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butternut squash lasagna in a casserole dish
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5 from 7 votes

Butternut Squash Lasagna

This vegetarian butternut squash lasagna is made with a roasted squash béchamel sauce, kale, ricotta, and mozzarella for a decadent fall meal.
Prep Time40 minutes
Cook Time55 minutes
Resting Time:15 minutes
Total Time1 hour 50 minutes
Course: Main Course
Cuisine: American, Italian
Diet: Gluten Free, Vegetarian
Servings: 6 people
Calories: 566kcal

Equipment

Ingredients

Butternut Squash Béchamel Sauce:

  • 2 ½ pounds butternut squash, diced into ½″ cubes See Recipe Notes
  • 1 onion, peeled + cut into wedges
  • 2 tablespoons olive oil
  • 1 teaspoon sea salt
  • 1 teaspoon paprika
  • 1 teaspoon red chili flakes
  • ¼ teaspoon nutmeg, freshly grated
  • 1 cup milk
  • 2 tablespoons butter
  • 1 tablespoon flour Use gluten-free AP flour if needed

Ricotta Kale Mixture:

  • 4 ounces kale, destemmed + roughly chopped
  • ¼ cup water
  • 15 ounces ricotta
  • 2 cups freshly shredded mozzarella, divided
  • 2 teaspoons dried thyme
  • 1 teaspoon garlic powder
  • ½ teaspoon sea salt

Lasagna:

Instructions

Butternut Squash Béchamel Sauce:

  • Preheat oven to 400°F.
    Toss squash and onions with oil, salt, paprika, chili flakes and nutmeg. Lay in a single layer on a baking sheet and roast 20-25 minutes or until tender.
    After cooking, add half the vegetables and the milk to a blender basin. Blend until creamy. Add the remaining veggies and blend again.
    Roast Butternut Squash Until Tender
  • Add butter to a large pan and melt over medium heat. Whisk in the flour until it is completely absorbed by the butter.
    Whisk Flour into Melted Butter
  • Add the puréed squash to the pan with the butter. Cook over medium heat for about two minutes, stirring often, and then remove from heat and set aside.
    Add Puréed Butternut Squash

Ricotta Kale Mixture:

  • For simplicity, this section is listed after the butternut squash sauce. However, if desired, it can be completed while the squash cooks.
    Add ¼ cup water to a large pan and bring to a simmer over medium heat.
    Add the kale and cover the pan. Steam the kale for about two minutes, or until wilted. Remove kale from the liquid and set aside.
    Wilt Kale
  • Mix together the kale, ricotta, 1-½ cups mozzarella, thyme, garlic powder, and salt. Set aside.
    Mix Kale with Cheese

Assemble the Lasagna:

  • Preheat the oven to 425°F.
    Add one cup of the butternut squash sauce to the bottom of a 9x13 lasagna pan or a 10x10 casserole dish. Use a rubber spatula to spread the sauce evenly across the pan.
    Spread Butternut Squash Sauce in Pan
  • Top the sauce with one layer of lasagna noodles.
    Top Sauce with Lasagna Noodles
  • Top the noodles with half the ricotta mixture and one cup of butternut squash sauce. Use the spatula to spread it out evenly.
    Top Noodles with Ricotta + Squash Sauce
  • Top the sauce with another layer of noodles.
    Repeat with another identical layer using the remaining ricotta mixture, one more cup of sauce, and another layer of noodles.
    Add Noodles + Repeat
  • Pour the remaining sauce over the noodles, making sure to completely cover all the noodles with sauce.
    Sprinkle the top with the remaining ½ cup of shredded mozzarella.
    Top with Sauce + Mozzarella
  • Cover with foil and bake covered 40 minutes. Uncover and bake 15 more minutes, until the noodles are tender and the cheese is golden.
    Rest 15 minutes before serving.
    butternut squash lasagna in a casserole dish

Notes

Nutrition

Calories: 566kcal | Carbohydrates: 67g | Protein: 23g | Fat: 25g | Saturated Fat: 12g | Cholesterol: 65mg | Sodium: 836mg | Potassium: 1053mg | Fiber: 6g | Sugar: 9g | Vitamin A: 22881IU | Vitamin C: 64mg | Calcium: 428mg | Iron: 3mg