Description
Butternut squash lasagna is a delicious, warm and cozy vegetarian lasagna to make this fall when the your family is craving major comfort food this fall.
Ingredients
For the butternut squash filling:
- 1 medium size butternut squash (about 2 lb.), cut into 1/4-thick slices
- 1 tablespoons olive oil
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
For the lasagna noodles:
- 9 dried lasagna noodles
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 teaspoon salt
For the spinach cream sauce:
- 2 tablespoons butter
- 1 small onion, diced
- 1 tablespoon garlic, minced
- 3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
- 4 cups half and half or whole milk
- 1/3 cup Parmesan cheese, freshly grated
- 1/2 teaspoon salt (or to taste)
- 1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper (or to taste)
- 6 cups fresh baby spinach (6 oz.)
For the cheese filling:
- 2 cups ricotta cheese (16 oz.)
- 2 cups mozzarella cheese, divided
- 1/4 cup Parmesan cheese
- 1 egg, beaten
- 1/4 cup fresh parsley, chopped
Instructions
Roast the Butternut Squash:
- Peel the butternut squash and slice into 1/4-inch pieces. In a large mixing bowl, add the butternut squash, oil, salt, and pepper. Toss well to coat.
- Place the squash slices into a large parchment-lined half sheet baking pan and bake in a 375F preheated oven for 35- 40 minutes until fork tender and golden brown. Set aside.
Cook Lasagna Noodles:
- While baking the butternut squash, prepare the noodles by bringing a large pot of salted water to a boil over medium-high heat. Add lasagna noodles and oil and cook until al dente (fully cooked but still firm) according to package directions, about 8-10 minutes.
- Rinse the noodles under cold water to cool off completely and set aside in the pot.
Make the Creamy Spinach Sauce:
- In a large shallow saucepan or 4 qt. Dutch oven, melt butter over medium-high heat until it starts to bubble, about 1 minute. Add onion and garlic and sauté until tender, about 3-4 minutes.
- Stir in flour. Mix well and cook for 1 minute. Pour in half and half cream, stirring well and bring to a boil, about 6-8 minutes.
- Add cheese and season with salt and pepper. Lower heat to medium and let the mixture simmer for 5-7 minutes until thickened to a desired consistency, stirring occasionally. The sauce should be similar to a gravy consistency and thick enough to coat the back of a spoon. Turn off the heat and stir in spinach evenly until wilted, about 1 minute. Set the sauce aside.
Make the Ricotta Cheese Mixture:
- In a medium mixing bowl, stir together mozzarella, ricotta, Parmesan, parsley, and egg until evenly combined. Set aside.
Assemble the Lasagna:
- Sauce. Add and evenly spread 1 cup of creamy spinach sauce on the bottom of a 9x13-inch casserole pan.
- Noodles. Place 3 lasagna noodles evenly apart over the sauce.
- Cheese. Spread 1/2 of the cheese mixture over the noodles.
- Butternut Squash. Place 1/2 of the roasted butternut squash slices over the cheese.
- Sauce. Spread 1/2 of the remaining sauce evenly over the squash slices.
- Noodles. Place 3 lasagna noodles evenly apart over the sauce.
- Cheese. Spread remaining 1/2 of the cheese mixture over the noodles.
- Butternut Squash. Place remaining 1/2 of the roasted butternut squash slices over the cheese.
- Noodles. Place 3 lasagna noodles evenly apart on top.
- Sauce. Spread remaining sauce evenly over the squash slices.
- Mozzarella. Top with the remaining mozzarella.
Bake the Lasagna:
- Lightly grease a large piece of aluminum foil and cover the pan. Greasing the foil prevents the melted cheese from sticking to the foil while baking.
- Bake the lasagna covered in a preheated 375 F oven for 45 minutes. Remove the foil and bake uncovered for another 15-20 minutes or until the melted cheese turns golden brown and bubbly. Optionally, turn on broiler on high and broil for 3-4 minutes to get the crispy and brown cheesy crust.
- Let the lasagna rest for at least 15 minutes before slicing. This is to ensure the cream sauce sets a bit and is not too runny.
Notes
Let the lasagna rest: I know. A fresh lasagna steaming as it comes out of the oven is one of life’s greatest temptations. However, don’t skip the final step. Letting your lasagna rest is essential to keep everything together. A runny lasagna is no fun.
How to store: After the lasagna cools completely to room temperature, wrap it in plastic wrap or aluminum foil, or place it in an airtight container. It will last for up to 4-5 days in the refrigerator.
How to reheat: Place leftover lasagna in an oven-safe dish and cover with aluminum foil. Heat in a preheated 350F oven for about 20 minutes until warmed through. To speed up the reheating process, divide lasagna into smaller pieces and separate to allow hot air to flow between them. You can also reheat individual pieces in a 350F air fryer for 10 minutes.
- Prep Time: 30 minutes
- Prep Cook Time: 35 minutes
- Cook Time: 45 minutes
- Category: Pasta
- Method: Bake
- Cuisine: American