Butternut Squash and Kale Lasagna

Name: Butternut Squash and Kale Lasagna
Prep time: 60 min
Cook time: 150 min
Total time: 210 min
Yield: 6 Servings
Ingredients: Coconut Oil Cooking Spray; 1 lbs Butternut Squash (about 2 1/2); 2 Tbs + 2 tsp Coconut Oil (divided, melted and cooled); 1 tsp Sea Salt (divided); 1 1/2 Tbs Sage (dried); 5 Cloves of Garlic (large, skinned); 1 in Purple Onion (sliced half and sliced thin); 2 Tbs Water; 1 pieces Bunch of Kale (Red Russian, stems removed and chopped into 1"); 4 C Whole Milk (divided); 1 Bay Leaf; 2 Springs of Thyme; 4 Tbs All Purpose Flour; 1/4 tsp Pepper (ground); 3/4 tsp Nutmeg (ground); 1/4 tsp Red Pepper Flakes; 6 Whole Wheat Lasagna Noodles; 6 oz Fontina Cheese (grated, divided); Parmesan Cheese; Chopped Parsley or Thyme

By Traci 49 Comments

Creamy, with fontina béchamel, warming and pure comfort food, butternut squash and kale lasagna makes a memorable vegetarian main for holidays or special occasions.

Cold, windy, and rainy winter days require comfort food. I’ve been using squash to make soup and roasting it to put on salads, but I had yet to make a lasagna recipe that I crave this season.

It was time.

This recipe was given to me by a friend a few years ago. I first tried her version at a potluck and knew I had to have the recipe. I thought I lost it at one point, but after digging through a misplaced recipe binder, I found it folded up, and gently tucked away.

I’ve made this recipe several times since, but recently started changing a few things up and decided I liked the changes well enough to share them with y’all.

I used to be intimidated by squash so I avoided it. I didn’t know how to prepare it, let alone cut into one. In fact, I really didn’t know winter squash at all, besides jack-o-lanterns, because the squash I grew up on was zucchini and yellow summer squash.

Thanks to my local farmers, I have been introduced to an abundance of winter squash and it seems with each passing year, I learn more about different varieties (there are so many!). Each has their own richness, sweetness and buttery nuances.

Cutting into squash isn’t as fussy as I thought it was. What I generally do, if the squash is bigger than my knife, is pop the squash into a warming 350F oven until it’s slightly softened; this makes it easier to get into.

Then, I trim the ends and cut the squash length wise. If the squash is smallish in size, I skip the warming step, get my largest knife out and gently cut off the ends. Sometimes this can take a bit of finessing because squash can be a tough customer. So I’ll rock the knife back and fourth on the squash, trimming the ends, never forcing, but letting the knife do all the work. Then, I cut the squash lengthwise, again, never in a hurry.

This recipe can be made with spinach or kale. I used kale because it was what my local farmer had available. It lends a chewier texture to the lasagna, which I prefer. I love kale anyway and the more of it I can eat, the better!

I think one of the best things about lasagna is there’s always plenty and it freezes well. Excellent for when the day is full and the evening needs to be slow. It feels good knowing how making a salad and sliding leftovers in the oven is all the time one needs to have a delicious, comforting meal.

Serenity now.

Butternut squash and kale lasagna is a hearty main for any fall or winter dinner, including holidays. It can be made ahead and rested in the fridge before baking to free up time spent in the kitchen when guests arrive.

It’s colorful, creamy, and sweet, has a nice texture from the pasta and kale while sage and thyme bring all the flavors together.

4.88 from 8 votes