Butternut Squash, Goat Cheese, and Sage Lasagna
Butternut squash, goat cheese and sage lasgana has been a new family favorite. This dish is perfect for the fall. It is creamy and decadent. Goat cheese and Parmesan cheese create a tangy bechamel type sauce. This sauce is added to the butternut squash mixture packing a punch in every bite.
My sister Katie loves this recipe. She is always present for dinner when I make this. Perhaps it has made us closer! I was fortunate enough to share this on the Hallmark Channel’s Home and Family during the cook-off. This Butternut Squash Lasagna is great for a crowd and can be made ahead.
Butternut Squash, Goat Cheese, and Sage Lasagna
Creamy butternut squash combined with a goat cheese sauce makes this the perfect fall dish. Make ahead or serve right away. Top with crispy pieces of sage and crunchy breadcrumbs.
ingredients
butternut squash
1 butternut squash (about 3 lbs of squash; the squash should be halved and seeded. Or you can buy the pre-cut squash in the grocery store)
3 cloves garlic unpeeled, medium size
4 sprigs fresh thyme
1 Tbsp olive oil
kosher salt
pepper
goat cheese sauce
5 Tbsp unsalted butter
2-3 sprigs fresh sage
1/4 c all purpose flour
3 c whole milk
1/4 c crumbled goat cheese (about 4 oz)
1 c pecorino romano cheese, finely grated
1/4 tsp nutmeg, freshly grated
salt
pepper
breadcrumbs
1/4 c panko breadcrumbs
2 tsp fresh thyme, chopped
1 tsp fresh sage, chopped
1 lb lasagna noodles, cooked until al dente
instructions
Preheat the oven to 400 degrees.
Put the squash cut side up on a large, heavy-duty rimmed baking sheet. Put 1 garlic clove and 1 sprig of thyme in each cavity. Drizzle each half with 1 tsp. Of the oil and then season each with 1/4 tsp. Salt and a few grinds of pepper.
Roast until the squash is browned in spots and very tender when pierced with a skewer, fork, or toothpick, 45 to 50 minutes. Remove from the oven and let cool completely.
*if you have pre-cut squash make sure the cubes are all a similar size. Drizzle with olive oil. Season with salt, pepper, and toss to coat evenly. Place the springs of thyme and garlic cloves throughout the squash.
Discard the thyme sprigs. Peel the garlic and put in a large bowl. Scoop the squash flesh from the skins and add it to the garlic. Mash with a fork until smooth. Season to taste with salt and pepper.
Reduce the oven temperature to 350°f.
goat cheese sauce
Melt 4 tbs. Of the butter in a medium sized saucepan over medium heat. Add the sage sprigs and cook until the butter is fragrant, 2 to 3 minutes. Remove the sage.
Add the flour and whisk until smooth and golden, about 2 minutes. Gradually whisk in the milk and cook, whisking occasionally, until thickened enough to coat the back of a spoon, about 12 minutes
Stir in the goat cheese, 1/2 cup of the pecorino, the nutmeg, 1 tsp. Salt, and a few grinds of pepper. Season to taste with more salt and pepper. Set aside 1-1/2 cups of the sauce and mix the rest with the mashed squash.
breadcrumbs
Melt the remaining 1 tbs. Butter in a small skillet over medium heat. In a small bowl, mix the breadcrumbs, chopped sage, chopped thyme, a pinch of salt, and few grinds of pepper. Add the melted butter and mix well.
assemble
Spread 1/2 cup of the reserved cheese sauce over the bottom of a 9x13x3-inch baking dish. Cover the sauce with a slightly overlapping layer of cooked noodles.
Spread 1 cup of the squash mixture evenly over the noodles. Add another layer of noodles and repeat the layers as instructed above, to make a total of 4 squash layers and 5 pasta layers. Spread the remaining 1 cup cheese sauce evenly over the top. Sprinkle with the breadcrumb mixture and the remaining 1/2 cup pecorino
Cover the baking dish with foil and bake for 40 minutes. Remove the foil ... And drizzle on browned butter (see note below) and bake until the top is browned and bubbly, 15 to 20 minutes. Cool for at least 10 minutes before serving.
Browning butter: for this lasagna put 2 tbsp of butter into a pan over medium heat. The butter will start to foam and then you will see brown specks form. Remove the pan from the heat so the butter doesn't keep browning and burn.