Description
This Butternut Squash and Spinach Lasagna is a creamy, flavorful vegetarian main course featuring layers of roasted butternut squash puree mixed with ricotta, a vibrant spinach filling, and cheesy lasagna noodles baked to perfection. It’s perfect for a comforting family dinner with an elegant twist.
Ingredients
Scale
Butternut Squash Filling:
- 2 cups butternut squash puree (about half of squash)
- 1 cup ricotta cheese
- ½ cup milk or more, if needed
- ¼ teaspoon salt plus ⅛ teaspoon more
- ¼ teaspoon nutmeg
Spinach Filling:
- 8 oz spinach (1 cup cooked spinach)
- 1 cup ricotta cheese
- 1 cup mozzarella cheese
- 2 garlic cloves minced
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- Pepper to taste
Other Ingredients:
- 10 oz lasagna noodles cooked (for gluten free, use Tinkyada brown rice lasagna noodles)
- 1 ½ cups mozzarella cheese or more
- ½ cup Parmesan cheese on top
- ¼ teaspoon Italian seasoning
- ¼ teaspoon paprika
- ¼ teaspoon basil
- Olive oil spray for greasing
Instructions
- Preheat Oven: Preheat the oven to 375 degrees Fahrenheit to prepare for baking your lasagna.
- Prepare Butternut Squash Filling: In a food processor, combine 2 cups of butternut squash puree with 1 cup ricotta cheese, ½ cup milk, ¼ teaspoon salt, and ¼ teaspoon nutmeg. Blend until creamy and smooth, adding more milk if necessary. Taste and adjust salt as needed.
- Prepare Spinach Filling: Combine the cooked spinach, 1 cup ricotta cheese, 1 cup mozzarella cheese, minced garlic, ¼ teaspoon salt, and pepper to taste in a mixing bowl. Mix well and season to your liking.
- Cook Lasagna Noodles: Bring a large pot of water to a boil and cook 10 oz of lasagna noodles according to package instructions. Rinse under cold water and drain. Trim noodles with a knife if needed to fit your baking dish.
- Assemble Lasagna - First Layer: Lightly grease an 11 x 8.5 x 3 inch casserole dish with olive oil spray. Spread one-third of the butternut squash filling evenly on the bottom of the dish. Sprinkle lightly with mozzarella cheese. Arrange 3 cooked lasagna noodles on top without overlapping.
- Assemble Lasagna - Second Layer: Spread half of the spinach filling over the noodles and top lightly with mozzarella cheese. Add another layer of cooked noodles.
- Assemble Lasagna - Third Layer: Spread another one-third of the butternut squash filling over the noodles. Sprinkle lightly with mozzarella cheese and add another layer of cooked noodles.
- Assemble Lasagna - Fourth Layer: Spread the remaining half of the spinach filling over the noodles, sprinkle lightly with mozzarella cheese, and top with the final layer of cooked noodles.
- Top Layer and Seasoning: Spread the remaining one-third of the butternut squash filling over the last noodle layer. Sprinkle evenly with grated Parmesan cheese and approximately ½ cup mozzarella cheese. Generously sprinkle Italian seasoning, paprika, and basil evenly over the top.
- Bake Covered: Cover the baking dish with foil and bake in the preheated oven for 30 minutes.
- Bake Uncovered: Remove the foil and bake for an additional 10 minutes to brown the cheese and finish cooking.
- Serve: Allow the lasagna to rest for a few minutes before slicing and serving to let layers set.
Notes
- Make it Gluten-Free: Use brown rice gluten-free lasagna noodles such as Tinkyada and follow recipe instructions as is.
- Using No-Boil Lasagna Noodles: Add about ½ cup of milk, water, or vegetable stock to the butternut squash puree for extra moisture. You may need to bake for 10 extra minutes.
- To Make Vegan: Substitute vegan Parmesan and mozzarella cheeses, and use vegan ricotta made from tofu and lemon juice.
- For Creamier Filling: Adjust milk amount in squash filling to achieve desired creaminess.
- Spinach Preparation Tip: Adding lemon juice and zest to the spinach pairs nicely with the butternut squash but is optional.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 slice
- Calories: 320 kcal
- Sugar: 5 g
- Sodium: 380 mg
- Fat: 15 g
- Saturated Fat: 7 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 6 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 32 g
- Fiber: 5 g
- Protein: 14 g
- Cholesterol: 40 mg
