Roasted Butternut and Sweet Potato Whole Wheat Lasagna.
I’m in dirty lust.
Which is huge. Because you may remember that I don’t even like lasagna. Oh cheese and quackers! Big news: I now love it. I don’t just love it. I flippin’ love it.
Sidebar: does sage freak anyone else the heck out? It’s just so… furry. It is one of my favorite herbs – I love everything about it from it’s taste to it’s scent, but I can barely get past it’s touch. And it’s not furry like a peach. It’s furry like some sort of… creeper.
That’s why I like to make it crispy. Well, that… and because two weeks ago I ate pumpkin ravioli with crisped sage over top and I actually thought that I had died. Like, that I was dead. Literally. Nothing on Earth should be allowed to taste that good.
Here’s one thing I will not be winning an award for anytime soon… cutting squares of lasagna. I think you’re supposed to let it “set” or something? Ha! Like I’d have the patience for that. I nearly consumed the pan with a spoon fresh from the oven. Taste buds be damned.
I know that this mess of cheesy squash doesn’t look like much, but I gotta tell you that it’s probably the most visually underrated dish I have ever made. I didn’t expect it to taste half as delicious as it did… and I was completely blown away. There is so much flavor packed into each little square that it’s like eating a giant plate of autumn. Plus, all of that squash has to count for a few days worth of vegetables. I love when I accidentally on purpose eat something delicious. Â
Roasted Butternut and Sweet Potato Whole Wheat Lasagna
makes one 8×8 dish
9-12 whole wheat lasagna noodle sheets (preferably no-boil)
1/2 medium butternut squash, peeled and cubed (about 2 cups cubed)
2 medium sweet potatoes, peeled and cubed (about 1 1/2 cups cubed)
12 ounces mascarpone cheese, at room temperature
3 tablespoons unsalted butter
1 shallot, thinly sliced
3 cloves of garlic, minced or pressed
1 1/2 cups freshly grated parmesan cheese
1/2 cup freshly grated mozzarella cheese
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon pepper
1/4 teaspoon nutmeg
a bunch of sage leaves
olive oil for drizzling
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
For squash & potatoes: Lay cubed squash and potatoes on a baking sheet, and drizzle with a bit of olive oil (only about 1-2 teaspoons). Use your hands to coat the squash and potatoes with olive oil, then sprinkle with nutmeg and 1/2 teaspoon each of salt and pepper. Roast for 50 minutes, tossing every 15 minutes or so. Remove from oven and let cool.
Once cool, mash with a potato masher or fork. After mashing mine, I actually used a hand mixer with beaters to “whip” them a bit more, but that isn’t necessary. The consistency is up to you. Just make sure it is spreadable.
For mascarpone filling: Heat a skillet over medium heat and add butter. Add in shallots and garlic, and whisk every 30 seconds or so for 2-3 minutes. The butter should brown and the shallots and garlic should be fragrant. You don’t want the butter to burn – Â if it seems to hot, reduce the heat. If it does burn, start over (sorry – totally worth it though!). Remove from heat and let cool for 10 minutes.
In a bowl, combine mascarpone, 3/4 cup parmesan cheese, remaining salt and pepper, and the shallots, butter and garlic. Mix until somewhat smooth and spreadable.
Layer lasagna: Spray an 8×8 pan with non-stick spray, then lay 2-3 (depending on size/brand) noodles down. Spread half of the squash mixture evenly over top, then spread/crumble half of the mascarpone on top of that. Sprinkle half of the mozzarella and remaining parmesan on next, then repeat with one more set of noodles, squash, mascarpone, and cheese.
Top the dish over with a bunch of sage leaves that will crisp up in the oven. Bake for 45 minutes, or until cheese on top is golden and bubbly. This dish will serve 2-4 as an entree, and 4-6 as a side dish.
Promise me you’ll make this for dinner. Promise!!
