Roasted Butternut Squash Lasagna
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This butternut squash lasagna stole the show one snowy Thanksgiving in Vermont many years ago, and it’s become a staple ever since. It also happens to be simple and delicious. The secret? A rosemary- and sage-infused bechamel AND no-boil lasagna noodles. Creamy, rich, and delicious, this vegetarian entrée is loved by carnivores and vegetarians alike, making it perfect for entertaining.
Snow, dogs, a constant fire — I couldn’t have asked for anything more of Thanksgiving in Vermont.
But, as always, all of the Vermont treats — the Jasper Hill Farm cheeses, the Dakin Farm ham (with the ham sauce!), Uncle Wade’s waffles with Vermont maple syrup, Shed beer — did make me want to pack up and stay forever. I left dreaming about all of my aunt’s cooking, from biscotti and koulourakia to grilled artic char and coconut-milk marinated cauliflower steaks.
Punch, as always, was a massive hit, but hands down, the hit of all hits was this butternut squash lasagna, a dish brought to Thanksgiving dinner by a vegetarian friend of my aunt and uncle’s. Having taken a peek inside the insulated carry tote (which is the coolest thing…Santa, take note), I had to ask for some details immediately. Kris, the friend, kindly obliged and described the basic process, brushing it all off as an old recipe from Gourmet, just something she and her mother had been making for years.
Well, seriously, it stole the show. Everyone at the table raved, ultimately confessing it was the highlight of the meal.
The process of lasagna — all of the steps, the sauce making, the bechamel, the cheeses — always deters me from giving it a go. I think I’ve made two lasagnas total in my life, the second being this one I made on Sunday, which actually came together pretty painlessly. As the diced butternut squash roasted, garlic and butter melted on the stovetop, while milk simmered with sprigs of rosemary and sage.
No-boil noodles and one cheese, grated Parmigiano Reggiano, made for an easy assembly, and the final layer of whipped heavy cream, which sounds odd but is oh so right, came together in a snap.
This is the kind of meal you will want to make all winter long, one you’ll want stashed in your freezer, ready to take to a friend in need, the crowd-pleasing recipe you’ll turn to for your next holiday party, one proven to please both carnivores and vegetarians alike.
PS: Find more favorite butternut squash recipes here.
PPS: Favorite Roasted Eggplant Lasagna
Before we get to the recipe, let’s answer a few FAQs:
What are the best no-boil lasagna noodles?
I have used Barilla no-boil noodles for years, and I never had any issue with them until last fall.
When I pulled the pan from the oven, the top three sheets of noodles looked nearly identical as they did upon entering — they hadn’t softened or expanded as they normally would. The lasagna was edible, but the top layer was extra crispy, and not in a good way.
This issue sent me searching Google for answers — Do you have to boil no-boil noodles after all? Has Barilla changed its no-boil noodle formula?
Sure enough, I found a community of people sharing the same no-boil noodle grievances, and I found a suggested solution: dunk the no-boil noodles into hot water for 4 to 5 minutes to soften before assembling.
What a pain!
But I gave the suggestion a go, and it worked, and truthfully it wasn’t too much trouble. What I like to do now is fill a small baking dish with an inch of boiling water. I soak three sheets of noodles at a time, which reduces the chances of them sticking together. After I transfer three noodles to the baking dish, I soak three more. The noodles never soften for much more than a minute or two, but even this brief soaking seems to be enough to get them going.
Can you make this lasagna ahead of time?
Yes! The assembled lasagna can be made ahead of time and stashed in the fridge for 24 hours before baking. Alternatively, you could bake the entire lasagna ahead of time. Let it cool completely; then stash it in the fridge. To reheat, you have several options:
- Slice the lasagna into squares, transfer to a sheet pan, and cook at 350ºF for 15-20 minutes or until heated through.
- To re-heat the entire lasagna, bring to room temperature if possible before re-heating. Transfer it to a 350ºF oven covered in foil and heat for 20 minutes. Remove the foil and heat for another 15-20 minutes or until heated through.
