Description
This Vegan Butternut Squash Lasagna is a nourishing and flavorful plant-based dish featuring roasted butternut squash blended into a creamy sauce, layered with sautéed mushrooms, kale, and gluten-free lasagna noodles. Perfectly baked to golden perfection, this recipe is both comforting and wholesome, offering a dairy-free, gluten-free option for a hearty meal.
Ingredients
Scale
Butternut Squash Sauce
- 1 small butternut squash (yields ~2 cups or 480 g purée)
- 10-12 cloves garlic, peeled and left whole
- 1 ¼ cup raw cashews
- 3 Tbsp lemon juice
- 1/2 tsp sea salt (plus more to taste)
- 1 Tbsp nutritional yeast (optional)
- 1 ½ cups water (plus more as needed to blend)
Noodles
- 10 ounces dry lasagna noodles (gluten-free as needed, e.g., Tinkyada)
- 1 Tbsp salt (for salting pasta water)
- 1/2 tsp olive oil
Filling
- 1 ½ Tbsp olive oil
- 1 large onion, diced (about 3 cups chopped)
- 6 cups roughly chopped cremini mushrooms
- 8 cups finely chopped kale (1 bundle)
- 1/2 tsp sea salt
- 1/2 tsp black pepper
- 1 tsp dried thyme (optional)
For Serving (optional)
- Freshly chopped basil
- Vegan parmesan cheese
Instructions
- Roast Butternut Squash and Garlic: Preheat oven to 425°F (218°C). Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Slice the squash lengthwise, remove seeds, but keep skin on. Rub flesh with oil. Place garlic cloves on the baking sheet and position squash cut side down over the garlic to prevent burning. Roast for 30-40 minutes until the skin is blistered and a knife easily pierces the squash.
- Cook Lasagna Noodles: Meanwhile, bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Cook lasagna noodles according to package instructions until al dente. Drain and toss gently with olive oil to prevent sticking. Set aside.
- Sauté Vegetables: Heat a large rimmed skillet over medium heat. Add olive oil and sauté diced onions for 3-4 minutes until softened. Add mushrooms and cook for 5-7 minutes until lightly browned. Stir in kale, salt, pepper, and thyme if using, and sauté for another 5-7 minutes until kale is tender.
- Prepare Butternut Squash Sauce: Once roasted squash is cool enough to handle, scoop out 2 cups (480 g) of squash flesh into a high-speed blender. Add roasted garlic cloves, cashews, lemon juice, sea salt, nutritional yeast if using, and 1½ cups water. Blend until smooth and creamy, adding more water as needed. Taste and adjust seasoning with extra salt, lemon juice, garlic, or nutritional yeast.
- Reduce Oven Temperature: Lower oven temperature to 350°F (177°C) to prepare for baking the lasagna.
- Assemble Lasagna: In a 9 x 13 inch baking dish, spread ½ cup (120 ml) of butternut squash sauce evenly at the bottom. Layer noodles over the sauce, then spread one-third of the sautéed vegetable filling. Repeat layering two more times with sauce, noodles, and filling. Finish with a final layer of noodles topped with the remaining sauce, making sure noodles are fully coated.
- Bake the Lasagna: Bake uncovered at 350°F (177°C) for 30 minutes or until the top layer is slightly dry and lightly browned.
- Cool and Serve: Remove the lasagna from oven and let it cool for 5-10 minutes to set. Slice, garnish with freshly chopped basil and vegan parmesan cheese if desired, and serve warm.
Notes
- To freeze: Assemble the lasagna as directed. Cover tightly and freeze up to 1 month. To bake, preheat oven to 350°F (176°C). Bake covered with foil for 25 minutes if thawed, or 45 minutes to 1 hour if frozen. Remove foil and bake an additional 5-10 minutes until bubbly and heated through.
- Nutrition estimates do not include optional nutritional yeast or vegan parmesan cheese and assume ¼ tsp salt absorbed in pasta water.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 slice (1/6 of recipe)
- Calories: 330 kcal
- Sugar: 6 g
- Sodium: 350 mg
- Fat: 14 g
- Saturated Fat: 2 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 12 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 40 g
- Fiber: 7 g
- Protein: nine g
- Cholesterol: 0 mg
