Roasted Butternut Squash Lasagna
This post may contain affiliate links. Please read my disclosure policy.
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”
There are many brands of no-boil lasagna. Some are better than others. I have not used Barilla, and I have not had the problems you describe. That said, I have not yet used this recipe, but I will!
Hope you love it, Shirley! Do you have a favorite no-boil noodle brand?
Hi Ali! This looks wonderful! I can’t wait to make it. Your recipes have become the gold standard in my house 🙂 That whisk you used in the video is amazing. I need one! Can you drop a link?
So nice to hear this, Laura 🙂 🙂 🙂 Thanks so much. Means a lot. I love this whisk for so many reasons but especially for bechamel. Here’s a link: flat-bottomed whisk — buy the Large Whipper XL.
Have your tried this with any other kinds of squash? Do you think it would work with acorn squash?
Hi Cynthia! I have not tried with other squashes, but I imagine it would work. The one concern with the acorn squash would be peeling it … I always roast it halved so I don’t have to peel it because it’s a tricky one to peel.
Could you.use fresh pasta sheets? Thanks.
Hi Patty! I have never tried, but I imagine they would be especially delicious. Samin Nosrat has an epic lasagna recipe (that I’ve never made) on NYTimes Cooking. Here are her instructions for cooking the noodles:
“Season the boiling water generously with salt until it tastes like sea water. Carefully lay one sheet of pasta on the water’s surface. Let it be completely immersed in the boiling water, using a slotted spoon to gently it push down if needed, before adding the next sheet. Add two more pasta sheets in this way and cook for about 2 minutes, or until light in color, floppy in texture and completely cooked through. If pasta bubbles above the water’s surface, use a slotted spoon to encourage it back in. Use a sieve to gently remove pasta from the water and into the prepared colander. Rinse under cold water until cool enough to handle, then begin assembly. Continue cooking, draining and rinsing pasta two or three sheets at a time as you assemble lasagna.”
Ali – ATK uses Barilla pasta & they suggested/ recommended a quick soak in boiling water. I don’t make lasagna often either husband not a fan which is odd because he loves all things Italian. When I was in college I made a vegetarian lasagna that was amazing recipe was from Glamour or Mademoiselle magazine (remember those) that was lost. I need to try to find something similar mushrooms spinach in red sauce with other good thins that I can’t remember. Anyway looking forward to making this we love your recipes and cookbook.
Hi Jo! Great to hear that ATK uses Barilla, too, and that they also find the soak in boiling water to be necessary as well. Thanks so much for writing and sharing. And YES OF COURSE! Loved those magazines. Thanks for the memories and thank you for your kind words too. A vegetarian lasagna with a mushroom-spinach red sauce sounds fabulous!
The Vegetarian Epicure has an amazing vegetarian lasagne recipe on Page 239 of the original book. It is made with a tomato and wine sauce. So good! I usually add more veggies, too, like mushrooms. It’s an old cookbook but it is fabulous.
Can this be frozen?
Yes! Freeze the lasagna post baking. You can either cut it up — let it cool completely — and freeze in individual squares or you can freeze it whole wrapped tightly in plastic wrap.
is there a good gluten-free lasagna noodle that odes not turn to mush??
Yes! I love the tinkyada brand! And I do the same with those: soak in boiling water, but I do it for longer, about 5 minutes.
Hi! I’m going to give this a go soon, but I’m wondering have you ever added any extra veg, like greens or mushrooms?
Hi Michelle! I have not, but I think either sautéed greens (swiss chard or spinach or kale) or sautéed (or roasted) mushrooms would be absolutely delicious. I think the key is to just make sure you cook whatever vegetable you add to ensure you remove the water. Hope that helps!
This recipe sounds wonderful. However, my husband is not a fan of butternut squash. Just wondering if the sweetness of the butternut squash would be masked by the herbs and cheese. If so, I might give it a try and not tell him the ingredients. Also, might this work well with eggplant?
Thank you, love all your recipes.
It definitely still tastes like squash, so I might try another vegetable. Eggplant is wonderful! You could add sautéed mushrooms or sautéed greens, too.
I already know this is going to be the perfect addition to a few festive potlucks in the coming months! So delicious and so simple, can’t wait to try it!!
Hope you love it, Natasha! It’s one of my absolute favorites 🙂 🙂 🙂
Hi Ali,
I recently made this wonderful lasagna and really enjoyed the change of pace from our normal favorite tomato based version. The texture is light and the savory taste is highlighted with the background sage and rosemary flavors.
I did cheat and bought the already cubed organic butternut squash at Costco. We did a half recipe in a 8×8 pan and they was perfect for the two of us.
We will definitely be making again.
