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

Scale

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

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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