Butternut Vegetarian Four Cheese Lasagna Recipes

COZY ROASTED VEGETABLE BUTTERNUT SQUASH LASAGNA

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.
• Add all of the veggies for roasting to a large baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Drizzle with 2 tablespoons of olive oil and sprinkle with garlic powder, salt and pepper. Use your hands to toss the veggies together then spread them out in an even layer. Set aside while you prep your butternut squash.
• Use a sharp knife to cut off both ends of a butternut squash, you'll cut about ¼-½ inch off each end. Next cut the butternut squash in half vertically. Place the butternut squash upright or vertically on a wooden cutting board that's very secured to your counter. We don't want the cutting board or squash to wobble as you cut it. Use your knife to cut the butternut squash vertically down the middle. Use a spoon to scoop out the seeds of the cut butternut squash. Place the butternut squash halves flesh side down on a separate medium baking sheet lined with parchment paper.
• Place both veggies and squash in the oven on two different racks. Roast the veggies for 30 minutes or until they are slightly golden then remove to cool down. The butternut squash will take slightly longer; about 1 hour total or until the squash is very fork tender. Set aside to cool for a little bit before scooping out the flesh. Keep heat in the oven.
• Make the butternut squash sauce: transfer the flesh of the butternut squash to a high powered blender or bowl of a food processor. Add in milk, brown or coconut sugar, cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger, allspice and salt and pepper. Blend until smooth and set aside.
• Do this step while the veggies and squash roast: Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Cook the lasagna noodles for 5-6 minutes, then drain. Immediately lay the noodles flat on an oiled baking sheet or cutting board so you can easily assemble the lasagna when ready. Another option is to soak the lasagna noodles in very warm (hot) water for 20-30 minutes if you do not want to boil them. (Note: you can also use no-cook lasagna noodles, but they aren't my favorite!)
• In the small bowl, add the ricotta, egg, salt and pepper. Mix until well combined. Set aside.
• To assemble the lasagna, spread 3/4 cup of butternut squash mixture over the bottom of a 9x13 inch baking dish. Place 5 of the cooked lasagna noodles on top, laying 4 vertically and 1 horizontally. Spread half of the ricotta cheese mixture on top of the noodles, followed by half of the roasted veggies, then top with ¾ cup shredded mozzarella. Next, add 1 heaping cup of the butternut squash mixture on top of the mozzarella and then sprinkle with 1/4 cup of parmesan cheese.
• Repeat layers once more: adding remaining noodles (4 vertically & 1 horizontally), the rest of the ricotta cheese mixture, remaining roasted veggies, ¾ cup shredded mozzarella, then top with any remaining butternut squash sauce and 1/4 cup parmesan cheese. Finally, top with remaining 1 ½ cups shredded mozzarella cheese.
• Cover with foil and bake for 25 minutes. Remove foil and bake another 15-20 minutes until cheese starts to brown just a bit. Garnish with extra parmesan and either chopped basil or parsley. Cool for 15-20 minutes before cutting and serving. Serves 12.

VEGETARIAN FOUR CHEESE LASAGNA

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).
• Place pumpkin on a baking sheet and roast in oven until browned and tender, about 30 minutes. Meanwhile, grill eggplant on a charcoal grill or fry in a skillet, turning once, until charred and tender, 10 to 15 minutes. Halve tomatoes and place on baking sheet in oven for last 15 minutes of pumpkin time; cook until tender and wrinkly.
• In a medium bowl, stir together ricotta, feta, pesto, eggs, salt and pepper until well mixed. Fold roasted pumpkin into ricotta mixture.
• Spoon half of the tomato sauce into a 9x13 baking dish. Lay two pasta sheets over the sauce. Arrange a single layer of eggplant slices over pasta and top with half the ricotta mixture. Cover with two more pasta sheets. Arrange the roasted tomatoes evenly over the sheets and spoon the remaining half the ricotta mixture over the tomatoes. Sprinkle with half the mozzarella. Top with remaining two sheets of pasta. Pour remaining tomato sauce over all and sprinkle with remaining mozzarella and Parmesan.
• Bake in preheated oven 30 to 40 minutes, until golden and bubbly.

BUTTERNUT SQUASH LASAGNA

Steps:

