My butternut squash lasagna is a cozy and comforting pasta recipe layered with a silky sauce, roasted butternut squash, roasted garlic, mascarpone and sage, filled with lean, seasoned ground turkey and spinach. This recipe is a rich and colorful twist on classic lasagna, bursting with the savory flavors of fall!
Butternut Squash Lasagna, the Perfect Autumn Lasagna
Rich, cheesy and delicious, lasagna can either be made with just a few very basic ingredients or can be “dressed up” a little, prepared to match whatever season one finds themselves in by using abundant, seasonal ingredients making for a colorful and unique expression of this beloved dish.
My butternut squash lasagna recipe is a delicious example of a vibrant, autumn lasagna, one filled with a silky sauce prepared with roasted and pureed butternut squash, roasted garlic, sage, and some creamy mascarpone cheese for delicate richness.
The layers are generously filled with deliciously seasoned and savory lean ground turkey, baby spinach and gooey melted mozzarella cheese, making this lasagna not only a scrumptious any-night-of-the-week meal, but also a terrific alternative to a more traditional Thanksgiving Day meal, brimming with all of the traditional flavors!
How to Make Butternut Squash Lasagna
Assembling this delicious butternut squash lasagna is exactly the same as assembling a traditional lasagna.
This recipe has layers of velvety sauce and a savory filling, only the sauce is not tomato-based, but rather a silky, pureed butternut squash sauce! This sauce does take a bit of time and a touch of extra TLC, but let me tell you, it is so worth it.
Here's a peek at my butternut squash lasagna recipe: or just jump to the full recipe...)
- To begin, heads of garlic and the cubed butternut squash are roasted together, then pureed until smooth and silky.
- Next, a touch of mascarpone cheese, half and half, and grated parmesan are added into the pureed sauce to round out and intensify the flavors.
- Lean ground turkey is sauteed separately with a touch of savory sage as well.
- Finally, the cooked lasagna noodles are layered with the sauce, the seasoned turkey, some baby spinach leaves, and a generous sprinkle of mozzarella cheese, then baked off to golden, gooey scrumptiousness.
Recipe
Butternut Squash Lasagna
by Ingrid Beer
Category: Entree
Cuisine: Italian-American
Yield: Serves 12
Nutrition Info: 484 calories
Prep Time: 25 minutes
Cook time: 1 hour 20 minutes
Total time: 1 hour, 45 minutes
Lasagna Ingredients:
- Olive oil
- 1 ¼ lb. ground turkey
- ½ teaspoon Italian seasoning
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ¼ teaspoon black pepper
- 1 clove garlic, finely minced
- 2 teaspoons chopped, fresh sage leaves
- 12 lasagna noodles, cooked
- 4 cups fresh, baby spinach leaves
- 4 cups shredded mozzarella cheese
Butternut Squash Sauce Ingredients:
- 3 heads garlic, tops cut off
- Olive oil for drizzling
- 3 teaspoons salt, plus a pinch, divided use
- 4 lbs. butternut squash, peeled and cubed (I used 4, 1lb. packages pre-cut squash)
- 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning
- ½ teaspoon black pepper
- 1 cup chicken stock
- 2 cups half and half
- 4 ounces mascarpone cheese
- ¼ cup grated parmesan cheese
- To prepare the sauce, preheat the oven to 400°, and line a baking sheet with parchment paper or foil.
- Drizzle a little olive oil over the 3 heads of garlic, and sprinkle a couple of pinches of salt over top, as well; wrap each head of garlic tightly in foil, and place the heads directly onto the rack in the oven to roast.
- Once the garlic heads have roasted for about 10 minutes, toss together the cubed butternut squash with about 3 tablespoons of olive oil, 1 teaspoon of the salt, and the black pepper, and turn the squash out onto the lined baking sheet; now place the wrapped garlic heads onto the baking sheet next to the squash to roast along side for about 30-35 minutes until the squash is very tender (total roasting time for the garlic will end up being about 40-45 minutes).
- Once the squash is tender, remove it from the oven along with the heads of garlic, and allow the squash and garlic heads to cool slightly so they can be handled; once slightly cooled, squeeze the cloves of garlic from the whole heads, and mash lightly with a fork (they should be very tender and sweet), and set aside.
- Next, add about ⅓ of the roasted squash into the bowl of a food processor (you will work in about 3 batches), and process with about ⅓ of the roasted garlic, until smooth and pureed; turn the processed squash/garlic into a large pot, and repeat the pureeing process with the remaining squash/garlic and turn that out into the pot once pureed, as well.
