You're going to love this rich, creamy Butternut Squash Lasagna! The delicious recipe is loaded with fall and winter flavors. It's the perfect recipe for Thanksgiving and all your seasonal gatherings!
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Ginnie's Take
If you're looking for an impressive veggie main dish for special fall occasions, this Butternut Squash Lasagna is it! This is the creamiest, cheesiest lasagna I've ever made, and you won't be able to resist the flavorful autumn veggies (roasted butternut squash and sautéed mushrooms and kale) paired with a creamy ricotta filling and layers of decadent béchamel sauce. Serve it for any fall dinner party or as a vegetarian Thanksgiving entrée.
Why You'll Love This Recipe
- Mouthwatering Flavors - Each bite of this tasty, fall-flavored lasagna with butternut squash is better than the last. It's the perfect combo of cheesy + veggie-loaded!
- Step by Step, Detailed Recipe - This dish takes a little more effort than most, but each component is easy to prepare. And I'll walk you through the process step by step.
- Impressive - If you need a showstopper for a fall or winter party, you've found it! The recipe is ideal for Thanksgiving or any dinner party, really. It's a great turkey alternative, but one that everyone at your table will enjoy.
Jump to:
Ingredients
You can find the ingredients for this fall veggie lasagna at any grocery store! Here's what you'll need:
- Veggies - This recipe is made with a delicious combination of butternut squash, button mushrooms, and kale. The squash is roasted, and the mushrooms and kale are sautéed. You will also need some olive oil, garlic, crushed red pepper flakes to prepare the vegetables.
- Ricotta Filling - You'll combine ricotta cheese (use full fat for the best flavor) with mozzarella cheese (shred it yourself for the creamiest results), parmesan cheese, and an egg (which helps hold the lasagna together) to make the creamy filling.
- Béchamel - Layers of homemade béchamel (white sauce) makes this baked pasta extra creamy, and the sauce is very easy to make. You'll need butter, all-purpose flour, whole milk, and nutmeg.
- Noodles - Of course, you'll need some lasagna noodles.
- Cheese - The assembled lasagna is topped with another layer of mozzarella before baking.
This recipe is vegetarian and nut free.
You'll Also Need
You'll need a large baking sheet to roast the squash, plus a frying pan to cook the other veggies and make the béchamel sauce. Grab a large bowl to mix the ricotta filling together, along with a deep 9 x 13-inch baking dish to cook the lasagna.
How to Make Butternut Squash, Kale, and Mushroom Lasagna
This vegetarian Butternut Lasagna does take a little more effort than most of my recipes, but it's worth it (especially for special occasions)! You'll find a detailed recipe card below, but here's a quick overview of the steps:
- Prep veggies. You'll start by roasting the butternut squash. While that cooks, you'll sauté the mushrooms, then you'll add the garlic and crushed red pepper flakes, followed by kale and a little water. Cover the pan, then cook until the kale is tender.
- Mix ricotta filling. While the veggies cook, stir together the ricotta, mozzarella, parmesan, egg, salt, and pepper for the cheese filling.
- Make white sauce. Melt the butter in a large skillet, then whisk in the flour until smooth. Continuing to whisk, add the milk. Simmer the sauce until it's thickened then season with nutmeg, plus salt and pepper to taste.
- Assemble the lasagna. Once all the components are ready and the noodles are cooked, you'll layer everything together, ending with a layer of mozzarella.
- Bake. Cover the lasagna with foil, then bake until it's hot and bubbly. Remove the foil, then continue cooking until the cheese on top has browned.
Okay, after all that hard work, your mouthwatering Butternut Squash Lasagna is ready to eat. You are going to love each and every bite!
Storage
Store any leftovers in an airtight container in your refrigerator. Rewarm gently in your microwave before eating.
Serving Suggestions
This lasagna makes a wonderful fall or winter meal for special occasions and Sunday dinners. However you serve it, it's sure to be a treat! I like pairing this recipe with a simple side, like Roasted Vegetables, a Kale and Brussels Sprout Salad, or Garlic Bread.
