spinach and mushroom cream cheese lasagna

This spinach and mushroom cream cheese lasagna is a classic meat free midweek meal that will feed the whole family and won’t break the bank.  It has hearty and simple ingredients, plus a special addition of a block of creamy Boursin cheese.  The herby and garlic cream cheese really adds great flavour to the whole dish and is a hassle-free way to add a punch of flavour.

I had a big bag of spinach left-over from the Charlie Bighams on-line cook along that I attended last week and I hate chucking away food so this was a good way to use it up.  I’ve used 4 fat field mushrooms in my spinach and mushroom cream cheese lasagna as I love them so much.  They’re packed with flavour and soak up seasonings such as freshly ground pepper, rosemary and garlic so that they end up like big fat tasty sponges of flavour.  They’re also nice and meaty and so work well here for anyone thinking they can’t survive without their meat!

the easiest cheese sauce in the world

This is literally the easiest cheese sauce in the world.  It’s all in one.  Just make sure you stir it constantly until it thickens.

for the cheese sauce

• 500ml milk
• 50g butter
• 50g flour
• 1 x round of Boursin cheese – I used the original garlic and herb one
• 100g strong cheddar – grated

for the lasagna

• 4 large field mushrooms – cut into chunks
• butter and olive oil
• 2 fat cloves of garlic – peeled and grated
• 1 large 400g bag of spinach
• salt and pepper
• fresh rosemary and thyme
• lasagne sheets

I’m using my 28cm medium oblong enamel baking dish.  Any roasting tin will do.  I like the FalconWare ones as they fit with my kitchen aesthetic but use whatever you have. This lasagna will easily feed 4 hungry people.

Start with the cheesy sauce.  Place the milk, butter and flour into a saucepan on a gentle heat and whisk gently until it thickens.  You must whisk and whisk or you’ll get lumps.  It will take roughly 8 mins to thicken.  If it looks like it’s turning lumpy simply remove it from the heat and stir.

Stir in the grated cheese and cream cheese. Set aside till needed.

Gently melt a little butter and olive oil in a large frying pan, then add the mushrooms and sauté on a low heat until they begin to make a squeaky noise.  Add the garlic, rosemary and thyme and sauté until darkly golden.  Set aside.

Wilt the spinach in a pan with a little water, butter and pepper.

Now you’re ready to build your lasagna and really it’s just a matter of layering it into the dish.  Lasagna sheets, smothered in sauce, then mushrooms and then spinach.  Keep going till it’s all gone.  I managed three layers.  Then cover the top layer in a final thick slathering of cheesy sauce and some grated cheese.

Bake on 180C for 30 mins.

For more lasagna ideas, check out these recipes on Dom in the Kitchen.

Eat and of course, enjoy!