- Place the pot with the pureed squash/garlic onto low heat, and add in the warm chicken stock and the warm half and half, and carefully whisk or stir to completely incorporate.
- Add in the mascarpone cheese, the parmesan and the remaining 2 teaspoons of salt, and once again stir/whisk to combine, until the mascarpone and parmesan are blended in completely; remove the sauce from the heat and set aside until ready to use for the lasagna.
- Reduce the oven temp to 350°, and have a 12”x10”x2” (roughly) baking dish on hand.
- To prepare the turkey filling for the lasagna, place a large, non-stick saute pan over medium-high heat, and add about 2 tablespoons worth of olive to the pan; once the oil gets hot, add the ground turkey into the pan, and break up the meat with a spatula or spoon.
- Next, add in the Italian seasoning, the salt, pepper and the garlic, and stir to incorporate; cook the turkey for a few minutes until cooked through and no longer pink; remove from heat and stir in the fresh sage; set aside to slightly cool.
- To assemble the lasagna, begin by adding about 1 cup of the butternut squash sauce to the bottom of the baking dish; next, add 4 of the cooked lasagna noodles over the sauce, and then add another 2 cups of the sauce over top of the noodles.
- Next, add about half of the cooked, ground turkey, followed by 2 cups of the baby spinach leaves; sprinkle over about 1 cup worth of the mozzarella cheese, and repeat the layering process by once again adding 4 lasagna noodles, 2 cups of sauce, the remainder of the ground turkey and the remaining 2 cups of baby spinach leaves, plus another sprinkle of about 1 cup worth of the cheese.
- Finish the lasagna by adding the remaining lasagna noodles, and the remaining sauce over top; smooth out the sauce over the noodles, and finish the by sprinkling the remaining 2 cups of mozzarella cheese over the top; add the remaining ½ teaspoon of Italian seasoning over the cheese.
- Place the lasagna into the 350° oven to bake for about 20-30 minutes, or until the cheese is melted and lightly golden.
Tips & Tidbits for my Butternut Squash Lasagna:
- Skip the peeling and dicing: Using pre-packaged butternut squash for this recipe is a great way to go for simplicity and ease—no need to peel or cut!
- Prep the sauce ahead: The butternut squash sauce can be prepared a day or two ahead of time, and kept in a covered container in the fridge until ready to use.
- If serving fewer: This recipe serves about 12, but you can easily make a smaller portion by cutting the recipe (ingredients) by half to serve roughly 6.
- Creative uses for leftover sauce: You can freeze any leftover sauce, or use it in other creative ways such as a base sauce for pizza, or as a unique dip for chicken strips, fries or breadsticks. You can even add a little additional chicken stock to it to create a slightly thinner consistency, and make a soup out of it!
- Talking turkey, or a tasty substitute: I used ground, dark meat turkey in this recipe for more fat and flavor, but white meat is fine too, just know it will be leaner. You could also substitute spicy or sweet Italian sausage.
Feast your eyes on these, :
Hungry for more delicious lasagna recipes? Check out this Spinach Lasagna, these Lasagna Roll Ups, or this Six-Cheese Lasagna!
Cook's Note: This recipe was originally published in 2012, and has been updated with even more love!
Julia
I love this twist on lasagna. I have only made the traditional lasagna but I think you just inspired me to try something new! Have a great Monday.
The Cozy Apron
Well thank you, Julia – have a great rest of the week!
Lynda Rice
Wow, this is a beautiful change for a lasagna dish. Perfect dish to share with my group of ladies this month!
Kari@Loaves n Dishes
This lasagne looks so cozy, comforting, warm, and pretty. What great fall flavors, mmm, mmm, mmm.
Lindsay @ Pinch of Yum
This is so so so gorgeous!
The Cozy Apron
Hi Lindsay, thank you so very much!
angela
Wow, this was amazing. Would love other recipes from you.
The Cozy Apron
Hi Angela, thank you! I do hope you get the chance to peruse more of the recipes on the site to cook up!
Lisa
I made this Saturday night and I cannot tell you how much we LOVED it! Thank you so much! This recipe is a "keeper"!
The Cozy Apron
Hi Lisa, that's great! It's amazing the various uses for butternut squash, right?
tamara
Cozy Apron, you are so original. Truly a departure from tradition. I can't wait to try this.
J
Do you think I can use canned pureed butternut squash? I'm making two batches so I'm trying to keep costs down.
The Cozy Apron
Yes, by all means! There's a chance that the color may not be quite as vibrant an orange, or the flavor as intense as the freshly roasted, but I think it should taste just fine if you add the other ingredients in.
Kelly
Can I make this ahead and freeze? At what point would you freeze the Lasagna? Cant wait to make this!