301 Comments on “Roasted Butternut and Sweet Potato Whole Wheat Lasagna.”
I’ve been in love with butternut squash as of lately. This looks delicious! :)
Beautiful lasagna! I love the flavors. I could probably eat the whole pan. At least I would try to! ;)
oh, the texture of sage! creepy all right!
this looks delish, I really do have my moments where I crave cheese ;)
Can I prepare this and cook it the next day?
Yep!
I think my favorite thing about this recipe is “serves 2-4 as an entree.” An 8×8 dish of lasagna for two – totally acceptable!! Especially when it looks that delicious :)
This looks like something fabulous and I can make some to freeze for later.
I totes just made this. Used some thyme because the husband hates sage, and it worked deliciously. Best lasagna I’ve ever eaten, YUM!
Awesome! So glad you liked it.
“It’s furry like some sort of… creeper.” HAHA I’m still cracking up as I write this. I have an obsession with butternut squash lately, as evidenced by the soup recipe I recently posted. This is right up my alley and looks like it could very well become a staple in my house this autumn. =)
There are very few tastes as wonderful as butternut squash and sage… put on top of that pasta + cheese? there are no words ;-)
This look incredible!! I have to make this now. :D
Lord have mercy girl..you go from red velvet donuts to lasagna. You are my new best friend. Seriously I’m going to be stalking you in a non creepy way.
I’ll have to skip the sage (It’s not just that it’s furry. It’s furry and scaly-bumpy. Like a lizard. A lizard with fur. It’s just not right.) but the rosemary on our porch is threatening to turn into a tree if we don’t eat it all, so that’s all right. I’ll be adding half a pumpkin to the sweet potato and squash, too, so we’ll see how that goes very soon. Served me right for checking blogs after making dinner tonight–I crave, but must behave!
Thanks for this recipe! It looks delicious and I’m adding it straight to my menu plan.
I have a hard time waiting til it sets too:)I love this recipe. I make a similar one but now want to try your version with the sweet potatoes:)DELICIOUS!!!!
Cross my heart and all drooling aside!
Agreed with Krista – the layers and colors are so beautiful. Drool-worthy lasagna :)
I am obsessed with you haha. it is official!
How do you make lasagna less dry??? :3
That looks absolutely delicious!
Oh my goodness I need this right now…
I have a can of butternut squash puree lying around I’ve been meaning to use – do you think that would work, or is roasting the squash essential?
It would probably work! Just season it with some salt and pepper.
I pinky promise :) This is totally my kind of lasagna…maybe not the kids and hubby’s, but hey…I’m cookin’ Can’t wait to try it!
Off Topic: Do you do a whole “christmas cookie bonanza” coming? I don’t think I had found you before last Christmas and, over here in MI, I just cut out my first batch to freeze…the baking has begun! While I have a substancial (good golly spell check…how DO you spell that word???) list already, I love a new cookie every season…you’ll be the one I’m watching for that gem :)
I did do a post on what cookies I was going to bake last year… I don’t do well under pressure – if I come up with some new cookies that I adore, I will definitely post! But I can’t plan to make one or else I just totally fail. I will do a post on what I’m baking though. :)
P.S. where did you find the whole wheat lasagna noodles? Or what brand? I can’t find it at our Meijer…maybe I haven’t looked well enough…are they from TJ’s?
Dellalos brand!
I was also wondering where you were able to pick up whole wheat no boil lasagna noodles, I am in the South Hills area of Pgh and have not seen them anywhere. Though, our Trader Joe’s is opening soon and I am SO excited!!!
Emily – mine are Delallos brand… I have had them for a while and can’t remember if I got them at Dellalos or at Giant Eagle because I shop at both. They may have them there!
I just made this for dinner last night and it was amazing! My only issue was that the noodle sheets were still crunchy in parts (I did use Delallos). Did this happen to you, Jessica? Although, I did mis-read the recipe and removed from oven at 30 min, not 45; could that have been it? I tried to put it back in after we cut into it and found the crunchy parts, but didn’t work. Probably b/c the heat had a place to escape… I don’t know what the point of this post is really?! haha, just wondering if your noodles got soft all the way through, I guess?
Promise!