Related Recipes
If you're searching for more veggie lasagna ideas, check out one of these delicious recipes next:
- This Cheese Lasagna is easy to prepare and so scrumptious!
- Looking for a crock pot recipe? Try my decadent Four Cheese Crock Pot Lasagna or this wonderful Slow Cooker Veggie Lasagna.
- For a south of the border twist on classic lasagna, treat yourself to my vegetarian Mexican Lasagna!
Looking for more butternut squash recipes? You'll love my Butternut Squash Crostini, Fall Veggie Pizza, Black Bean and Butternut Enchiladas, and Butternut Mac and Cheese, too!
Butternut Squash Lasagna
Ingredients
For Veggies:
- nonstick spray
- 1 medium butternut squash, cubed (about 6 cups)
- 1 tablespoon + 2 teaspoons extra virgin olive oil, divided
- 8 ounces (227 grams) mushrooms, sliced
- 1 large clove garlic, minced
- ½ teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
- 1 large bunch kale, chopped
- kosher salt
- pepper
For Ricotta Filling:
- 2 (15 ounce / 425 gram) containers ricotta cheese
- 1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese
- ½ cup Parmesan cheese
- 1 large egg
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- ¼ teaspoon pepper
For Béchamel Sauce:
- ¼ cup unsalted butter
- ¼ cup all-purpose flour
- 4 cups whole milk, warmed for 2 to 3 minutes in microwave
- dash nutmeg
For Assembly:
- 9 lasagna noodles, cooked until al dente (do not overcook)
- 1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese
Instructions
Prepare veggies:
- Preheat oven to 425°F (220°C). Spray a baking sheet with nonstick spray.
- Place butternut squash on baking sheet and drizzle with 1 tablespoon olive oil. Season generously with salt and pepper, then stir to coat squash with oil and seasonings.
- Roast squash until tender and lightly browned, flipping once (about 30 to 40 minutes).
- Meanwhile, heat 2 teaspoons olive oil in a large skillet over medium high heat. Add mushrooms to pan and cook until lightly browned. Season with salt and pepper.
- Stir in garlic and pepper flakes; cook until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Then mix in kale, stir well, then add ¼ cup water and cover pan.
- Reduce heat to medium low and cook until kale is tender and water is evaporated (about 5 minutes).
- Reduce oven heat to 375°F (190°C). Wipe out pan, and set veggies aside until ready to use.
Prepare ricotta:
- Mix together ricotta, mozzarella, Parmesan, egg, salt, and pepper. Set aside.
Prepare béchamel:
- Melt butter in a large pan over medium heat.
- Whisk in flour and cook for 2 minutes, stirring constantly.
- Slowly whisk in warm milk. Bring mixture to a boil, then reduce heat to simmer.
- Cook until thickened, stirring frequently (about 10 minutes). The sauce should lightly coat the back of a spoon.
- Whisk in nutmeg, then season with salt and pepper to taste.
Assemble lasagna:
- Spray a 9 x 13-inch pan with nonstick spray.
- Spread ¾ cup béchamel sauce over bottom of pan, then top with 3 lasagna noodles.
- Cover noodles with ½ of the ricotta. Top ricotta with ½ of the vegetables, then ¾ cup béchamel sauce.
- Add another layer of noodles, the remaining ricotta, then the remaining vegetables. Top with ¾ cup béchamel sauce.
- Top sauce with remaining 3 noodles, followed by the rest of the béchamel sauce. Sprinkle with 1 cup mozzarella cheese.
- Cover lasagna tightly with foil, then bake at 375°F (190°C) for 45 minutes or until hot and bubbly.
- Remove foil and bake lasagna until cheese is lightly browned, about 15 minutes.
- Let lasagna stand for 5 minutes, then cut into pieces and serve hot. Enjoy!