The Cozy Apron
Hi Kelly, yes you can; what I would do is prepare all of the components (the butternut squash/roasted garlic sauce, the lasagna noodles, the ground turkey)and allow them to completely cool; once cooled, I would just assemble the lasagna as if I were going to bake it, but I would just wrap it really well in foil and plastic wrap (to keep any freezer "smells" out), place it into the freezer, and then pull the frozen assembled lasagna out a couple of days before I want to bake it, allowing it to thaw in the fridge thoroughly; once thawed, take it out of fridge and allow the lasagna to come to room temp, and then bake as instructed.
J
what about cooking it ahead and reheating? i'm making two batches of this for thanksgiving and i have one oven with which to cook the entire meal - sides,breads, lasagna, etc. so i need to do what i can beforehand. any thought? thanks 🙂
The Cozy Apron
Yes, you may have to do just that - sound like you've got quite the undertaking with all the dishes/sides that will be vying for the oven. Here's what I'd suggest: if it's possible for the "easier" sides to get done first and then kept warm, then I'd probably do that so that I could keep the "main" dish, the lasagnas, piping hot and fresh; the lasagna seems like it may be tougher to "reheat" than something a little smaller. However, if that's not possible, then bake them when you can, and keep them covered with foil in as warm a place as possible; then place them back into a "warm" oven to gently re-heat. Generally, lasagna keeps it's heat fairly well, what with all the gooey cheese and sauce. Good luck, J!
domante stiklakyte
I LOVE this recipie! Thank you so much! 🙂
The Cozy Apron
Thanks, Domante!
J
i made this for thanksgiving because we don't eat meat and i like to have a substantial main entree for the meal. i made a veggie friendly version by using mushrooms instead of turkey. i also used a combo of cream cheese, cream and sour cream for the mascaropone since our local WF was selling it at $23.99/lb. This is not a cheap dish but it was worth it.
i made the sauce the day before and tasted it with my husband. after one bite he suggested we just eat the whole pot like soup. it was amazing! the whole lasagna turned out so well i have been craving it ever since. i think this may become our yearly thanksgiving staple from now on. thank you so much for this over-the-top, decadent and absolutely delicious recipe.
The Cozy Apron
J, I'm so happy you've come back to let me know how it all turned out for you, and I'm thrilled that this dish ended up being one that was so enjoyed. I was truly touched at your comment that this could potentially become a yearly Thanksgiving staple - wow. Comments like yours are appreciated, and are the reason that I so very much enjoy sharing recipes with others! Thank you. (BTW, what kind of mascarpone was that - full of GOLD? That was pricy indeed! I actually buy mine in a smallish tub, like cream cheese, for about 3.99! Check the section next time where they have ricotta,etc to see if you can find the less expensive version - heck, I couldn't be using that either if it cost that much!)
J
I'm not sure if you'll see this update or not but here I am almost a year later and I'm already fielding requests for this dish. I will be making multiple dishes for multiple dinners and of course my own 🙂
A million thanks!
The Cozy Apron
Hi J! Please know that I always get every comment, and I was so thrilled to see you back! 🙂 How wonderful that you're getting requests for this recipe again; I'm so tickled by that! Funny enough, my hubby and I were just reminiscing about this very dish last weekend, saying that we, too, could go for it again sometime soon. (I'm just so excited that fall is almost here, as we are definitely fall people!) Hope you enjoy again - I'm sure you're an expert at it by now, haha!
Kim
Maybe I'm misreading, but I don't see where/when to add the sage.
The Cozy Apron
Hi Kim, I'm so sorry - you're right! I forgot to add that step in the direction. Just add it right into your turkey after you've browned it - stir it in at the end so that it flavors it. Thanks for letting me know!
Sam P
Thank you for the recipe! I made it for dinner tonight. It came out fantastic! I love the sauce! I made extra to put in the freeze. So next time it's a lot faster!
The Cozy Apron
Sam, that's a really great time saving idea - and I'm glad that the recipe turned out great for you! Thanks so much for taking a few moments to come back and comment on your experience!
Sarah
Looks great! I forgot to buy ricotta cheese though. Do you think it would still be good without it?
The Cozy Apron
Sure Sarah, go for it!
Christine
Hi there, this recipe looks great. I'd like to try it for tomorrow. Reading though the comments, I came across this one with someone saying she forgot ricotta and you saying she can make without it. But I do not see ricotta in the recipe. Am I missing it? Thanks in advance!
