How Not To Eat Meat: Butternut Squash Lasagna

Happy Meatless Monday! Butternut squash is a powerhouse for vitamins A and C. You can pack butternut squash puree into your lasagna to give it a nutritious boost. Using no-boil noodles is another time saver, and they work best when the lasagna is saucy with plenty of moisture for the noodles to absorb. They appear puny in the pan when assembling, but they will plump up while cooking. To freeze servings for lunch, wrap portions airtight and place in plastic storage bags for 1–3 months.



Ingredients for servings

  • 2 package packages frozen butternut or winter squash puree,hawed about 3 cups

  • 2 cups part-skim ricotta cheese

  • 0.75 cup reduced-fat 2% milk

  • 1 tablespoon fresh sage, chopped

  • 0.5 teaspoon salt

  • 0.25 teaspoon freshly ground pepper

  • 1 package frozen chopped spinach, thawed and squeezed dry 10-ounce or 285-gram

  • 1.5 cup shredded reduced-fat mozzarella cheese

  • 0.5 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese

  • 9 no-boil lasagna noodles

Directions

  • Preheat oven to 400°F. Lightly spray a 13- x 9-inch baking dish with cooking spray.

  • Combine squash, 1 cup ricotta cheese, milk, sage, 1/2 teaspoon salt, and pepper in a medium bowl. Combine spinach, remaining 1 cup ricotta, 1 cup (4 ounces) shredded mozzarella, and 1/4 cup (1 ounce) grated Parmesan cheese in another medium bowl.

  • Spread 1 1/2 cups squash mixture in bottom of baking dish. Arrange 3 noodles over sauce (noodles will appear small but will increase in size as they cook and absorb liquid). Top with 1 cup spinach mixture. Repeat 2 more times with 1 1/4 cups squash mixture, 3 noodles, and 1 cup spinach mixture. Sprinkle with remaining 1/2 cup mozzarella and 1/4 cup Parmesan cheeses.

  • Cover with foil and bake 30 minutes. Uncover and bake 15 minutes or until lasagna is bubbly and cheese browns. Let cool 5 minutes. Cut into 8 portions.

Clap if you liked this recipe!