Description
A creamy and comforting Butternut Squash and Spinach Lasagna featuring layers of smooth butternut squash puree, ricotta, mozzarella, and fresh spinach, seasoned with Italian herbs and baked to golden perfection. This vegetarian dish offers a delicious twist on traditional lasagna, perfect for a hearty family meal.
Ingredients
Scale
Butternut Squash Filling
- 2 cups butternut squash puree (about half of squash)
- 1 cup ricotta cheese
- ½ cup milk (add more if needed)
- ¼ teaspoon salt plus ⅛ teaspoon more to taste
- 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 for layering
- 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 lasagna.
- Prepare Butternut Squash Filling: In a food processor, combine 2 cups of butternut squash puree with ricotta cheese, milk, salt, and nutmeg. Blend until very creamy, adding more milk as needed. Taste and adjust salt if necessary.
- Prepare Spinach Filling: Mix cooked spinach with ricotta cheese, mozzarella cheese, minced garlic, salt, and pepper. Taste and adjust seasonings accordingly.
- Cook Lasagna Noodles: Bring a large pot of water to boil and cook lasagna noodles according to package instructions. Rinse with cold water, drain well, and trim noodles to fit your baking dish if necessary.
- Assemble Lasagna Layer 1: 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. Sprinkle lightly with mozzarella cheese, then layer 3 lasagna noodles without overlapping.
- Assemble Lasagna Layer 2: Spread half of the spinach filling over the noodles. Top with mozzarella cheese and then another layer of cooked noodles.
- Assemble Lasagna Layer 3: Spread another one third of the butternut squash filling, sprinkle with mozzarella cheese, and layer more noodles.
- Assemble Lasagna Layer 4: Spread the remaining half of the spinach filling over the noodles, top with mozzarella, and add another layer of noodles.
- Top Lasagna: Spread the remaining one third of the butternut squash filling on the final noodle layer. Sprinkle with grated Parmesan cheese and about ½ cup mozzarella. Generously season with Italian seasoning, paprika, and basil.
- Bake Covered: Cover the baking dish with foil and bake for 30 minutes at 375°F.
- Bake Uncovered: Remove the foil and continue baking for 10 minutes until the cheese is melted and golden.
- Serve: Let the lasagna cool slightly before slicing and serving warm.
Notes
- Make it Gluten-Free: Use brown rice gluten-free lasagna noodles and follow the recipe as is.
- Use No-Boil Noodles: When using no-boil lasagna noodles, add about ½ cup milk, water, or vegetable stock to the squash puree for extra moisture and increase baking time by 10 minutes.
- Make it Vegan: Substitute vegan Parmesan and mozzarella cheeses and prepare vegan ricotta using tofu and lemon juice to keep it plant-based.
- Adjust Seasonings: Taste fillings before assembling to adjust salt, pepper, and herbs according to preference.
- Cook Spinach: Use fresh or frozen spinach cooked and well-drained; lemon juice and zest can be added for extra flavor if desired.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 slice
- Calories: 350 kcal
- Sugar: 5 g
- Sodium: 450 mg
- Fat: 18 g
- Saturated Fat: 9 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 7 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 30 g
- Fiber: 4 g
- Protein: 15 g
- Cholesterol: 45 mg
