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Looking for the best vegetarian lasagna recipe? You're in the right place. This Butternut Squash and Spinach lasagna will become one of your favorites! This lasagna is stuffed with vegetables and combines Ricotta, Parmesan, and Mozzarella cheeses to create the ultimate Fall and Winter comfort food.
This delicious veggie lasagna recipe is healthy, meatless, gluten-free friendly, and perfect for the Fall and Winter season. Because it uses butternut squash, it's a great choice as a holiday vegetarian main dish or just a holiday recipe. It's so good, it's popular with kids!
To me, this is a great recipe to make any time of year, but because this lasagna has butternut squash, it is surely a good holiday veggie main dish for Thanksgiving, Christmas, or New Year's Eve.
This vegetarian recipe uses butternut squash puree, which you can easily make by following my easy step-by-step tutorial: how to make butternut squash puree. Or, you can always buy pureed butternut squash at the store.
I also want to warn you that this is my most photo-intensive post yet with lots of step-by-step photos which I think are quite helpful to make this delicious vegetarian lasagna. So, if you want to go directly to the bottom of this post - just scroll down.
Cooking tips
- Use cooked lasagna noodles. Bring a large pot of water to boil, cook the noodles al dente, rinse each noodle with cold water and drain. This will guarantee the perfect texture!
- Make this vegetarian lasagna gluten-free! Use brown rice gluten-free lasagna noodles and follow all the recipe instructions as-is.
- For butternut squash filling, make your own butternut squash puree from scratch or use a store-bought version.
- Here is a great tutorial on how to cook fresh spinach - this recipe uses lemon juice and lemon juice which will pair well with the butternut squash, but you can also skip the lemon and/or lemon zest if you don't like it.
- No boil lasagna noodles. You can use no-boil lasagna noodles with this recipe! You might need to add about ½ cup of milk or water or vegetable stock to the squash purée, in addition to the milk called for in the recipe. (Thank you, Debbie, for your great tip!) You might also have to bake the lasagna for 10 extra minutes.
- Make this lasagna vegan. Use vegan Parmesan and Mozzarella cheeses, then make vegan ricotta out of tofu and lemon juice using this recipe. (Thank you, Laura, for this wonderful tip!)
- Don't like vegetarian and want protein or meat? No problem. Add rotisserie chicken or cooked crumbled bacon in between lasagna layers.
I also tested this butternut squash and spinach lasagna with gluten-free noodles, and it works great! I used Tinkyada gluten-free brown rice lasagna noodles - almost the whole 10 oz package. So, yes, this recipe is gluten-free friendly, for sure!
Bake this vegetarian lasagna at 375 F covered with foil for the first 30 minutes, then remove foil and bake for additional 10 minutes.
With this delicious meatless vegetable lasagna, you will have no leftovers!
How to make vegetarian butternut squash and spinach lasagna (step-by-step photos):
First, prepare the butternut squash filling. Using a food processor, combine butternut squash puree with Ricotta cheese, milk, salt, and nutmeg. Add more milk if needed (to make the butternut squash filling very creamy). Mix very well, taste, and add more salt, if needed:
Next, make spinach filling by mixing cooked spinach, Ricotta cheese, Mozzarella cheese, minced garlic, salt and pepper:
Prepare a baking dish - I used a casserole dish 11 inches x 8.5 inches x 3 inches deep. Grease the bottom of the baking pan lightly with olive oil spray. Spread ⅓ of butternut squash filling on the bottom of the dish. Sprinkle lightly with mozzarella cheese.
Cook the lasagna noodles according to the package instructions, rinse with cold water and drain. Top the first layer of butternut squash mixture with cooked lasagna noodles without overlapping - as you can see I used 3 noodles. Use as many noodles as you need for your baking dish.
Spread half of spinach filling over the cooked noodles.
Top lightly with Mozzarella cheese:
Top with cooked lasagna noodles:
Spread another layer (⅓) of butternut squash mixture:
Sprinkle lightly with Mozzarella cheese:
Top with cooked lasagna noodles:
Spread the remaining half of spinach filling over the noodles. Top lightly with Mozzarella cheese.
Top with the final layer of cooked noodles:
Spread a generous amount of butternut squash filling (the remaining ⅓) over this final layer of noodles:
Sprinkle with grated Parmesan and remaining Mozzarella cheese (about ½ cup of Mozzarella):
Generously sprinkle the cheese with Italian seasoning, paprika, basil:
Cover the baking dish with foil and bake for 30 min. Remove foil and bake additional 10 minutes.
Your veggie lasagna is ready!
Recipes with Butternut Squash
Since you're looking at this butternut squash and spinach lasagna, I assume you like butternut squash. Here are a few other delicious recipes using this wonderful ingredient. All these recipes are also vegetarian and meatless.
