I really didn't like squash very much... until one evening in college, I was invited over to a friend's apartment for supper. And I went, without asking anything about the menu, because free food. This butternut squash lasagna was the entree that night, and I was not enthused. Until I tried it.

I immediately got the recipe, and never looked back. This. Is. Good. Even if you don't really like squash. Even if you're not sure about the color yellow. Even if you can't imagine a meal without some kind of meat.

This recipe does take a while, but there are a few things that I do to help this process go a little faster:

• If I'm crunched for time, I roast the squash the night before, or even a couple of days before, scoop out the flesh into a bowl, and stick it in the fridge until I need it.

• I also like to make more than one lasagna- it doesn't take that much longer to make two, or even four... and then I can stick the extras in the freezer until I need them.-- Freezing instructions are at the bottom of the page.

Okay, now for the recipe:

Butternut Squash Lasagna 

3 lbs butternut squash, halved

3 Tbs vegetable oil

1/2 tsp salt

1/4 c unsalted butter

2 Tbs minced garlic

1/4 c flour

2 c whole milk (or heavy whipping cream, or 1 cup cream and 1 cup milk)

9 no-cook lasagna noodles

1 1/3 c Parmesan cheese

1) Preheat oven to 450 degrees F. Cut squash in half, and remove seeds and pulp.

This squash was weird and had two seed-spots. Strange, I know. But for a squash that grew out of our compost pile by accident, I wasn't going to complain.

2) Brush squash with olive oil and sprinkle with salt. 

3) Roast on greased baking sheet until flesh is soft (about 45-50 minutes).

So, the recipe says to grease the baking sheets, but I almost never do. Just saying. Full disclosure.

Like I said, I like to make two of these lasagnas at the same time so I can freeze one, or I'll roast two butternut squashes and use one as a side dish later in the week. Saves a little time later on. (The day I took these pictures, I was making two lasagnas so I could freeze one.)


4) Turn oven temperature down to 350. Remove squash from oven and let the squash cool for 15 minutes.


 

5) Meanwhile, while the squash cools, heat butter in a large sauce pan. Stir in garlic and cook for a few minutes, then slowly add flour and whisk.

6) Whisk in the milk/cream until smooth.

Personally, I like this recipe even better when I use 2 cups of whipping cream, but my waistline likes it a lot less. Just saying. But yum.

7) Bring to a simmer for 10 minutes. Meanwhile, scoop the butternut squash flesh from the skins- discard skins. 

At this point, I have to shoo my husband from the kitchen, because he likes eating roasted butternut squash just like this. Which is another reason I often roast two squashes at the same time.

8) Add the squash to the milk mixture. Stir well until completely incorporated.

9) Pour 1 cup squash mixture into a greased 9x13 pan.

(or, since I'm making two so I can freeze one... two lasagnas shown here. In part because I have a tiny kitchen and didn't have any room to put the second one where it wouldn't be in the shot. Just saying.)

10) Layer lasagna as follows: 3 noodles, squash, Parmesan cheese, noodles, squash, cheese, noodles, cheese. 

A quick note about the noodles- I really like to use whole wheat noodles, but my husband doesn't like them as much (I don't know why, really... maybe I should ask him?), so I compromise by using half whole wheat and half regular lasagna noodles.

11)  Cover with foil, bake 30 minutes at 350. 

Or, if you're planning on freezing one, cover the lasagna with a layer of plastic wrap, then cover with foil, and pop in the freezer. When you're ready to bake it from frozen, thaw overnight in the fridge. Remove plastic wrap and foil, and replace the foil, and bake at 375 for about 45 minutes.

I'm gonna bake the one on the left, and freeze the one on the right.



And after you bake it, try to take a picture before it's mostly gone. I can almost never do that.