The Cozy Apron
HI Christine, you read right—there actually isn't any ricotta in the recipe. When I read the above comment, I think I assumed she meant mascarpone; so you're not missing it! 🙂
shanda
I pretty much never comment on recipes or food blogs but I just had to tell you how amazing this recipe is! It was SO delicious! I didn't change anything (and I'm usually one to make up my own version as I go along...) amazing dish! Thank you so much for sharing this wonderful recipe! I have a feeling this will be a dish that I make for many years to come! Thank you!
The Cozy Apron
Shanda, I really appreciated your comments—thank you so much! I'm so excited that you enjoyed this recipe "as is", and that you plan on preparing it again and again. And who knows; perhaps you will end up tweaking it in some way over time, which'll make it unique to you! Thanks for commenting.
Sarah
I made this last night and it turned out great! Surprisingly great. I had thirds great. I had to make a few substitutions, though. I only used 6 noodles instead of 12. I put frozen spinach in the creamy butternut sauce instead of a layer of fresh baby spinach. I used a spiced butternut squash puree I made and froze last fall, so I think it had more spices in it. Cumin comes to mind. I didn't have any mascarpone cheese, so I just skipped that. Lastly, I didn't have any half and half or cream, so I used half plain yogurt and half milk. It came together quickly since I had the butternut squash puree already made. Thanks for the recipe!
The Cozy Apron
Beautiful, Sarah! I especially love the fact that you used a butternut squash puree that you had already made and froze last fall—this was a perfect recipe for it! (And it had your own personal "touches" in it, which is great!) Thanks so much for taking a moment to share your experience with this recipe, and I'm very happy that you enjoyed it enough to have thirds, haha!
Lisa
What does half and half warm mean lol sry if it's a silly question.
The Cozy Apron
Hi Lisa, "half & half" like what people use in their coffee, but warm, not cold out of the fridge. Hope that explains it! 🙂
Jennifer
Hi,
Any chance you have nutrition info readily available? I'm definitely going to make this very soon! It looks delicious!!!!
The Cozy Apron
Hi Jennifer, I don't have the nutritional info, but here's a site that may be of help: http://caloriecount.about.com/cc/recipe_analysis.php Hope you enjoy this autumn-y recipe!
Joy
Hi! I made the sauce tonight (soo good) to assemble everything tomorrow. Italian seasoning is listed in the sauce ingredients, but unless I am just overlooking, I don't see where they go in the directions. I just threw some Italian seasoning in with the sauce at the end. I figured it couldn't hurt things!
The Cozy Apron
Hi Joy! So glad you enjoyed this! Sorry about omitting that step in the sauce section—it would go in as part of the seasoning for the butternut squash, along with the salt and pepper; but you did good to just add it in at the end—perfect! 🙂
Emm
I live in the U.K, I want to try this autumn lasagne but what are lasagne noodles, the pasta in the photos looks just like lasagne sheets to me.
The Cozy Apron
Hey Emm, that's all it is—just lasagna "sheets", as you would call it. Please enjoy!
Candi
Hi I found this recipe on Pinterest. Thought it would be perfect for our kick off to healthier eating. With the chilly weather this would certainly warm us up. This was absolutely delicious. I did sub ground turkey for sweet Italian sausage, for the man in the house. We didn't feel as weighed down like we do with my traditional lasagna. Next time I will make more sauce to freeze and keep on hand. My toddler enjoyed this and we are going through that dreaded picky stage. Thanks for a great fall recipe.
The Cozy Apron
Candi, I was so happy to read that—what a good idea for lightening up a favorite! I love it when the little ones enjoy a recipe, as well! 🙂 Thanks so much for sharing, and I hope you enjoy this again this fall.
Kels
We just ate this for dinner. Delicious! A lot of work but well worth it.
The Cozy Apron
Hi Kels, you're right—it definitely requires a bit more elbow grease, but I'm so happy you thought it was worth it. Just think: completely homemade/from scratch food that you made with love; and apparently, everyone that partook in the meal could feel it. Thanks for your comment!
Kelly
I am in love with this dish! This is my second fall season making it and it is such a warm comforting recipe. Thank you for making me look like an expert chef in my kitchen!!!
The Cozy Apron
Kelly, that is music to my ears! I'm sure you're a pro at it by now! 🙂 So glad you're enjoying this recipe, and thank you so much for sharing your experience with it.
Danielle
I love this recipe. I sent this pin to my good friend and neighbor. I was fortunate to have my own pan sent my way when she made it. Love my neighbors! I think this recipe is even great without meat if there are any vegetarians out there thinking about this. So much flavor!
