Butternut Squash Lasagne with Fresh Sage & Thyme
There’s something about one-dish meals that is so perfect for wintertime. Maybe it’s the rich aroma that fills your home, or the anticipation of the hot meal to come. Or perhaps it’s the simplicity of enjoying bowls of soup, or slices of baked pasta, while the chilly wind whips around outside. Whatever it is, it feels good. And tastes good too.
A one-dish comfort meal was exactly what I needed earlier this week, when it was snowing, icing and downright cold here in Connecticut. I needed something to warm the spirit, something we could eat at the kitchen table while looking at the falling snow and feeling lucky that we were in here, instead of out there. So I asked my husband to make one of his specialties: butternut squash lasagne. And yes I do mean “lasagne” and not “lasagna,” because believe it or not, American colloquial usage has it all wrong. “Lasagna” is the term for one sheet of pasta, while “lasagne” (plural for “lasagna”) is the correct term for eating more than one sheet – which is exactly what you’re doing when enjoying those luscious layers of pasta, cheeses, sauce and fillings. I wasn’t aware of this until recently, but there it is. 
Thankfully it didn’t take much convincing to get my husband into the kitchen. Once the idea of lasagne had been planted, he wanted it just as much as I did! I helped a little by combining the ricotta, mozzarella, Parmesan and herbs, but really this was his show. He made the besciamella (better known by its French name, béchamel) while the squash cooked, then assembled the layers of lasagne while I stood by, taking notes for this blog post. An hour later the flavorful lasagne you see here emerged from the oven, all oozy and irresistible. It was the sort of thing you’d expect to find in a fancy restaurant, but we enjoyed our slices at a cozy dinner table, with the wind blowing outside, and candle flames flickering between us. Take that, winter.
Don’t forget about the monthly book giveaway! December’s books include one copy each of “Jamie at Home: Cook Your Way to the Good Life,” by Jamie Oliver (donated by Hyperion Books) and “The Weekend Baker: Irresistible Recipes, Simple Techniques, and Stress-Free Strategies for Busy People”, by Abigail Johnson Dodge.Butternut Squash Lasagne with Fresh Sage & Thyme (My husband’s recipe)
Ingredients:
- 4 tablespoons unsalted butter
- 2 1/2 cups diced yellow onion
- 2 lbs butternut squash, peeled, seeded and cut into 1/4 inch thick slices
- 1 3/4 cups vegetable broth
- 4 tablespoons chopped fresh thyme, divided use
- 4 tablespoons chopped fresh sage, divided use
- 2 15oz containers of ricotta
- 4 1/2 cups shredded mozzarella, divided use
- 1 cup shredded Parmesan, divided use
- 3 large eggs
- 3 biscotti cookies (not sweet ones, we used almond & walnut biscotti with a hint of anise flavoring)
- Salt and pepper to taste
- 1 10oz package no-boil lasagna noodles
- 2 tablespoons butter
- 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
- 1 3/4 cups whole milk
- Pinch of nutmeg
- Salt and pepper to taste
For béchamel:
Equipment: 9 x 13 inch baking dish
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
Melt 4 tablespoons butter in a large pot or dutch oven. Add onion and cook over medium heat until soft, about 10 minutes. Raise heat to high and continue to cook, stirring constantly, about 3 minutes. Season with salt and pepper. Transfer to a bowl and set aside.
In the same pot, add the sliced squash, vegetable broth, 3 tablespoons of thyme and 3 tablespoons sage. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat and simmer, stirring occasionally, until squash is tender, about 20 minutes.
While squash is cooking, in a medium bowl combine ricotta, 2 cups of mozzarella, 1/2 cup Parmesan and the remaining 1 tablespoon thyme and 1 tablespoon sage. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Add the eggs and mix well. Set aside.
When squash is done, cool slightly and remove 3/4 cup of the excess liquid (1 cup if there is an excessive amount of liquid). Transfer to food processor. Break the biscotti in half and add to the processor. Blend until smooth, then season with salt and pepper to taste. Set aside.
In a medium saucepan melt 2 tablespoons butter over medium heat. Add 2 tablespoons flour and whisk for 1 minute. Gradually whisk in the milk. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat, then reduce the heat to medium and simmer until the sauce thickens slightly, whisking frequently. Whisk in the nutmeg. This sauce is called “béchamel” and it’s done when it coats the back of a spoon. (Make the bechamel just before assembling the lasagna, if it sits too long it will develop a skin).
