From garden to butternut squash celebration today = many months. I was thrilled to create this absolutely delicious recipe – at the end of February, wind whipping up some mighty frigid air here in northern Colorado, the smell of garlic and lasagna lusciousness warming my kitchen and my heart.

Scanning back over hundreds and hundreds of photos to this, one wee baby squash without yet a clue to its thoroughly satisfying destiny:

this hefty beauty was harvested late September, 2019.

I’ve been wanting to make a butternut squash lasagna for quite a while, and when I checked over my refrigerator and pantry, I decided that today was the day.

I really recommend this easy, beautiful recipe to you – made gluten free in my kitchen via the exceptional Barilla brand corn-rice lasagna sheets. Of course you may use whatever your favorite lasagna noodles are – to layer up with olive oil oven roasted butternut squash, ricotta-egg-cream-and plenty of chopped garlic filling, extra sharp white cheddar, lemon thyme, crushed red chili pepper and chopped pistachios.

Garlicky butternut squash lasagna

10 servings or thereabouts. Have a little fun in the kitchen! When I make lasagna these days, it’s a less bulky project than in the past – with this recipe I use just 9 lasagna sheets, in layers 3 across. If you like a heftier, larger stack, perhaps increase the ingredients by half, create in rows of four, four layers high, using 16 lasagna sheets). Note: some GF lasagna sheets are shorter than traditional wheat flour lasagna. If you’ll be using larger sheets, be sure to have a little extra of all ingredients on hand so you may be generous with layering. This recipe makes great use of leftover roast squash, I also include the simple directions to roast here as well. 🙂

• about 2 c. roast, pureed butternut squash
• a few tbsp. olive oil
• salt and pepper as desired for roasting squash
• 15-16 oz. ricotta cheese (one tub)
• 2 large eggs
• 1/4 c. half and half cream
• 3-4 chopped fresh garlic cloves — minced chives would also be lovely
• 1- 1 1/2 tsp. freshly ground black pepper for ricotta filling
• about 2 c. shredded extra sharp white cheddar
• 9 lasagna sheets (if you are gluten free and your market carries Barilla brand GF, I highly recommend this pasta if you can eat corn and rice)
• 2 tbsp. or so fresh lemon thyme, thyme leaves
• 1 tsp. or to taste dried and crushed red chili pepper flakes
• 1/2 c. chopped roasted salted pistachios

First, roast your butternut squash. Preheat oven to 400, halve and seed squash, place on baking sheet cut side up, drizzle generously with olive oil, then salt and pepper as desired. Roast until very tender, about 40-50 minutes depending on size of your squash. Cool, then scoop from shell and puree in food processor until very smooth. Set aside about 2 cups.

In a large bowl, whisk ricotta, eggs, cream, chopped garlic and pepper. Plus minced chives if desired.

Shred extra sharp cheddar cheese.

Cook lasagna sheets according to instructions. The Barilla brand lasagna noodles I love specify they are no boil, but for this recipe that is not exceptionally saucy I recommend at least softening them (placing in boiling water for a few minutes until a bit pliable.)

To assemble: heat oven to 350 degrees. Brush olive oil on the bottom of your 9×13″ baking dish. For three layers, portion one third ricotta mixture on the bottom of the pan, spreading evenly. Place three lasagna noodles on top of ricotta filling, side by side. Next, spread one third of the pureed roast butternut squash over noodles, then one third of shredded cheddar, sprinkle a little of your fresh thyme leaves. Next, another layer of noodles, pureed squash, ricotta filling and cheddar, thyme leaves. Lastly, another layer of noodles, then squash, ricotta and cheddar. Sprinkle with crushed red chili pepper, the rest of the thyme leaves and the chopped pistachios.

Cover pan with foil and bake for 40 minutes. Lift foil from pan and return to oven to bake about 10 minutes more, until cheese is just beginning to brown. Cool a few minutes before slicing to portion out, and as always, serve scrumptiously with a smile.

Oh yes, it’s irresistible …