This Butternut Squash Lasagna with Mushrooms, Kale, and Sage is packed with Autumnal flavors. Butternut squash serves center stage in a decadently creamy sauce with roasted garlic. Meaty mushrooms and cruciferous kale make the filling, in between layers of fresh mozzarella and lasagna noodles. Topped with beautifully fried sage (highlighting another warm flavor in the filling), this lasagna is one to impress!
Classic fall flavors. What comes to mind first?
For me, it’s always sage. I love the earthy and delicate flavor and scent. My mom always grows sage in her garden, and come Fall, when the plant is at its peak, it’s harvested and either promptly used, or dried for the winter months to come.
Another flavor the naturally is top of mind in the fall is all things pumpkin and squash. Particularly, butternut squash. Soups, muffins, ravioli, and pizzas are coincidentally (and ironically) consumed by the orange-fleshed gourd.
And to add to that already delicious lineup, let’s add lasagna to your “must make” butternut squash lineup.
This lasagna. Simply put…..
Sigh.
It’s absolutely picture perfect, with the addition of crispy fried sage leafs, which highlight one of the key ingredients.
Rather than your standard white or red sauce, butternut squash serves center stage. The squash is roasted and pureed with ricotta cheese and roasted garlic. Talk about #goodsmells.
If you’re watching your meat intake, good news! This recipe is vegetarian. (Though you could certainly add in your favorite ground meat of choice!).
Meaty mushrooms and cruciferous kale are sautéed with onion, garlic, and sage, and drizzled with an unbelievably rich Mushroom and Sage Olive Oil (*A MUST BUY – see notes).
Money shot:
Add in fresh and shredded mozzarella, and you’ve got your self one cozy fall supper.
This lasagna would make a wonderful vegetarian main dish option for Thanksgiving, Christmas, or any ole’ weeknight.
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Butternut Squash Lasagna with Mushrooms, Kale, and Sage
Ingredients
For the butternut squash sauce:
- 2 cups roasted butternut squash (see note)
- 1 cup ricotta cheese
- 2-3 cups water
- 4 roasted garlic cloves (see note below)
- Salt and pepper
For the mushroom and kale filling:
- 1 cup chopped onion
- 3-4 garlic cloves, minced
- 10 oz sliced mushrooms
- 2 cups kale
- 1 Tbsp fresh sage
- Lasagna noodles
- 2 cups shredded mozzarella cheese
- 8 oz fresh mozzarella cheese
- 1/4 cup olive oil
- 3-5 fresh sage leaves,
- parmesan to serve
Instructions
For the butternut squash sauce:
- In a blender or food processor combine roasted butternut squash (see note), ricotta, garlic, salt and pepper, and 1 cup of water. Blend until sauce is smooth. Continue adding water until desired consistency is reached. Err on having it "soupy" versus thick and creamy.
For the mushroom and kale filling:
- In large skillet, add 1 teaspoon of olive oil to pan. Add onion and garlic, cooking for 3 minutes, or until fragrant.
- Add mushrooms, and continue to cook until mushrooms have started to release their liquid - about 8 minutes.
- Add kale and fresh sage, continuing to sauté.
- When ready to assemble: Preheat oven to 375 degrees. In a 9x11 baking dish, add about 1 cup of butternut squash sauce to coat the bottom. Add lasagna noodles.
- Top with mushroom and kale filling, shredded mozzarella cheese, and butternut squash sauce. Continue layering, aiming for 3 layers of lasagna noodles. The last layer of noodles should be topped with butternut squash sauce .Cover with tin foil, and bake for 1 hour and 10 minutes.
- Remove from oven, and remove tin foil. Top with fresh mozzarella, and return to oven for an additional 15 minutes, uncovered.
- Meanwhile, fry 5 sage leaves to top the lasagna: in a small skillet, heat olive oil over medium high heat. Fry sage leaves until crisp - this only takes about 2-3 seconds! Sprinkle to a paper towel lined plate to cool.
- When ready to serve, top with fried sage leaves and freshly shaved parmesan cheese.
Notes
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
- Prep butternut squash: peal squash, and cut in to 1 inch pieces. Add to parchment lined baking sheet.
- Drizzle with 1 Tbsp (more, depending on size of squash), and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Feel free to add your favorite spices, as well!
- Bake for 45 minutes, or until squash is fork tender. Allow to cool before blending with other ingredients for sauce, or keep in refrigerator.
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees (prep with the butternut squash, as outlined above!).
- Chop off the top 1/4 inch of a head of garlic, so all cloves are exposed.
- Place garlic on tin foil, drizzle with olive oil and sprinkle with coarse salt.
- Roast in oven for 40-50 minutes, until cloves are browned and softened.
- Use in this lasagna sauce, blend in to dressings or marinades, or spread on toasted bread. The options are endless!