This Butternut Squash Lasagna is the vegetarian main dish of my dreams! Layers of noodles, roasted squash, buttery spinach, a rich and savory cream sauce, and of course lots of Parmesan cheese make this the fall casserole that will steal the show this Thanksgiving. Delicious and hearty, it’s the perfect comfort food on a chilly winter day. It’s the perfect side dish OR main dish on Thanksgiving!
Table of Contents
- Here’s why I love this recipe
- Butternut squash lasagna recipe ingredients
- How to make butternut squash lasagna
- How to layer this lasagna:
- What to serve this with
- How to store leftovers
- Can you freeze it?
- Can I make it ahead of time?
- Frequently asked questions
- Fall dinner favorites
- Butternut Squash Lasagna Recipe
My friends and I have a cookbook club, it is SO much fun. We meet at somebody’s house once a month and everyone brings a dish from the same chef, cook, or blogger. I hosted recently, and asked everyone to bring recipes from one of my favorite creators, Ali from Alexandra’s Kitchen.
Everyone pulled out all the stops, it was SOOO good. Some highlights included her Chocolate Chip Cookies, 5-Ingredient Corn Soup with Herby Salsa, Gooey Oat Bars, and of course, the Focaccia that she is well known for.
But my personal favorite dish was the Butternut Squash Lasagna, a fan favorite recipe that was shared in Gourmet magazine back in the 90s. You can still find the recipe on Epicurious, although it is behind a paywall (I think you can view one free recipe per month, so you might be able to see it if you use a private browser.)
I made the recipe exactly as stated, and it was well loved. I had friends asking about it for weeks afterward. I made it again with a few changes, most notably the addition of an entire bag of spinach, as well as simplifying the sauce-making process, and voila! Here we are. A totally Thanksgiving main-dish worthy vegetarian lasagna that I am OBSESSED with.
Here’s why I love this recipe
Okay okay so there is always a lot going on with Lasagna, right? It’s a time investment, for sure. It needs to be WORTH it if we’re going to spend a couple hours on this project.
The sauce
Made with lots of garlic and FRESH sage and rosemary. It’s just not a Thanksgiving level recipe if there are not fresh herbs, I’m sorry. Savory, herby, and garlicky…this is the white sauce of my dreams, guys, I could take a bath in it.
The butternut
We are roasting cubed butternut for maximum sweet, mellow flavor. You get those browned, crispy edges when you roast properly (make sure you use two pans! More on that later). I just posted a tutorial on How to Chop Butternut Squash so you can see exactly what you’re up against. It’s not hard, I will walk you through it!
The first time I made this it was in September and there was nary a butternut to be found in the produce section of my store. I was devastated, but then I looked in the refrigerated section and found cubed butternut squash…for $6 a pound. Whew!! It definitely saved me some time, but I think I would rather spend 10 minutes chopping than spend an extra $18! I chopped my own every time after that.
The whipped cream
YES I SAID WHIPPED CREAM. Y’all, this ain’t no dessert but I am telling you I have been CONVERTED to the savory whipped cream trend! Is this a trend? I actually have no idea, I’m not on Tiktok, but we need to MAKE it one, because omg.
The salty whipped cream is the final layer added on top of all the layers of lasagna. If you dumped liquid cream on your lasagna it would all just sink to the bottom. But when it’s whipped, it stays put on top, at least until it hits the oven, where it slowly melts it’s way through every layer of your lasagna. I’m about to add a whipped cream layer on top of every casserole of my life, guys. It’s SO good.
The Pecorino Romano
No mozzarella called for in this recipe, folks, only the good stuff. Straight up real deal Parmesan cheese, please. I love to get the good stuff from Costco. It’s expensive but one block usually lasts a long time.
The spinach
The spinach is kind of an afterthought, honestly. This lasagna is RICH, like take-tiny-portions rich, so I knew I could get away with adding in some extra veggies here. The lasagna is great without it (the original recipe doesn’t have it) but I love the extra earthy oomph it added. It was such an easy add-on, why not get the extra nutrients? Plus it adds pretty color.
I’m obsessed with this lasagna and I hope you get to make it soon! Let’s dive into all the details!
