I’m sorry, but I’m at it again with butternut squash. I can’t help it, it’s so creamy, delicious and nutritious and it just screams fall to me! Not only that, it’s versatile and can be used in various dishes, just check out my archives for several different ways that I’ve used it in the past.
Sure, I’ve made your typical type lasagna using butternut squash but recently I realized that I never used it in a lasagna roll up.
I’m seriously considering this as my pasta side for Thanksgiving dinner this year, it’s that good!
Now lets talk sauce, which is based on a recipe from Chef frank De Carlo, well it just elevates the dish and funny thing is, you don’t really need alot. If you look at my top photo you’ll see I just put a little on the bottom of my baking dish and then I spooned some on top of each roll up, it’s not heavy at all, it’s dreamy!
Infuse some sage into melted butter and shallots, deglaze with broth, whisk in a small amount of pureed squash, add a little bit of cream and some parmesan. This is definitely party worthy!
Roasted and mashed butternut squash, chopped spinach, a mixture of ricotta, parmesan and asiago with a slight hint of garlic and lemon zest fills the pasta noodles.
The day I made this my whole family stopped over for one reason or another, I made a big salad to go along with it, and it was devoured in seconds!
Great as a stand alone meal right now, but certainly worthy for the upcoming holiday season. I see Thanksgiving side written all over this!
Lucky me, I was the recipient of all these beautiful squashes, so no doubt you will be seeing more squash recipes here in the future.
They were sent to me by a wonderful local company called Door to Door Organics, where you can have fresh organic and local produce, plus grocery items delivered right to your home. It’s funny because I had used them myself way before they ever even contacted me.
If you’re a regular reader of my blog you know how I love my veggies so this offer for me to try was a win win for me! I remember in the dead of winter last year how happy I was to see my order sitting outside my front door. What I love about the company is that there’s is no commitment, you could stop and start whenever you want.
So for all my readers who live in the Chicagoland area and want to give Door to Door Organics a try, here’s a ten dollar off coupon for you on your first order.
Now on to the recipe!
- 1 good sized butternut squash
- 2½ cups of cooked butternut squash for the entire recipe, 2 cups will be for filling mixture, ½ cup will be reserved for the sauce
- 1 cup, ricotta
- ¼ cup of frozen, chopped spinach, measured after it is drained well
- ½ cup of grated parmesan
- ⅓ cup of grated asiago
- 1 egg
- zest of 1 lemon
- 1 small garlic clove grated on a microplane
- salt and pepper to taste
- 8 or 9 cooked lasagna noodles
- FOR THE SAUCE
- ½ cup of reserved squash pulp, pureed smoother than the pulp for the filling
- 2 shallots, or ½ of a white onion, finely diced
- ½ stick, unsalted butter
- 1 small bunch of sage leaves
- ¾ cup of stock, I used chicken
- ¾ cup of cream
- ½ cup of grated parmesan
- salt and pepper to taste
- Prepare your squash ahead of time. Cut lengthwise, with skin still on, remove seeds and roast the squash, cut side down at 350 degrees until tender and a knife goes through with ease, close to an hour. Let it cool, then scoop out pulp.
- FILLING MIXTURE
- Mash 2 cups of the squash pulp into small chunks, making it easy for spreading.
- Add in ricotta, egg, cheeses,grated garlic, zest, salt and pepper, mix together well, then fold in spinach until incorporated.
- SAUCE
- Make your sauce by sauteing shallots in the butter with the sage leaves until slightly golden, then deglaze with the broth and whisk in the ½ cup of the well pureed squash that was reserved until nice and smooth on low heat.
- Whisk in the cream and add the grated parmesan cheese
- Salt and pepper to taste. Set aside.
- INSTRUCTIONS
- Spread about 3 tablespoons of filling on each cooked lasagna noodle, then roll up and place them seam side down on a shallow baking dish that has some of the sauce spooned onto the bottom. Spoon sauce on top of each lasagna roll up, plus grate a little parmesan cheese on top of each.
- Bake uncovered in a 350 degree oven for 15 to 20 minutes, sauce will be set and top will be slightly golden. There should be extra sauce for serving.
- This whole recipe can easily be doubled.
I’m Marie, a wife, mother, mother-in-law, and gramma of two beautiful girls. My passion is food, clear and simple but especially Italian food, hence the name of my blog, Proud Italian Cook. I want you to feel right at home here so grab a cup of coffee, I’ll get the pastries, take a look around and enjoy your visit! {
Made this as part of a Christmas dinner, but it could easily be a meal on its own! I used a bit more squash in both the filling and sauce because that was how much I had on hand. It’s fairly easy to make and I liked that I could make it ahead and just bake the next day. It makes a beautiful presentation on the table and would go well with just about anything. The lasagna rolls look quite large, so most people at my dinner started with half of one but went back for more. I did cut the lemon in half based on other reviews, and several people at my dinner commented on how lovely the touch of lemon was. I did not have asagio and used all parm and added a generous amount of rubbed sage to the sauce. The only thing that would have helped would have been to know what size pan to use because I wanted to put the rolls directly in the pan rather than rolling them all and then filling the pan (limited counter space). Other than that, I really enjoyed this and will be making again for potlucks or just to eat at home. Or maybe I will just make the sauce and sub that for mac and cheese.
Debora, I’m so glad you enjoyed it and it was served at your Christmas dinner, that makes me happy!
This is so good. I crave it every time I see a butternut squash. Do you think I could freeze the lasagna roll? Prior to the sauce and baking?
sauce was delicious and i will use it in other recipes as well! the lemon zest in the filling is overpowering and masked the other flavors. i will omit if i make it again.
Looks amazing & would like to make it…however, I’m allergic to sage, so do you have any recommendations on a substitute?
I would sub a few thyme branches, that would be just as good Cindy
Hey, Marie!
I am wondering how many this recipe serves? We have teenage grandchildren that eat like horses.
Thanks! This recipe looks like something they will love!
Cissy, I think I got 9 or 10 out of a lb. but if they eat like horses I would double it!
made this tonight as I was looking for a Thanksgiving pasta side (my husband is Italian)…Love the sage /butternut combo. He thought it was delicious and okayed it for this coming Thanksgiving. Thank you.
That’s great Coleen, Happy Thanksgiving!
This looks heavenly!! I’d like to make these for a luncheon. Do you think they can be put together the day before, refrigerated, and then baked off the next day? I would resersve the sauce until I baked them.
Absolutely Carmela, I would do just as you said! Enjoy!
Looks great@
Made it tonight – – fantastic. Other recipes tell you to add amaretto cookies–ignore them. This recipe is the best!
Jeanne, so glad you liked it! I’m not a fan of the amaretto cookies either, I’d rather have them with coffee!
Making this ASAP!! I have two butternut squash on my counter and an enormous sage bush in the garden. Looks so very YUM!
Butternut squash reminds me in some way of cauliflower — they both can be used in a variety of ways. This recipe looks wonderful and I can’t wait to make it!! Your photos are wonderful – thank you.
This looks so good. I can’t wait to try it. You are so inspiring.
I have had butternut roasted and as soup, and I love that Delicata you have in the bowl of squash, but I pinned this because it is just so appealing.
oh my stars I’m pinning this I can’t wait to make this, looks amazing
I think of you whenever I make a butternut squash recipe or datenut bread! xo
If it’s possible to eat the computer screen, I would do it. This just looks so darn delicious. I agree that it would be great for Thanksgiving as a first course. Or now. Can you ship some to me? That food delivery service sounds terrific too. How lucky for you to have that available.