Butternut Squash + Kale Lasagna [Favorite Lasagna]

This lasagna is like the lasagna we always attempt + have to macguyver together in some way to make it work. Usually it’s that cheese sauce that gives us problems - in fact it’s everytime the cheese sauce kind of gives us problems. But we just LOVE this lasagna so we continue to make it. Time after time. It always feels crazy + like it’s not going right, but tastes great every freaking time. It’s sort of the fun in making it, and the humor in the whole thing.

It’s a Butternut Squash + Kale Lasagna that’s just filled with veggies, and the creamy, buttery vibes largely come from the roasted squash. Honestly - it’s a go to, home-y dish that just slaps every time. It’s so easy to assemble - you roast the squash + pre-cook the sauce, but you can use a no boil noodle (though we never do) and throw in loads of kale - just raw. Also, this lasagna has no ricotta and we are here for that! Instead the sauce has melted gouda and I add a layer of mozzarella on top. That’s plenty to keep it feeling cheesy + perfectly sauced up.

Best ever veggies

Roasted butternut squash is like candy at our house. We love the crispy, caramelized pieces, and we’re for sure snagging a few squash nuggets to snack on as we cook. It’s a quintessential Winter veggie we can’t get enough of this time of year. This lasagna is just loaded with the stuff, and the layers are largely velvety squash + tender kale. You just put in your roasted chunks, and during the bake of the lasagna it only further tenderizes and becomes an almost mash like layer. And it’s real good!

 
 

Keep is simple

The beauty of this meal is it’s simple. Roasting squash - easy (and not messy). The kale - just throw it in fresh, and there is literally nothing easier than that. No cook lasagna noodles (if you can find them) - go for it. The fresh veggies stand out + shine all on their own, and things like the kale get perfectly tender by assembling and cooking the lasagna. So though lasagna can feel like a project, this one really isn’t. And the components are fun to make. We do it for date-night and have a ball.

Sauce drama

Ok so the sauce is the drama, and I’m adding in some notes regarding how we “help our sauce” to make it come together. We don’t exactly set ourselves up for success because we use almond milk, which I’m sure causes some kind of weird reaction when it comes to melting cheese. We just end up with kind of clumpy lumps of cheese in the end, and the thing we always end up doing is adding a little more flour. That always does the trick, so the main take-aways is always have a little extra flour and be willing to whisk in an addition 1 to 2 tablespoons to get a smooth, thick, bechamel style cheese sauce.

 
 

My other cheese sauce tip is to get a good quality cheese. No low-fat. No cheap stuff. It’s gotta be full fat and a good chunk of gouda. It’ll taste awesome, but sometimes the low fat stuff just doesn’t melt. We dealt with that at one point, so ya - I get the real, full fat stuff now.

For the lasagna

  • 2 medium butternut squash, trimmed and cut into bitesize pieces

  • EVOO

  • Salt + pepper

  • 6 tbsp butter

  • 5 cloves garlic, minced

  • 1/3 c. flour

  • 1 heaping c. shredded gouda

  • 12 sage leaves, minced, plus a few extra for garnish

  • 1 tbsp fresh thyme, minced

  • 1/3 c, flour

  • 2 c. almond milk

  • 2 c. chicken broth

  • 4-6 c. fresh kale, sliced (like for a salad)

  • 1 box lasagna noodles, no bake if you can find it

  • 1 c. shredded mozz

  • 8 slices prosciutto

Preheat the oven to 375. Line 2 baking sheets with foil, and spread the butternut squash on the sheets. Toss the cubes with olive oil, salt + pepper. Roast for 30-35 minutes - squash should be lightly caramelized + tender. 

Make the sauce. Heat the butter + garlic in a sauce pan over medium heat. Let the butter melt, and whisk in the flour + keep stirring for about 1 minute. Slowly add the milk and broth, whisking until combined and thickened. Increase the heat to medium high. Stir in the nutmeg, salt + pepper. Bring to a boil and stir for 3-4 minutes. Reduce the heat to low. Stir in the gouda just a pinch at a time, until the cheese is melted, and repeat until all cheese is used. Stir in the sage + thyme and turn off the heat.

If you’re using regular lasagna noodles, now is the time to cook them to package instructions. If you’ve got the no boil noodles, no prep needed.

Time to assemble the lasagna (the fun stuff!). Line the bottom of the pan with one layer of lasagna noodles. Spread half of the roasted butternut squash on top, then top with raw kale. Spread 1/3 of the cheese sauce on top. Top with another layer of lasagna noodles, the rest of the squash + the rest of the kale. Finish with topping the kale + sauce with one final layer of lasagna noodles. Spread the rest of the sauce on top, and sprinkle with the mozz. Lay the prosciutto slices on top along with 6-7 additional sage leaves. Bake uncovered for 45 minutes, so the top layer of the cheese is browned and crispy. Let it sit + rest for 10 minutes before diving in!

Lesley ZehnerComment