Lasagna is one of my favorite meals for hosting a casual dinner. It’s easy to make ahead, super cozy and comforting, and a complete meal along with a salad. Although since this butternut squash and kale lasagna is also packed with vegetables, you can skip the salad altogether! Since we sometimes eat meatless, I wanted to create a delicious meatless lasagna that also had the option to add meat. If you want, you can add Italian sausage to the filling but I promise it’s just as delicious without it.
It’s hard to pick a favorite layer of lasagna, but the cheesy layer of this lasagna might just be my favorite. The creamy ricotta cheese combined with the mashed butternut squash is the perfect way to add the butternut squash to the lasagna without it being too overwhelming. Even my husband, who doesn’t care for butternut squash, ate this up! Great way to sneak in extra vegetables for everyone.
When making this recipe, I used no-boil lasagna noodles for the first time and let me tell you, it was so much easier! Whenever I make lasagna and need to boil the noodles in advance, the noodles stick together or I burn my fingers peeling them apart. It’s also much easier to spread the filling on the noodles when they are no-boil noodles! I waited so long to try this type of noodle because I didn’t trust them. It seems ridiculous but it didn’t seem like they would bake well in lasagna since they were the same consistency as regular lasagna noodles. All this to say, the no-boil lasagna noodles are the way to go for this butternut squash and kale lasagna!
- 1 medium butternut squash, cooked and cooled*
- 15 oz. ricotta cheese
- 3 cups shredded mozzarella cheese
- 1 tsp. salt
- ½ tsp. ground black pepper
- 1 tsp. garlic powder
- 1 tsp. onion powder
- ½ tsp. ground dried thyme
- 1 lb. Italian sausage (optional)
- 2 tbsp. olive oil
- 1 bunch kale, stems removed, chopped
- 3 tbsp. butter
- 4 tbsp. flour
- 2 cups vegetable broth
- 1 cup milk
- ½ cup heavy cream
- ½ cup shredded parmesan cheese
- ½ tsp. salt
- ¼ tsp. ground black pepper
- No-boil lasagna noodles
- In a large bowl, mash butternut squash. Add ricotta cheese, 1 cup shredded mozzarella, salt, pepper, garlic powder, onion powder, and thyme. Set aside
- In a large skillet, brown the Italian sausage (if using). If you're not using it to keep the lasagna vegetarian, heat the olive oil in the skillet. Once the sausage is browned or olive oil is heated, add kale and cook until wilted. Set aside.
- In a medium saucepan, melt butter. Whisk in the flour. Add vegetable broth, milk, and heavy cream and bring to a simmer until sauce thickens. Add parmesan cheese, salt, and pepper and stir to combine.
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. Spray a 13 x 9 baking dish with nonstick cooking spray. Spread a thin layer of sauce at the bottom of the pan, then add 3 lasagna noodles. Spread a layer of the butternut squash and cheese mixture over the noodles, Then add some of the kale/sausage mixture. Then add a small handful of the remaining mozzarella and a few scoops of sauce. Repeat with the remaining ingredients. The final layer on top of the last layer of lasagna noodles should be the remainder of the sauce and the rest of the mozzarella cheese.
- At this point, you can refrigerate the lasagna until ready to bake.
- Bake for 45-50 minutes until golden brown and bubbling.
- Let sit for at least 30 minutes before slicing and serving.
- Enjoy!
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I have never tried butternut squash in my lasagna. But it sounds really good and I can’t wait to try it.
I think you’ll love it! It adds a subtle sweetness and a delicious creaminess too 🙂
Does this lasagna freeze well and if so is it best to freeze before baking or after? Also is it best to defrost first or bake frozen?
Thanks!
I have not tried freezing it but I think it would be fine! I think you can bake first , freeze, and warm up from frozen!