Can you freeze this lasagna?
Yes. This lasagna is best frozen after you bake it. Be sure to let it cool completely before transferring it to the freezer. If you wish, you can cut the lasagna into individual portions, wrap each in plastic wrap, and tuck the portions into an airtight bag or vessel. This allows you to thaw and reheat only the number of portions you wish. If you’d like to freeze the entire pan, be sure to wrap it well in plastic wrap. You may want to tuck the entire pan into a jumbo airtight bag. Freeze for up to 3 months.
How to Cut Butternut Squash
The hardest part about making this recipe is cutting up the butternut squash. A good peeler and a sharp knife make all the difference. In this one-minute video, I show how I peel and cut butternut squash:
How to Make Butternut Squash Lasagna, Step by Step
You need 1 large or 2 small butternut squash, enough to yield about 8 cups of cubed butternut squash.
Peel the butternut squash; then dice into small cubes (see video above). As noted above, you need about 8 cups.
How to Roast Butternut Squash Cubes
To roast the cubes of butternut squash, toss them with olive oil and salt; then transfer to a 450ºF oven and roast for about 30 minutes, or until slightly caramelized.
In the meantime, heat milk stovetop with a few sprigs of rosemary and sage.
In a separate pot, melt butter with garlic; then add flour to make a roux.
Strain the sage- and rosemary-infused milk slowly into the butter-flour mixture; the cook for 10 minutes or until the bechamel thickens and coats the back of a spoon. (Side Note: If you walk away from your stovetop, like, say, to take a photo of butter and garlic, and return to something like this, be sure to throw a big fit — you’ll feel better, I promise.)
Add the roasted squash cubes to your bechamel and set aside. Note: This bechamel can be made up to 3 to 4 days in advance and stashed in the fridge.
Time to assemble! Please view the recipe for the updated method — the updated method is due to a no-boil noodle failure — they just don’t behave as they once did, meaning: they don’t seem to soften and expand as they once did. Now, I soak the noodles briefly while assembling the lasagna.
The final step of this lasagna is to spread the top layer of noodles with salted whipped cream — it sounds odd, but it works, ultimately creating a brown butter like top layer.
Spread grated parmesan over the salted whipped cream; then cover with foil and transfer to the oven for 30 minutes. Uncover, and cook for 10-20 minutes more or until browned to your liking.
Thanksgiving in Vermont:
We arrived 15 minutes before the snow, which quickly turned Middlebury into a winter wonderland:
So, we sat by the fire,
lounged with the pups,
played with legos,
and ate some lunch: bagels and cream cheese, Dakin Farm Ham (so good) and my gramma’s mustard sauce (the best!):
Thanksgiving morning, Wade made waffles:
and everyone pitched in preparing for the feast:
During dinner, Wren discovered the dog door,
and Ajax took a nap.
Roasted Butternut Squash Lasagna
- Total Time: 1 hours 25 minutes
- Yield: 8 to 10
- Diet: Vegetarian
Description
Creamy, rich, and delicious—this roasted butternut squash lasagna recipe is so easy and so good. The secret? A rosemary- and sage-infused bechamel and no-boil lasagna noodles. Adored by carnivores and vegetarians alike, this super flavorful lasagna is perfect for entertaining.
Adapted from Gourmet — unfortunately, the link no longer seems to be available on Epicurious.
Ingredients
- 3 pounds butternut squash, quartered, seeded, peeled, and cut into 1/2-inch dice (about 8 cups of cubed squash)
- 3 tablespoons grapeseed or olive oil
- 4 cups milk, 2% or whole
- a few sprigs fresh rosemary and sage
- 1 tablespoon minced garlic
- 4 tablespoons unsalted butter
- 4 tablespoons all-purpose flour
- nine 7– by 3 1/2-inch sheets dry no-boil lasagne pasta (I use Barilla brand)
- 1 1/3 cups freshly grated Parmesan
- 1 cup heavy cream
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 450°F. Spread the squash onto 1 extra-large sheet pan or 2 standard-sized sheet pans. Toss with 2 tablespoons of oil if using the large pan or 1 tablespoon each if using the smaller sheet pans. Season with salt and toss to coat. Transfer to the oven and cook for about 30 minutes, tossing halfway, until the squash is tender and beginning to turn golden.