Butternut squash lasagna recipe ingredients
Here’s a look at what you’ll need for this recipe. It’s just an overview, so make sure that you’re looking at the recipe card with ingredient amounts and instructions when you make the lasagna!
- butternut squash, either a whole one chopped or buy the pre chopped!
- kosher salt, nature’s flavor enhancer
- oil (light olive oil, avocado oil, or even canola oil), to roast the squash
- butter, both for delicious creaminess, and to make the roux base for the cream sauce
- spinach, for health 😂 and flavor
- garlic, this adds SO much flavor to the cream sauce, trust
- flour, used to make a roux to thicken the cream sauce used in the lasagna layers
- spices (pepper, cayenne, nutmeg, sage, and rosemary) that give the sauce and the lasagna classic fall taste
- milk, add this to the flour and butter roux to make the creamy sauce
- lasagna noodles you can use traditional noodles that you boil first or oven-ready (no boil)
- Parmesan cheese, for salty, cheesy goodness
- whipping cream, adds a ton of richness to the lasagna
How to make butternut squash lasagna
Start out by chopping your butternut squash! It’s not that hard my friends, I promise. I have a whole post to walk you through it.
Dump all your cut squash on TWO half sheet pans. We need two pans to make sure the squash pieces have space to roast and get browned. When they are piled on top of each other, they will cook, but they won’t have that roasty flavor (you may as well stick them in the microwave ;)
Drizzle with a little oil and salt, and then spread them out. Roast for about a half hour until tender. Set aside for now.
In a large, high sided skillet, melt a little bit of butter. Add in the whole 10 ounces of spinach (it looks like a lot, but it will shrink down, trust). Add a bit of salt, and cook for 3-5 minutes until wilty.
Remove to a paper towel lined plate. Leave any butter or juices in the pan. (If you want, you can skip this step and use an 8-ounce package of frozen spinach. Let it thaw and then squeeze out the liquid. Then layer in the lasagna as directed later).
To the same pan, add in some more butter and a bunch of garlic.
In a little bowl, add all the flour and the dried spices: salt, pepper, cayenne, and nutmeg.
Let this roux cook for 1-2 minutes, until all the flour is absorbed.
Meanwhile, chop up some fresh sage and rosemary:
Add it to the pot at the same time you add the first increment of milk.
Keep SLOWLY adding more milk, waiting until it has absorbed before adding more.
Here is the final sauce. Give it a taste! It’s so good! Adjust seasonings as you like them!
I like to boil my lasagna noodles for about 3 minutes, even though they are no-boil noodles. I always prefer to use no-boil noodles for lasagna, because there are already SO many steps. This lasagna is not quite as saucy and wet as a traditional Lasagna, and since no-boil noodles rely on a very-liquidy sauce in order to moisten the noodles, we want to give them a head start.
Now it’s time to assemble: use your butter wrapper to grease a 9×13 inch pan.
Then, get your lasagna assembly line set up. You can see I’ve already divided my squash and spinach in half. Add a bit of the sauce in the bottom of the pan.
How to layer this lasagna:
Then, start layering. Here’s the order: Noodles, butternut, spinach, parmesan, sauce. Do this twice, THEN top with the last layer of noodles.
And now for some fun: We are making SAVORY whipped cream!! I know, right?? So fun. This is the final layer that tops our lasagna. It’s just cream whipped into peaks with a little salt and pepper. The cream provides an amazingly juicy, rich layer. If you poured on regular (liquid) cream, it would all sink to the bottom. Whipping it and spreading it on top means that it melts slowly into and throughout the lasagna. I’M OBSESSED.
Top with a final sprinkle of Parmesan!
Make sure you spray a sheet of foil with nonstick spray before covering the lasagna. You don’t want the foil sticking to all the cheese and pulling it off your final dish! That’s the saddest!
And that’s it! Let it sit for a few minutes and then dig in!
What to serve this with
Give me all the delicious breads, first and foremost. This lasagna is begging for something to sop up all the creamy sauce on your plate! And while there’s already a good amount of veggies in the lasagna, I love adding more as a side dish. Anything from a nice green salad to a more elaborate cooked vegetable is great. Here are some amazing options I enjoy making!
