There are those meals you select knowing you are going to put extra effort into it. You buy the freshest ingredients, dedicate a chunk of time to fuss over it, accept no substitutions, no excuses, you go all-out.
Butternut Squash and Italian Sausage Lasagna is one of those planned indulgences. Don’t let the time investment dampen your enthusiasm for trying this dish, it is worth every single minute when every bite tastes like a crisp autumn day.
I like butternut squash prepared savory rather than sweet, so this recipe was especially appealing to me. Tender squash seasoned with fresh marjoram, thyme, and bay leaf, accompanied by Honeycrisp apple, fennel, and onion.
Fennel sausage, fresh sage leaves, and toasted hazelnuts join the mix, rounding out flavors and imparting a hearty texture. Oh, and it is lasagna, so ricotta, mascarpone, mozzarella, and Parmigiano-Reggiano set the stage for a sensational dinner.
This recipe makes a huge amount so I split this between two pans, the smaller of the two went directly to the freezer and we still had 8-10 servings.
Everyone loved it, each of us trying to describe our delight at the same time. Our daughter said, “This tastes like fall. It’s a little sweet, but then it’s not.“
Every bite is a nuance of engaging flavors and by the time we finished dinner, we finally agreed on a single word to describe it—delicious!
In fact, these flavors were so good together, I created a breakfast quiche based on these same components with the benefit of taking less time to make.
Step by Step
- Roast the butternut squash with the salt, pepper, and cinnamon.
- Sauté the onion, fennel, apple, sausage, and marjoram for 8 to 10 minutes; mix with butternut squash.
- Brown the butter, sage, and hazelnuts.
- Mix the ricotta, mascarpone, heavy cream, beaten eggs, half of the mozzarella, and the remaining 1/2 teaspoon pepper and 1/2 teaspoon salt.
- Add the cooled brown-butter-sage-hazelnut mixture to the cheese and mix thoroughly.
- Assemble the lasagna. Squash and sausage—Parmesan and Stock—Pasta sheets—Cheese mixture—Pasta sheets—Repeat
- Top with the remaining grated mozzarella and 1/4 cup Parmesan.
- Cover the lasagna tightly with a piece of buttered foil and bake, undisturbed, for 40 minutes. Remove the foil and continue to bake until the top is bubbly and golden brown, about 15 minutes more.
- Let stand for 15 to 20 minutes before serving. Garnish with the remaining tablespoon of sage.
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Butternut Squash and Italian Sausage Lasagna
Ingredients
- 3 pounds butternut squash (8 Cups) — peeled and diced
- 1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil split
- 3/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 3/4 teaspoon dried thyme
- 1 1/2 teaspoons salt
- 1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- 1 1/2 cups small-diced onion
- 1 cup small-diced fennel
- 1 cup cored and small-diced Pink Lady or Honeycrisp apple — 1 large or 1 1/2 med apple
- 2 pounds sausage 1/2 hot Italian, 1/2 mild Italian is optimal
- 3 teaspoons chopped fresh marjoram leaves
- 4 tablespoons butter
- 2/3 cup fresh sage leaves (3 tablespoons reserved for topping) — thinly sliced
- 2/3 cup chopped, lightly toasted hazelnuts
- 1 pound whole-milk ricotta cheese
- 8 ounces mascarpone cheese
- 1/2 cup heavy cream
- 2 large eggs lightly beaten
- 2 1/2 pounds mozzarella cheese grated
- 1 cup finely grated Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese
- 1 cup chicken stock
- 20 sheets no-boil lasagna noodles 1 to 2 (9 oz.) packages Barilla pasta
Instructions
- Heat oven to 375°F.