• Preheat an oven to 450 degrees F (230 degrees C). Line a baking sheet with aluminum foil.
• Place squash, cut-side up, on the prepared baking sheet. Cover squash with aluminum foil.
• Bake in the preheated oven until squash is tender, 45 minutes to 1 hour 15 minutes.
• Heat 1 1/2 teaspoons olive oil in a skillet over medium heat; cook and stir mushrooms and garlic in the hot oil until mushrooms are tender, 5 to 10 minutes. Remove skillet from heat.
• Heat remaining 1 1/2 teaspoons olive oil in a separate skillet over medium heat; cook and stir onion in the hot oil until softened, about 5 minutes. Add spinach to onion; cook until spinach is heated through, 3 to 5 minutes. Remove skillet from heat.
• Heat 6 cups milk in a 5-quart saucepan over medium heat; cook and stir until milk is simmering, about 5 minutes. Whisk remaining 1 cup milk and cornstarch together in a bowl until smooth; stir into simmering milk. Bring milk mixture to just under a boil, stirring constantly with a wooden spoon and scraping bottom of pot to prevent scorching, until milk mixture has thickened into a sauce, about 5 minutes; remove pot from heat.
• Whisk 1 1/2 cups Parmesan cheese, honey, nutmeg, sage, salt, and pepper into sauce until smooth. Cover pot with a lid and keep warm over low heat.
• Bring a large pot of lightly salted water to a boil. Cook lasagna noodles in the boiling water, stirring occasionally until cooked through but firm to the bite, about 8 minutes. Drain.
• Reduce oven temperature to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C).
• Scrape flesh from butternut squash into a bowl; stir with a fork until evenly mashed. Stir ginger, salt, and pepper into mashed butternut squash.
• Spoon about 1 cup white sauce into the bottom of a 9x13-inch baking dish; arrange a layer of noodles atop white sauce. Layer 1/2 butternut squash mixture, 1/5 remaining white sauce, noodles, spinach mixture, 1/5 white sauce, noodles, 1/2 the mozzarella cheese, mushroom mixture, 1/5 white sauce, noodles, remaining 1/2 butternut squash mixture, 1/5 the white sauce, remaining noodles, remaining 1/5 white sauce, remaining mozzarella cheese, 1/2 cup Parmesan cheese, respectively. Cover dish with aluminum foil and place dish on a baking sheet.
• Bake in the preheated oven for 30 minutes. Remove cover and bake until bubbling and cheese is browned, about 15 more minutes. Let stand for 10 minutes before serving.

BUTTERNUT VEGETARIAN FOUR CHEESE LASAGNA

Steps:

• Preheat Oven to 350°F.
• Put eggplant in colander, salt liberally and let sit one hour. After one hour, rinse eggplant thoroughly, squeezing out excess water.
• Place squash in bowl; drizzle with olive oil, toss to coat. Place on baking sheet lined with foil or parchment paper, roast in oven until browned and tender, about 30 minutes.
• Meanwhile heat large pot of water to boil for pasta.
• When squash is done remove from from parchment/foil and baking sheet, leaving the parchment or foil. Place squash in large bowl to cool slightly, then mash lightly. Place eggplant on parchment/foil on baking sheet and put in oven to roast, until tender about 15-20 minutes. When done remove from oven and place on plate and set aside.
• In a medium bowl stir together ricotta, feta, pesto or fresh basil and salt and pepper to taste,until well mixed. (Careful to not over salt). Fold roasted squash into ricotta mixture.
• When water has boiled, add asparagus and blanch for one minute, remove and place in colander, rinsing in cold water. Remove from colander and set aside.
• Add noodles to boiling water and cook for 7 minutes. Drain, place in colander and rinse with cold water.
• In a 9x13-inch baking dish, add half of tomato sauce. If using a glass dish, grease sides of pan first. Lay 3 lasagna noodles on bottom of pan, over sauce. Arrange a single layer of eggplant slices over pasta and top with half ricotta mixture. Cover with 3 more pasta noodles, arrange drained asparagus evenly over the noodles and spoon remaining ricotta mixture over the asparagus. Sprinkle with half the mozzarella cheese. Top with 3 lasagna noodles. Pour tomato sauce over all and sprinkle with the rest of mozzarella and Italian blend cheese or Parmesan cheese.
• Cover pan lightly with foil, careful not to let touch cheese on top, but folding over ends of pan.
• Bake in preheated oven for 30-40 minutes, removing foil the last 5 minutes, continue to cook until golden and bubbly.
• Let sit 30 minutes before serving.
• (Of course if you have the right oven,you could roast squash and eggplant at same time. It is not necessary to oil eggplant however).
• The recipe originally called for pesto, but I used fresh basil. It is also less fattening that way. If asparagus is not available, you could use sautéed mushrooms, zucchini, yellow roasted peppers or broccoli. The original recipe called for roasted tomatoes in place of asparagus. I found it too labor intensive and redundant considering the tomato sauce. You may have more sauce than you need, but I don't like to be caught short-handed. Use your favorite tomato sauce for this dish.
• Enjoy!

GOLDEN BUTTERNUT SQUASH LASAGNA

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 425°. Divide squash between 2 greased 15x10x1-in. baking pans. Drizzle with oil; toss to coat. Bake, uncovered, stirring occasionally, until tender, 20-25 minutes., Meanwhile, cook noodles according to package directions. In a small saucepan, combine milk and rosemary. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat; simmer, uncovered, for 10 minutes. Strain, reserving milk, and set aside. Discard rosemary., In a Dutch oven, heat butter over medium heat. Add garlic; saute 1 minute. Stir in flour, salt and pepper until blended. Gradually add milk. Bring to a boil. Cook and stir until slightly thickened, about 2 minutes. Reserve 1 cup sauce; stir squash into remaining sauce., Reduce oven setting to 375°. Drain noodles. Spread reserved sauce into a greased 13x9-in. baking dish. Layer with 3 noodles, half of squash mixture, half of fontina cheese and 1/2 cup Parmesan cheese. Repeat layers. Top with remaining noodles. Beat cream until soft peaks form. Spread over top. Sprinkle with remaining Parmesan cheese., Bake, covered, for 30 minutes. Uncover; bake until bubbly and golden brown, 10-15 minutes longer. Let stand for 15 minutes before cutting.