Butternut Squash and Italian Sausage Lasagna

5 from 1 vote

Butternut Squash and Italian Sausage Lasagna

Sweet squash and savory sausage layered with rich cheeses and no-boil noodles. Amazing fall flavors accented with brown butter, sage, and hazelnuts.

Prep Time1

Cook Time1

Resting Time15

Total Time2 15

Course: Main Course, Main Dish

Cuisine: American, Italian American

Servings:

Calories: 624kcal

Author: Judy Purcell

Equipment

12x17 roasting pan (at least 4 inches deep)

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

Get Recipe Ingredients

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.

Notes

The amount of pasta sheets will depend on the size of pan—for a thicker layer of pasta, double up when placing and increase the amount of chicken broth.

Nutrition