- While squash is roasting, in a saucepan bring milk to a simmer with the rosemary and sage sprigs. Heat milk mixture over low heat for 10 minutes and pour through a sieve into a large pitcher or measuring cup.
- In a large heavy saucepan cook garlic in butter over moderately low heat, stirring, until softened. Stir in flour and cook the roux, stirring often, for about 3 minutes. Remove pan from heat and whisk in milk mixture in a stream until smooth. Return pan to heat and simmer sauce, whisking occasionally, about 10 minutes, or until thick. Stir in the squash and salt and pepper to taste. Sauce may be made 3 days ahead and chilled, its surface covered with plastic wrap.
- Reduce temperature to 375°F and butter a 9×13-inch baking dish. UPDATE: Because sometimes no-boil noodles do not expand as well as expected, you can quickly soak them in hot water. If you’ve never had trouble with your no-boil noodles, don’t worry about this step. If you have, I think you’ll find this step makes a difference: Bring a small pot of water to a boil or fill a teapot with water and bring it to a boil. Pour the water into a small vessel such as a 9-inch baking. When you are ready to assemble, dunk three of the sheets into the hot water and let soak. Begin the assembly:
- Pour 1 cup sauce into baking dish (sauce will not cover the bottom completely) and cover with 3 lasagna sheets, making sure they do not touch each other – use tongs to extract the noodles from the hot water. After you transfer the three noodles to the baking dish, soak three more sheets of noodles. Spread half of the remaining sauce (it’s about 2 cups) over the noodles and sprinkle with 1/2 cup parmesan. Top with three more noodles; then soak the final three noodles in the hot water bath. Spread the remaining sauce mixture over the noodles and top with 1/2 cup parmesan. Top with the final layer of noodles.
- In a bowl with an electric mixer (or by hand) beat cream with salt until it holds soft peaks and spread evenly over the top pasta layer, making sure pasta is completely covered. Sprinkle remaining 1/3 cup Parmesan over cream. Cover dish tightly with foil, tenting slightly to prevent foil from touching top layer, and bake in middle of oven 30 minutes. Remove foil and bake lasagna 10 to 20 minutes more, or until top is bubbling and golden. Let lasagna stand 5 minutes before cutting and serving.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 1 hours 10 minutes
- Category: Lasagna
- Method: Oven
- Cuisine: Italian, American
This post may contain affiliate links. Please read my disclosure policy.
216 Comments on “Roasted Butternut Squash Lasagna”
Love everything you post you’ve turned our pizza nights around with the baking steel and dough recipes. Came on to find some ideas for for guests this weekend and just love those goldies in the pics. Can you ask your Aunt or uncle where those beauties are from? We lost our guy and need a breeder to make our home complete again! Thx a ton in advance.
So happy to hear this, Steph! Those goldies are truly beautiful. I spent the weekend with them and already miss them. The dogs are from Blackpool Kennels in Canada. Here is a link: https://blackpoolkennels.com/
Made this the other night and it was delicious. Thank you for posting! The additional step of steeping milk in herbs was well worth it 🙂
So happy to hear this! It’s one of my favorite vegetarian recipes.
Just made this–don’t know what took us so long, but what a great recipe. Made it with Marcella Hazan’s spinach lasagne noodles. Maybe not worth the effort, especially since everything else is so rich.
Alexandra,
This looks amazing. I need to know how much of this I can assemble ahead of time. If I’m not serving it until dinner tomorrow night can I still put the cream on top and store it overnight in the fridge??
Thank you thank you!!
Hi Stephanie,
So sorry for the delay here! This is one of my favorites…I might make it for Thanksgiving in fact. OK, I would assemble it all, but wait to put the cream on till right before you go to bake it. I just worry about the cream melting if it sits too long.
