In this interim between Christmas and the New Year, it is good to have a meal that is lighter and vegetarian based, after days of heavier meals. With this in mind, I roasted a small butternut squash, and adjusted my recipe for lasagne to make a smaller version for two. This is enough for a small 8-inch square baking dish, and will give you two meals for two. If you like, you can make it in two loaf pans and freeze one before the final baking for a meal ready to go at a later time.
Cut the squash in half longways, scoop out the seeds, and roast cut side down for one hour in a 350º oven. Turn it cut side up to cool. This can be done ahead, refrigerate the squash for one or two days until you are ready to make the lasagne. Then assemble the ingredients for the dish. Start with making the white sauce.
While you are making the sauce, boil the pasta according to package directions. Drain but don’t rinse. Layer one-and-a-half to two noodles in an 8-inch dish, and top with half the squash.
Dollop the ricotta around the squash. Sprinkle with half the dried basil.
Top with all the mushrooms, sliced.
Top with the cream sauce, then layer a second set of noodles.
Repeat with the rest of the squash, basil and ricotta. Top with the remaining sauce.
Top with the mozzarella and Parmesan cheeses.
Bake at 350º for 30-40 minutes, until the top cheeses have melted and lightly browned, and the casserole is bubbling.
Allow to rest for about 5 minutes, then serve. Lovely layers of deliciousness!!
I took my serving to the table, and the lighting is different, so the picture came out a bit yellow, but you can see the layers of squash and mushrooms.
Yum. Here’s my recipe:
Butternut Squash and Portobello Mushroom Lasagne
- 2 – 2 1/2 cups roasted butternut squash, mashed
- 1-1/2 – 2 cups sliced baby bella mushrooms (or brown mushrooms, or button mushrooms)
- 2 tablespoons dried basil
- 4-5 lasagna noodles
- 1/2 cup diced onion
- 1/2 tablespoon olive oil
- 3 tablespoons flour
- 2-1/2 cups milk
- 1 tablespoon roasted garlic (about 3 cloves)
- 1/2 – 1 cup ricotta (to taste)
- 1-1/2 cups Mozzarella cheese shredded
- 1/2 cup Parmesan cheese shredded
Cut the squash in half longways, and roast cut side down for one hour in a 350º oven. Turn it cut side up to cool. This can be done ahead, refrigerate the squash for one or two days until you are ready to make the lasagne. Start the water to boil, and cook the lasagna noodles to package directions. Make the white sauce by sauteing the onions in the olive oil. Add flour and cook one minute, stirring well. Add milk a little at a time and stir vigorously to remove lumps. Mash roasted garlic and add to sauce, set aside. Drain noodles but don’t rinse. Layer one and half noodles in an 8-inch dish, and top with half the squash, half the basil, and half the ricotta. Top with sliced mushrooms. Cover with half the white sauce. Add a second layer of noodles, squash, basil and ricotta. Top with remaining white sauce. Top with mozzarella and Parmesan cheeses. Bake until bubbly and lightly browned. Let stand 5 minutes, and serve.
Nothing else needed! Well, maybe a slice of crusty garlic bread.
Download the corrected recipe (Thank you, Karen, for spotting the mistake!) – Butternut Squash Lasagne
Are you preparing some lighter meals this week?
From My Carolina Home 
Oh my this looks delicious. Though ‘the husband’ won’t touch mushrooms…ha ha.
That’s funny about the mushrooms! I love them but always say I have to be in the right mood to want them.
My Guy loves butternut squash, so I’ll have to send him a link to this post. He’s always looking for new things to make for Sunday dinner. Have a great New Year!
This looks delicious. I feel the need to cook more vegetables to counteract all the cookies. Each cookie is a little butter bomb.
My friend introduced this to me and I tweaked it a bit. It is a good meatless dish with squash and spaghetti. Cut a butternut squash in bite size chunks and saute with a chopped onion and a little bit of garlic if wanted. Stir occasionally. Add a little not of salt and pepper and some Sage fresh if you have it and if not rubbed sage works well. Cover and turn on low while your spaghetti cooks. Dole out spaghetti on individual plates and add the butternut squash. A good fast light supper. Sometimes I throw in fresh spinach if I have it at the very end.
Sounds good! I don’t think I told you, but I made the acorn squash recipe and really liked it. Of course, I was the only one! LOL The picky one wouldn’t even look it’s way! LOL
Oh my goodness, that looks and sounds delicious! Thanks for sharing your recipe!
OMG, this looks delicious! My mouth is watering & I just woke up. I’m gonna try this.
Looks dreamingly delicious!
Droolworthy!!! Thank you for the luscious pictures and the detailed recipe. In my opinion, a glass of wine sounds better than crusty garlic bread but then why choose when I can get both 😀
This is a special time of the year. Full-on sewing. So I am keeping the local restaurants in business 😀 Wishing you and yours a very Happy New Year 2021!!!
We live in a Polish/Irish neighborhood – but there was NO RICOTTA ANYWHERE! I don’t like to do it but subbed LARGE CURD cottage cheese, drained off a little liquid (at Christmas dinner.) Turned out very good. So this is going to be wonderful for New Year. Normally people are in and out all day, but I’m sure (wink, wink) we’ll find a way to gobble it all up! Maybe eat half, freeze half. Can it be frozen?
Thanks so much, I always feel like a guest at your table.
It sounds wonderful Carole! Happy New Year!
Jenna
So I made this for dinner tonight. Funny thing…I followed the entire recipe as written. As I turned around to gather the dishes to wash, I saw my beautiful white sauce there on the stove! The recipe didn’t mention it again after saying to make it & set it aside! Oh well, I poured it over the top & added a little more cheese. I’m sure it’ll be delicious, but just wanted to warn anyone else planning to make this. Lol.
I made this last weekend and added an extra cup of milk to the sauce. I made my lasagna with dried noodles and then left it in the fridge overnight for them to absorb the extra liquid, then cooked a little longer in the oven until the middle of the dish was about 140F. Also added some Krab for extra protein, very good! and a great way to use up the squash that has been on my counter forever!