Description
Butternut Squash Lasagna Roll Ups offer a delicious, comforting twist on traditional lasagna by incorporating smooth pureed butternut squash and a creamy spinach-ricotta filling. This baked dish features tender gluten-free lasagna noodles rolled with a flavorful mixture, topped with Italian cheese, and baked until bubbly and golden, perfect for a wholesome family meal.
Ingredients
Butternut Squash Sauce
- 1 lb butternut squash (peeled and diced)
- 1 teaspoon olive oil
- 1/4 cup shallots (minced)
- 2 cloves garlic (minced)
- 2 tbsp fresh grated Parmesan cheese
- Kosher salt and black pepper, to taste
Lasagna Roll Filling
- 9 lasagna noodles (cooked; use gluten-free noodles for gluten-free option)
- 10 oz package frozen chopped spinach (heated and squeezed well)
- 15 oz fat-free ricotta cheese (Polly-o recommended)
- 1/2 cup fresh grated Parmesan cheese
- 1 large egg
- Kosher salt and fresh cracked pepper, to taste
Topping
- 9 tbsp part-skim shredded Italian blend cheese (about 3 oz, such as Sargento)
- 1 tablespoon fresh parsley (minced)
Instructions
- Cook the Butternut Squash: Bring a large pot of generously salted water to a boil. Add the peeled and diced butternut squash and cook until soft, about 10-15 minutes.
- Puree the Squash: Remove the squash with a slotted spoon and reserve about 1 cup of the cooking water. Blend the squash until smooth with an immersion blender, adding 1/4 cup of the reserved water to thin the puree.
- Sauté Shallots and Garlic: In a large deep non-stick skillet, heat the olive oil over medium-low heat. Sauté the minced shallots and garlic for 4 to 5 minutes until soft and golden.
- Combine Sauce Ingredients: Add the pureed butternut squash to the skillet. Season with 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt and freshly cracked black pepper. Add more reserved water as needed to achieve desired sauce consistency. Stir in 2 1/2 tablespoons grated Parmesan cheese. Taste and adjust seasoning. Set aside.
- Preheat Oven and Prepare Dish: Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C). Spray a 9 x 12-inch baking dish lightly with oil.
- Spread Base Sauce: Ladle about 1/2 cup of the butternut squash sauce on the bottom of the baking dish and spread evenly.
- Make Filling Mixture: In a medium bowl, combine the heated and squeezed spinach with fat-free ricotta cheese, 1/2 cup Parmesan, egg, 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt, and fresh cracked pepper.
- Prepare Lasagna Noodles: Lay out cooked lasagna noodles on wax paper, ensuring they are dry.
- Roll the Noodles: Spread about 1/3 cup of the ricotta-spinach mixture evenly over each noodle. Carefully roll each noodle and place seam side down in the baking dish over the sauce. Repeat with all noodles.
- Add Sauce and Cheese Topping: Ladle about 1 cup of butternut squash sauce over the rolled noodles. Sprinkle 1 tablespoon of the shredded Italian cheese blend over each roll.
- Bake Covered: Cover the baking dish with foil. Bake for 40 minutes or until the cheese melts and the dish is hot and bubbly.
- Garnish and Serve: Remove foil, sprinkle with minced fresh parsley. To serve, ladle a little extra sauce onto each plate and top with a lasagna roll.
Notes
- Use gluten-free lasagna noodles to make this recipe gluten-free.
- Squeezing the cooked spinach well is crucial to avoid a watery filling.
- Adjust the amount of reserved cooking water to get your preferred sauce consistency.
- Fat-free ricotta and part-skim cheese blends reduce fat while keeping creamy texture.
- Leftovers can be stored covered in the refrigerator for up to 3 days and reheated gently.