- Butternut Squash and Spinach Tortellini
- Roasted Brussels Sprouts, Cinnamon Butternut Squash, Pecans, and Cranberries
- Black Bean and Butternut Squash Enchilada Casserole
- Quinoa Salad with Butternut Squash, Pine Nuts, Caramelized Onions and Feta cheese
Butternut Squash Salads:
- Autumn Salad with Butternut Squash and Pumpkin Seeds
- Butternut Squash Salad with Spinach, Pecans, Cranberries, and Pomegranate
Butternut Squash and Spinach Lasagna
Ingredients
Butternut Squash Filling:
- 2 cups butternut squash puree (about half of squash)
- 1 cup ricotta cheese
- ½ cup milk or more, if needed
- ¼ teaspoon salt plus ⅛ teaspoon more
- ¼ teaspoon nutmeg
Spinach Filling:
- 8 oz spinach (1 cup cooked spinach)
- 1 cup ricotta cheese
- 1 cup mozzarella cheese
- 2 garlic cloves minced
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- pepper to taste
Other Ingredients:
- 10 oz lasagna noodles cooked (for gluten free, use Tinkyada brown rice lasagna noodles)
- 1 ½ cups mozzarella cheese or more
- ½ cup Parmesan cheese on top
- ¼ teaspoon Italian seasoning
- ¼ teaspoon Paprika
- ¼ teaspoon Basil
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 375 F.
Butternut Squash Filling:
- For this filling, you will need to have pre-cooked butternut squash puree. Using food processor, combine 2 cups of butternut squash puree with Ricotta cheese, milk, salt and nutmeg. Add more milk if needed (to make the butternut squash filling very creamy). Mix very well, taste and add more salt, if needed.
Spinach Filling:
- Combine cooked spinach, Ricotta cheese, mozzarella, garlic, salt and pepper. Mix, taste, and add more salt and pepper, if needed.
- Note: The recipe I provide for how to cook spinach uses lemon juice and lemon zest which pairs nicely with butternut squash but you don't have to use lemon juice and/or lemon zest if you don't like it.
Cooking lasagna noodles:
- Bring a very large pot of water to boil, and cook lasagna noodles according to package instructions. Rinse in cold water, drain. Using knife, trim noodles to fit your baking dish (if necessary).
How to assemble vegetarian lasagna:
- Prepare a baking dish - I used a casserole dish 11 inches x 8.5 inches x 3 inches deep. Grease the lasagna dish lightly with olive oil spray. Spread ⅓ of butternut squash filling on the bottom of the dish. Sprinkle lightly with mozzarella cheese. Top with cooked lasagna noodles without overlapping (I used 3 noodles).
- Spread half of spinach filling over the noodles. Top lightly with Mozzarella cheese. Top with cooked noodles.
- Spread another layer (⅓) of butternut squash mixture, then sprinkle lightly with Mozzarella cheese. Top with cooked noodles.
- Spread the remaining half of spinach filling over the noodles. Top lightly with Mozzarella cheese. Top with the final layer of cooked noodles.
- Spread a generous amount of butternut squash filling (the remaining ⅓) over this final layer of noodles, sprinkle with grated Parmesan and remaining mozzarella cheese (about ½ cup of mozzarella). Generously sprinkle the cheese with Italian seasoning, paprika, basil.
- Cover the baking dish with foil and bake for 30 min. Remove foil and bake additional 10 minutes.
Notes
Make it GLUTEN-FREE
- Use brown rice gluten-free lasagna noodles (or any other kind of GF lasagna noodles) and follow all the recipe instructions as-is.
How to use NO-BOIL LASAGNA NOODLES
- You can use no-boil lasagna noodles with this recipe! You might need to add about ½ cup of milk or water or vegetable stock to the squash purée, in addition to the milk called for in the recipe. (Thank you, Debbie, for your great tip!) You might also have to bake the lasagna for 10 extra minutes.
How to make it VEGAN
- Use vegan Parmesan and Mozzarella cheeses, then make vegan ricotta out of tofu and lemon juice using this recipe. (Thank you, Laura, for this wonderful tip!)
Nutrition
Nutrition Disclaimer:
The nutritional information on this website is only an estimate and is provided for convenience and as a courtesy only. The accuracy of the nutritional information for any recipe on this site is not guaranteed. It should not be used as a substitute for a professional nutritionist’s advice.
I've never left a comment before but wanted to this time because this is a great recipe! Thank you!
Courtney, thank you so much for such a positive comment and the 5-stars! 🙂
This is a great base recipe! I’ve made this multiple times with a few changes. I roast 1/4 slices of butternut squash and add them to the purée layers, in essence double the squash. I also make about 2 cups of bechamel and add that to the squash and top layers. Thank you for sharing this one it’s definitely a keeper.
