Butternut Squash Lasagna

It may have been 80 degrees in LA this week, but the calendar says it’s still winter, which means lots of butternut squash.  After receiving a large squash in my CSA box for the third week in a row, I had to come up with a butternut squash recipe that would use up a lot of squash AND please my we-are-tired-of-butternut-squash family.  I decided on a butternut squash lasagna.  It was so good and nutritious, and we had leftovers for next night.

3 cups cooked butternut squash puree*
1 tsp sugar
1 tsp salt, divided
1/2 stick butter
1 clove garlic, crushed or minced
1/4 cup flour
3 1/2 cups milk
1/4 tsp nutmeg
1 cup basil leaves, lightly packed
1 8 oz carton creme fraiche
1 pkg no-boil lasagna noodles
1 16oz bag shredded mozzarella cheese

Preheat oven to 350º  In a large bowl, combine squash, sugar, and 1/2 tsp salt with a fork and set aside.  In a large pan, heat butter over low-medium heat.  Add garlic and cook 1 minute.  Whisk in flour.  Whisk in milk and nutmeg.  Increase heat to medium-high and cook sauce until it just begins to boil.  Reduce heat to medium and cook about 5 minutes, stirring continuously.  Remove from heat.  Using a food processor or blender, combine basil, creme fraiche, 1/2 tsp salt, and sauce and pulse until well blended.  Pour some sauce into the bottom of a deep casserole dish (enough to just cover the bottom, about 1 cup).  Then place a layer of lasagna noodles, then about 1 cup of butternut squash, then mozzarella.  Drizzle about 1/2 cup sauce on top of the cheese.  Then another layer of noodles, then sauce,  squash, mozzarella, sauce, noodles, sauce, squash… do this three times.  End with a final layer of noodles.  Then drizzle remaining sauce and top with remaining shredded mozzarella.  Cover and bake 55 minutes.

* For instructions on how to cook butternut squash, click here.

Tags: butternut squash, butternut squash recipe, how to cook butternut squash