Creamy Butternut Squash Lasagna
Easy butternut squash lasagna recipe made with roasted butternut squash, cream sauce and plenty of Parmesan and mozzarella cheese. My family expects this every year at our Thanksgiving dinner!
So yes, I think my family would kick me out of our thanksgiving gathering if I didn’t bring this butternut squash lasagna. I’ve been making this for years now and have slowly perfected it over time so you can be confident this recipe will work for you and be delicious. It’s got roasted butternut squash, creamy sauce, lots of gooey cheese and a new crispy sage breadcrumb topping. Let’s make it!
Why you’ll love this recipe
- Perfect cozy fall or winter dinner for family and friends or for Thanksgiving dinner
- Easy to make ahead and freezer-friendly for busy nights
- Vegetarian but still hearty and satisfying
Ingredient notes
- butternut squash – look for squash with matte skin, no green spots and that feels heavy.
- lasagna noodles – you can use no-bake noodles or boiled.
- milk – you can use whole milk or 2% milk in this recipe.
Can you use frozen or precut butternut squash in this recipe?
Well you can, but should you is the question? I recommend going with a fresh butternut squash in this recipe because the frozen and precut varieties can sometimes be a little weaker in flavor and you really want the flavor of the squash to shine in this recipe. If you really don’t want to deal with the whole squash, get precut, fresh squash and get the most vibrant orange you can find.
How to make it
Spread sauce in the baking dish first. Then do a layer of noodles and spread more sauce.
Next mash the squash in the skin of the butternut, scoop and spread a layer over the noodles and sauce. You will likely use about 1/3 of the squash in each layer, resulting in 3 layers. Don’t stress about the number of layers, go for quality of layers.
You want a decent amount of squash, cheese and sauce in each layer and the top layer to just be noodles, sauce and cheese.
Freezing & reheating
🥶 Freezing Instructions
- Individual Servings: After baking and cooling, cut the lasagna into squares. Place the pieces on a parchment-lined baking sheet and freeze until solid. Once frozen, wrap each piece tightly in plastic wrap or foil and transfer to a freezer-safe bag or container. This way, you can pull out single servings as needed.
- Whole Pan: Let the baked lasagna cool completely. Wrap the entire pan tightly with a layer of plastic wrap and then foil (or use a lid if your pan has one). Label and freeze for up to 3 months.
🔥 Reheating Instructions
- Individual Squares: Unwrap and place a frozen square on a microwave-safe plate. Microwave in 1–2 minute bursts until heated through, or reheat in a 350°F (175°C) oven for 20–25 minutes.
- Whole Pan: Thaw overnight in the refrigerator, then reheat covered with foil in a 350°F (175°C) oven for 30–40 minutes, until warmed through. Remove the foil in the last 10 minutes to let the cheese melt and bubble.
Tried this recipe?
If you try this recipe, please leave a star rating below and let me know how it went. I’d love to hear from you! You can also find me on Pinterest!
PrintButternut Squash Lasagna Recipe
This butternut squash lasagna layers roasted squash with rich Alfredo sauce, gooey mozzarella, and tender noodles for a cozy fall dinner everyone will love. The sage breadcrumb topping is a recent addition to this recipe so I’m tagging it as optional, but I highly recommend giving it a try!
- Prep Time: 45 minutes
- Cook Time: 1 hour 15 minutes
- Total Time: 2 hours
- Yield: 12 pieces
- Category: Side Dish
- Cuisine: American
Ingredients
- 2.5–3 lb butternut squash (seeded, cut into 4-6 chunks)
- olive oil
- salt and pepper
- 3 cups shredded mozzarella
- 1/2 cup grated parmesan
- lasagna noodles, you will need 9-12 noodles and can either use no-bake or boiled
cream sauce
- 1/4 cup unsalted butter
- 1/4 cup flour
- 3 cloves garlic (minced)
- 3 cups whole milk (2% can work)
- 1 tsp dried basil
- 1/2 tsp dried oregano
- 1/2 tsp pepper
- 1 tsp salt
- pinch of ground nutmeg
- 1 cup grated parmesan cheese
crispy sage breadcrumb topping (optional)
- 2 tbsp salted butter
- 4 tbsp panko breadcrumbs
- 2 tsp chopped fresh sage
Instructions
- Preheat oven for 400F.
- Rub cut squash pieces with olive oil and sprinkle evenly with salt and pepper. Place cut-side down on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper and roast until tender. 30-40 minutes. You want the squash to be easily mashed with a fork.
- While the squash cooks, make the cream sauce: Add 1/4 cup butter to a medium saucepan over medium heat. Once melted, add the garlic, cook for just 30 seconds, then add 1/4 cup of flour. Whisk to combine, let cook 1 minute, stirring constantly. Reduce heat to medium low and slowly whisk in milk. Cook until sauce begins to thicken and gently bubbles. Turn off heat, add nutmeg, dried herbs and 1 cup parmesan. Stir to combine. Set aside.
- Assemble lasagna in a 9 x 13 in baking dish: start with a layer of cream sauce, then noodles, a little more sauce, then squash (scoop the flesh of the squash out of the skin and press/spread with a fork), add mozzarella and extra Parmesan, then repeat. You should end up with 3 layers, but if for some reason you only get 2, its ok! You just want the last layer to be noodles, sauce then cheese.
- Bake for 30-35 minutes at 375F or until cheese is golden and bubbly.
- Make the breadcrumb topping while the lasagna bakes. Melt butter in a small nonstick skillet. Add breadcrumbs and sage. Cook, stirring frequently, until breadcrumbs are golden brown.
Notes
Freezing & Reheating:
Cut cooled lasagna into squares, freeze on a baking sheet, then wrap and store for up to 3 months. Reheat individual pieces in the microwave or bake at 350°F for 20–25 minutes. For a whole pan, thaw overnight and reheat covered at 350°F for 30–40 minutes.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1/12 lasagna
- Calories: 376
- Sugar: 6g
- Sodium: 687mg
- Fat: 19g
- Saturated Fat: 11g
- Carbohydrates: 35g
- Fiber: 3g
- Protein: 17g
- Cholesterol: 53mg
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