butternut squash and spinach lasagna

this recipe takes a traditional dish and adds an extra kick of warming spices and sweetness from roasted butternut squash. expect ten to twelve servings which make the perfect lunchtime leftovers.

WHAT YOU NEED

16 ounces cubed butternut squash - store prepared package or 1 whole squash

1 box of no boil lasagna (4-6 ounces needed depending on baking dish size)

2 cups homemade or jarred tomato sauce

1 cup whole milk ricotta

2 cups frozen chopped spinach

2 eggs

2 - 3 cloves of garlic

2 TBSP extra virgin olive oil

1 bunch scallions

Pecorino Romano to grate (I love Locatelli brand)

1 TBSP paprika

1/2 TBSP cumin

1/2 TBSP cinnamon

Salt & pepper to taste

1 ball smoked mozzarella (optional)

2 TBSP pesto of your choice (optional)

HOW TO

STEP 1

Preheat oven to 425 degrees. If you’re using whole butternut squash, cut the squash into cubes. Place cubed squash in a mixing bowl with 2 TBSP of olive oil. Season with salt, pepper, paprika, cumin, and cinnamon and toss to coat. Place squash on a sheet pan and bake for 25-30 minutes, rotating the squash in the pan at 15 minutes, cooking until soft to touch with a fork. Remove from the oven and set aside to cool.

STEP 2

While your butternut squash roasts, crush garlic cloves with your knife by placing the blade flat on top of the cloves, the sharp side facing away from you. Use the palm and heel of your hand to press down and crush. Remove the garlic skins then roughly chop the garlic, mincing if you’d like to. Put the garlic to the side and let it sit for up to 15 minutes before using it - this allows the allicins to be released, which has a number of health benefits.

Next, chop the scallions - using both the white and green parts - into thin slices, moving your knife from right to left as you slice across their length. Set aside while you finish the rest of the ricotta filling prep.

STEP 3

Place frozen spinach in a microwave-safe bowl (I love my Anyday bowl) and microwave for 2 minutes or until softened. Squeeze out excess water and set aside.

Beat eggs in a large mixing bowl then add the ricotta, spinach, garlic, half of the chopped scallions and mix to combine. Season with salt and pepper to taste.

STEP 4

Assemble the lasagna: first, ladle enough tomato sauce into a 9X13 or 7x11 baking dish to completely cover the bottom. Then, add your first layer of lasagna noodles to the dish, covering the entire layer of tomato sauce. You may have to break one or two of the noodles into smaller pieces to fully cover the sauce. Try not to overlap the noodles too heavily.

Next, place a layer of roasted butternut squash on top of the noodles, using the back of a fork to gently flatten it down. Spoon a layer of the ricotta filling on top of the squash. If using smoked mozzarella, slice into thin pieces and scatter some of the mozzarella across the top of the ricotta.

STEP 5

Repeat the process above until your baking dish is nearly filled, then top off the last layer with the rest of the smoked mozzarella (if using), enough grated pecorino to cover the top layer of the lasagna, and spoon on the pesto (if using) in small dollops across the top. The pesto will not cover the entirety of the top of the dish - you just want a scattered layer. Last, add the remainder of the scallions on top.

STEP 6

Cover the lasagna with aluminum foil and bake at 425 for 40 minutes. Use a fork to poke the noodles to ensure they’re almost al dente, then remove the foil and cook for another 10-15 minutes until the cheese on top is bubbling and golden brown. Remove from the oven and allow the lasagna to cool for 5 minutes, then use a sharp knife to cut it into 10-12 pieces and serve.

NOTES

• For the butternut squash, pre-cubed store bought really is just fine.

• No paprika, cinnamon, or cumin? Garam masala is an excellent substitute, as is pumpkin pie spice and an added touch of nutmeg.

• I use whole wheat lasagna noodles and they’re delicious.

• If you can’t access pecorino romano, parmesan will also work well.