- The Best Garlic Butter Bread >> the garlic bread that makes any meal you serve it with just that much better, PROMISE
- Strawberry Spinach Salad >> this is a bright, zippy salad that would definitely brighten any meal
- Green Salad with Feta and Beets (The Fanciest No-Chop Salad Ever) >> this is about the easiest salad ever, which comes in clutch after making a whole lasagna
- Green beans >> I’m partial to both these Lemon Almond Green Beans as well as these Green Beans with Garlic Bread Crumbs and Almonds
How to store leftovers
Wait for the lasagna to cool. Transfer leftovers to an airtight container or keep things simple and wrap the pan well with plastic wrap. It will last in the refrigerator for about 4-5 days. Reheat individual servings in the microwave at 50% power until hot, about 2-3 minutes. To reheat the whole pan, remove the pan from the fridge and let it sit on the counter for about 20-30 minutes. Add just a bit of water into the empty parts of the casserole dish, just enough to barely cover the bottom so the scraped bits don’t burn. Cover with foil, then add the pan to a cold oven and set the temperature to 350 degrees. Bake until hot all the way through. This could be anywhere from 30-60 minutes or more, depending on how much is in the pan.
Can you freeze it?
This lasagna is actually super versatile for freezing, which is so nice! You can freeze individual portions for meal prep, or freeze the entire pan either unbaked or already baked. Frozen lasagna will last a good 3-4 months in the freezer.
Individual Portions
To freeze already baked lasagna into individual portions, add cut pieces to freezer safe containers, add the lids, and place in the freezer. Or, add cut pieces on a silpat or parchment paper lined baking sheet and flash freeze for 30 minutes. Wrap each portion in plastic wrap and add all of the pieces to a freezer ziplock bag. Heat individual portions in the microwave at 50% power til hot, about 4-5 minutes from frozen.
Whole baked lasagna
To freeze a whole baked lasagna, let the lasagna cool completely to room temperature. Wrap the entire pan very well in 2 layers of plastic wrap, then wrap once more in foil. You can let the pan thaw in the refrigerator overnight and follow the normal baking instructions in the recipe card (make sure to remove the plastic wrap first!). Or, let the frozen lasagna sit on the counter for about 30 minutes, making sure to remove all the plastic and recover with foil. Place the pan in the cold oven and set the temperature to 375. Because it is frozen, it will take at least twice as long so check after about 60 minutes of baking. If it’s not hot all the way through, add another 20-30 minutes of time.
Whole unbaked lasagna
Assemble the entire lasagna per the instructions in the recipe card. Wrap the whole pan carefully in 2 layers of plastic wrap, then wrap in foil. You can let the pan thaw in the refrigerator overnight and follow the normal baking instructions in the recipe card (make sure to remove the plastic wrap first!). Or, let the frozen lasagna sit on the counter for about 30 minutes, making sure to remove all the plastic and recover with foil. Place the pan in the cold oven and set the temperature to 375. Because it is frozen, it will take at least twice as long so check after about 60 minutes of baking. If it’s not hot all the way through, add another 20-30 minutes of time.
Can I make it ahead of time?
Yes! Making homemade lasagna is always a labor of love, so it’s awesome to be able to make it ahead for days you want to maximize time with loved ones or to save time on holidays. You can assemble the entire lasagna as instructed in the recipe card, wrap well in plastic wrap, and then keep the pan in the refrigerator to bake the next day.
To bake, remove the plastic wrap, top with foil, and let sit on the counter for about 20-30 minutes. Then, place the pan in a cold oven and set the temperature to 375 degrees. Bake for about 40-45 minutes or until heated through.
If you plan to wait longer than one day to bake, freezing is the best option. Freezing and baking instructions in the section titled “Whole unbaked lasagna” above.
Frequently asked questions
I love no-boil noodles! Why make more work for yourself? Either type of noodle will work for this lasagna, so use whichever you prefer or have on hand.
Yes! There is no meat in this lasagna, so it is vegetarian. If you want to add meat, you could add some cooked bulk Italian sausage or even diced sausage links or ham and add it in with the squash.