So nice to read this, Bruce! Wish I had seen it before I emailed you. I’m guessing your daughter needs vegan recipes, but I’ll wait to hear from you before I send any more ideas. So glad you liked this one: not cheating at all to buy cubed butternut squash… cutting squash is a pain!
I was a little skeptical when making this because I was afraid it would lack flavor. Boy, was I wrong. This was out of the world. I made as written, though I used fresh, gluten free lasagna noodles from Whole Foods. I was very generous with the sage and rosemary and after cooking, left it to infuse a bit longer, off heat. I was also very generous with the salt and pepper. Despite having so much milk and cream, it was surprising light. No doubt due to parmesean over mozzarella, etc. I’ll definitely make again.
Great to hear this, Jen! I have never used fresh gluten free lasagna noodles — great to hear they work here! I was planning on using the Tinkyada noodles for this tomorrow for a gluten-free friend, but now I may have to do a Whole Foods delivery…would love to try them out. Thanks so much for writing and sharing your notes!
I was in a quandary about what recipe to use and Bates said, “Mom, Ali has a great one for butternut squash lasagna” and was she ever right. Ali, this is another one of your fabulous recipes! I had Rana lasagna sheets in my fridge and did not have to pre-soak at all. One package was all I had to use (being the cheap New Englander that I am, I bought them on sale buy one, get two free). After I made the sauce, I took a potato masher and just did a quick mashing, still leaving chunky. Made in advance, refrigerated, and did the last step just before baking. Delicious and oh so savory. And the whisk? I ordered immediately – I am so sick of all my whisks bending in my cooking utensil drawer. Can’t wait til it comes in then all the rest are going in the trash. Thanks Ali – your tips are always spot on!
Mrs. B, it’s so nice to read all of this 🙂 🙂 🙂 I love that you mashed up the squash and sauce together … smart! Hope you love the whisk — bechamel is one of my favorite uses for it. Sending lots of love and wishing you a happy happy Thanksgiving!
Could you or would you use some fresh ricotta in this dish? I have some extra to use.
Yes, absolutely! Go for it. It will be delicious.
I couldn’t wait for your comment about using my leftover ricotta. Next time, for sure. Otherwise, I absolutely loved it. It was just what I wanted it to be. I was even able to make a half recipe since it’s just me eating it most of the time.
Thank you.
So great to hear! And great to know a half recipe works, too — so helpful for others. Ricotta will be great next time 🙂
Made this for Thanksgiving and it turned out FANTASTIC. I’m a total butternut nut, but the béchamel sauce really put this over the top. My only plan is to work more sage in next time, steeping it in the milk is genius but I wanted a bit more. Also, don’t be afraid to salt the butternut-béchamel well before layering your lasagna.
I used De Cecco (my favorite brand of dried pasta) oven-ready noodles but did pour hot water from the kettle over them in a cookie sheet for about 2 minutes before layering, came out perfect!
So nice to hear this, Rachel! And I can totally see wanting more sage flavor. I wonder if mincing the sage before steeping might infuse more flavor? Or steeping for longer? Or leaving some of the minced sage in the bechamel might work?
Thanks so much for writing and sharing your notes. This is one of my favorites!
Hi, Alex
I am making this for a dinner gathering and wanted to make a day ahead. I read it can be 24 hours in advance but have a couple of questions. Do I top it with the salted whipped cream topping before baking or can that be done ahead as well? Also, can I use my detroit style pizza pan for lasagna? As always, I appreciate your recipes and have shared your blog and recipes with many others. I hope your holidays are spent with people you love and delicious food!
Hi Raine! Yes, you can assemble the whole thing with the salted whipped cream on top ahead of time. Cover it with foil and stash it in the fridge until you are ready to bake it. And yes, your Detroit pizza pan is a great lasagna pan!
Thank you for your kind words. Have a wonderful holiday as well!
Made this for friends last weekend and it was a huge hit. Wonderful flavors thanks to the sage and rosemary, which I did steep for quite a while bc I love ’em. I used the Barilla no-boil noodles and let them soak for a minute in hot water. Worked fine. Thx!
Great to hear, Celia! I love the flavor of sage and rosemary as well… nice work steeping them longer 🙂 🙂 🙂
Oh my – I made this yesterday for Easter Sunday with your pan fried crispy chicken thighs and a mixed greens salad. Everyone was oohing and aahing while it was baking from the wonderful aroma coming from the oven and while they were eating. Absolutely delicious and thank you so much for the tip on soaking the lasagna sheets. Have typically always had a problem using the no boil lasagna sheets now I have the solution! And the best of all is my friend returned my “Bread Toast Crumbs”, I knew someone had borrowed it but I couldn’t remember who and I haven’t even had a chance to read it! I’m always here. Thanks again for all your wonderful, no fail recipes!
