Butternut Squash Lasagna

This winter squash lasagna is the perfect vegetarian entrée for the holidays. It can be assembled ahead of time and refrigerated or frozen until ready to bake and serve. It’s made in layers with roasted butternut squash, a sage béchamel sauce, sautéed chard and melted Gruyère cheese.

Made without Bolognese or tomato sauce, this seasonal fall-inspired lasagna recipe is inspired by butternut squash filled ravioli (Ravioli di Zucca) typically served with brown butter and sage sauce. While the elements to make lasagna can take a lot of prep work, this recipe is made easier using “no cook” lasagna noodles. This way you don’t have to par-boil the noodles – which can get stuck together) ahead of time and it cuts down on one step (though I also include instructions if you prefer using traditional lasagna noodles below). The recipe uses extra béchamel sauce so the lasagna does not dry out with the no-boil noodles.

Key Ingredients in This Recipe

Butternut squash – The butternut squash is peeled and chopped before it’s roasted until it’s tender. I purée the squash so it can easily be layered in the lasagna.
Sage – The sage leaves are first fried in butter to infuse the béchamel sauce with herb flavor then set aside to garnish the top of the lasagna before serving.
Béchamel – Béchamel sauce is made from a roux base. Flour is cooked in butter to reduce the flavor of the flour in the sauce. It’s then simmered with whole milk to make a thick, creamy sauce. The addition of eggs makes the sauce richer.
Gruyère cheese – Gruyère is a hard cheese from Switzerland with a nutty, sweet flavor. The fact that it melts well (due to a high water to oil ratio) mixed with its distinct flavor makes it the perfect addition to the lasagna. If you can’t find Gruyère, I recommend substituting with another Swiss cheese like Emmental.
Chard – Remove the thick stems in each leaf of the chard before chopping it. They can be very tough and take away from the texture in the dish.
Lasagna noodles – Since there are so many parts to this recipe, using store-bought “no-cook” noodles saves on both time and cleanup. I’ve provided instructions for using regular lasagna noodles below as well.

How to Make Butternut Squash Lasagna

Step 1: Roast squash.

Preheat the oven to 400ºF (200ºC). Toss the butternut squash in the olive oil and spread on a baking sheet. Season with salt and pepper and roast until the squash is very tender, about 20 minutes.

Step 2: Mix squash

Add the squash to a food processor fitted with a blade attachment or add to the bowl of a kitchen mixer and mix until puréed and smooth. Set aside.

Step 3: Fry sage.

Heat a medium sauté pan over medium heat, add the butter and allow to melt. Add the sage leaves and fry until the leaves are fragrant, about 3 minutes. Add the garlic and cook until just fragrant, about 30 seconds. When the sage is crispy, remove it to a plate and set aside.

Step 4: Make roux.

Stir in the flour and cook until the roux turns a pale golden brown, about 1 minute. Add the milk, whisking to incorporate.

Step 5: Make bechamel.

Bring the mixture to a simmer, then lower the heat to medium-low, whisking until the sauce thickens, about 2 to 3 minutes. Season with nutmeg, salt and pepper. Crumble in half of the crispy sage (set the rest aside for garnishing). Set aside.

Step 6: Cook chard.

Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil over medium-high heat. Add the chard and cook until wilted, about 2 minutes. Remove to a bowl and let cool, then squeeze as much water from the chard as possible and set aside.

Step 7: Layer lasagna.

Spoon a layer of the sage béchamel sauce into the bottom of a 9” x 12” (23cm x 30cm) lasagna pan. Cover with a layer of noodles. Spread ⅓ of the butternut squash mixture over the noodles, then add ⅓ of the chard, a generous ladle of the béchamel and 1 cup of the Gruyère cheese.

Step 8: Continue to layer lasagna.

Repeat for 2 more layers. Top with a layer of noodles, and cover with the remaining béchamel sauce. Sprinkle the remaining cheese evenly over the top.

butternut squash lasagna with crispy sage

Step 9: Bake lasagna.

Heat oven to 400ºF (200ºC). Cover with aluminum foil and bake the lasagna for 45 minutes. Remove the foil and continue to bake until the top is golden brown, about an additional 15 minutes. Let the lasagna sit for 15 minutes to cool before serving. Cut into 9 equal slices and serve.

Tips and Tricks for This Recipe

Swaps and Substitutions

The Swiss chard can be swapped for another leafy dark green like kale or collard greens.
The roasted butternut squash can be swapped with 4 (15-ounce/ 439g) cans of pumpkin purée or roasted sweet potatoes.

Tips for Layering Lasagna

Begin layering with the béchamel sauce so that it ensures the noodles will not stick to the bottom of the pan when the lasagna is baked.

If using regular lasagna noodles

Working in batches, cook the pasta noodles in a large pot of boiling water until softened but still al dente, about 5 minutes. Remove the noodles carefully and transfer to a large bowl of ice water. Drain the noodles and set aside in a single-layer on an oiled baking sheet.

When cooking the noodles, be sure to undercook them since they will essentially be cooked twice when the assembled lasagna is baked. After par-boiling the noodles, don’t dump them into a colander as you would with other pasta – they will clump together. They will need to be set aside on baking sheets or platters.

How to Prep Lasagna in Advance

To save on time, the lasagna can be assembled a day ahead of time. Cover and refrigerate the lasagna for up to 2 days in advance. Bring the prepared lasagna to room temperature for 1 hour before baking, then proceed with the cooking instructions below. It can also be assembled and frozen for up to 3 months. Thaw the lasagna at room temperature before cooking it, or add additional cooking time until it’s warmed throughout if baking from frozen.

Other Recipes to Try

If you enjoy this winter squash lasagna, give these a try: