Butternut Squash Lasagna

This winter squash lasagna is the perfect vegetarian entrée for the holidays. It can be assembled ahead of time and refrigerated or frozen until ready to bake and serve.

Course Main Course, pasta

Cuisine Italian

Prep Time 30

Cook Time 1 30

Servings

Calories 1131kcal

Author Kylie Mazon-Chambers

Ingredients

For the butternut squash:

4 pounds cubed butternut squash, cut into ½” cubes
¼ cup extra-virgin olive oil
Kosher salt, as needed
Freshly ground black pepper, as needed

For the sage béchamel:

8 tablespoons unsalted butter
20 sage leaves
2 cloves garlic, chopped
½ cup all-purpose flour
4 cups whole milk
¼ teaspoon ground nutmeg
Kosher salt, as needed
Freshly ground black pepper, as needed

For assembly and serving:

2 bunches Swiss chard, stems removed and chopped
16 sheets no-cook lasagna noodles
4 cups shredded Gruyère cheese

US Customary - Metric

Instructions

For the butternut squash:

Preheat the oven to 400ºF (200ºC). Toss the butternut squash in the olive oil and spread on a baking sheet. Season with salt and pepper and roast until the squash is very tender, about 20 minutes.
Add the squash to a food processor fitted with a blade attachment or add to the bowl of a kitchen mixer and mix until puréed and smooth. Set aside.

For the sage béchamel:

Heat a medium sauté pan over medium heat, add the butter and allow to melt. Add the sage leaves and fry until the leaves are fragrant, about 3 minutes. Add the garlic and cook until just fragrant, about 30 seconds. When the sage is crispy, remove it to a plate and set aside.
Stir in the flour and cook until the roux turns a pale golden brown, about 1 minute. Add the milk, whisking to incorporate.
Bring the mixture to a simmer, then lower the heat to medium-low, whisking until the sauce thickens, about 2 to 3 minutes. Season with nutmeg, salt and pepper. Crumble in half of the crispy sage (set the rest aside for garnishing). Set aside.

For assembly and serving:

Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil over medium-high heat. Add the chard and cook until wilted, about 2 minutes. Remove to a bowl and let cool, then squeeze as much water from the chard as possible and set aside.
Spoon a layer of the sage béchamel sauce into the bottom of a 9” x 12” (23cm x 30cm) lasagna pan. Cover with a layer of noodles. Spread ⅓ of the butternut squash mixture over the noodles, then add ⅓ of the chard, a generous ladle of the béchamel and 1 cup of the Gruyère cheese.
Repeat for 2 more layers. Top with a layer of noodles, and cover with the remaining béchamel sauce. Sprinkle the remaining cheese evenly over the top.
Heat oven to 400ºF (200ºC). Cover with aluminum foil and bake the lasagna for 45 minutes. Remove the foil and continue to bake until the top is golden brown, about an additional 15 minutes. Let the lasagna sit for 15 minutes to cool before serving. Cut into 9 equal slices and serve.

Nutrition