Now it is time to assemble the lasagna. Coat the bottom of your baking dish with 1/2 of the béchamel. Then layer the rest of the lasagna as follows:
- 1/3 of the ricotta mixture
- Noodles (make sure they are not overlapping)
- 1/3 of the squash mixture
- 1/2 of the onions
- 1/3 of the remaining mozzarella
- 1/3 of the ricotta mixture
- Noodles
- 1/3 of the squash mixture
- 1/2 of the onions
- 1/3 of the ricotta mixture
- 1/3 of the mozzarella
- Rest of the béchamel
- Noodles
- Remaining squash mixture
Sprinkle the remaining mozzarella and Parmesan over the top. Cover with aluminum foil and bake at 350 degrees F for 40 minutes. Then remove the aluminum foil and bake for an additional 10 minutes, or until cheese is completely melted and starting to color a bit.
Remove from oven and allow to rest for about 10 minutes.
YOU MIGHT ALSO LIKE:- Butternut Squash Muffins with Golden Raisins & Currants
- Rustic Sweet Potato Muffins with Fresh Sage
- Fettuccine with Mascarpone and Sage-Walnut Butter
- Homemade Pizza with Potatoes, Thyme and Rosemary
- Rustic Sage Cake with Homemade Vanilla Ice Cream
- Spaghetti Squash with Pumpkin Seed Pesto
- Savory Rosemary Sage Bread + Fabulous Fillings
- How To Grow Culinary Herbs and Plants (Without a Yard)
88 Responses to “Butternut Squash Lasagne with Fresh Sage & Thyme”
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Okay so I think you just posted this, and I’m the first to comment. Go me! Anyways, this looks and sounds amazing!!!! I’m leaving town soon for winter break so I’ve just been living off random frozen foods like perogies and veggie burgers but this…so jealous! Yum!
Melanie – Hey you! Yes, I posted it like 10 minutes ago and you are so commenter numero uno.
Hope you have a fabulous winter break.
That looks delicious! I love anything with butternut squash in it. Perfect meal for a cozy winter evening.
Yum! Nice to have a little help in the kitchen, eh?
Kitt – You have no idea.
What a great picture – I feel like I can taste it!
MMMmmm…. looks divine
Have you tried this recipe with the herbs dried? We haven’t had luck finding fresh herbs in our area, I wonder how it would come out with what’s on hand, I’ll just have to give it a try 
Malak – You can used herbs in place of fresh ones if you follow the 1:3 ratio rule. In other words, for every 1 tablespoon of fresh herbs you would use 1 teaspoon dry herbs. (There are 3 teaspoons in 1 tablespoon.)
What a delicious break from traditional lasagne. I feel comforted purely from reading about it! Your husband is a great cook!
Ooohhh, that looks and sounds wonderful! A gorgeous dish!
All the best for the New Year!
Cheers,
Rosa
Oh yes, you certainly CAN’T go wrong with one-dish meals during the winter months – so comforting!!
Oh my heavens! That looks positively warm and wonderful and delicious. I have a bad cold and can’t taste a thing, but I can imagine!
Lasagne is one of my very favorite dishes and this looks extremely delicious! Never had it with these ingredients, but would love to try it out.
Yummy. That’s all I have to say.
)
Wow, that is a fantastic recipe.
Is the vegetable broth absolutely necessary to cook the squash in, or can you just use water?
Nate – Yes, you can use water instead of vegetable broth. You may need to up the flavoring somewhere else though since the broth does at a fair amount to the squash.
Having your man cook for you is always the best!
I wish that happened more than once in a blue moon
Looks yummy. I would looovve to try this, but I just know it won’t work for me. I can only bake sweets [more specifically, chocolate.. yummmm]
Anyway Merry Christmas, Happy Hanukkah, and Happy New Year to all!
This looks yummy. I never would have thought about using biscotti. I’ve just recently started exploring with various takes on lasagne (I did not know I’ve been using the wrong word all these years.) I’m going to add this to my list of versions to try.
I love sweet and savory main dishes!
This looks delicious… although it will take days of exercising to pay for this ’sin’, it looks well worth it! Yumm, i can’t wait to eat it.
Specs – It is so worth it.
You have no idea how much I am loving this lasagna recipe. Absolutely right up my alley in every way!!
What an amazing treat on a windy day!! It looks fantastic and I am certain it tastes divine
It is made from my favorite ingredients! You are so lucky that your husband made you this delicious treat )
Looks really good! Happy Holidays!
Paz
Looks so yummy! You have wonderful photos of your dishes that do not fail to inspire me and I’m sure many others…
what an elegant and alltogether fantastic creation, ari! butternut squash is so versatile, and this is definitely one of the best uses for it. bravo!
i’m off to the market. this is an amazing recipe. we’ve been trapped by the snow for days (portland, oregon) and all i’ve done is bake – woman does not life by sourdough alone. can’t wait for dinner. thanks for all the wonderful inspiration.