To avoid the messiness of cutting a lasagna square (I’m the oldest of 5 and dinner needed to be served quickly and with less mess), my mom makes lasagna “roll-ups.” Simply layer the filling on a noodle and roll it up. Roll-ups are also good for portion control!
Love reading your blog and usually don’t comment, but I had to this time. I just got home from the store and realized the trash was not picked up yesterday (after I raced around the house to get it out mind you). I thought, “did I pay the bill?”. Then, I realized that today is Wednesday and trash day is Thursday!!! I had put everything out on Tuesday. So funny that the same thing happened to you. What’s up with that?
This will be Sunday night dinner for sure! Yum!
This sounds absolutely awesome! Can’t wait to try it!
Oh . My. Gosh. I promise.
I have this secret, obsessive loathing of ugly stuff that tastes amazing, especially when served by someone else for COMPANY, and I’m that company, and I want to hate it because it’s ugly but I don’t. Like, hypothetically speaking, someone’s mother-in-law’s gray, slimy chop suey casserole? Yeah, I REALLY want to hate that, and everytime I eat it (hypothetically speaking, while trying not to curl my upper lip in anticipatory disgust) I end up hating myself for not hating it. Savvy?
This is amazing. I love squash lasagna, and the addition of sweet potato is brilliant. This may be our Sunday dinner.
Run out, get the ingredients and make this tonight! It was soooooo yummy, even my picky eater loved it!
we add spinach to our butternut squash lasagna for contrast and flavor — but this one, looks amazing. I’ll be adding it to our fall recipe list. Thanks.
Promise. And when *I* make a promise, I keep it…
P.R.O.M.I.S.E. and i’ll even give the furry sage thing a crack ;-)
Could I double the recipe and use a 9 x 13 pan? I’d like to make this for a large group.
This makes an 8×8 dish? Shouldn’t you adjust the recipe to indicate this serves one? Because in my house, it *would* serve one. ME.
oh. my. gosh
i made this last night and it kind of changed my life. My husband took one bite and said “what kind of meat is in this?” I said none- just vegetables. The he said “wow”, ate half the pan, and I found him trying to sneak the tinfoil off it again two hours later to eat more of it cold. I tackled him because there was no way I was going to let him finish off the pan and leave none left for me. One of the most spectacular lasagnas I’ve ever had….and I even like the real ones.
p.s. – the marscapone filling was a little thin because I’m pretty sure I ate half the bowl while waiting for the sqaush to roast. i’d call that crack cheese.
haha Jamie, my boyfriend and I pretty much had the same experience. He ate spoonfuls of the mascarpone filling then devoured half the lasagna, even though it was made ahead for the next nite’s dinner.
Jessica, this is the BEST lasagna I’ve ever had. Every year I make 3 kinds of lasagna for the 20+ family members at our Christmas meal. I think this year they’ll be getting your recipe as well! Thank you!!
Butternut and sweet potato anything is a winner in my book. Never would have thought of making lasagna though! I know this will be a winner when I try making it!
I promise that I’m making this next week. Husband is stoked.
The flavors in this dish were AMAZING – but my noodles came out crunchy! I followed the baking directions and used no boil noodles… any idea what could have gone wrong? What makes the noodles soft in this recipe? It’s possible that I didn’t use enough mascarpone, as my container was only eight ounces…
So glad you liked it! Honestly, I don’t know enough about lasagna to determine why… I’m far from a lasagna expert! You probably did need a little more mascarpone, but maybe it could have been the brand of noodles? It could have even been the water content in the squash/potatoes. Or it could have just been my recipe, because this is only the second time I’ve made lasagna and am totally unfamiliar with it!
Thanks so much! I’m thinking it could have been the squash and potatoes… because I didn’t have quite enough to cover the layers completely. Don’t worry, I’ll be trying again!
This looks AMAZING!!! I have already been drooling over this recipe for days. I’m making it tomorrow night for 4 people (myself included) that LOVE TO EAT. And I am really bad at math. I want to make it in a 9X12 pan instead of 8X8. Would I times the recipe by 1.5? Helppppp ;)
I would just go ahead and double the squash and mascarpone/cheese layers. That should definitely work!
