoruite traditional recipe (with meat).

    That's how good it is!

    Lasagna or Lasagne?

    Lasagne is the plural form of a lasagna sheet so two sheets would be lasagne and not lasagna since this only means one sheet in Italian. However, in many parts of the world especially English speaking countries the word lasagna refers to the traditional Italian dish in general. In most authentic and traditional Italian recipes you will see the word lasagne being used.

    Lentil ragu Vs meat ragu - how are they different?

    Ok apart from stating the obvious, one is made with meat and one is made with lentils let's talk about the differences. My traditional meat ragu (for making lasagne and many other pasta dishes) is literally just soffitto (carrot, onion and celery) pork mince and beef mince, tomatoes, red wine and some herbs.

    This lentil ragu is made with soffritto, puy lentils, mushrooms (these add so much flavour, texture and bulk it out more), tomatoes, red wine, oregano and garlic.

    Both use very similar ingredients but the meat ragu takes at least 2 hours to make and the lentil ragu takes under half an hour. This means you can actually make this lentil ragu from scratch even on weekdays, toss it together with some pasta and you're sorted.

    How to make lentil ragu lasagne - step by step

    Finely chop the carrot, celery and onion. Add the olive oil to a large pan and add the chopped vegetables, sauté the veg gently until soft but not browned (around 7-8 minutes). Finely slice the mushroom and add them to the sauted vegetables (photos 1,2).

    Fry the mushrooms for 2 minutes then add the pureed tomato/passata with the crushed garlic and a pinch of salt and pepper. Stir everything together and add the red wine (photos 3,4).

    Let the ragu simmer gently for 10 minutes, then add the lentils. Stir the lentils into the sauce, simmer gently for another 2 minutes then turn off the heat (photos 4-6).

    Tip: If the sauce reduces too much before the lentils are added then add a little water to the sauce and let it cook down slightly.

    Step by step photos on how to make lentil ragu lasagne

    To make the bechamel sauce add the butter to a sauce pan over a low heat, once melted add the flour and stir into a paste. Stir the paste for around 30 seconds then add half of the milk, whisk the milk to get rid of any lumps. Once it starts to thicken add the rest of the milk and whisk until it thickens once more.

    Turn the heat off and add the grated cheese, parmesan, nutmeg and a pinch of salt and pepper. Stir the sauce until the cheese has melted and set aside.

    Preheat the oven to 200°C/400F/gas mark 6. Add 1-2 tablespoon of lentil ragu to the bottom of a baking dish and spread it around. Add a layer of fresh lasagna sheets (you may need to cut some sheets to fit your dish). Add another 2-3 tablespoon of ragu followed by 2-3 tablespoon of bechamel sauce (keep ¼ of the bechamel sauce for the top layer). Repeat this until all the pasta and ragu has been used up, finish with the final ¼ of bechamel sauce (photos 7-9).

    Cover the lasagne with tin foil and bake in the oven for 20 minutes. Remove from the oven and top with the mozzarella, bake uncovered for 10-15 minutes until the cheese has melted, browned and bubbling.

    Let the lasagne rest for 5-10 minutes before serving, this is great served with salad.

    A close up of lentil ragu in a pan and made into a lasagna

    More pasta recipes to try;

    • Pizzoccheri pasta with cabbage, potatoes and fontina cheese
    • Farfalle pasta with pancetta, chili and garlic
    • Creamy butternut squash pasta

    If you've tried this lentil ragu lasagne or any other recipe on the blog then don’t forget to rate the recipe and let me know how you got on in the comments below, I love hearing from you! You can also FOLLOW ME on FACEBOOK, TWITTER, INSTAGRAM and PINTEREST to see more delicious food and what I'm getting up to.

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    5 from 6 votes

    Lentil Ragu Lasagne

    A comforting and easy lasagne made with a mushroom, lentil ragu, fresh pasta and a fontina bechamel sauce. This flavour packed lasange will satisfy both vegetarian and meat lovers!
    Course Main Course
    Cuisine Italian
    Prep Time 10 minutes
    Cook Time 1 hour 5 minutes
    Total Time 1 hour 15 minutes
    Servings 4 people
    Calories 514kcal
    Author Emily Kemp

    Ingredients

    For the lentil ragu

    • 1 carrot
    • 1 stalk of celery
    • 1 white onion
    • 2 â…” cups (200g) mushrooms , sliced
    • 2 cups (410g) puy lentils , pre-cooked
    • 6.7 fl oz (200ml) red wine
    • 2 cloves garlic crushed
    • 2 ¼ cups (500g) passata/pureed tomatoes
    • 1 tablespoon of olive oil

    For the bechamel sauce

    • 3 tbsp (50g) butter
    • â…“ cup (50g) flour
    • 1 â…” cup (400ml) milk
    • 3.1 oz (90g) fontina cheese grated
    • Salt and pepper
    • 1 tablespoon parmesan
    • 4.4 oz (125g) mozzarella torn
    • 6-10 large fresh lasagna sheets

