Butternut Squash And Brussels Sprout Lasagna Recipe

The classic lasagna we're all familiar with consists of noodles layered with marinara, ricotta or béchamel sauce, mozzarella, and Parmesan. As it turns out, the original lasagna was nothing like this since red sauce wasn't even part of the dish until the 19th century. Developer Tess Le Moing, however, puts her own spin on the recipe by using a couple of unexpected ingredients to elevate her lasagna. As she tells us, it's "a white lasagna with shredded Brussels sprouts stirred into the cheese sauce," and it also includes butternut squash puree.

Not only does this dish make for an interesting twist on the more typical lasagna, but it also has a visual flair all its own. Once you slice into it, you will see what Le Moing describes as "nice clean layers of white and orange," while the outside is a striking green color thanks to an extra layer of shredded Brussels sprouts on top. While this lasagna does take some time and effort to make, it's an excellent entree for a meat-free meal and will allow you to eat several stripes of the produce rainbow in every bite.

Place the lasagna noodles in a baking dish and cover with hot tap water. Soak for 5 minutes, moving the noodles occasionally to prevent sticking. Drain and arrange on a kitchen towel.

Cook the butternut squash: Preheat the oven to 350 F.

Rub the squash with 1 tablespoon of vegetable oil, then place it face down on a parchment-lined baking sheet.

Bake in the oven until butternut squash is soft all the way through, about 1 hour.

Add garlic powder and 1 teaspoon salt and puree until smooth (you should have about 2 cups). Transfer to a bowl and set aside.

Cook the Brussels sprouts: Shred the Brussels sprouts in a food processor using the grater attachment.

Heat vegetable oil in a large, non-stick skillet over medium heat.

Transfer cooked Brussels sprouts to a large bowl and stir in 1 teaspoon salt and the remaining 2 teaspoons of lemon juice. Reserve ¾ cup of the Brussels sprouts mix for garnish.

Make the béchamel: Melt butter in a small saucepan over medium heat.

Add the shallots and garlic. Cook, stirring frequently, until translucent, about 3 minutes.

Add flour and cook, stirring constantly, for about 1 ½ minutes.

Reduce heat to low and simmer for 10 minutes, occasionally whisking, until thick but still pourable or when a finger run through the back of the spoon comes out clean.

Assemble the lasagna: Preheat the oven to 400 F.

Cover with a layer of three lasagna sheets, then spread the ricotta mixture on top.

Cover with another three sheets of pasta and spread on butternut squash puree.

Bake the lasagna at 400 F for 30 minutes.

Place seeds on a dish towel or paper towel and pat dry.

Spread evenly and roast in the same oven as the lasagna, stirring halfway through, until the seeds are lightly browned, about 5–10 minutes.

Sprinkle over roasted butternut squash seeds and the zest of 1 lemon.

Let rest for 20 minutes, and serve.

Aside from multi-tasking as you make the lasagna, there are a few more ways you can shave off a little prep time. For one thing, Le Moing suggests, "to cut time on making the puree, buy frozen butternut squash cubes." All you'll need to do is thaw and puree them, although you won't have the squash seeds to garnish the top. Still, you can always substitute store-bought pepitas for a similar effect. You could also use béchamel from a jar if need be –- it might not be quite as good as homemade, but the lasagna will still taste great

While it might not save time, you can also split the prep time between two days by stopping after step 23 of the recipe (the assembly stage), then covering the lasagna and refrigerating it for up to 5 days. "To bake from the refrigerator," says Le Moing, "cover the lasagna tightly with foil and bake it in a preheated, 400 F oven." After the first 10 minutes, take the foil off, then bake it for about 30 more minutes (40 minutes in all). It's done when the top is browned and the cheese is bubbling.