Thank you sooo much :)
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That lasagna is gorgeous – especially the toasted brown cheese on top!!! PERFECTION.
Ohhh…Pinning this now!
I made this tonight and it was AMAZING! Even my husband who has to have meat in every dish loved it! Question–Jessica, when you made it, was there an excess amount of grease/butter/oil after? I used 2 tbsp of olive oil for the roasting and 3 tbsp of butter like you said, but I did use more mozarella cheese. Could that have been it? It was SUPER delicious but lots of grease/butter/oil!
I’m wondering about the grease/butter/oil excess too! I made this last night and while it was delicious, it was literally swimming in grease (and I don’t see any in your picture). The only culprit I can think of is the mascarpone? I’ve never worked with it before, and I used Trader Joe’s brand – are there different kinds and I just ended up with a really greasy one or something? (My mozzarella and parmesan were also from Trader Joe’s and didn’t seem like they would really have greased up that much.) Or did I screw up the butter browning somehow?
I had the same issues with the excess oil/grease too! I followed the recipe exactly…I also used TJ’s mascarpone cheese as well as TJ’s parm and mozzarella – I’m thinking we screwed something up in the butter process…it doesn’t seem like 3 tbsp of butter should cause that much greasiness.
Hey guys! Gah… not really sure what’s going on with the oil/grease. I didn’t use any TJ’s products, but I’m just wondering if it has something to do with the actual shredded cheese? I had a *tiny* bit of grease on the bottom of my pan, but nothing major as you can see in the pics. I’m not really familiar with lasagna, so I’m not sure if this happens with regular lasagnas too, since they call for a lot of cheese? I’m thinking you could decrease the amount of butter – however, that is a major flavor point in the recipe! Maybe try a different brand of cheese or even a 2 % cheese with less fat? I wish I had more answers, but Elaine… you are right – 3 TB of butter shouldn’t cause a ton of grease which is why I’m think it may be in the cheese?
I had the same issue (not like it stopped us from shoveling handfuls of lasagna into our mouths as quickly as possible, though). I’ve never used mascarpone before this but I’m pretty sure it’s not the mozzerella. I’ve never had a problem with mozz, as long as you shred it yourself. Maybe the parm is the culprit? Alfredo sauces can get greasy so that could be it.
Oh who cares. Drain the grease and grab a big ol’ fork!! ha :) Mmmm!
My coworkers think it’s the marscapone cheese (I also used TJ’s for all cheeses).. It has super high fat content… So maybe that’s it? Regardless, I plan to make it again on Thursday for my coworkers!
Do you think if we used a different brand of marscapone it would make a difference? What about ricotta? Does marscapone have a distinct taste/texture that makes it special? I mean it gets mixed with that incredible garlic/shallot/butter mixture and that’s all I could think about!
Nice! Definitely a healthy choice for lasagna. I’m into it!
I just made this last night and LOVED it! It was so flavorful and delicious. I did not use no bake noodles and added 1/3 cup of water around the edges before putting in the oven. The inside layers were cooked perfectly but the bottom layer was a bit tough. Next time I think I’ll put a little of the squash layer on the bottom of the pan, similar to how you put a bit of marinara down when making traditional lasagna.
I meant no boil noodles. Duh!
I just tried this last night. I was so intrigued, I just HAD to try it. My boyfriend is super picky, but this lasagna totally won him over. Thanks so much for this awesome recipe!!
Ooh, this looks amazing, Jess! Butternut squash lasagna is one of my favorites, and your recipe looks great.
oh sweet perfection. i made this dish for dinner tonight. i grumbled a couple times “it better be good” since it was “involved” w/ quiet a few steps. but your last line kept ringing in my head: promise me you’ll make this. i thought…this stuff must be great. and, indeed, it was. i texted my cousin whose hubby is a chef to say he’d be proud of me for making “butternut squash and sweet potato whole wheat lasagna w/sage and mascarpone.” she replied, “holy cow!!!” to which i properly respond “it’s so frickin good!”
thanks for another great recipe. you rock.