Description
Butternut Squash Lasagna with Sage is a comforting, flavorful vegetarian dish featuring tender butternut squash, aromatic fresh sage, and a rich ricotta cheese sauce layered between tender lasagna noodles and topped with melted mozzarella and Pecorino cheese. This recipe offers a delightful twist on traditional lasagna, highlighting seasonal squash and herbaceous notes for a hearty, satisfying meal perfect for family dinners or special occasions.
Ingredients
Scale
For the Butternut Squash
- 2-pound butternut squash (medium), peeled and cut into 1/2-inch cubes
- ½ tablespoon olive oil
- ½ teaspoon kosher salt
- ¼ teaspoon garlic powder
For the Lasagna
- 9 to 12 lasagna noodles (6 to 8 ounces, gluten-free if necessary)
- 1 ½ tablespoons chopped fresh sage, divided, plus additional leaves as desired for topping
- Zest of 1/2 lemon (about 2 teaspoons)
- ⅛ teaspoon ground nutmeg
- ½ cup plus 2 tablespoons milk
- 16 ounces (2 cups) whole milk ricotta cheese
- ¼ teaspoon kosher salt
- Fresh ground black pepper, to taste
- 1 cup shredded Pecorino cheese, divided
- 8 ounces (2 ½ cups) shredded mozzarella cheese, divided
Instructions
- Preheat the oven: Preheat your oven to 375 degrees Fahrenheit to prepare for baking the lasagna later.
- Boil the squash: Peel and cut the butternut squash into 1/2-inch cubes. Bring a medium pot of water to a boil, add the squash cubes, and cook for 5 to 6 minutes until fork tender. Drain well and transfer to a medium bowl. Toss the cooked squash with olive oil, kosher salt, and garlic powder to season.
- Boil the noodles: In a large pot of well-salted boiling water, cook the lasagna noodles just before al dente, about 5 minutes, stirring often. Drain the noodles and drizzle a baking sheet with olive oil. Lay the noodles flat on the sheet and turn them over to coat both sides with olive oil to prevent sticking.
- Prepare the ricotta sauce: In a medium bowl, mix 1 tablespoon chopped sage, lemon zest, ground nutmeg, ricotta cheese, kosher salt, freshly ground black pepper, and milk until combined and creamy. Reserve about ½ tablespoon sage for topping.
- Layer the lasagna: In a 9” x 13” baking dish, spread ½ cup of ricotta sauce evenly on the bottom. Add a layer of noodles, then half of the cooked butternut squash, followed by approximately 2/3 cup of ricotta sauce, 1 cup shredded mozzarella, and ⅓ cup Pecorino cheese. Repeat the layering with another layer of noodles, the remaining squash, ricotta sauce, mozzarella, and Pecorino cheese. For the final top layer, place noodles and spread the remaining ricotta sauce over them. Sprinkle the top evenly with the remaining ½ cup mozzarella, ⅓ cup Pecorino cheese, and the reserved ½ tablespoon chopped sage.
- Bake the lasagna: Cover the baking dish tightly with aluminum foil and bake for 40 minutes. Remove the foil carefully and bake for an additional 20 minutes until the top is nicely browned and bubbly. Let the lasagna stand for 5 to 10 minutes before slicing and serving. Refrigerate leftovers for 2 to 3 days and reheat in a 400°F oven if desired.
Notes
- If you are using fresh lasagna noodles, boiling is not necessary; you can layer them directly.
- For make-ahead preparation, boil the butternut squash and noodles in advance, refrigerate separately coated with olive oil, or assemble the entire lasagna beforehand and refrigerate overnight. Increase bake time to ensure it’s heated through when baking from chilled.
- Store leftovers covered in the refrigerator for up to 2 days or freeze individual servings for longer storage. To reheat, defrost in the refrigerator and warm covered in a 400°F oven for about 15 minutes.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 slice (approx. 1/9 of recipe)
- Calories: 350
- Sugar: 4g
- Sodium: 450mg
- Fat: 16g
- Saturated Fat: 8g
- Unsaturated Fat: 7g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 38g
- Fiber: 4g
- Protein: 15g
- Cholesterol: 40mg
