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Winter Squash Lasagna

A delicious way to use squash and try a new twist on pasta
Prep Time1 hour
Cook Time35 minutes
Course: Main Course
Cuisine: American
Keyword: cauliflower, kale, lasagna, winter squash
Servings: 6
Author: Chef Kim

Ingredients

  • 1 3 lb butternut or kabocha squash
  • 1 head cauliflower 4 cups florets
  • 1 cup yellow onion cut into quarters
  • 3 cloves garlic
  • 1/2 cup water
  • 1-2 cups vegetable broth
  • 1 cup almond or oat milk
  • 1/3 cup cashews or hemp seeds
  • 2 tbsp nutritional yeast
  • 1 tbsp white miso Or substitute coconut aminos
  • 1 bunch kale
  • 1 red onion
  • 2 tsp thyme chopped
  • 2 tsp rosemary chopped
  • salt & pepper
  • 1 box lasagna noodles
  • 1/2 cup sliced almonds optional

Instructions

Prepare the Squash

  • Preheat oven to 375. Cut squash in half, remove seeds and place cut side down on a baking sheet.
  • Bake for 30-45 minutes, until knife is easily inserted through the squash. Remove from oven and let cool.
  • Scoop flesh from the squash skins and place in a bowl. Mix well the evenly mash the squash. Season with a little salt and pepper.

Prepare white sauce

  • While the squash is cooking, combine the cauliflower florets, yellow onion, garlic and water in a medium sauce pan. Cover the pan and cook over medium heat for about 15 minutes, until cauliflower is very tender.
  • Transfer pot contents to a blender and add cashews or hemp seeds, 1 cup of vegetable broth, the nutritional yeast and miso. Blend on low to combine gradually increasing speed. Stop, scrape the sides of container and add 1 cup of plant milk. Blend again until smooth.
  • You may need to add more broth to thin the sauce to reach a creamy yet pourable consistency.

Prepare noodles

  • Wile the squash is cooking, add noodles to boiling salted water and cook according to package directions. Strain and cool by separating noodles around the edge of a strainer.
    You may also use oven ready pasta noodles, no boiling required.
    If substituting sliced zucchini, celery root or sweet potatoes, slice thin and slightly overlap when making layers.

Preparing kale

  • Thinly slice the red onion and sauté in large skillet with a splash of olive oil over medium heat.
  • While onion is cooking, remove the kale leaves from the stems. Layer the leaves and roll up. Thinly cut the roll crosswise making kale shreds.
  • Add the sliced kale to the onions and cook until wilted and bright green. Stir to cook evenly.
  • When kale is softened, turn off heat and add a cup of the white sauce, stir to combine.

Assemble

  • In a 9x11 baking dish, pour 1/2 cup of white sauce in the bottom and spread evenly. Over the sauce place a layer of lasagna noodles or thinly sliced vegetables, slightly overlapping each other.
  • Over the noodles, layer a 2cups of the mashed squash. Sprinkle with ground pepper and a pinch of thyme and Rosemary. Pour a cup of white sauce evenly over the squash followed by another layer of noodles.
  • Over these noodles, add 1/2 the kale and onion mixture, spread evenly. Cover with another layer of noodles.
  • Repeat with squash sprinkled with pepper and herbs and covered with white sauce, followed by noodles, remaining kale mixture, a little sauce, final layer of noodles, covered with white sauce.
  • This can be made ahead and frozen or kept refrigerated for a day before baking.
  • Bake at 350 for 45 minutes, until a knife can easily penetrate all a layers. Sprinkle with sliced almonds, half way through baking.
  • Serve right out of the oven.
    You can also make portions for weekly lunches or dinners. Allow to cool and then cut into portions, separate into individual containers, refrigerate or freeze.

Notes

The pasta noodles can be substituted with thinly sliced zucchini, sweet potatoes, or celery root.
Any winter squash can be used in this recipe, you need about 4 cups mashed. I’m sure canned pumpkin would also be good.