The Cozy Apron
Danielle, it sounds like you have amazing neighbors! What a blessing. Thanks so much for your kind comments, and I hope that you can continue to enjoy this recipe, along with your neighbors! 🙂
Sue
Hi, I made this delicious lasagna this weekend. The recipe call for chopped sage leaves but I can't find where in the recipe that it says to add it in. Thank you
The Cozy Apron
Hi Sue, so excited that you made this! It's a little hard to see where that part of the instruction is; sorry about that! It's that last line of the first block of instructions—you add it into the turkey after you've cooked it. Hope that helps for next time!
Amanda
This was amazing! I made this and froze it. We had it for supper tonight, and it is definitely a keeper. Even the kids loved it, which is the real test. I wrote about it on my site and included a link to your recipe to give credit where credit is definitely due :-). Thank you!!
The Cozy Apron
Hi Amanda, thanks for sharing that! Doesn't it always make things so much easier when the kids love something, too? 🙂 Thanks for sharing the recipe!
Vanessa J
I made this tonight and it was so, so good. Used 8 cups butternut squash and it was just the right amount. My family loved it and I will definitely make this again.
Carrie
Hello!
I'm planning to make this dish tomorrow and have a few questions. Is there something I can substitute for the garlic when making the squash sauce, or would you suggest just leaving it out if there's a food allergy? And secondly, is it ok to use no-cook lasagna noodles? Many thanks in advance for your thoughts and this recipe!
The Cozy Apron
Hi Carrie, if you're OK with onions, then I would caramelize a large, diced onion until soft and golden-brown in a little oil, and add that into the sauce. Otherwise, just leave these out altogether. Unfortunately, you'll be missing that specific depth that the garlic brings to the butternut sauce, as butternut is fairly plain in flavor; but use your imagination as far as using some extra herbs or other ingredients to liven up the sauce. And if you're versed in using the no-cook noodles, then go for it! I'm just personally a fan of the "boil" noodles because I have control over how tender they get. Hope you enjoy! 🙂
Pam
This recipe looks delicious. I just saw it on Pinterest and might be able to try making it this season. More than that, though, I appreciate the atmosphere of kindness and generosity that shines through this whole blog. You're a great example of the internet at its best. Thank you!
The Cozy Apron
Pam, you brought my husband and I to tears with your kind comments; it means so very much to us to receive sentiments like yours, because our desire is to provide a little space on the web for people to feel a bit of love, kindness and generosity, and to feel a little better when they leave our site than when they came! Thanks so much for that; and please enjoy the recipe if you end up making it this season! 🙂
Hita
This looks delicious!! I can't find mascarpone cheese anywhere though, what would you recommend that I could use as a close substitute?
The Cozy Apron
HI Hita, I would just substitute cream cheese (full fat) for the mascarpone. Please enjoy!
Valerie
This looks so delicious!
a
This recipe is soooooo good! I did substitute sausage for the turkey because we love it... but the sauce is so delicious and it is such a great idea. Definitely a must try!
The Cozy Apron
Hi there! Sausage is a perfect substitute; so glad you prepared this recipe according to your specific likings! Thank you for your comments, and for sharing your experience with it!
Chris
OMG!!! This was absolutely fabulous. I bought butternut squash for the first time and thought I was going to make soup with it (I love soup) but my boyfriend says he doesn't like squash anything let alone soup......I found this recipe and he (as am I) is in love with this dish. He couldn't believe I made it with the squash. A little labor intensive for me but I will definitely make again. Thanks so much for this unusual take on lasagna. You ROCK!!!!
The Cozy Apron
Chris, that is really wonderful! I love getting comments like yours, and I'm grateful that you came back to share that with me. I know that this recipe does require a bit of extra work, but it's super comforting for this time of year, and worth preparing at least on a couple of occasions. So glad you both enjoyed this!
Barbara
I stumbled upon this recipe and your blog a few months ago, and I had been eyeing this recipe, but was a bit intimidated to make it. I couldn't stop thinking about it, though, so I finally went for it today, and holy cow -- it is incredible! I even had enough leftover butternut squash sauce to freeze two jars worth! This was the first, but definitely won't be the last time, that I make this! Thank you so much!
The Cozy Apron
Barbara, thanks so much for sharing your experience with the recipe with me! See? Maybe not so "intimidating" after all, haha! 🙂 I know it takes a little extra time and effort, but the fact that you accomplished this and enjoyed the end result makes it worth it! So glad you even ended up with extra sauce!
Made With Pink
I'm not sure if you'll see this in time, but I'm making the squash purée right now and I don't see any mention of when to add in the Italian seasoning. Is it with the squash when roasting, or at the end??
