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Lightened Up Crockpot Butternut Squash Lasagna Easy Fall Dinner

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A lightened up, creamy butternut squash lasagna made in a crockpot with less cheese and more veggies. Perfect for busy weeknights or cozy fall dinners.

Ingredients

Scale
  • 4 cups butternut squash, peeled and cubed (about 1 medium squash)
  • 1 tablespoon olive oil
  • 1 small yellow onion, diced
  • 3 cloves garlic, minced
  • 1 cup low-sodium vegetable broth
  • 1/2 teaspoon dried sage
  • 1/4 teaspoon nutmeg
  • Salt and black pepper to taste
  • 1 1/2 cups part-skim ricotta cheese
  • 1 large egg
  • 1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese
  • 2 tablespoons fresh parsley, chopped
  • 1/4 teaspoon salt
  • 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
  • 9 no-boil lasagna noodles
  • 2 cups shredded part-skim mozzarella cheese
  • 1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese for topping
  • Additional fresh sage or parsley for garnish

Instructions

  1. Prepare the squash sauce: Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add diced onion and cook for 4-5 minutes until translucent. Add minced garlic and cook for 30 seconds. Add cubed butternut squash, vegetable broth, dried sage, nutmeg, salt, and pepper. Bring to a simmer, cover, and cook for 12-15 minutes until squash is fork-tender.
  2. Blend the sauce: Transfer squash mixture to a blender and blend until smooth. Taste and adjust seasoning. Set aside to cool slightly.
  3. Make the ricotta mixture: In a medium bowl, combine ricotta cheese, egg, grated Parmesan, parsley, salt, and pepper. Mix until smooth.
  4. Layer the lasagna: Spray slow cooker with non-stick spray. Spread a thin layer of squash sauce on the bottom. Place 3 no-boil lasagna noodles on top. Spread 1/3 of remaining sauce over noodles. Drop spoonfuls of 1/3 of ricotta mixture and spread gently. Sprinkle 1/3 cup mozzarella. Repeat layers twice. For final layer, place last 3 noodles, spread remaining sauce, and top with remaining mozzarella and 1/2 cup Parmesan.
  5. Cook low and slow: Cover and cook on LOW for 4-5 hours or HIGH for 2-3 hours, until noodles are tender and edges are bubbling.
  6. Rest before serving: Turn off slow cooker and let lasagna rest, uncovered, for 15-20 minutes. Garnish with fresh sage or parsley before serving.

Notes

Don’t skip pre-cooking the squash for best texture. Let lasagna rest before serving to set layers. For a dairy-free version, use vegan ricotta and mozzarella and a flax egg. For gluten-free, use gluten-free lasagna noodles.

Nutrition

Keywords: butternut squash lasagna, crockpot lasagna, lightened up lasagna, fall dinner, slow cooker lasagna, healthy lasagna

Find it online: https://lucastable.com/lightened-up-crockpot-butternut-squash-lasagna-easy-fall-dinner/