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Easy Kid-Approved Cheesy Butternut Squash Lasagna

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A creamy, cheesy lasagna with a secret vegetable boost—butternut squash puree blended into the ricotta and mozzarella for a velvety sauce that even picky eaters love. Quick to assemble and perfect for family dinners.

Ingredients

Scale
  • 2 cups (450g) butternut squash puree, thawed and drained
  • 15 ounces (425g) whole milk ricotta cheese
  • 3 cups (340g) shredded low-moisture part-skim mozzarella cheese
  • ½ cup (50g) freshly grated Parmesan cheese
  • 12 sheets (about 340g) no-boil lasagna noodles
  • 3 cloves garlic, minced
  • 1 teaspoon dried sage
  • ½ teaspoon dried thyme
  • 1 teaspoon salt, plus more for seasoning
  • ½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
  • 1 tablespoon olive oil
  • 2 tablespoons (28g) unsalted butter
  • 2 tablespoons (16g) all-purpose flour
  • 2 cups (480ml) whole milk, warmed

Instructions

  1. Preheat oven to 375°F (190°C). If using frozen butternut squash puree, let it sit at room temperature to take off the chill. Press gently with a paper towel to remove excess moisture.
  2. In a medium bowl, combine 2 cups butternut squash puree, 15 ounces ricotta, 1 cup shredded mozzarella (reserve remaining 2 cups for topping), ¼ cup Parmesan, minced garlic, dried sage, dried thyme, ½ teaspoon salt, and ¼ teaspoon black pepper. Stir until well combined. Taste and adjust salt if needed.
  3. In a large skillet or saucepan over medium heat, melt 2 tablespoons butter. Whisk in 2 tablespoons flour and cook for 1 minute, stirring constantly, until the mixture smells nutty and looks like wet sand (do not let it brown). Slowly pour in 2 cups warm milk, whisking constantly to prevent lumps. Continue whisking until sauce thickens, about 3-4 minutes, until it coats the back of a spoon. Remove from heat and stir in remaining ¼ cup Parmesan, ½ teaspoon salt, and ¼ teaspoon pepper. Set aside.
  4. Spread a thin layer of cheese sauce on the bottom of a 9×13-inch baking dish. Place 3 lasagna noodles on top, slightly overlapping if needed.
  5. Spread about one-third of the squash-ricotta mixture over the noodles. Drizzle about one-third of the remaining cheese sauce over the squash mixture. Sprinkle with a handful of reserved mozzarella. Repeat layering two more times: noodles, squash mixture, cheese sauce, mozzarella. End with a final layer of noodles on top.
  6. Pour any remaining cheese sauce over the top noodles and spread gently. Sprinkle remaining mozzarella and any leftover Parmesan over the top.
  7. Cover the dish tightly with aluminum foil. Bake for 25 minutes. Remove foil and bake for another 15-20 minutes, until cheese is bubbly and edges are golden brown. For deeper color, broil for the last 2 minutes, watching closely.
  8. Let lasagna rest for at least 10-15 minutes before serving to allow layers to set.

Notes

Don’t skip draining the squash to avoid a watery lasagna. Warm the milk before adding to the roux to prevent lumps. Let the lasagna rest for a full 15 minutes after baking for clean slices. This lasagna freezes beautifully—assemble without baking, wrap tightly, and freeze for up to 3 months.

Nutrition

Keywords: butternut squash lasagna, cheesy lasagna, kid-friendly, easy lasagna, hidden vegetable, family dinner, comfort food

Find it online: https://cookluma.com/easy-kid-approved-cheesy-butternut-squash-lasagna/