Ultimate Chilli Lasagne — a plant-based Italian recipe by BOSH!
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Ultimate Chilli Lasagne

This one is a proper showstopper and we make it whenever we want to seriously impress people. It's two of our all-time favourite comfort foods smashed together into one incredible bake: a rich, smoky, spiced chilli layered up with silky lasagne sheets and a creamy white sauce. The mushrooms give it this deep, meaty texture that honestly blows people away, and the chillies bring just enough heat to keep things interesting without going overboard. If you've got 2 hours and a hungry crowd, this is the one to make tonight.

Cook: 120 min
Serves 6

Before You Start

  • Preheat oven to 180°C
  • Food processor
  • Large lasagne dish
  • Large saucepan
  • Whisk

Ingredients

  • 1 tbsp olive oil
  • 400g mushrooms
  • Salt & pepper to taste
  • 1 tbsp olive oil
  • 1 tsp chilli powder
  • 1 tsp cumin
  • 1 tsp smoked paprika
  • ½ tsp cinnamon
  • ½ tsp oregano
  • 2 tsp soy sauce
  • 1 tsp balsamic vinegar
  • 1 ½ tsp maple syrup
  • 2 red onions
  • 4 garlic cloves
  • 2 red chillies
  • 10g coriander stalks
  • 1 celery stick
  • 1 red bell pepper
  • 1 bay leaf
  • 1 tbsp tomato purée
  • 250ml red wine
  • 2 cans x 400g can(s) of chopped tomatoes
  • 1 x 400g can of black beans
  • 1 x 400g can of kidney beans
  • 10g dark chocolate
  • 20g coriander leaves
  • 200ml vegetable stock
  • Salt & pepper to taste
  • 1 ½ tbsp Nooch
  • 1 tsp chilli powder
  • 1 tsp cumin
  • 125ml olive oil
  • 125g flour
  • 1 ¼ litre unsweetened plant-based milk
  • ½ tsp cinnamon
  • 200g plant-based cheese
  • 500g dried lasagne sheets
  • 1 jalapeño chilli
  • salad leaves to serve

Method

1

First, prepare the veggies

  • Mince the mushrooms in a food processor
  • Peel and dice the red onions
  • Finely grate the garlic
  • Trim, halve, de-seed and dice the chillies
  • Pick the coriander leaves and dice the stalks
  • Trim and finely slice the celery
  • Trim, halve, core and dice the pepper
  • Drain the beans
2

Now, cook the mushrooms

  • Warm a splash of olive oil in a saucepan over a medium heat
  • Add the mushrooms and a pinch of salt and pepper to the pan and stir for 5-6 minutes
  • Take the pan off the heat, transfer the mushrooms to a plate and set to one side
3

Now, prepare the chilli

  • Warm the olive oil in a large saucepan over a medium heat
  • Add the onions and a pinch of salt to the pan and stir for 2-3 minutes
  • Add the garlic, chillies and coriander stalks to the pan and stir for 2 minutes
  • Add the celery and pepper to the pan and stir for 4-5 minutes
  • Add the chilli powder, cumin, smoked paprika, cinnamon, oregano and bay leaf to the pan and stir for 1 minute to combine and coat
  • Add the tomato puree to the pan and stir for 1 minute
  • Add the red wine, balsamic vinegar and soy sauce to the pan, stir to combine and leave to simmer for 3-4 minutes, stirring occasionally to prevent catching
    Time to bulk out the chilli
  • Add the chopped tomatoes to the pan, stir to combine and simmer for 5-6 minutes, stirring occasionally
  • Add the beans, maple syrup, chocolate and mushrooms to the pan, stir to combine, reduce the heat and leave to simmer for 10 minutes, stirring occasionally
  • Remove the bay leaf, stir the coriander leaves into the chilli
  • Add the stock, stir to combine and take the pan off the heat
  • Taste and season to perfection with salt and pepper
4

Make your béchamel

  • Warm the olive oil in a saucepan over a medium heat
  • Add the flour and whisk for 3–5 minutes
  • Gradually add the milk, stirring constantly
  • Add the nutritional yeast, chilli powder, cumin, cinnamon and whisk until smooth
  • Bring the béchamel to the boil then lower the heat and simmer until the it thickens to the consistency of custard
  • Taste and season to your liking
5

Build your lasagne and bake

  • Slice the jalapeno
  • Spread a quarter of the ragu into the lasagne dish
  • Spoon over a quarter of the béchamel
  • Cover with lasagne sheets, breaking them if necessary to make a complete layer with no gaps
  • Repeat three times, reserving some béchamel to cover the top completely
  • Garnish with a few sliced jalapeño chillies
  • Cover with foil and put on the lowest shelf of the oven and bake for 50 minutes
  • Remove the foil and bake for a further 15 minutes
  • Leave to stand for 10 minutes before serving with the salad leaves

Tips & Variations

  • Make it your own heat level: We love a good kick but if you're cooking for people who don't, just use one chilli and remove all the seeds. You can always add chilli flakes at the table.
  • Rest it before serving: We know it's hard to wait, but giving the lasagne 10 to 15 minutes out of the oven makes a huge difference. It firms up and cuts into proper neat slices instead of sliding everywhere.
  • Batch cook the chilli: The chilli base on its own is brilliant and freezes really well. Make a double batch, freeze half, and next time you can have this on the table way faster.

Why This Works

The trick is mincing the mushrooms in a food processor so they almost melt into the sauce and give it that proper bolognese-style depth. Cooking them off hard before adding everything else drives out the moisture and builds loads of flavour right from the start. Layer that up with the beans and spices and you've got a chilli that's rich, thick and absolutely perfect for lasagne.