The Cozy Apron
Sorry about that! It should be added prior to going into the oven to roast, along with the salt/pepper; but truthfully, you can add it at the end, as well. It won't change the flavor—just add it at some point! 🙂
terri
How many fresh squash is this for this recipe?
The Cozy Apron
Hi Terri, the recipe calls for 4 pounds; I don't know the number of squash that equates to, so I'd say just weigh them so that they amount to roughly that weight.
katymarie
Just put this unbelievable sauce over pumpkin seed pasta (no time to make lasagna) with a little turkey Italian flavored sausage and the fresh basic. Yummm!!!
The Cozy Apron
Hey Katymarie, I'm so excited that you enjoyed this sauce! Perfect for the way you served it. Thanks for taking a moment to comment, and to share your experience with me! 🙂
Stacey
Just had this at a big family meal and went down a storm
The Cozy Apron
Yay, Stacey! I'm thrilled to read that! Thank you for commenting.
Linda Kaye
I'm pinning this one for fall! Your Bean Stew recipe is one of my all time favorite cold weather recipes and I can't wait to try this one!!!
The Cozy Apron
Linda, so glad you've been enjoying the stew, and I hope you enjoy this one, too! Thanks for sharing.
Jessica
Hi! I'm planning to make his in few weeks for a family gathering. Was wondering if his was able to be done in the crockpot or would you suggest still using the oven?
The Cozy Apron
Hi Jessica, the only thing I would feel comfortable suggesting is to follow the recipe using the oven, as I have not tried this using a crock pot. However, if you feel confident using the crock pot for this, by all means, do what feels most do-able for you! I hope you enjoy the recipe, either way. 🙂
Jill
I made this for my family last night and loved it! The butternut cream sauce is amazing. I could have eaten the whole pot by itself 🙂 Thanks for the recipe! I'll definitely be making it again.
The Cozy Apron
Jill, that is fantastic! So glad you enjoyed this! 🙂 Thanks for taking a moment to come back and comment.
Douglie
This looks amazing! I'm having a dinner party for 8 soon. What do you suggest I put on the plate with the Autumn Lasagna? Or should I just put it alone on the plate? Also, do you suggest a soup or salad before bringing out the lasagna? I'm anxious to try it out. Thanks.
The Cozy Apron
Hi Douglie, I'm so excited you will be serving this dish! I would probably just serve the lasagna on the plate on it's own if you're wanting to plate things yourself as opposed to having folks help themselves; but prepare a nice green salad—maybe some arugula and mixed greens with a vinaigrette—to put on the table for people to help themselves. Perhaps some nice brioche-style rolls warmed up, as well? Slightly sweet & buttery. 😉 That should do it! Hope you enjoy and that this is a success!
Tammie K
Fabulous! I did change a bit by using hot italian sausage turkey instead of plain and also simplified by putting roasted squash, garlic etc. in large stock pan and pureeing via an immersion blender - much easier than using a food processor! Just kept all on warm as I added the stock and cream. Also kicked it up a bit by adding some cayenne. I made it ahead and kept in fridge for a couple hours, took out for 30 minutes and baked. Consistency was perfect. Received lots of complements including someone deciding it would be good for breakfast the next day - cold! Can't get a better complement than that 🙂
Thank you for the great recipe idea!
The Cozy Apron
Hi Tammie, great tweaks! So glad you and your loved ones enjoyed!
Nina
This looks delicious! I don't have ground turkey, but do you think ground beef would taste okay?
The Cozy Apron
Hi Nina, certainly- use ground beef if that is what you have! Hope you enjoy!
Norine
Ingrid, thank you for sharing this amazing recipe with the world (and me!). I love, love, love a recipe that pays off like this one! Every ingredient compliments each other (although I snuck in an additional 1/2 lb. ground hot sausage to the turkey to kick it up) .
I didn't serve it with anything other than a glass of Pinot Noir!
This is definitely a keeper.
The Cozy Apron
Norine, you are so, so very welcome! It's my pleasure! I'm so thrilled that you enjoyed it so much. (Perfect "addition" of the hot sausage, by the way!) And what a classy way to serve it: with a nice glass of wine. What more could one want or need? 😉 Thanks so much for sharing your experience!
allison
Hi! Just wondering if the lasagna noodles could be replaced with something like eggplant for a gluten free kinda meal? If so, how should it be incorporated/cooked? Thank u!
The Cozy Apron
Hi Allison, you could certainly try and replace the lasagna noodles with eggplant. Unfortunately, since I have not personally made this replacement, I cannot give you specifics; you may just need to play around with it. I would suggest slicing the eggplant fairly thinly lengthwise, and perhaps using a grill pan or large pan to sort of partially cook it and soften it, then layer as you would lasagna noodles. You can, however, typically find brown rice noodles these days that are gluten free, as an alternative.