    Instructions

    • Finely chop the carrot, celery and onion. Add the olive oil to a large pan and add the chopped vegetables, sauté the veg gently until soft but not browned (around 7-8 minutes). Finely slice the mushroom and add them to the sauted vegetables.
    • Fry the mushrooms for 2 minutes then add the pureed tomatoes/passata with the crushed garlic and a pinch of salt and pepper. Stir everything together and add the red wine.
    • Let the ragu simmer gently for 10 minutes then add the lentils. If the sauce reduces too much add a little water to the sauce before the lentils are added. Stir the lentils into the sauce and simmer gently for another 2 minutes, turn the heat off.
    • To make the bechamel sauce add the butter to a sauce pan over a low heat, once melted add the flour and stir into a paste. Stir the paste for around 30 seconds then add half of the milk, whisk the milk to get rid of any lumps. Once it starts to thicken add the rest of the milk and whisk until it starts to thicken.
    • Turn the heat off and add the grated cheese, parmesan, nutmeg and a pinch of salt and pepper. Stir the sauce until the cheese has melted and set aside.
    • Preheat the oven to 200°C/400F/gas mark 6. Add 1-2 tablespoon of lentil ragu to the bottom of a baking dish and spread it around. Add a layer of fresh lasagna sheets (you may need to cut some sheets to fit your dish). Add another 2-3 tablespoon of ragu followed by 2-3 tablespoon of bechamel sauce (keep ¼ of the bechamel sauce for the top layer). Repeat this until all the ragu has been used up, ideally, you want around 6 layers. Finish with the final ¼ of bechamel sauce.
    • Cover the lasagne with tin foil and bake in the oven for 20 minutes. Remove from the oven and top with the mozzarella, bake uncovered for 10-15 minutes until the cheese has melted, browned and bubbling.
    • Let the lasagne rest for 5-10 minutes before serving.

    Notes

    Please note this recipe was tested and developed using metric measurements all imperial measurements are approximate.
    • Fontina cheese can be substituted for gruyere, white cheddar or another strong melting cheese.
    • This recipe serves 4-6 people, great served with salad.

    Nutrition

    Calories: 514kcal
    Helpful Info for All Recipes
    • I always use extra virgin olive oil in all of my recipes unless stated otherwise
    • When I use canned or jarred tomatoes of any kind I always use Cirio or Mutti brands for the best results and flavour.
    • All vegetables are medium sized unless stated otherwise
    • All recipes are tested and developed using a fan (convection) oven
    • Find out more about how nutrition is calculated.
    • Check out our must have Italian Pantry Staples.
    • You can also find all our Essential Kitchen Tools for Italian Cooking.
    Did you try this recipe?Mention @insidetherustickitchen or tag #insidetherustickitchen! We'd love you see what you're getting up to in the kitchen!

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    Reader Interactions

    Comments

    1. Eileen Robertson

      January 23, 2022 at 7:55 am

      Looks delicious! Can you freeze this?

      Reply
    2. Mick

      July 25, 2021 at 6:17 pm

      Love it
      very tasty
      recipe layout and instructions made it easy

      Reply
      • Emily

        July 26, 2021 at 5:48 pm

        So happy you found it easy to follow!

        Reply
    3. Jamie

      December 08, 2019 at 3:28 pm

      We want to cook to take to a friend's dinner party and were wondering if you can reheat it when we get there? Thanks!

      Reply
      • Inside the rustic kitchen

        December 08, 2019 at 5:25 pm

        Hi Jamie, yes, you can make it in advance then reheat it when you're ready to serve! Have a great night!

        Reply
    4. Leo

      October 27, 2017 at 8:40 am

      Do you cook the lentils first or do they go in dry?

      Reply
      • Inside the rustic kitchen

        October 27, 2017 at 1:31 pm

        Hi Leo, I use pre-cooked puy lentils for this recipe. You should be able to buy them pre-cooked in the supermarket.

        Reply
    5. Elizabeth

      October 08, 2017 at 1:04 am

      Who knew lentils could look so tasty and delicious! I'll have to try out this recipe for myself soon it looks so good!5 stars

      Reply
    6. Bintu - Recipes From A Pantry

      October 05, 2017 at 12:40 pm

      This looks so tasty and no meat either! Could you substitute another vegetable for mushrooms?5 stars

      Reply
      • Inside the rustic kitchen

        October 05, 2017 at 6:36 pm

        Thanks so much Bintu, I've added leek before which is really nice or you could try chopped aubergine.

        Reply
    7. Helene D'Souza

      October 05, 2017 at 12:32 pm

      I have not made lasagne in a while but right now I am literally craving for it after seeing yours. I like the way you show the steps, so useful and helpful. Adding the puy lentils is just brilliant!5 stars

      Reply
      • Inside the rustic kitchen

        October 05, 2017 at 6:36 pm

        Thanks so much Helene, I'm glad you find the steps helpful!

        Reply
    8. Sam | Ahead of Thyme

      October 05, 2017 at 6:05 am

      Wow!! Lentil lasagna? That sounds amazing for meatless Mondays!5 stars

      Reply
      • Inside the rustic kitchen

        October 05, 2017 at 6:37 pm

        Thanks so much Sam!

        Reply
    9. Colleen

      October 05, 2017 at 4:41 am

      I love the idea of a lentil lasagna (yes, I'm Canadian) or, now that I know better, lasagne. I have to try this! Thanks for sharing.

      Reply
      • Inside the rustic kitchen

        October 05, 2017 at 6:37 pm

        Thanks so much Colleen, I hope you enjoy it!

        Reply

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