I made this beautiful Butternut Squash Lasagna to serve with a Cider Glazed Turkey Breast for our dinner this week. The only thing I did differently was roast my butternut squash in quarters because I didn’t trust myself peeling it raw. After I roasted it & it was cool enough to handle, I scooped it off of the skin. Consequently, I didn’t have cubes as pictured in the recipe so my sauce was smooth. It worked perfectly & the dish was a huge hit. My teenage son sampled the sauce several times & commented how good it was. I didn’t have any leftovers & will definitely make this again!
So great to hear this, Angie. I love this idea, too — so much simpler than peeling and cubing the squash. Genius. Thanks for writing in.
BUT.. Ali- it’s SO worth it to peel and dice the butternut for the magical caramelization that happens. I’ve tried skipping this step and the end result, while good, is not quite the same.
Good to know, Lisa!! I still haven’t tried.
Hi Alexandra,
I am intertaining about a dozen friends on New Year’s Day and will be serving your Butternut Lasagna. I served to my book club in November and they were thrilled! I have one question: should I mash the butternut squash a bit before adding it to the same sauce?
Hi Cynthia,
You definitely could mash the squash a little bit if you want to. Are you looking for a smoother-textured sauce?
So, terribly late to this, but I have a ton of CSA butternut squash that I don’t want to spoil, and this looks like the best recipe. However, I read all the comments about making ahead, and it seems like you suggest that the sauce be made fresh the day you’re making the recipe – but reading the recipe, you say it can be put in the freezer – does it go in the freezer without the sauce? If so, as what point do you freeze? Or do you freeze with the sauce? Any thoughts about adapting this for stuffed shells? I already have shells, but no noodles at the moment.
Also – unrelated question – I finally made the overnight rolls on a 3 day holiday weekend, and the flavor was incredible, but they didn’t rise as much as expected – I know the yeast was fine, as I bought it just for this right before – and they didn’t get as brown as yours did. Any ideas where I went wrong? Thanks.
Hi Debby! Sorry for the delay here. I can’t seem to find the note about freezing, but I would definitely say the sauce can be ahead — up to three days. I am not very good with the freezer, but I would hesitate to freeze this with the layer of cream on top. I also don’t know how no-boil noodles hold up in the freezer. I think you could definitely freeze this after it has baked because it reheats nicely.
Sorry to hear about the rolls, though I’m glad the flavor was good. Question: did you use active dry or instant yeast? It shouldn’t matter actually with such a long rise, but I’m curious. They shouldn’t rise a ton, but there should be nice air pockets throughout. Another question: do you use a scale? If not, it’s possible you used more flour. They also don’t get too brown, and an easy fix is to just put the pan in the oven where it’s hottest, which is often the upper third. You aren’t the only one who had trouble with these, however, so I think I need to revisit the recipe a bit.
Oh, freezing after baking! Of course – for some reason that hadn’t occurred to me… that’s what I think I’ll do, though I actually decided to make the squash pie instead this year….maybe if I get the energy later on, I’ll buy some more squash and make this though. I always try to do too much and drive myself nuts.
With the rolls, I know I used instant, because I usually only have active dry, and I didn’t want to try to convert though you posted a link so that people could.. Though now that you say that, I’m wondering if it is just my perception problem – in your picture they looked so high, but I have a problem with telling how large/small things are. In terms of browness, I ended up using egg wash on the 2nd batch, so they were a bit browner, but I’ll have to remember that about the top third. I definitely want to make these again – I loved the flavor and I think they would be perfect with turkey sandwiches, though again, I’m trying to hold myself back from doing too much this year. Though they are relatively simple, so…!
Thanks again!
I know the feeling, Debby! This lasagna is great to make throughout the winter — it’s not too heavy, and once you get going, it’s not hard to throw together.
You’re so right re turkey sandwiches — these rolls would be perfect for that. I’ll make them again, too, and see if I can figure out where people might be going wrong. The rolls are not super high, but the texture of the crumb should be relatively light.