Amanda N
This was delicious! When I found the recipe a few weeks ago I thought it would be good, but it was even better than I expected. My husband, who is BIG into traditional lasagna, even said it was delicious (big coming from him) and my 2 year old loved it! I'll have to try some of your other recipes 🙂 Some things I did (I always like to read comments on the recipe): I used no boil noodles and just soaked them in HOT tap water while I browned the turkey, I used dry sage (bc I didn't have fresh) and made it in a larger pan with 16 noodle sheets (6,6,4). Came out great! Will have to try freezing some.
The Cozy Apron
Amanda, I'm thrilled that your family enjoy the recipe! And thank you for coming back to share your experience.
Jessica
I made this twice now. Love it but both times I had a lot of leftover sauce. Makes me think I did something wrong! The end of recipe called for you to add remaining sauce. If I added what was left it would have been a soupy mess!
The Cozy Apron
Hi Jessica! So glad you're enjoying the recipe, apart from having the issue of too much sauce leftover. Not quite sure why—I used the quantity of sauce that I have listed in my recipe, and as you can see in the photos, it was not a "soupy mess". Any excess sauce can be frozen, and used for other pastas, or at another time; or, use less ingredients (maybe a third less?) in order to make less sauce. Hope that helps!
Jan
I am making this today, but using shredded chicken breast
The Cozy Apron
Hope you enjoy, Jan!
Camille
I'm curious how many cups of the butternut squash puree you ended up with? Might be easier that way, as it accounts for any type of squash or preparation. Thanks.
The Cozy Apron
Hi Camille! I'm not certain as to the exact amount in terms of "cups"—most likely somewhere in the vicinity of about 6 cups or so. You could certainly use a different type of squash that is similar to butternut, even diced pumpkin—just use the amounts specified in the recipe.
Leslie
This lasangna is absolutely amazing!!! The first time I made it, I didn't realize the amount of cooking time and it wasn't ready until about 10pm. 😉 Now I like to make the butternut squash mixture the day before. But my boyfriend and I rave about this recipe... And I get him to eat butternut squash. 🙂 Thanks so much for the delicious recipe.
The Cozy Apron
Hi Leslie, thanks so much for your comment! Yes; I totally understand that this recipe takes a good bit of time, but I'm thrilled that you felt it was well worth it! And making the sauce the day before is a perfect strategy. So glad you enjoyed this!
Zachary Krasman
This just became my favorite lasagna recipe! Everyone I've made it for says its the best lasagna they've ever tasted! Thank you!!!
The Cozy Apron
Zachary, thank you so very much—means a lot! So thrilled that you and the folks you have prepared this for are enjoying this recipe!
Allison
i am making this for thanksgiving this year and i can't decide if i should use ground turkey or sausage, i feel like every time i make ground turkey it comes out dry and i feel like the sausage would taste really good, but i'm scared if it doesn't it will be ruined
The Cozy Apron
Hi Allison, I know what you mean. The thing is, because it's being layered into a sauce, you don't have to worry about it being dry. And don't get the white meat ground turkey, get the dark meat. More flavor, and a little more fat, which is good! But if you're a huge fan of the sausage, then use that. I'd just dice it up really well so it has a similar texture to the cooked ground turkey, and you should be good to go. I can't imagine you'd "ruin" it. 😉 Hope you enjoy, either way.
Allison
Thanks! any tips for a first time lasagna maker? i've heard people say lasagna can get watery.. will that happen with this recipe?
The Cozy Apron
It shouldn't! Just have fun with it—don't worry, and put a lot of love in as your main ingredient!
Charlotte
Hello. I am making this right now and just finished preparing the sauce. I did not add three teaspoons of salt to the squash sauce. After adding one teaspoon of salt, I tasted and it seemed enough. Did anyone else find that three teaspoons of salt seemed too much?
Katie
I am making this tonight and have already prepped the sauce yesterday. So excited to try it! Do you bake it covered with foil or uncovered?
The Cozy Apron
Hi Katie, wonderful! You can bake it uncovered so it's gets a little golden brown. Hope you enjoy!
Christine
This recipe looks perfect for a throw in the oven halloween night supper! How far in advance can I make it and store in the fridge before baking? If I make on Sunday, so you think it would
Be good to bake on Wednesday?
Also- as a shortcut, Whole Foods makes a butternut squash garlic and brown sugar mash. Do you think I could use that as the sauce? Maybe thin it out with some chicken stock?