So great to read all of this, Sharon 🙂 🙂 🙂 This is one of my favorite recipes, and I especially love making it for company — it’s pure comfort and everyone is happy. So glad BTC is back in your life, too. Hope you had a wonderful Easter!
Hi Ali.
Another great recipe! The butternut squash is divine. My husband couldn’t quit eating. The no bake lasagna noodles are a breeze to use. (Thanks for the soaking tip; as I’m new to using these noodles.) As always, the videos are a great addition.
Thank you.
Sherry
So nice to hear this, Sherry 🙂 🙂 🙂 Thanks so much for writing. I have a hard time not having seconds and thirds of this one 💕
Love this recipe! I have made it multiple times. But recently moved to Southern Brazil for work. There is not a Butternut Squash to be found. So tonight I made it with two different types of small pumpkins. It turned out great, vegetable roasting times varied due to density.
Great to hear, Liam! Thanks so much for writing and sharing your notes. Jealous you are in Brazil. I’ve always wanted to visit. Have loved watching their soccer team since I was a kid.
You say the béchamel will keep for 34 days. I’m assuming that should read 3-4 days? You might want to fix it because I know there are people like my kids that would read 34 days and think cool! I can make it and keep it for a month!
oops!! thank you 🤣🤣🤣🤣 I edited it. So appreciate you reaching out.
This was amazing!!! Everyone loved it! I made extra of the filling and used what I had left to add to some scones. Probably my favorite scone I’ve ever made! I added a little cinnamon, ginger, and nutmeg to the dough and iced them with a maple glaze 🤤
Thanks for another fab recipe!
Oh wow, I love this idea so much! I bet the sweet with the savory is so good. Thanks so much for writing!
I never have problems with ready-to-use lasagna noodles. Instead of spreading the béchamel sauce, I dip each uncooked noodles into the warm béchamel sauce sauce as I am assembling. This assures that sauce is evenly spread on each layer and that the noodles get soft at the same time! No need for the hot water soak. I always wind up with extra sauce so be generous in coating the bottom of pan with sauce and the noodles. Any extra, I just add at the top before adding the cheese, but in this case, before adding the whipped cream.
I made this as written (with a small side experiment). It was divine. I added sautéed mushrooms to half of it as the aforementioned experiment and I actually preferred it without. It’s perfect as written. I am going to try your other new butternut squash lasagne with mushrooms and greens next!
Great to hear, Kiara 🙂 🙂 🙂 Thanks so much for writing and sharing your notes regarding the mushrooms. I hope you love the other one! I’ve been loving having some leftovers of it on hand this weekend. So good.
I was hoping this would resemble Butternut Squash Ravioli only a whole pan of it!
This was a winner!! My family thought it was better than or at least as good as some restaurants in the area. I even asked for a critique, if I could improve on it, they all said it was great as is. Love this recipe!
Thank you for this keeper.
Great to hear, Shelly! Thanks so much for writing 🙂 🙂 🙂 This recipe is near and dear to my heart and it makes me so happy when others like it, too 💕💕💕
That’s a beautiful post…. I don’t need to have Thanksgiving this year. I feel like I already had it! Great pics, and love the dog door…. you are surely blessed…. take good care!!!
Awww thanks so much, Tracy 🙂 🙂 🙂 I love the dog door, too 💕💕💕
This looks delicious. I’m a nervous cook and so grateful you have a video for this! Could you please tell me how I can add meat into this (and what kind would taste best)? Full disclosure – I’ve never made lasagna in my life. Love lasagna and love butternut squash though and trying to get over my fear of cooking!
Hi! I think some hot or sweet Italian sausage would be great. I would brown up a pound of it, until it is about 3/4 cooked. Then, remove it from the skillet and layer it with the bechamel and cheese.
Thank you for the inspiration. I messed with your recipe to use up stuff. I zizzed up two big handfuls of sage with toasted pistachios, a tub of ricotta, lemon juice, olive oil and water to give a spreadable pesto. I put a thin layer of white sauce, just seasoned and nutmeg added, on the base and layered fresh cooked lasagne sheets spread with the sage pesto, then roast butternut, grated Parmesan, finishing with a layer of white sauce and grated Parmesan. After 20 mins in the oven I distributed 8 whole sage leaves on top, drizzled with olive oil and returned it to bake for 15 mins. It was absolutely delicious, beautiful and firm enough to cut into squares to serve. It reheated well, covered in foil with a splash of milk on the base. Thank you again.
Next time I might try a layer or two of shredded radicchio for a bitter contrast to the sweet squash.
Hi Ali,
I made the sauce last night in the hopes of serving the lasagna to guests tonight, but they had to cancel..I’m wondering if I can just freeze the sauce and put the whole thing together next week instead?
Hi Lori! The sauce should freeze just fine! Go for it.