Lowfat milk thickened with cornstarch takes the place of a traditional bechamel and ricotta filling and it still tastes incredibly creamy. Fresh, sweet squash also lends a nice richness and part-skim mozzarella gives you that gooey cheese goodness. Fresh baby spinach adds vitamins and minerals to this vegetarian main.
Directions for: Squash and Spinach Lasagna
Ingredients
9 no-boil lasagna noodles
1 Tbsp extra-virgin olive oil
3 cloves garlic, finely chopped
1 large onion, finely chopped
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
4 cups lowfat (1%) milk
cup cornstarch
2 5-oz packages baby spinach
cup fresh flat-leaf parsley leaves, finely chopped, plus more, for garnish
tsp freshly grated nutmeg
1 butternut squash (about 2 1/2 lbs), peeled, seeded, halved lengthwise and cut into 1/4"-thick half-moons
2 cups shredded part-skim mozzarella
Directions
1. Preheat the oven to 400F. Soak the lasagna noodles in warm water.
2. Heat the oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the garlic, onions and salt and pepper. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the vegetables are tender and browned, about 10 minutes. If the mixture becomes too dry, add a tablespoon or two of water.
3. Meanwhile, stir together 1/2 cup of the milk and the cornstarch in a small bowl until smooth. Heat the remaining 3 1/2 cups milk in a large saucepan until bubbling. Stir the cornstarch mixture into the milk and bring to a boil. Simmer, stirring, until the milk thickens to the consistency of a thin batter, about 5 minutes. Stir in the onion mixture, spinach, parsley and nutmeg, and cook until the spinach wilts. Season with salt and pepper. Remove from the heat.
4. Drain the noodles. Spread 1 cup of the spinach mixture over the bottom of a 13- by 9- by 2-inch glass or ceramic baking dish. Arrange 3 lasagna noodles over the spinach. Arrange half of the squash over the noodles, overlapping slightly, and sprinkle with one-third of the mozzarella. Spoon 1 cup spinach mixture over the cheese, and top with 3 noodles, the remaining squash and another third of the mozzarella. Top with 1 cup spinach mixture, followed by the last 3 noodles and the remaining 1 cup spinach mixture. Cover tightly with foil; reserve the remaining mozzarella.
5. Bake for 40 minutes. Uncover and sprinkle the remaining mozzarella over the top. Bake until bubbling and the squash is tender, about 15 minutes. Let stand at least 10 minutes before serving.
Tips and Substitutions
Cook's Note
For freezing and reheating, allow the lasagna to cool completely. Divide into 8 even portions and store in a freezer-safe resealable plastic bag or container. Transfer to a microwave-safe plate, loosely cover with plastic wrap and microwave until hot, 4 to 5 minutes.
Source and Credits
Courtesy of Food Network Kitchen
See more: Healthy, Main, Pasta, Vegetables, Vegetarian