The Cozy Apron
Hi Christine, you can totally do this ahead!
Prepping it Sunday when you want to bake it off Wednesday would still be alright, but it's pushing it just a teeny bit—I usually recommend doing this a day or even two ahead, to be sure that the flavor stays nice and fresh. But honestly, if Sunday is the only day you can prep ahead, I think you'll be just fine. (Just wrap it tightly.)
And you can certainly substitute the sauce from Whole Foods if you prefer—because I'm unfamiliar with it, it is difficult for me to tell you how to work with it. But just use your intuition; thin it out with some stock (and even a touch of half and half), as you mentioned, until it is the thickness you desire.
Tara
Can I make the sauce in advance and freeze it?
The Cozy Apron
Hi Tara, absolutely! Matter of fact, you'll be saving some time and making things easier on yourself if you prep it ahead.
Once you're ready to use it, simply allow it to thaw in the fridge for 2-3 days until softened, then reheat.
Hope you enjoy!
Tara
Wow thanks for the speedy reply. I have made the sauce today. I will be preparing the lasagna for Christmas. Do you think I should freeze it or would it be ok to store in the fridge for the 6 days?
The Cozy Apron
Tara, just to be on the safe side in terms of maintaining a fresh flavor, perhaps do freeze it for a couple days. Maybe begin thawing it in the fridge on Sunday morning, if you plan on cooking with it/serving Tuesday.
Tara
Perfect. Thanks!
Amanda
My husband loves this. We’re from New England and I make it once a year in the fall since 2014. We do a little less turkey and a little bit of ground venison sausage to give it a little kick.
The Cozy Apron
I'm so very touched by that, Amanda!
Thanks so much for sharing your experience, and here's to many, many more years of this recipe being a fall fave!
Laurie
Can you make this recipe without boiling/cooking the pasta? I use barilla lasagna noodles when I make regular noodles and it does not require them to be precooked.
The Cozy Apron
Hi Laurie! The honest answer is that I'm not sure.
I personally don't have experience with no-boil noodles, so I'm unfamiliar with them. Also, I have not tested this recipe with those, so that makes me hesitant to advise. But I'd say if you have experience with that brand, and they work well for you in other lasagna recipes, I would imagine they should work similarly in this lasagna.
Hope you enjoy the recipe!
Andrea
Hi Ingrid!
My friend shared this recipe with me a few years ago and it is hands down in my top 3 recipes. I love cooking new recipes and rarely repeat a recipe because I love the fun of cooking something new. However......this one I will always continue to make. I have another friend who makes this each Christmas Eve and has become a tradition for her and her family. I recently started my own blog, and in one section I share recipes like yours...ones that have made it to my top list that I actually remake:) Would you mind if I shared your recipe (giving you credit of course) and linked your website as well?
Now I really gotta try your other recipes since this one was sooooo delicious! Over the top but perfectly full of flavor! Well done!
The Cozy Apron
Hi Andrea, I'm so touched by your comment!
I'm always so glad to read that folks have been enjoying certain recipes over and over again, making a bit of a "tradition" out of them. 😉
You ask about sharing the recipe, and I appreciate you asking. We don't allow for our original recipes (ingredients and steps) to be posted on other platforms apart from The Cozy Apron, but what we're totally fine with is if you'd like to use a photograph (if you need one) and then link to our site for the actual recipe post. (Now, if you'd like to do an "adapted" version of this recipe in which you make your own tweaks/write your own steps and then credit us as "inspiration", that's a bit different...)
I hope you continue to enjoy the lasagna for many more years—happy cooking to you, Andrea!
Jane
Hi, is there any substitute I can use instead of mascarpone?
The Cozy Apron
Hi Jane,
I'd recommend cream cheese (either the whipped variety or the regular) as a substitute, as it's fairly close in consistency/flavor.
Hope that helps!
Susan
I’ve made your recipe every year for the last six years. It’s a family favorite and has become a fall tradition. This is one of my most favorite things to make as its truly a labor of love. Thank you for sharing
The Cozy Apron
Hi Susan, I am so very touched to read your comment. Thank you for allowing this recipe to be a part of your fall tradition, and may you and your family continue to be nourished and comforted by it for years to come.
I'm so grateful you came by to share your experience, and happy cooking to you, Susan!
Brooke
Hi,
I’d love to make this with the Barilla oven ready (not precooked noodles), wondering if you’ve tried that and if so, any recommendations? Thanks in advance, looks great!
The Cozy Apron
Hi Brooke, thanks for your question!
Since I have not tried this method, I am not confident on advising on that. I would say to just follow directions on the package as to how to assemble/use the lasagna noodles.