Butternut Squash Lasagna

5 from 5 votes

This Butternut Squash Lasagna with a creamy spinach béchamel sauce is the most perfect lasagna. It will impress both meat eaters and vegetarians.

Prep Time1

Cook Time1

Total Time2

Course: Dinner

Servings: people

Author: Gaby Dalkin

Ingredients

For the Lasagna

1 butternut squash roughly 3 cups once diced
4 tablespoon olive oil
2 cloves garlic chopped
1.5 pounds fresh spinach
1 lemon zested and juiced
14 ounces lasagna sheets
14 ounces fresh mozzarella torn into pieces
4 ounces parmesan cheese grated
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper

For the Béchamel

2 tablespoon unsalted butter
¼ cup flour
2.5 cups whole milk
1 bay leaf
grated nutmeg to taste
4 ounces parmesan cheese grated
Kosher salt and freshly cracked black pepper

Instructions

Preheat your oven to 425°F
Peel the butternut squash, remove all the seeds and cut into ½ inch cubes. Transfer the squash to an oven safe baking dish / braiser and drizzle with 2 tablespoon of olive oil and season with salt and pepper. Transfer to the oven and roast for 20 to 25 minutes, until fork tender and golden brown. Remove from the oven and set aside.
In the same baking dish / braiser add the remaining 2 tablespoon of olive oil and the spinach. The spinach can be added in batches and let it wilt down. Add the garlic and lemon for the last 30 seconds until fragrant. Remove from the heat and then transfer the cooked spinach into a colander to drain off any excess liquid.
Once drained, transfer to a blender or food processor and let sit while you make the bechamel. In the braiser, melt the butter over low heat, then whisk in the flour and cook until golden. Slowly drizzle in the milk, stirring the entire time to prevent lumps. Grate in the nutmeg and bay leaf and season with salt and pepper. Continue to cook until the milk thickens and coats the back of a spoon. Remove from the heat, discard the bay leaf and adjust seasoning as needed. Add the lemon zest and then add to the blender with the spinach and add the parmesan. Carefully blend until smooth, with the top of the blender cracked open to let any heat vent out.
Bring a large pot of water to a boil and season well with salt. Working in batches, cook the lasagna sheets for 2-3 minutes, until al dente. Remove from the boiling water and transfer to a clean baking sheet and lightly oil each sheet to stop them sticking to one another.
Increase the oven to 450 degrees and start to assemble. In the bottom of the braiser, start with a layer of spinach béchamel, followed by a layer of lasagna sheets, a scattering of butternut squash, some roughly torn mozzarella and some grated Parmesan. Repeat these layers, pressing down the lasagna sheets with each layer for a total of 3 layers. Finish with a generous scoop of the béchamel and the remaining butternut squash and any mozzarella if there is some left. Alternatively, don't add the mozzarella on the top layer if you want a bright green vibe!
Place in the oven and bake for 20 to 30 minutes, until golden brown on top, being careful not to let it burn. Let the lasagna cool for 15 minutes and then serve as needed.

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