This butternut squash lasagna is for the nights I want something different from the traditional meat-and-cheese pan (there's a place for that one too). Roasted squash is blended with ricotta into a creamy puree, then layered with garlicky spinach and plenty of mozzarella. It's been a while since a dish truly made my heart sing, and this one did.
There's no red sauce and no béchamel here, because the squash puree does all the saucy work. Roasting it first is the trick, since it brings a caramelized, almost nutty flavor you can't get from a can. If you love butternut squash, friends, you've found a winner, so bookmark it, print it, and forward it to someone who needs a cozy dinner.
Why Roasting Matters
Yes, there are shortcuts. Canned butternut squash is one, but I've never tried it, so I can't promise how it turns out. Precut cubed squash is another, and I know Costco sells a big organic bag at a pretty fair price.
The one thing canned squash can't give you is caramelization. That browning is where the flavor comes from, so roast the cubes in a single layer at 400°F and flip them halfway through. Just look at all that flavor!
A squash around 2½ pounds gives you the 3 cups of puree you need. If the cubes look crowded, use two pans, because crowded squash steams instead of browning.
Two Fillings, One Pan
Use the roasting time wisely. While the squash is in the oven, boil the noodles and make the spinach filling: onion, garlic, and spinach wilted in a skillet, cooled, then stirred into ricotta and mozzarella. Pour off any liquid the spinach releases so the layers stay creamy.
Once the squash cools a bit, blend it with ricotta, a little milk, salt, pepper, nutmeg, and a pinch of cinnamon in a food processor. I like it as smooth as ricotta, but if you'd rather leave it a little chunky, that's up to you.
Layer it Four Times
I found three layers wasn't enough, so I suggest four. Build each layer the same way: three noodles, a thick spread of squash filling, a layer of spinach filling, then a little mozzarella and Parmesan. Spread the fillings with the back of a spoon so every noodle is covered, because bare noodles turn crisp in the oven.
Cook the noodles two minutes short of the package time, since they finish in the oven. Use a 9 x 13 dish, which cuts into 8 generous squares, or a square 9 x 9 if you trim the noodles to fit. One reader went with a bigger pan and fewer layers and said it was still great.
Bake, broil, wait
Cover the dish tightly with foil and bake at 375°F for 30 minutes, until it's hot all the way through. Uncover it and slide it under the broiler for a few minutes until the top is golden and bubbly. Watch it closely, and make sure your dish is broiler-safe.
Then wait 10 minutes. It's the hardest step, but the layers settle as it rests, and the squares hold together when you cut them instead of sliding apart.
Make it Your Own
The nutmeg and cinnamon are a quiet background note, not a pumpkin pie. If your crowd is spice-shy, skip the cinnamon or use half the nutmeg. If you'd like it more savory, one reader who has made it many times adds a little garlic powder and onion powder to the spinach filling.
Want it lighter? Another reader used about half the ricotta in the spinach filling, skipped the mozzarella there, and kept it just on top. She said it was still fabulous. And one reader wrote that her whole family, picky kids included, loved it.
Make Ahead and Leftovers
Make ahead: Assemble the lasagna, cover it tightly, and refrigerate it for up to 24 hours before baking. Let both fillings cool first so the layers don't turn watery, and add 10 to 15 minutes to the covered bake time if it goes in cold.
Reheating: Leftovers keep in the fridge for up to 4 days. Reheat a slice, covered, in a 350°F oven for 20 to 25 minutes, or microwave it in 1-minute bursts. One reader's boyfriend asked for it two nights in a row, and they finished the leftovers at lunch in between, so you may want to hide a square.
To freeze it, bake the lasagna and cool it completely, then wrap slices tightly and freeze for up to 3 months. Thaw them overnight in the fridge and reheat as above. The texture will be a touch softer after freezing.
What to Serve with Butternut Squash Lasagna
- Garlic Knots:New York Style Garlic Knots A classic choice that complements the flavors of the lasagna and is perfect for soaking up any extra sauce.
- Green Salad: A simple green salad with a light vinaigrette adds a refreshing contrast to the rich lasagna. Another healthy, vegetable-forward salad is this broccoli salad.
- Roasted Vegetables: Consider serving a medley of roasted vegetables like asparagus, broccoli, or Brussels sprouts for added nutrition and variety.
Readers' questions
How many does this serve?
It serves 8 when cut into squares from a 9 x 13 dish. For bigger appetites, plan on 6.
Can I use oven-ready noodles?
Regular noodles are the safer bet, because this lasagna has no tomato sauce for dry noodles to soak up. I haven't tested oven-ready noodles myself, but a reader who has made this many times softens Barilla oven-ready noodles for about 4 minutes first. If you try them, make sure every noodle is covered with filling.
Can I use goat cheese or a dairy-free cheese instead of ricotta?
I haven't tried either. Goat cheese is tangier and denser than ricotta, so I'd thin it with a splash of extra milk and expect a tangier lasagna. For dairy-free, I'd start with plant-based ricotta, mozzarella, and milk. If you try a swap, let me know how it goes in the comments.
Roasted Butternut Squash and Spinach Lasagna
- Total Time: 1 hr 55 min
- Yield: 8 servings 1x
Description
Layers of creamy roasted butternut squash and ricotta, garlicky spinach, and melty mozzarella make a cozy vegetarian lasagna with no red sauce and no béchamel.