Von Roberts – This dish is just perfect for snow filled evenings. Hope you enjoy it!
We must be on the same wavelength! On December 26th, I made Roasted Butternut Squash, Rosemary and Garlic Lasagne ( a recipe from Cooking Light magazine from a few years ago) and it was really delicious. I’ll have to try this one too so I can compare!
Thanks for the lasagne/lasagna clarification! I’ve always used lasagne when describing a dish I have baked (with more than one layer), but my spell check always marks it as wrong! I never cave, though… lasagne all the way
Micha – Ah spell check, I have such a complicated relationship with that sometimes friend, sometimes foe!
Never knew that about lasagna/lasagne — thanks for the lesson, and for the wonderful recipe. It’s the perfect thing for the cold weather in New England.
Lydia – I didn’t know until recently either, go figure huh?
Ummmm! Lasagna without tomato sauce, this sounds and looks delishious!
This sounds great right now. I have a similar recipe from Martha Stewart, but it doesn’t have the bechamel sauce. Thanks for the language lesson, very interesting!
Yuuummmmyyy!!!! Just the name of the dish had my mouth watering. This is a dish I will try for sure.
This looks heavenly! Gorgeous photo, too
What an impressive recipe & photo!
I adore butternut squash and this sounds (and looks) delicious! I now know what we’re doing with our next squash! K x
its not a matter of ‘if’ i’m going to make this… but when! yum!
Yes, I am definitely going to make this recipe and I am doing it before I go back to work next week! It sounds so delicious!! Looks it too! Good job on the hubby!
HoneyB – I’m showing the hubby all these comments and I tell ya, you brought a huge smile to my face! I want him to share more of his recipes, especially the breakfast ones, which are insanely good.
I love the idea of a non-tomato based lasagne and with butternut squash, one of my favorite, this has got to be unique and delicious, thanks for the great idea!
beautiful as usual
Oh Ari…this is indeed the most heart warming dish I’ve seen for a while. With so much sweet out this season, the lasagna in most welcome, & deliciously so! Stunning picture too.
Have a wonderful holiday season Ari. Hope the new year is filled with joy, warmth & happiness for you & you dear ones! Love
Deeba – Thank you! I hope you have a wonderful holiday season too. Happy New Year! *hugs*
The lasagna looks fabulous! I love butternut squash! We enjoy making our own lasagna noodles, we will try this next time around. Thanks!
Maria – Ooo, you make your own noodles, how fab! You may need to play with the amount of liquid in the squash mixture if you’re using already cooked noodles. Let me know what adjustments you make?
Thanks for the tidbit on “Lasagne” and “Lasagna”, I didn’t know that.
AS for the recipe, tell your dh thanks, it is going on my list to make!
Ally – I’ll pass the word along!
Ooooh, this sounds wonderful! Thanks for sharing the recipe!
That looks like the cure to all the sugar I’ve been inhaling!
Hi Ariela,
This is one of my favorite dishes! I’ve also had a version with hazelnuts and chard included as well, which is yummy too.
Hope you have a Happy New Year! =)
Wonderful recipe, I made it and loved it.
Renee – So glad to hear it! Thank you for coming back to tell me.
Yum! This sounds like it would also be good with pumpkin instead (my hubby is a huge pumpkin fan), so I might have to try it that way.
That is one gorgeous looking plate of comfort food! I love it when my husband makes lasagne–he’s much better at it than i am.
OMGoodness – this looks mouthwatering! I can’t wait to try this recipe. Thanks for sharing.
Oh my god. Where have you been and why haven’t I known about you until yesterday! This lasgne looks fabulous and I cannot wait to dive into your archives.
Sarah – Glad you found me!
That lasagna looks amazing!
This looks so unbelievably delicious. I made a butternut squash lasagna with pine nut once and that was delicious. I love unique lasagna combinations, I could eat it every night!
This definitely looks like comfort food! Lovely flavour combo.
yummm. that looks perfect for a cold, blustery, wintery
night. thanks.
this would be just ideal for tonight’s dinner considering it is REALLY snowing outside.
wonderful …as always
Sounds terrific… the biscotti was a great addition to the squash. Wishing you a great 2009!
I had no idea of the difference between lasagna and lasagne – that is a good thing to know!! Regardless, this looks amazing!
Yum, that is all I can say, it looks so delicious, doesn’t hurt that I love lasagna
My mother showed me your website while I’m home from grad school. Wow – I am amazed that you’ve created such a great site with fantastic recipes while handling grad school and a husband! You go girl! I am going to spread the word about this site once I get back to Berkeley.