Fall dinner favorites
Fall food is just so cozy to me! It’s nice to get back into oven-baked dishes after avoiding the oven all summer, and I love the focus on certain flavors and spices that feel special to this season. In fact, I even have a whole page dedicated to these recipes, so be sure to check out all of The Best Fall Recipes! I’ve listed a few of my very favorites here:
Soup Recipes
Laura’s Tomato Bisque Soup
Salad Recipes
Honey Roasted Butternut Squash Salad
Recipes for Dinner
Shepherd’s Pie Recipe with Cheese Topping
Recipes for Dinner
The Best Chili Recipe Ever! (Slow Cooker)
- Roasted Sweet Potato Salad with Honey Lemon Dressing from Recipe Tin Eats
- Easy Clam Chowder from Damn Delicious
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Butternut Squash Lasagna
Equipment
- 2 sheet pans for roasting the squash
- 1 9×13 baking dish for the lasagna
Ingredients
For the squash:
- 3 pounds butternut squash, about 8 cups, chopped
- 1 and 1/2 teaspoons kosher salt, divided, for roasting squash
- 3 tablespoons light olive oil, divided, for roasting squash
For the spinach layer
- 4 tablespoons butter, half stick
- 10 ounces fresh spinach*
- 3/4 teaspoon kosher salt
For the cream sauce
- 4 tablespoons butter, half stick
- 5 cloves garlic, smashed and minced (at least 1 tablespoon)
- 1/4 cup flour
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
- 1 pinch cayenne pepper
- 1/4 teaspoon nutmeg
- 1 tablespoon fresh sage , chopped
- 1 tablespoon fresh rosemary, chopped
- 4 cups whole milk
For the lasagna
- 9 sheets no-boil lasagna noodles
- 1 and 1/2 cups shredded Parmesan cheese, divided
- 1 cup whipping cream
- 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1/2 teaspoon pepper
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 450 degrees F.
- Chop your butternut squash. I have a whole post dedicated to walking you through this because squash chopping can be a little intimidating! Tap to see the post.
- Roast the squash. Spread 3 pounds of chopped butternut squash on TWO half sheet pans. Drizzle EACH pan with 3/4 teaspoon kosher salt and 1 and 1/2 tablespoons light olive oil, or any vegetable oil. Use your hands to toss the squash with the salt and oil, then spread all the chopped squash out on the pan, trying to make sure the squash pieces are not touching.
- Roast at 450 F for 30 minutes, stopping to rotate the pans placement in the oven halfway. When the butternut is fork-tender, it's ready to go. Set aside for now.
- Lower the oven temperature to 375.
- Wilt the spinach. While the butternut roasts, melt 4 tablespoons butter in a large skillet over medium heat. Add 10 ounces fresh spinach.* Sprinkle with 3/4 teaspoon kosher salt. Cook for 2-4 minutes, until the spinach is wilted. Remove to a paper-towel lined plate, leaving any liquid in the pan.
- Work ahead: Get your chopping out of the way before you start the next step. Smash and mince 5 cloves of garlic. Measure out all the dry spices into a bowl. Chop the sage and rosemary. Add 4 cups milk to a measuring glass. Grate 1 and 1/2 cups Parmesan cheese.
- Make the sauce. In the same pan you wilted the spinach in, add the other half of your stick of butter, 4 tablespoons. Add 4 or 5 cloves of minced garlic. Let cook 1 minute over medium heat until fragrant.
- Add 1/4 cup flour, 1 teaspoon kosher salt, 1/2 teaspoon black pepper, a pinch of cayenne pepper, and 1/4 teaspoon nutmeg. Stir and cook over medium heat for another 1 minute, until all the flour is absorbed.
- Add 1 tablespoon freshly chopped sage and 1 tablespoon fresh chopped rosemary.
- Immediately start to GRADUALLY pour in the 4 cups of milk. Go slow! Add 1/4 cup, then stir until the milk is absorbed. Add another 1/4 cup and do it again. Keep adding more milk until it has all been added and your roux has turned into a thickened sauce.
