Lasagna with Mackerel Ragù and Mushrooms

/5

PRESENTATION

Lasagna with mackerel ragu and mushrooms is a delicious twist on a classic Italian dish, bringing together flavors from Northern and Central Italy into something both comforting and refreshingly new. And you know what? The mix of lasagna with mackerel ragu and tender chanterelle mushrooms, called giallarelli in Italy, gives every bite a really good autumn vibe. The colorful green lasagna sheets make it not only look stunning but also taste incredible. Seriously good stuff. The creamy béchamel sauce just ties everything together beautifully.

Instead of the traditional meat sauce, you’ve got layers packed with seafood lasagna with mushrooms—a hearty, moist dish that’s perfect for kicking back after a long week. Italians love fresh, seasonal ingredients, so this mackerel lasagna recipe smartly mixes rich sea flavors with earthy, golden mushrooms straight from the forest. While some folks in Emilia-Romagna might stick to ragù, regions like Tuscany and Liguria often add seafood and mushrooms, especially in fall.

The combo of fresh mackerel—a flavorful Mediterranean fish—and those delicate, woodsy chanterelles works, for real. A homemade fish lasagna like this gives tangy notes from the fish, balanced by the creamy sauce and soft, melt-in-your-mouth pasta. It’s not just a healthy seafood lasagna; it elevates a Sunday lunch to something special, without being fussy. Pasta lovers craving a twist will adore this easy fish lasagna recipe. Looking for something beyond the usual meat or tomato sauce? This one’s a satisfying choice.

Even though it's not the classic lalla bolognese, this mushroom seafood lasagna stands out as a flavorful, inventive spin on a beloved tradition. So when you're craving something cozy yet adventurous, this homemade mackerel lasagna is a smart pick—showcasing Italian creativity at its finest. Dive into this mackerel lasagna recipe and enjoy a unique, comforting meal that’ll really impress.

You might also like:

INGREDIENTS

Ingredients for 8x12 inch pan
Green Lasagna 1.1 lbs (500 g)
Mackerel 2 lbs (900 g)
Garlic 1 clove
Fine salt to taste
Black pepper to taste
for the chanterelles
Chanterelle mushrooms (chanterelle) 8 cups (600 g)
Leeks 1.7 cups (150 g)
Fine salt to taste
Black pepper to taste
for the broth
Celery ½ cup (50 g)
Carrots 1.75 oz (50 g)
White onions 1.8 oz (50 g)
Ground black pepper 6
Bay leaves 1 leaf
Extra virgin olive oil 4 ½ tbsp (60 g)
White wine 1.7 oz (50 g)
Water 4 ¼ cups (1 l)
for the roux
Extra virgin olive oil 6 ¾ tbsp (100 g)
Type 00 flour 0.8 cup (100 g)
Preparation

How to prepare Lasagna with Mackerel Ragù and Mushrooms

To prepare the lasagna with mackerel ragù and mushrooms, start by cleaning the fish. Take the gutted mackerel, rinse it under water and remove the tail 1, side fins located near the fish's head 2, and dorsal fins 3. Then turn the fish over and also remove the other side fins.

Now make a clean cut at the head 4. Incise the dorsal part of the mackerel and, starting from the tail, slide the blade horizontally to the work surface 5 to detach the first fillet 6. Turn the fish over and perform the same operation on the other side: thus you will get the second fillet.

Now take the kitchen tweezers and remove the fish bones 7. Proceed by removing the skin from each fillet: slide the blade horizontally along the skin of the fish and its flesh, proceeding gently to separate them 8. Place the fish scraps in a bowl and set them aside, place the mackerel fillets in another bowl covered with plastic wrap and keep them in the refrigerator for now. At this point, focus on the broth, washing, and drying vegetables and aromatic herbs. Then roughly chop celery, carrots, and onion 9.

Sauté them for 1-2 minutes with a drizzle of oil in a large, high-sided saucepan. Then add the fish scraps 10. Sear the ingredients for 1 minute and deglaze with wine 11. When it has completely evaporated, pour in the water 12 and let it cook over moderate heat for 20 minutes.

Finally, add the peppercorns 13 and bay leaf 14: allow to cook for another 5-10 minutes for the broth to become aromatic. Once cooked, turn off the heat, strain it and set the broth aside in a bowl 15.

Proceed with the preparation of the béchamel: in a high-sided, non-stick pot, heat the oil and sprinkle in the flour 16, stirring the ingredients vigorously with a hand whisk. When you have created the roux, add the fish broth 17, continuing to stir to prevent lumps from forming. Let it cook over moderate heat until it almost reaches a boil to allow the béchamel to thicken 18. When it has reached the right consistency, turn off the heat, pour it into a bowl applying plastic wrap in contact to prevent the formation of a crust on the surface, and transfer it to the refrigerator to cool.

Now prepare the lasagna filling: cut the mackerel into not too large chunks 19, the chanterelles into thin slices 20, and the leek into thin rounds 21.

Heat the oil in a non-stick pan and sauté a clove of garlic 22. When it has turned golden, remove it and add the leek, stirring it occasionally to ensure it wilts evenly. Then pour in the chanterelles 23, seasoning with salt and pepper. Let it cook over moderate heat for 6 minutes and, once ready, set them aside 24.

Then take another non-stick pan and sauté a clove of garlic with a drizzle of oil 25: remove it when it is golden. Then add the mackerel chunks to the pan 26, cooking over moderate heat. Season with salt and pepper, finally deglaze with white wine 27.

When the wine has evaporated, turn off the heat 28: it will take about 2 minutes of cooking. Now you have all the ingredients ready and can begin assembling the lasagna. Pour a thin layer of béchamel into a 8x12 inch pan and drizzle with some oil 29. Place the green lasagna sheets over the béchamel, completely covering the surface of the pan 30.

Then create a new layer of béchamel and distribute the chanterelles evenly over the surface 31. Add the mackerel chunks also evenly 32. At this point, take some more lasagna sheets and place them in the pan in the opposite direction to the first layer to ideally form a woven pattern 33.

Drizzle a little oil, a light layer of béchamel and again chanterelles and mackerel: proceed in this way until the layers are finished. Conclude with a layer of lasagna and béchamel, on which to lay the mushroom and fish seasoning 34. Then bake in a preheated static oven at 390°F for 20 minutes (if you have a fan oven, opt for 355°F for 10-12 minutes) 35. After the cooking time, remove the pan from the oven and let it sit for a few minutes at room temperature before serving your lasagna with mackerel and mushroom ragù 36!

Storage

It is preferable to consume this lasagna with mackerel and mushroom ragù as soon as it is ready. If necessary, you can store it in the refrigerator: cover it with plastic wrap or store it in an airtight container for up to 1-2 days. These lasagnas can also be prepared the day before if you use fresh and not defrosted fish: once ready, store them in the refrigerator covered with plastic wrap and cook them the next day before serving.

You can also freeze them, only if you have used fresh ingredients, preferably raw: if necessary, you can thaw them in the refrigerator the day before and then cook them in the oven before consuming.

Tip

A delicious variation of this fish lasagna? Replace the chanterelles with porcini mushrooms!

For safe mushroom consumption

For correct selection, treatment, and storage of mushrooms, please refer to the guidelines of the Ministry of Health.

For the translation of some texts, artificial intelligence tools may have been used.