Butternut Squash Lasagna – with Spinach

If you are looking for the best vegetarian lasagna recipe then this is it! This delicious and healthier butternut squash lasagna with spinach is packed with incredible fall flavors like squash, parmesan, ricotta, sage, and garlicky spinach all baked until golden and bubbly. It makes the perfect family meal that will become everyone’s favorite!

We are obsessed with this butternut squash lasagna this time of year. It is just the best fall recipe that even kids go crazy for. I originally made this recipe for a family Sunday supper and everyone went nuts for it. 

Mostly because it is so creamy and loaded with incredible flavor but it is also a healthier lasagna recipe that uses less dairy and replaces some of the noodle layers with yummy roasted butternut squash. 

In this lasagna recipe we peel and slice the squash, season it then bake it to use for noodles. It does still have lasagna noodles in the recipe but less to make it a little bit lighter and healthier. You can also use mashed squash or roasted butternut squash cubes in this recipe as well. 

Why you will just love this lasagna with butternut squash

• It is the best warm and comforting fall recipe!
• Loaded with flavor and nutrition. 
• Vegetarian and easily made gluten-free!
• Cheesy, buttery, herby, all the things!
• You can make it ahead, freeze it or serve it right away!

Ingredients in butternut squash lasagna

• Butternut squash – 1 whole squash about 3 pounds
• Olive oil – you can also use avocado oil
• Salt and pepper – to enhance all of the flavors
• Lasagna noodles – no-boil lasagna noodles, you can use regular or gluten-free
• Flour – all-purpose flour, gluten-free all-purpose flour, or whole wheat flour
• Spinach – fresh spinach, and frozen spinach will work but will make the lasagna more watery
• Garlic – fresh garlic or you can use garlic paste
• Parmesan cheese – make sure to use shredded parmesan so it melts well. 
• Ricotta cheese – I used part-skim ricotta cheese
• Butter – unsalted, regular butter
• Milk – unsweetened almond milk or regular milk will work.
• Mozzarella cheese – shredded mozzarella cheese, or any shredded cheese but mozzarella works best. 
• Rosemary and sage – fresh rosemary and sage to add some incredible herby flavor to the lasagna.
• Nutmeg – just a hint that makes all the difference. 
• Lemon

Recipe Variations

• Make it gluten-free. To make this recipe gluten-free, use gluten-free lasagna noodles. 
• Make it vegan. You can use vegan ricotta cheese, vegan cheese sauce, and vegan mozzarella cheese to make this a vegan lasagna. 
• Add more veggies. You can add mushrooms, onions, zucchini, or even kale to this recipe along with the spinach. Sautéed red bell peppers would also be great and add a nice punch of color to this recipe.
• Add in some meat. If you prefer meat in your lasagna (but trust me this recipe is so good on its own), you can add in some cooked sausage or cooked ground turkey.

How to make Butternut Squash Lasagna with spinach

1. Prep the squash: Peel the squash, remove the seeds, and slice it into planks.  Lay it onto a baking sheet, brush it with olive oil, and season with salt and pepper. Roast it in the oven at 425 degrees F for about 15 minutes. 
2. Cook the spinach: Heat a pan with olive oil to medium heat, add in the garlic, cook for 1 minute then add in the spinach and cook until wilted. Remove and set aside to cool. 
3. Make the creamy, cheesy filling: Heat a pan to medium heat, melt the butter then stir in the flour and whisk in the milk to make a roux. Add in the nutmeg and bay leaf and simmer for a few minutes until the sauce thickens. Set aside. 
4. Mix the ricotta filling: combine the ricotta with lemon zest, freshly chopped sage, rosemary, parmesan, mozzarella, salt, and pepper, and mix.
5. Assemble the lasagna: Spread some of the cream sauce on the bottom of a 9×13 pan. Next layer some of the lasagna noodles. Then layer some of the butternut squash. Then add some of the sautéed spinach and top that with a layer of the ricotta mixture. Pour some more of the creamy white sauce all over everything then repeat with one more layer. Finish the final layer with lasagna noodles, the remaining creamy white sauce, the remaining cooked spinach, and a good sprinkle of parmesan cheese.
6. Bake and serve: Bake for 35 minutes at 400 degrees F then let rest for 30 minutes before cutting and serving.  It’s so good!

Tips for making this butternut squash lasagna

• Choose a squash with a longer neck since you want long “plank” pieces to layer in the lasagna. You can also just cut large slices of squash if you cannot find one with a long neck.
• Use No boil lasagna noodles, lentil lasagna noodles or store-bought lasagna sheets all work well in this recipe. You can also use whole wheat lasagna noodles, but those would need to be boiled first. See variations in the post for gluten-free recommendations.
• Bake the lasagna uncovered, this allows it to get nice and golden brown on top and all around the edges.
• Let the lasagna cool for at least 30 minutes before slicing and serving. Letting it cool allows the slices to be lifted from the pan easier as well as results in perfectly square pieces of lasagna (see picture below).

Make Ahead and Storage

• To make ahead: Assemble the butternut squash lasagna as directed in the recipe. Cover and refrigerate for up to one day. When ready to bake, remove it from the refrigerator, uncover it, preheat the oven, and bake it until cooked through and golden and bubbly, about 40-45 minutes. 
• You can also peel, cut and roast the squash and cook the spinach one day before assembling and cooking the lasagna. Just make sure to let it cool and store it in separate airtight containers in the refrigerator.
• Store in the refrigerator in an airtight container after you bake it for up to 3 days. Reheat portions in the microwave. You can also bake the whole dish, let it cool then cover it and reheat the whole thing in the oven at 350 degrees F until warmed through. 
• To freeze butternut squash lasagna: Assemble and bake as directed in this recipe. Cut into slices, and store in airtight containers in the freezer for up to 2 months. 
• Reheating from frozen: Place the lasagna in the refrigerator overnight then reheat it in the microwave. 

More butternut squash recipes to try

• Butternut Squash Noodles Bowl
• Instant Pot Butternut Squash Mac and Cheese
• Butternut Squash Soup
• Roasted Beets and Butternut Squash Salad
• Maple Roasted Butternut Squash
• The Best Mashed Butternut Squash
• Easy Roasted Butternut Squash

Did you try this butternut squash lasagna recipe? if you did then please leave a rating and comment below and let me know how it turned out!

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