- Once all the milk has been added, simmer the sauce for about 8-10 minutes over medium heat, turning it down to medium low once it starts to bubble on the edges. Keep it at a low simmer, no boiling allowed.
- Prep the noodles: while your sauce simmers, soften your lasagna noodles. You can either boil a pot of water and add the noodles for 3 minutes, OR you can boil a kettle of water and pour it over the noodles in a casserole dish or bowl for 3 minutes. Whatever is easier for you. Drain the water after 3 minutes. We don't want our noodles to be soggy! They will continue to absorb liquid while baking in the oven.
- Assemble your lasagna: Use the butter wrapper to grease a 9×13 inch pan. Set the sauce, spinach, butternut, parmesan, and noodles near the pan.
- Layer the lasagna: Scoop 1 cup of sauce into the bottom of the pan.
- Add 3 noodles. Add half of the butternut squash. Add half of the spinach. Add 1/2 cup Parmesan cheese. Add half of the remaining sauce.
- Do it all again exactly the same: Add 3 noodles. Add half of the butternut squash. Add half of the spinach. Add 1/2 cup Parmesan cheese. Add half of the remaining sauce.
- Top with the remaining 3 noodles.
- Make the whipped cream. In a large bowl or stand mixer, add 1 cup heavy cream. Add 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt and 1/2 teaspoon black pepper. Beat with the whisk attachment (or the beaters) for 3-5 minutes until peaks form and it looks like whipped cream (it is whipped cream!)
- Spread the whipped cream over the top layer of noodles, making sure the noodles are completely covered and nothing is poking out.
- Top the whipped cream with 1/2 cup Parmesan cheese, or more, let your heart guide you.
- Spray a sheet of foil with nonstick spray. Cover the lasagna.
- Bake at 375 degrees F for 30 minutes. Remove the foil and bake for another 10-20 minutes, until the top is browned and starting to crisp. If it's been in the oven at least 40 minutes and the top isn't browning, you can broil it on the top rack for 1-3 minutes to help the cheese brown.
- Let the lasagna settle for about 10-15 minutes before cutting into it.
- Store covered in the fridge for 3-5 days.
- Freezing** You can freeze individual portions for meal prep, or freeze the entire pan either unbaked or already baked. Frozen lasagna will last a good 3-4 months in the freezer! See note for details.
- Make ahead: You can assemble the entire lasagna as instructed, wrap well in plastic wrap, and then keep the pan in the refrigerator to bake the next day.To bake, remove the plastic wrap, top with foil, and let sit on the counter for about 20-30 minutes. Then, place the pan in a cold oven and set the temperature to 375 degrees. Bake for about 40-45 minutes or until heated through.If you plan to wait longer than one day to bake, freezing is the best option. See notes.
Notes
Whole baked lasagna
To freeze a whole baked lasagna, let the lasagna cool completely to room temperature. Wrap the entire pan very well in 2 layers of plastic wrap, then wrap once more in foil. You can let the pan thaw in the refrigerator overnight and follow the normal baking instructions in the recipe card (make sure to remove the plastic wrap first!). Or, let the frozen lasagna sit on the counter for about 30 minutes, making sure to remove all the plastic and recover with foil. Place the pan in the cold oven and set the temperature to 375. Because it is frozen, it will take at least twice as long so check after about 60 minutes of baking. If it’s not hot all the way through, add another 20-30 minutes of time.Whole unbaked lasagna
Assemble the entire lasagna per the instructions in the recipe card. Wrap the whole pan carefully in 2 layers of plastic wrap, then wrap in foil. You can let the pan thaw in the refrigerator overnight and follow the normal baking instructions in the recipe card (make sure to remove the plastic wrap first!). Or, let the frozen lasagna sit on the counter for about 30 minutes, making sure to remove all the plastic and recover with foil. Place the pan in the cold oven and set the temperature to 375. Because it is frozen, it will take at least twice as long so check after about 60 minutes of baking. If it’s not hot all the way through, add another 20-30 minutes of time.Nutrition
Here is my page of notes from when I was developing this recipe. Thank goodness for the internet. I’m so glad my grandchildren won’t have to decipher my chicken scratch handwriting in order to make my recipes!
