Looking for a vegetarian main to please meat-free palates? This recipe for butternut squash and spinach lasagna, courtesy of Cooking Light, can be whipped up in 2 hours and delivers plenty of fiber, protein and important vitamins A and C.
This recipe is part of our 2014 healthy holiday e-cookbook.
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Butternut Squash, Caramelized Onion & Spinach Lasagna
Ingredients
- 6 cups (1/2-inch) cubed peeled butternut squash
- 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, divided
- 2 tablespoons chopped fresh sage
- 12 garlic cloves, unpeeled (about 1 head)
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt, divided
- 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
- Cooking spray
- 1 large onion, vertically sliced
- 2 tablespoons water
- 2 (9-ounce) packages fresh spinach
- 5 cups 1% low-fat milk, divided
- 1 bay leaf
- 1 thyme sprig
- 5 tablespoons all-purpose flour
- 1 1/2 cups (6 ounces) shredded fontina cheese, divided
- 3/8 teaspoon ground red pepper
- 1/4 teaspoon grated whole nutmeg
- 9 no-boil lasagna noodles
Directions
Preheat oven to 425°F.
Combine squash, 1 tablespoon oil, sage, garlic, 1/2 teaspoon salt, and black pepper in a large bowl; toss to coat. Arrange squash mixture on a baking sheet coated with cooking spray. Bake at 425°F for 30 minutes or until squash is tender. Cool slightly; peel garlic. Place squash and garlic in a bowl; partially mash with a fork.
Heat remaining 1 tablespoon oil in a large Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Add onion, and sauté for 4 minutes. Reduce heat to medium-low; continue cooking for 20 minutes or until golden brown, stirring frequently. Place onion in a bowl.
Add 2 tablespoons water and spinach to Dutch oven; increase heat to high. Cover and cook 2 minutes or until spinach wilts. Drain in a colander; cool. Squeeze excess liquid from spinach. Add spinach to onions.
Heat 4 1/2 cups milk, bay leaf, and thyme in a medium saucepan over medium-high heat. Bring to a boil; remove from heat. Let stand for 10 minutes. Discard bay leaf and thyme. Return pan to medium heat. Combine remaining 1/2 cup milk and flour in a small bowl. Add to pan, stirring with a whisk until blended. Bring to a boil; reduce heat, and simmer for 5 minutes or until thickened, stirring constantly. Remove from heat; stir in remaining 1/2 teaspoon salt, 1 1/4 cups cheese, red pepper, and nutmeg.
Spread 1/2 cup milk mixture in bottom of a 13 x 9-inch glass or ceramic baking dish coated with cooking spray. Arrange 3 noodles over milk mixture; top with half of squash mixture, half of spinach mixture, and 3/4 cup milk mixture. Repeat layers, ending with noodles. Spread remaining milk mixture over noodles.
Bake at 425°F for 30 minutes, and remove from oven. Sprinkle with remaining 1/4 cup cheese.
Preheat broiler.
Broil 2 minutes or until cheese is melted and lightly browned. Let stand 10 minutes before serving.
Nutrition Information
Serves: 8 | Serving Size: 1/8 of lasagna
Per serving: Calories: 351; Total Fat: 13g; Saturated Fat: 1g; Monounsaturated Fat: 3g; Cholesterol: 30mg; Sodium: 418mg; Carbohydrate: 46g; Dietary Fiber: 5g; Sugar: 13g; Protein: 19g
Nutrition Bonus: Potassium: 1104mg; Iron: 21%; Vitamin A: 355%; Vitamin C: 74%; Calcium: 54%
Find more low-calorie dinner meals like this from the new Cooking Light Diet, where you can lose weight without giving up the foods you love. Learn more at CookingLightDiet.com. Follow Cooking Light on Facebook for more daily recipe inspiration.
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