butternut squash & spinach lasagna

Hello, all! I apologize for the long hiatus…a lot has happened in the last couple of months! My last post was a late-summer dish teeming with fresh corn, and now it’s early November. Each year it still astounds me how quickly the seasons change. Anyway, since you last heard from me, I spent a couple weeks in France, got engaged, and now I’m knee-deep in wedding planning!

So I guess you could say my focus has been elsewhere…but I’m back and ready to serve up plenty of cozy fall recipes before end of December rolls around. Additionally, I’ve added a new page on the website reserved specifically for soups, because for the next few months it’s full-fledged soup season!

While this butternut squash lasagna dish isn’t a soup, it is the quintessential fall comfort food. The squash is sweet and tender while the crispy noodles complement the fluffy ricotta filling. Although it may seem complicated, I promise the hardest part is cutting the squash (see more on that below), and the rest is easy peasy!

let's cut to the chase...uh, squash

I know you’re probably thinking this recipe sounds great…but, no WAY are you going to cut your own butternut squash. I’m not gonna lie–squash isn’t the easiest veggie to slice in to. But with a little guidance and practice, you’ll be a pro in no time. Just make sure you have a large, stable cutting board and a sharp knife.

First, using a large, sharp knife, slice off each end of the squash.

Then, cut it in half (between the neck and the base).

Using a Y-shaped peeler, peel each end of the squash, until there is no green left.

Carefully cut the base of the squash vertically through the center. Using a large spoon or serrated grapefruit spoon, scoop out the seeds and the pulp.

Now, with the flat sides down against the cutting board, slice the base of the squash into half moon-shaped slivers. Cut the neck of the squash into round slices.

You can then either cook the squash in slices or continue to dice it however you like!

ONCE YOU'VE GOTTEN THE SQUASH OUT OF THE WAY,

Make room for these ingredients:

Ricotta Yes, you’ll be using a full container

Garlic Gives the ricotta some extra punch

Baby spinach I like using “baby” spinach, because the leaves are smaller and easier to wilt in the pan

Butter, flour, and milk These will be used to make a yummy cream sauce that gets doused over each layer of the lasagna

Italian cheese blend You can use a different type of shredded cheese, but this is my favorite blend

Basil You don’t need this, but it’s a nice flavorful addition to add to the top of the lasagna

Butternut squash You won’t have trouble finding these babies at the market in November!

Lasagna noodles Definitely look for the no-boil kind! It lessens the amount of work and ensures that these noodles stay taut and slightly crispy instead of getting all soggy in the pan

⟶ the recipe

butternut squash & spinach lasagna

ingredients

15-ounce container of ricotta

2 cloves of garlic, grated

11-ounce package of baby spinach

5 tablespoons of unsalted butter

5 tablespoons flour

2 ½ cups of milk

2 ½ cups shredded Italian cheese blend

1 tablespoon fresh basil, chopped

1 large butternut squash, peeled, seeded, and sliced

9-ounce package of no-boil lasagna noodles

Salt and pepper

Prep time

30 minutes

Cook time

1 hour

Total time

1 hour 30 minutes

6 servings

instructions

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees. Coat a rectangular baking dish with oil. Mix ricotta, garlic, and a pinch each of salt and pepper in a bowl. Set aside.

Heat a bit of olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add spinach in batches, stirring it, until it’s mostly wilted. Transfer spinach to a colander and squeeze out excess liquid with the back of a spoon.

Melt butter in a medium saucepan over medium-low heat. Whisk in the flour, then slowly whisk in the milk, stirring constantly until the sauce has thickened, about 5 minutes. Remove from heat, and stir in 1 ½ cups of the cheese and some salt and pepper.

Spread ½ cup of the sauce in the prepared baking dish, and then add a layer of noodles. Cover noodles with half of the ricotta mixture, a layer of squash, half of the spinach, and another ½ cup of sauce. Repeat the layers, and finish by adding a third layer of noodles and topping it with the remaining sauce and cheese.

Coat a piece of foil with cooking spray or oil, and cover the lasagna, oiled side down. Bake for about 1 hour or until lightly browned on top. Let cool for a few minutes before topping with the basil and cutting into squares.

⟶ recipe notes

Cutting squash is TOUGH! But don’t let that intimidate you from making recipes with butternut squash. Use the tips above, and I promise you’ll be just fine

⟶ modifications

Lighten up the lasagna by using part-skim ricotta, skim milk, and whole wheat flour

⟶ make it ahead

Make ahead by assembling the lasagna and covering with plastic wrap and then foil. Refrigerate for up to 2 days or freeze for up to 2 months (if freezing, defrost the lasagna for at least 30 minutes and bake an extra 10-15 minutes)