Summer was delightful, but I’m welcoming fall with open arms and this Roasted Butternut Squash and Spinach Skillet Lasagna. It is the perfect pasta for busy fall weekends. Seasonal roasted butternut squash and spinach jive with a creamy sauce and lasagna noodles. I love that this all comes together in one pan making clean up super easy. It’s so yummy, a little cheesy, and adaptable! You can use mild Italian sausage or sweet Italian sausage. Stick with the lasagna noodles or choose a short pasta like cavatelli to transform this into a pasta bake of sorts.
Like this.
If your large skillet can fit in your fridge, or you want to transfer it to a baking dish, this is also a great dish to make ahead and do the final step in the oven when the time comes. Skillet lasagnas are simply genius. I love ’em!
Why am I LOVING skillet lasagnas?
- One pan cooking.
- Fast cooking.
- My kids will eat always eat this because they like their food deconstructed and this dish lends to that.
- Adaptable and flexible. For instance, If you have a family member that doesn’t eat squash you can easily work around the squash when you serve this, but I highly recommend those picky eaters give it a try.
- Go light on the carbs, or leave out the meat. Take your pick from the skillet and everyone is happy.
The Things:
- Cutting board and knife
- Deep skillet
- Sheet pan
- Stock pot
- Whisk
The Hacks/Tips:
- Can of condensed cream of celery soup
- Buy the butternut squash already peeled, seeded and cut (fresh please, not frozen this time!)
- If this store-bought option is not available for you, use a fork to poke holes in your squash and roast the whole thing on the weekend. When it’s soft, cut it open, take the seeds out, and store in your fridge until you are ready to skin, cube and roast it a little longer.
- Reserve your pasta stock when you boil the noodles
- If you don’t feel like using the oven, you could also brown the butternut squash cubes in the oils from the sausage in batches and set aside, instead of roasting them.
Roasted Butternut Squash and Spinach Skillet Lasagna
Seasonal butternut squash, spinach, white sauce, pasta, and sausage (if you want it) all come together in one pan.
Ingredients
- 2 Tbsp butter
- 1/2 pound of sausage or vegan sausage
- 16 oz fresh cubed, skinned butternut squash
- a pinch of salt and pepper
- 1 can of cream of celery condensed soup
- 1/2 cup of pasta stock or veggie stock
- 1/2 cup of milk
- 1 bag of baby spinach
- 5 sprigs of sage and 1 tsp of dried sage
- 6 lasagna noodles or 3/4 lb cooked pasta
- 1/4 cup of shredded mozzarella cheese
- 4-5 dollops of ricotta
Directions
- Step 1 If using a whole squash, cut the butternut squash in half lengthwise and roast until tender. (This step can be done up to 2-3 days ahead and store in fridge until you are ready to deseed, skin and cube it.)
- Step 2 Boil the pasta in salted water.
- Step 3 Meanwhile, preheat the oven to 400°F and line a large baking sheet with parchment paper. Place the squash cubes on the baking sheet and toss with a drizzle of olive oil and pinches of salt and pepper. Roast 30 to 35 minutes or until golden brown around the edges.
- Step 4 Turn the burner to medium heat and melt the butter in a deep skillet until the butter starts to brown, about 3 minutes. Add around 5-6 sage leaves and fry, about 30 seconds to 1 minute, and reserve. Brown the sausage in the same skillet. When finished browning, remove sausage from the pan and set aside.
- Step 5 Turn heat down to medium and add the canned cream of celery, pasta stock, milk, 1 tsp of dried sage, salt and pepper to the skillet, then whisk to combine. Fold the spinach into the sauce and turn heat down to let it simmer. While simmering, and once pasta is cooked al dente, roll the lasagna noodles up and tuck them into the creamy spinach, or mix the pasta of your choice into the cream sauce. Let simmer for 2-3 minutes.
- Step 6 Top with cooked sausage and roasted butternut squash.
- Step 7 Add the mozzarella and stir together until fully melted. While the lasagna is still hot, top with the ricotta, the freshly chopped fried sage. Keep warm in the oven until you’re ready to eat and serve. Enjoy!