Joan, I love your changes. Adding roasted cubed butternut squash to puree layers sounds so decadent along with the bechamel sauce! Thanks for sharing that! 🙂
I wasn’t sure if we would like this, so I halved the recipe and baked it in a bread loaf pan.
It was nice and creamy, and we enjoyed it. As one reviewer suggested, I added some sliced fresh mushrooms on top of the spinach.
I didn’t have enough fresh garlic, so I substituted some garlic powder. Next time, I’ll make sure I have plenty of garlic, as the taste was rather mild, but still very good! I served it with baked garlic knots.
I will definitely be making this again!
Anne, thank you for trying this recipe and so glad it was a success! I love the addition of mushrooms - that sounds really good!!
Can you prepare this lasagna, then freeze to bake in a couple days ? Or best baked first?
Sue, yes, this is a perfect recipe for freezing. Just assemble everything, without baking. Freeze it. When ready to bake, thaw overnight in the refrigerator. And, then proceed to bake it when thawed. Enjoy!
Looking for a butternut squash recipe to add to Thanksgiving meal. Can this be assembled the day before and baked the next day?
Stacy, yes, this can definitely be assembled a day before, covered with foil, refrigerated, and then baked the next day! Happy Holidays! 🙂
Loved this recipe! Added pepper to the butternut squash purée, but otherwise followed it and was sooooo good!
Katt, I am so glad you tried this recipe and loved it! Thank you for taking the time to share such a positive comment! 🙂
Could you use a different kind of winter squash? (I'm thinking pumpkin or acorn squash) Would adjustments need to be made?
Tabitha, you could use either canned pumpkin puree (or make it yourself) or roast acorn squash and then make puree out of it just like you would do with butternut squash - all of that would work great!
Could you use spinach instead of broccoli?
Sherry, yes, you could use broccoli here!
I was wondering if I can make it the night before as I'm having a crowd over for a birthday supper?
Linda, since this recipe uses cooked ingredients, you can assemble the whole lasagna, cover it with foil, refrigerate it and then bake it in the oven the next day. Enjoy! 🙂
Made this last night for some girlfriends and it was a hit! I did add shredded rotisserie chicken and I also added some cayenne pepper to the butternut squash filling for a kick.. will be making this recipe again.. Thank you!
Melodye, I love your additions! Rotisserie chicken sounds amazing, and so does cayenne pepper (in moderate amounts). Thank you for taking the time to share such wonderful and positive feedback and the changes you made. Very helpful to everybody!
I've made this twice now & it's simply amazing. I love all things butternut & this butternut lasagna is to die for. The directions are excellent & I made it both times easily. Which after a recent fiasco from a different chef's lousy directions I really appreciate!
Laura, I am so glad that this lasagna turned out well. Thank you so much for taking the time to write such a wonderful comment, and I am glad you found my directions and the step-by-step photos helpful.
This is a great basic lasagna recipe. I made a few tweaks to maximize flavor. I oven roasted two whole heads of garlic and added them to the butternut squash puree and sautéed the spinach with a bunch more minced garlic (verses just adding it into the spinach layer). I also oven roasted a package of mushrooms and two zucchini until caramelized with some olive oil and the spices (Italian, paprika, basil) and make them added layers, plus used regular lasagna noodles, for a more textured bite. Extremely delicious results!
Esther, I love-love your creativity and delicious additions to this lasagna! Thank you for such a detailed and helpful comment!
Absolutely delicious!! My family LOVED it. Said don't ever make traditional lasagna again!
Diane, I am super flattered by your comment! 🙂 Glad your family enjoyed the lasagna!
great recipe. I used canned butternut squash and just mixed it together with the rest of the ingredients for the sauce. It turned out great. Really tasty.
Melanie, I love your shortcut! Glad you enjoyed the recipe and thank you for the 5-star rating!
One of my favorite veggie lasagnas! Instead of shredded monzorella on the top layer, I cut little ovals/place balls on top and it melts like a dream!!
Erica, I am so glad this is one of your favorite lasagnas! 🙂 Love your idea of placing Mozzarella ovals on top to melt - I am assuming you used fresh Mozzarella cheese that comes in large balls?
I've made this before & it's absolutely delicious. Do you know if this can be made a day ahead ? If so what would be the reheating instructions?
Since this lasagna uses cooked lasagna noodles, it's a perfect recipe to make ahead and refrigerate. You can assemble the lasagna, refrigerate it in an airtight container (important!), and then heat it up whenever you're ready. Just use the recipe instructions for reheating:
Cover the baking dish with foil and bake for 30 min. Remove foil and bake additional 10 minutes.
Can you make this and freeze it?
Tiara, yes, you can make this lasagna and freeze it.