Hi there, curious if you might have another link to your grandma’s mustard sauce(which looks so delicious!). I followed the link you had imbedded but it went to to the cheddar biscuits. I probably missed the sauce somewhere in the- but would appreciate your guidance! 🙂
I know, so confusing! I’ve made a separate page for it here: https://alexandracooks.com/grandmothers-mustard-sauce/ And it can always be found from this Thanksgiving archives page: https://alexandracooks.com/category/holidays/thanksgiving/ Thanks for writing in! I need to fix all of those bad links.
Can I make this with regular lasagna noodles? I don’t have the no-bakes but I do have a box or regular.
No- bake are not only easier- but generally less thick and doughy. I much prefer them. Making fresh lasagna sheets would probably be even more amazing- but a lot of extra work!
Correction to my last question – Can I make this with regular lasagna noodles, rather than no-BOILs? Perhaps par-boil them first?
Yes, definitely! Just follow the instructions on the box or boil them for just a few minutes as you suggest. Happy New Year!
Alexandra! This looks amazing. I’m so glad I came across this recipe. I am just finishing up with a 30-day low-carb program and haven’t had a bit of pasta the entire time …seems like an eternity! This is the perfect dish for my much-needed pasta fix. And btw, your family’s home in Vermont is beautiful! So warm and welcoming …complete with golden retrievers!
Rosemary, it’s one of my favorites!! And I know, I love my aunt Marcy’s house and dogs 🙂 🙂 🙂
Making this for the second time this fall … think this will be our family Xmas Eve eve tradition now! Thanks so much !
I am just coming back to this recipe, as I do every year. It has been a big hit with everybody I have served it to. Except my own children, of course, as per usual.
hahaha, I love it, Holly 🙂 🙂 🙂 Same same xo
I love the fact that you share family photo’s. I live in Fla. but born in Mich. Reminded of how the family got together. Will be trying the recipe.
Thank you, Jeanne 🙂 I hope you like the lasagna … it’s one of my favorites.
Wonderful recipe! I made two different lasagnas for a rehearsal dinner for my son’s wedding and everyone just loved this recipe and loved the fact that I had done the traditional and this. They commented it was like tasting Christmas and Thanksgiving in their mouths.
So happy to hear this, Rochelle!
This recipe looks amazing!
I actually grew up and still live in Middlebury VT 🙂
Such a dreamy town! I’m jealous 🙂 🙂 🙂
Hi Ali,
This recipe is amazing! I was looking for a squash only lasagna recipe with bechemal sauce for my winter garden club luncheon. I decided to practice it tonight because it sounded so good. I mashed the squash a bit in the sauce. Co-workers will be sampling tomorrow. Thanks so much! Happy Thanksgiving.
Happy Thanksgiving, Hanna! So happy to hear this 🙂
Hi there! I made this once years ago and loved it! Like seriously, I would consider starting a new life with it! I’m making it for Christmas this year along with a meat-based main. I am sooooooo excited. Best, best, best butternut squash lasagna recipe ever. Just wanted to say thank you for sharing. So delicious.
🙂 🙂 🙂 I’m so happy to hear this. Merry Christmas Lizzie!
What size pan works best for this?
I use a 9×13-inch or something slightly larger is fine, too.
This is my go-to recipe for holidays, or when family is visiting. Thank you for the perfect butternut squash lasagna recipe…elevated comfort food! 💛
So nice to hear this, Amanda 🙂 🙂 🙂 Total (elevated) comfort food for me as well! Thanks for writing!
Your recipes never fail me and this one was no exception! Stunningly delicious! And may I also say how thrilled I was to see someone else (besides me) endorsing the wonder that is Dakin Farm?! Dakin ham is the best. And the Dakin Bacon Ends and Pieces are an essential that’s always in my freezer, ready to have another big, frozen chunk hacked off with a butcher knife at any moment! The choppy nature of the ends and pieces make them so recipe ready!
So nice to hear this, Erin!! And I’m so happy to hear your endorsement of Dakin Farm ham, too… it truly is the best. Thanks for the tip on the bacon ends, too. I think I need to place an order. Happy cooking!
