Simple Caramelized Butternut Squash and Kale Lasagna
Try this Simple Caramelized Butternut Squash and Kale Lasagna recipe.
Try this Simple Caramelized Butternut Squash and Kale Lasagna recipe.
- 4 tablespoons butter
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1/4 teaspoon nutmeg
- 1/4 cup flour
- 1 tablespoon brown sugar
- 1 medium butternut squash peeled and cut into small cubes (about 8 cups)
- 4 cloves garlic finely chopped
- 1/2 teaspoon salt + 1/2 teaspoon pepper
- 1/4 teaspoon nutmeg plus a pinch more for the bã©chamel
- 6 fresh sage leaves chopped + more for topping
- 2 teaspoons fresh thyme chopped
- 1 large bunch kale roughly chopped
- 2 1/2 cups warm milk (i use 2%)
- 1/2 cup parmesan cheese grated, plus more for serving
- 4 ounces blue cheese crumbled (or use cream cheese or mozzarella)
- 8 ounces fontina cheese shredded
- 1 pound no boil whole wheat lasagna noodles
- toasted pumpkin seeds + salt for topping
- Carbohydrate 37.1401296231315 g
- Cholesterol 80.1907739557233 mg
- Fat 26.8886768716118 g
- Fiber 4.31646249392827 g
- Protein 16.9100762647911 g
- Saturated Fat 16.2492357700034 g
- Serving Size 1 1 Serving (364g)
- Sodium 662.496169627845 mg
- Sugar 32.8236671292033 g
- Trans Fat 1.57176114393611 g
- Calories 441 calories
Step-by-step
- Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F. and grease a 9x13 inch baking dish - if baking the lasagna right away.
- Heat a large skillet over medium heat, add the olive oil. Add the butternut squash and sprinkle with brown sugar and season with salt and pepper. Cook over medium heat stirring frequently to avoid burning for 10 to 15 minutes or until the squash begins to caramelize all over. Add the garlic, nutmeg sage and thyme, cook 5 or so minutes more.
- Now remove the skillet from the heat and add the kale, cover and let sit for 10 minutes. The heat from the pan will cook the kale down.
- Meanwhile, make the béchamel sauce. Melt the butter over medium heat and allow the butter to brown lightly. Once the butter begins to brown, add the flour and cook, whisking constantly, for 1 minute. Whisk in the warm milk in a steady stream. Add the a pinch of freshly grated nutmeg and simmer for 2 minutes, whisking. Remove from the heat, stir in the blue cheese (or mozzarella) and parmesan. Season with salt and pepper. Let cool, stirring occasionally to prevent a skin from forming.
- To assemble the lasagna, spoon a little béchamel onto the bottom of the prepared baking dish. Add a layer of lasagna noodles. Sprinkle about 1/3 of the butternut + kale mixture over the noodles. Now add 1/3 of the fontina cheese and drizzle with a little béchamel. Repeat the layering process until you have three to four layers. Once you get to the very top, spread any remaining béchamel over the noodles. Sprinkle with the last of the fontina cheese. Feel free to add more cheese if desired!! Top the lasagna with sage leaves.
- Spray a piece of tin foil with cooking spray and cover the the lasagna. At this point the lasagna can be placed in the fridge for up to 3 days or frozen.
- Bake, covered for 35-45 minutes and then uncovered for 15 minutes more. Let stand for 10 minutes before slicing. If your lasagna was cold prior to baking, bake covered for 15-30 minutes longer.
Attempting to assemble a baked pasta without allowing the hot roux-based sauce to cool slightly results in a separated layer of grease floating atop the noodles. Professional kitchens treat baked pasta as a multi-day project where structural integrity depends entirely on thermal management and moisture control.
- Browning the butter until the milk solids turn a deep golden amber introduces nutty complexity before the flour is even introduced for the sauce.
- Cover the surface of the cooling béchamel directly with plastic wrap pressed against the liquid to prevent an undesirable skin from forming on top.
- Hold the assembled unbaked dish covered in the refrigerator for up to 3 days before baking, or freeze it securely for future weeknight meals.
- Extend the initial covered baking duration by 15 to 30 minutes if the casserole goes straight from a chilled or frozen state into the 400 degree Fahrenheit oven.
Using freshly grated hard cheeses guarantees optimal melting behavior because pre-bagged alternatives contain cellulose powder that inhibits smooth emulsion. Whole-wheat noodles require adequate moisture from both the dairy sauce and the vegetables to soften properly during the bake.
