What makes you feel like a superstar in the kitchen? For me, it’s peeling and dicing a whole butternut squash. The skin is tough, the flesh is hard, and there are plenty of opportunities for me to cut my fingers clean off.
Sure, I could just buy pre-cut butternut squash at the grocery store. But with a limited budget, I can’t bring myself to spend a few extra dollars on pre-cut produce. Plus, I feel like I get a better, fresher result when I slice vegetables myself, right when I’m ready to use them.
Despite the effort involved in cutting the butternut squash, this hearty vegetarian lasagna is one of those recipes I find myself making over and over again. I hope you enjoy!
Roasted Butternut Squash Lasagna
Makes one 8×8 dish, about 6 servings
Adapted from How Sweet Eats
Ingredients:
- 6 no-boil lasagna noodle sheets (I used Barilla, this was about half a package)
- 1 medium butternut squash, peeled and cubed
- 2 medium sweet potatoes, peeled and cubed (about 1 1/2 cups cubed)
- 12 ounces mascarpone cheese, at room temperature
- 1 1/2 tablespoons unsalted butter
- 1 shallot, thinly sliced
- 3 cloves of garlic, minced or pressed
- 1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes (optional)
- 1/2 cup plus 1/4 cup freshly grated parmesan cheese
- 1 1/2 cup freshly grated, low-moisture mozzarella cheese
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon pepper
- 1/4 teaspoon nutmeg
- 1/4 teaspoon chili powder
- Sage leaves (optional)
Instructions
Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.
For squash & potatoes: Spread cubed squash and sweet potatoes on a baking sheet, and drizzle with olive oil. Sprinkle with nutmeg, chili powder, and 1/2 teaspoon each of salt and pepper. Toss to coat. Roast for 45 minutes, or until soft and beginning to caramelize. Remove from oven and let cool.
Mash the squash and potato mixture until mostly smooth. I used a hand mixer on a low speed. You could also use a fork, a potato masher, a whisk, or a stand mixer!
Turn oven to 350 degrees F.
For mascarpone filling: Heat a skillet over medium heat and melt butter. Add shallots, garlic, and red pepper flakes. Let cook for 2-3 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the butter is brown and the shallots and garlic are fragrant. Make sure the garlic and butter don’t burn! Remove from heat and let cool for 10 minutes.
Meanwhile, fill a bowl with warm water, and let the lasagna noodles soak for a few minutes until lightly softened. Pat dry on a paper towel before use.
In a bowl, combine mascarpone, 1/2 cup parmesan cheese, remaining salt and pepper, and the shallot mixture. Mix until smooth.
Assemble the lasagna: Spray an 8×8 pan with non-stick spray, then spread a very thin layer of the squash mixture on the bottom of the dish. This will prevent the bottom noodles from getting brown and crusty—don’t worry, the squash won’t stick! Then cover with a layer of noodles (2-3 depending on the size, you can break or trim noodles that are too big). Spread half of the squash mixture evenly over top, then press half of the mascarpone on top of that. Sprinkle half of the mozzarella and remaining parmesan on next, then repeat with one more layer of noodles, squash, mascarpone, and cheese.
Top lasagna with sage leaves, if desired. Bake for 45 minutes, or until cheese is golden and bubbly. You may want to broil the top for the last five minutes of baking, but watch carefully! Let the lasagna cool and set for 10 minutes before serving.
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