Amanda – You are too kind! I’m so glad you like my site and big thanks to your mom for sending you my way.
p.s. I think it would be awesome to have more Berkeley students stopping by.
Beautiful lasagna – perfect for a chilly day!
What a great way to get me to eat my veggies. This looks to die for.
This looks so good – I wish we got butternut squash here. And Ari I love how you’ve given credit for the recipe to DH , it’s adorable! Hehe
Gosh, that looks utterly amazing! There are some many things I want to try making, I feel like I have no time! Will have to add it to the list!
Anyway, Have a very Happy New Year!
Ari, I’m all for one-dish meals, winter or summer! But I get what you mean, and this has to be very delicious during the cold season – plus I *love* squash.
Best wishes for 2009! Happy New Year!
I’ve been experimenting with white lasagna recipes lately with mixed results. This one sounds delicious and I can’t wait to try it. Sage and butternut squash work so nicely together…
What a beautiful lasagne! (thanks for the language lesson!) I agree about one-dish meals.
Happy New Year!
Mmm … I’ve made similar lasagne in the past. So comforting and satisfying, especially during these chill winter months. Might just have to reprise this weekend. Happy New Year!
Now this sounds delicious. Complicated, but delicious. Stupid question but you might be the right person to ask. What does divided mean when I see it in recipes?
Janet – It’s not a stupid question at all. “Divided” means that you will use the same ingredient for more than one thing. For instance, half the sage for one step and half for another. It’s sometimes helpful to note that an ingredient has divided use in case someone doesn’t read through the whole recipe (and hence uses ALL the sage when they only should have used half.) Does that make sense?
Hmm. Your pictures, as always, are gorgeous. Usually lasagne isn’t my thing (notice a trend here?) but yours looks good enough to try
Not something I would make or eat, but if this were actually sitting in front of me I would probably devour it. izazbz at yahoo dot com
This looks phenomenal. The downside of always cooking for one means I’m going to have to wait for a dinner party to make it!!
It’s made me completely hungry.
I saw this on foodgawker.com last week and finally got around to making it today. Oh my. Oh my, oh my. It is fantastic. Thanks to you and your hubs for the post. I had to make a few subs, so I”ll tell you about them, but I don’t think they made much of a difference.
First off, when I went to the grocery store they had no regular butternut squash, only the babies! What the heck, Whole Foods? I bought a little extra, figuring I’d lose some squashy goodness in the extra peeling, and that turned out to be a good idea. Unexpected bonus? Baby b-squash are way easier to peel. Next, I was certain I already had ricotta at home, so I only bought one extra. Well, I was right, but the ricotta I had at home had gone bad. What to do? I substituted about 6 ounces of cream cheese, which was all I had, and added some more mozzarella and parmesan. Crisis averted. I didn’t have whole milk, so I used 2%. I didn’t add biscotti because I forgot to buy them. I wiped the pan down with a little olive oil before I started layering the goods and the lasagne served really nicely. And that’s it.
Did I mention I loved this dish? It is incredible. And my house smells amazing. I want sage and thyme at least once a week. And I think I should constantly be caramelizing onions in butter, also, for the good of the Union. I like the suggestions of chard and walnuts; I had been thinking of adding spinach, but chard is a more likely fit. So next time, I’ll be adding in greens and maybe halving the biscotti and putting in some crushed walnuts instead.
Look forward to your next posts!
Sarah Jessica – Wow, what a comment! I really enjoyed reading it.
I’m so glad you enjoyed the lasagne recipe and thank you letting me know how it turned out for you. My husband is upstairs getting ready for work right now, but when he comes down I’m going to show him your comment. I know he’ll get a kick out of it since the lasange recipe is his!
That looks absolutely delicious! And what a nice change from regular or spinach lasagna (which seems like one of the most popular meatless versions). As much as I love a red sauce lasagna, sometimes you just aren’t in the mood for tomato. I can’t wait to try this!
Thanks to you (and your husband of course!) for posting such a great recipe! I made this with a friend one night when we were craving something with squash and it was delicious! We used dried herbs instead of fresh (used the 1:3 rule) and substituted in a bit of basil for some of the sage (what can I say, I’m a freak for basil). We also used 1% milk, but it still came out perfect! On a slight aside, when we realized that the reserved liquid wasn’t being used for anything we were determined to use it. We were making brussel sprouts too so we dumped them in a baking dish, poured the reserved liquid from the squash in, and baked them at the same time as the lasange. They came out amazing too!