Made this with gluten-free no boil pasta sheets and we were in heaven! Also used cashew milk in place of cow milk! Was looking for a lasagna recipe without a tomato base and this was perfect and comforting!
First time making a lasagna and I’m so glad I came across this one! Love that it’s seasonal too. Very unique recipe! Thank you so much, Alexandra! 😊
Hina, so wonderful to hear this! Great to hear cashew milk worked here — I love cashew milk — and great to hear the gluten-free no-boil noodles worked as well. I love the Tinkyada gluten-free lasagna noodles, but I have not tried gluten-free no-boil … do you recommend a brand?
Yes, I used Wholefoods organic yellow lentil and brown rice gluten-free no boil lasagne noodles. I think this might be a relatively new product (had not seen it before at my WF). Hope this helps!
I will look for them! Thank you, Hina!
What did you use in place of the heavy cream? I would love to be able to make a dairy-free version . Thanks
I didn’t replace the heavy cream!
So, so tasty! Made this for a cozy dinner with my siblings visiting and celebrating a newborn nephew. It felt comforting and just the right amount of rich and savory. We had your soft and chewy chocolate chip cookies for dessert! You never let me down, Alexandra! 😀
Awww yay … nothing like a newborn 🙂 🙂 🙂 So nice to hear all of this. Thanks for writing.
I made this last night and it was wonderful. So easy I sent it to my whole family. Can’t wait to make again. Thanks so much.
Wonderful to hear this, JoAnn! I just love this one this time of year. Thanks for writing 🙂
This was SO easy to throw together and absolutely delicious! I added some sautéed kale for a little green and a little Stilton and it was out of this world. I’ve made other butternut squash lasagnas in the past, but this was outstanding. The whipped cream on top was such a surprise! Great idea! I have yet to come across one of your recipes that isn’t a 10! Everything is always so easy and delish! Thank you!
Oh Kim, yay! So nice to hear this. I absolutely love this one, too, so it always makes me happy when others have success with it. Love the idea of adding both greens and Stilton … comfort foods for me. Thank you for writing and thank you for your kind words. Means a lot 🙂 🙂 🙂
This was absolutely the best thing I made this best year.
Wonderful to hear this, Debby! Thanks for writing.
My family’s favourite!
So nice to hear this 🙂 This one is near and dear to my heart.
This was fantastic! but my top layer of noodles did not cook thoroughly. I tried to cover them all the way with the whipped cream but maybe I did not have the cream firm enough? When I took the tin foil off after 30 minutes it looked like the cream had sort of disappeared. Was there supposed to be a layer of squash mixture on top of the last layer of noodles? Thank you!
Oh Nancy, I’m so sorry to hear this! Can I tell you something, I think the no-boil noddles have changed a bit. I never used to have an issue with this, but last fall, when I was preparing to make this in a virtual cooking class, I had the same issue. So in the class, I actually changed the method. For the last 3 sheets, I had everyone pour hot water — I used my electric kettle, but you could probably use hot tap water — over the noodles set in a bowl. Be sure to have everything ready for assembly before you pour the water over the noodles. I just added the note from that recipe to the blog post … kicking myself for not doing it months ago.
What’s interesting, I don’t have an issue with this roasted eggplant lasagna, which I made just recently. It must be that the quart of tomato sauce adds enough moisture. Anyway, apologies again! Hope it turns out better next time around. Thanks for writing!
Hi. I haven’t made your butternut squash lasagna yet, but I’ve used no-boil noodles in other lasagna recipes. I’ve found there’s 2 important things to do in order to prevent the noodles from drying out or not cooking well: use enough sauce to cover well the noodles and cover the lasagna with aluminum foil while baking and then uncover and broil for 5 minutes.
I think you are right, Ana! And I think there just isn’t enough sauce in the recipe for the no-boil noodles to work. They work beautifully in this eggplant lasagna, and in that recipe there is plenty of sauce. Thanks so much for writing and sharing your notes!