- PREP THE INGREDIENTS:
- In a large mixing bowl, combine the butternut squash with 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, cinnamon, thyme, 1 teaspoon of the salt, and 1/2 teaspoon of the pepper and toss to coat the squash. Transfer the squash to a large baking sheet and cover with aluminum foil. Bake until the squash is tender, about 30 minutes. Set the squash aside, covered, until cool.3 pounds butternut squash, 1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil, 3/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon, 3/4 teaspoon dried thyme, 1 1/2 teaspoons salt, 1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- Brown sausage in a large skillet over medium heat to render fat. Transfer sausage to a paper-towel-lined plate and pour off all but 2 tablespoons of the fat.2 pounds sausage
- Saute the onion, fennel, apple, and marjoram in the same skillet for 8 to 10 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the vegetables have softened.1 1/2 cups small-diced onion, 1 cup small-diced fennel, 1 cup cored and small-diced Pink Lady, 3 teaspoons chopped fresh marjoram leaves
- Transfer the sausage and cooked vegetables to a large mixing bowl, and set aside to cool for a few minutes. Gently fold the squash into the vegetable-sausage mixture.
- Heat the butter in a small skillet over medium heat. When the butter begins to bubble and brown, add the sage leaves and cook 1 to 2 minutes. Add the chopped hazelnuts and cook for another minute. Remove from the heat and set aside to cool.4 tablespoons butter, 2/3 cup fresh sage leaves, 2/3 cup chopped, lightly toasted hazelnuts
- In a separate large mixing bowl, combine the ricotta, mascarpone, heavy cream, beaten eggs, half of the mozzarella, and the remaining 1/2 teaspoon pepper and 1/2 teaspoon salt. Mix well to combine, then add the cooled brown-butter-sage-hazelnut mixture and mix thoroughly.1 pound whole-milk ricotta cheese, 8 ounces mascarpone cheese, 1/2 cup heavy cream, 2 large eggs, 2 1/2 pounds mozzarella cheese
- ASSEMBLE THE LASAGNA:
- Spread half of the butternut squash mixture in the bottom of the pan, sprinkle with 1/2 cup of the Parmesan, drizzle 1/3 cup of the stock over the top, and cover with 8 to 10 pasta sheets, leaving a little space between sheets.1 cup finely grated Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese, 20 sheets no-boil lasagna noodles, 1 cup chicken stock
- Spread the ricotta cheese mixture over the pasta sheets and cover with 8 to 10 more pasta sheets. Distribute the remaining half of the butternut squash mixture over the pasta, sprinkle the top with 1/2 cup of the remaining Parmesan, and drizzle with the remaining stock. Top with the remaining grated mozzarella.
- Cover the lasagna tightly with a piece of buttered foil and bake for 1 hour. Remove the foil and continue to bake until the top is bubbly and golden brown, about 25 minutes more. Let the lasagna stand for 10 minutes before serving.
Joy says
I saw the previous rave reviews so I had to try it — sooooo good!
Pat says
Judy, would this work as a side dish for a large crowd for Thanksgiving? I was thinking that with the sage, savory flavors, it might work.
Judy Purcell says
Yes, Pat, I think it would work as a side for a large crowd, excellent as leftovers too. It is a bit involved, so you might think about putting it together the night before. Great idea having it at Thanksgiving 🙂
Bob Stephens says
Was lucky enough to sample Judy’s creation pictured above. It was phenomenal … exquisite … delicious … and I had a huge plate of seconds!
Judy says
Aw, thanks Bob, for taking time to stop by and comment 🙂 Food is always better when shared with friends!
Pati says
This dish has now become one of my favorites. Each bite produced different flavor blends too incredible to describe. Great job Emeril…sometimes delicious just doesn’t cover it! Love being your neighbor Judy.
Judy says
Always love doing food (and life) with you, friend 🙂
Rufus' Food and Spirits Guide says
What a great pairing.
sportsglutton says
Sounds like a harmonous blend of deliciousness!
Tracey says
I love your pictures, the dish looks so appetizing! I’m a huge fan of butternut squash so I’m eager to try this one too. I just need to get some friends over to help me eat it since my husband isn’t a squash fan 🙂
The Secret Ingredient says
I love it! I absolutely cannot wait to try this one out. Thanks for recommending. 🙂 (KC)
ChgoJohn says
I love squash and I love lasagna. Marrying the 2 is a great idea. Leave it to Emeril.
Savory Simple says
This sounds fantastic!
diabeticfoodie says
I love winter squash. This looks fabulous!
Heather | Farmgirl Gourmet says
Looks amazing!! I am going to dog ear this one too!! Great post!!!