Ingredients
For the Roasted Squash
- 1 large butternut squash (2½ to 3 pounds), peeled, seeded, and cut into 1-inch cubes
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- ½ teaspoon kosher salt
- ¼ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
For the Squash Filling
- 3 cups roasted butternut squash (from the cubes above)
- 1 cup ricotta cheese
- ½ cup milk, plus more as needed
- ¼ teaspoon kosher salt
- ¼ teaspoon ground nutmeg
- ⅛ teaspoon ground cinnamon
- Freshly ground black pepper, to taste
For the Spinach Filling
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- ½ cup diced onion
- 3 garlic cloves, minced
- 8 ounces baby spinach, roughly chopped
- ¼ teaspoon kosher salt
- Freshly ground black pepper, to taste
- 1 cup ricotta cheese
- 1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese (or cut into small cubes)
To Assemble
- 12 lasagna noodles
- Cooking spray or olive oil, for the dish
- 2 cups shredded mozzarella cheese (or cut into small cubes)
- ½ cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese
Instructions
- Roast the squash. Preheat the oven to 400°F. Toss the squash cubes with the olive oil, salt, and pepper on a large rimmed baking sheet, spreading them in a single layer (use two pans if they are crowded). Roast for 30 to 35 minutes, flipping once halfway through, until fork-tender and browned at the edges.
- Cook the noodles. While the squash roasts, boil the noodles in a large pot of water, 2 minutes less than the package directions. Drain and rinse under cool water.
- Make the spinach filling. Heat the olive oil in a large skillet over medium-low heat. Cook the onion for 3 to 5 minutes, until soft, and season with the salt and a few grinds of pepper. Stir in the garlic, then the spinach, and cook for 1 minute, just until wilted. Transfer to a bowl, pour off any liquid, and let cool for about 5 minutes. Stir in the ricotta and mozzarella.
- Cool the squash. Reduce the oven to 375°F. Let the roasted squash cool for about 10 minutes, until just warm.
- Make the squash filling. In a food processor, combine 3 cups of the roasted squash with the ricotta, milk, salt, nutmeg, cinnamon, and pepper. Blend until creamy (or mash by hand for a chunkier texture). Taste, and add more salt, pepper, or a splash of milk if needed.
- Prep the dish. Spray a 9 x 13 baking dish with cooking spray or coat it with olive oil. Spoon in just enough squash filling to coat the bottom, then set the rest aside in four equal portions.
- Layer. Lay 3 noodles side by side (overlap or trim them to fit). Spread a portion of the squash filling over the noodles, then a quarter of the spinach filling, then ½ cup mozzarella and 2 tablespoons Parmesan. Repeat three more times for 4 layers, finishing the top layer with the remaining mozzarella and Parmesan.
- Bake. Cover tightly with foil and bake at 375°F for 30 minutes, or until hot all the way through. Remove the foil and broil on high for 2 to 4 minutes, watching closely, until golden and bubbly.
- Rest. Let the lasagna sit for 10 minutes before cutting into 8 squares.
Notes
Make ahead and storing: Assemble, cover tightly, and refrigerate up to 24 hours before baking (add 10 to 15 minutes to the covered bake if it goes in cold). Refrigerate leftovers up to 4 days and reheat, covered, at 350°F for 20 to 25 minutes. To freeze, bake and cool first, then wrap slices and freeze up to 3 months; thaw overnight in the fridge.
Pan and noodles: A 9 x 9 dish works if you trim the noodles to fit. Regular noodles work best here, since there is no tomato sauce for oven-ready noodles to absorb. If you use them, soften them first and cover every noodle with filling.
- Prep Time: 35 min
- Cooling Time: 10 min
- Cook Time: 1 hr 10 min
- Category: Dinner
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American, Italian
ROASTED BUTTERNUT SQUASH AND SPINACH LASAGNA
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Love it!! Didn't have ricotta, so I used a tub of cottage cheese, blended together. I added nutritional yeast to the the squash later to give it more depth of flavor and a little lemon zest in the spinach to lift it. Absolutely lovely, and it's a great meal prep dinner to make and freeze.
Love it! ❤ Didn't have ricotta, so used a tub of cottage cheese, blended together. I added nutritional yeast to the squash later to give it more depth of flavor, and a little lemon zest in the spinach to lift it. Absolutely lovely, and it's a great meal prep dinner to make and freeze.
Used 2x the onion and a cup more spinach and 1/2 cup more ricotta. Absolutely delicious
Divine - I never expected this to turn out this good. It's even better the next day. I brought it to work for lunch and so did my husband. The first thing he said when we both walked through the door. was how good his lunch was.
What’s the nutritional information for this lasagna??
I updated the recipe to include the nutrition info
I made this for a group in for a wellness retreat. Everyone loved it. I made it the night before and cooked it the next day. Worked great. I actually upped the spinach a bit and added a few mushrooms. I only did three layers because I am terrible at judging how much to put in each layer. Will definitely make it again.
I love your additions Tina - I'm a huge spinach and mushroom fan too. Thanks for trying it!
This was lovely! I did not add the nutmeg, but I roasted the squash with a heathy bit of thyme. I also doubled the garlic. I’d suggest if you are using ready noodles to add a cup or two more milk in with the squash! But overall so amazing!!!!!
I have no idea how you got 4 layers with this I did the fillings as thin as I could layer them and ended up with 2 layers total.
How many does this recipe serve?
It would depend on serving size and other side dishes being served as well. But I would say this recipe will feed 8 people.
This was delicious- absolutely best vegetable lasagna I ever had.