Butternut Squash Kale Lasagna
The word “squash” is derived from the Native American Narragansett word askutasquash, meaning to “eat raw.” Native Americans consumed a lot of their winter squash harvest raw, often using the hollowed-out shells as bowls for other foods. Ancient writings refer to winter squash as one of the vegetables in the “Three Sisters” Garden composed of corn, beans, and squash. These three vegetables were thought to only grow and thrive when planted together. Today, winter squash is used in everything from soups to desserts.
Butternut Squash Italian-style
One of my favorite ways to enjoy butternut squash is to couple it with kale and create a delicious lasagna. My vegetarian lasagna swaps out the traditional red sauce with a creamy homemade béchamel sauce (kind of like an Alfredo sauce). And instead of using pureed butternut squash, thinly sliced butternut squash is roasted in the oven with a little maple syrup drizzled on top, then layered into the lasagna along with fresh ricotta, mozzarella and kale. To make this dish a little less time consuming, use no-bake lasagna noodles. This great noodle invention is a real time saver and lets you place the uncooked lasagna noodles right in the dish.
Butternut Squash Kale Lasagna
Ingredients
- 1 pound whole ricotta cheese
- One 2-pound butternut squash
- 2 tablespoons plus 1 teaspoon extra-virgin olive oil (divided)
- 1½ teaspoon salt (divided)
- ⅛ teaspoon white pepper
- 2 tablespoons maple syrup
- 1 pound kale leaves
- ¼ teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
- 1 tablespoon lemon zest
- 1 tablespoon chopped fresh sage leaves or 1 teaspoon dried sage
- 2 tablespoons chopped fresh Italian parsley
- 1 cup finely grated Parmesan cheese
- 12 ounces mozzarella, shredded
- 1 pound no-bake lasagna noodles
- ¾ cup finely grated Parmesan cheese, garnish
- 6 tablespoons unsalted butter
- ½ cup flour
- 2½ cups whole milk
- 2½ cups half and half
- ¼ teaspoon ground nutmeg
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon white pepper
Instructions
- Place the ricotta in a sieve placed over a mixing bowl. Drain for 30 minutes.
- Preheat the oven to 375 degrees. Peel the squash. Cut in half and remove the seeds. Cut the squash into ¼-inch slices. Place the squash slices in a large mixing bowl and toss with 2 tablespoons olive oil, ½ teaspoon salt, pepper and the maple syrup. Spray two foil-lined baking sheet pans with nonstick cooking spray. Spread squash evenly on the prepared pans. Roast until tender, about 15 minutes. Remove and set aside.
- Remove the tough stems from the kale. Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Add 1 teaspoon of salt. Reduce to a simmer. Blanch the kale for approximately 30 seconds. Drain in a colander placed over the sink. Rinse immediately under cold tap water. Squeeze out excess water. Coarsely chop the kale then place in a mixing bowl. Toss the kale with the red pepper flakes and remaining 1 teaspoon olive oil.
- In a mixing bowl, combine the drained ricotta, lemon zest, sage, 2 tablespoons parsley and 1 cup Parmesan.
- Make the béchamel sauce by melting the butter in a large heavy saucepan over medium heat. Whisk in the flour. Cook for 2 minutes, stirring constantly. Whisk in the milk, half and half, nutmeg, salt and pepper. Reduce heat to low. Cook for 10 minutes, stirring often.
- Spread ½ cup of the sauce in the bottom of a 13-X 9-X 2-inch pan. Place a single layer of noodles over the sauce. Top with 1/3 of the roasted butternut squash followed by 1/3 of the kale. Top with 1/3 of the ricotta mixture, 1/3 mozzarella cheese and 1 cup sauce. Repeat the layering process two more times. Finish with a final layer of noodles topped with the remaining sauce. Sprinkle the remaining ¾ cup Parmesan cheese evenly over the top of the lasagna.
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Place lasagna pan on a baking sheet pan to catch any sauce that may bubble over. Bake until bubbly and lightly browned, about 45 to 50 minutes. Let lasagna rest for 15 minutes before serving.