Butternut Squash Meat Lasagna
Butternut squash meat lasagna is a variation of traditional lasagna that incorporates butternut squash into the dish. The use of butternut squash provides a sweet, nutty flavor and a velvety texture to the lasagna, making it an appealing option for those who enjoy the addition of seasonal vegetables to their meals. The recipe for butternut squash meat lasagna typically involves layers of lasagna noodles, cheese, a meat-based sauce, and pureed or roasted butternut squash.Preparing this dish usually begins with roasting the butternut squash until it's soft and caramelized, which enhances its sweetness and makes it easy to blend into a smooth puree. The meat sauce is another key component, often made with ground beef, onions, garlic, and tomatoes, simmered to develop a rich flavor. In assembling the lasagna, a layer of noodles is often followed by a meat sauce layer, a cheese layer (which may include ricotta, mozzarella, and parmesan), and a layer of the butternut squash puree. This layering process is repeated, finishing with cheese on top.
Equipment
- 1 oven
Ingredients
- 1 tbsp coconut oil
- 1 small onion minced
- 3 garlic cloves minced
- 1 1/2 lbs turkey ground
- 4 cups tomatoes canned diced
- 1 can 4 oz tomato paste
- to taste sea salt
- to taste black pepper ground
- 1 tsp basil dried
- 1 tsp oregano dried
- 1 large butternut squash peeled seeded and cut into thin slices
- 4 tbsp parsley chopped
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
- In a medium-size skillet over medium-high heat, heat coconut oil and cook the onions and the garlic until softened, about 5 minutes. Add the ground turkey and cook until browned, about 6 minutes. Add the next 5 ingredients (tomatoes through oregano) and season with sea salt and pepper to taste. Turn heat down to low and let simmer for about 10 minutes.
- To prepare the lasagna, in a medium-large size baking dish, alternating layers of butternut squash slices with layers of the meat sauce. Keep making layers until all of the ingredients have been used.
- Bake for 25 minutes or until the squash is soft and tender. Serve warm garnished with parsley.