Description
This Butternut Squash and Spinach Lasagna is a creamy, comforting vegetarian dish that layers rich butternut squash puree, ricotta and mozzarella cheeses, and seasoned spinach between tender lasagna noodles. Perfect for a hearty main course, it features a blend of Italian herbs baked to golden perfection.
Ingredients
Scale
Butternut Squash Filling:
- 2 cups butternut squash puree (about half of squash)
- 1 cup ricotta cheese
- ½ cup milk, 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, for topping
- ¼ teaspoon Italian seasoning
- ¼ teaspoon paprika
- ¼ teaspoon basil
Instructions
- Preheat Oven: Preheat your oven to 375°F to prepare for baking the assembled lasagna.
- Prepare Butternut Squash Filling: In a food processor, combine 2 cups of butternut squash puree, 1 cup ricotta cheese, ½ cup milk, ¼ teaspoon salt, and ¼ teaspoon nutmeg. Blend until creamy, adding more milk if necessary. Taste and adjust salt as needed.
- Prepare Spinach Filling: Mix cooked spinach, 1 cup ricotta cheese, 1 cup mozzarella cheese, minced garlic, ¼ teaspoon salt, and pepper to taste in a bowl. Stir well and adjust seasoning if desired. Optionally, add lemon juice or zest for brightness.
- Cook Lasagna Noodles: Bring a large pot of water to a boil and cook lasagna noodles according to package instructions. Rinse under cold water and drain. Trim noodles to fit your baking dish if necessary.
- Prepare Baking Dish: Lightly grease an 11 × 8.5 × 3 inch casserole dish with olive oil spray to prevent sticking.
- Assemble Lasagna - First Layer: Spread one-third of the butternut squash filling evenly on the bottom of the dish. Sprinkle lightly with mozzarella cheese. Lay 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 on top.
- Assemble Lasagna - Third Layer: Spread another one-third of the butternut squash filling over the noodles. Sprinkle lightly with mozzarella cheese and layer cooked noodles again.
- Assemble Lasagna - Fourth Layer: Spread the remaining half of the spinach filling over the noodles. Top lightly with mozzarella cheese and add the final layer of cooked noodles.
- Assemble Lasagna - Final Topping: Spread the remaining one-third of butternut squash filling over the final noodle layer. Sprinkle with Parmesan cheese, remaining mozzarella cheese (about ½ cup), and evenly dust with Italian seasoning, paprika, and basil.
- Bake Covered: Cover the baking dish with foil and bake for 30 minutes to heat through and meld flavors.
- Bake Uncovered: Remove the foil and bake for an additional 10 minutes to brown the cheese topping.
Notes
- Gluten-Free Option: Use brown rice gluten-free lasagna noodles and follow recipe instructions as-is.
- No-Boil Noodle Tip: When using no-boil lasagna noodles, add ½ cup of milk, water, or vegetable stock to the butternut squash puree to maintain creaminess and bake lasagna for an additional 10 minutes.
- Vegan Modification: Substitute vegan Parmesan and mozzarella cheeses. Make vegan ricotta using tofu and lemon juice for a plant-based version.
- Spinach Prep: Including lemon juice and zest in the spinach filling brightens flavors but is optional based on preference.
- Adjust Milk Quantity: Add milk gradually to achieve desired creamy consistency in the squash filling.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 serving
- Calories: 350 kcal
- Sugar: 6 g
- Sodium: 450 mg
- Fat: 15 g
- Saturated Fat: 8 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 6 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 40 g
- Fiber: 6 g
- Protein: 18 g
- Cholesterol: 40 mg
