The subtle nutty flavor of the whole-wheat lasagna noodles in this Butternut Squash and Mushroom Lasagna complements the sweet squash and earthy mushrooms.
Butternut Squash and Mushroom Lasagna
Makes 6 servings
Ingredients
- 1 medium butternut squash, peeled, halved lengthwise, and seeds removed
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 2½ teaspoons kosher salt, divided
- 1 teaspoon ground black pepper, divided
- 3 cups packed chopped stemmed collard greens (about ¼ pound)
- ¼ cup water
- 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
- ¼ cup unsalted butter, divided
- 1 (8-ounce) container fresh baby portobello mushrooms, sliced
- 1 teaspoon chopped fresh sage
- ¼ cup grated shallot
- 1 teaspoon grated garlic
- 3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
- ¼ teaspoon ground nutmeg
- 3 cups whole milk
- ½ cup dry white wine
- 2 cups shredded Gruyère cheese, divided
- 12 whole-wheat lasagna noodles, cooked according to package instructions
- 1 cup shredded low-moisture mozzarella cheese
- Garnish: fresh sage
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 375°.
- Cut rounded end off halves of squash; reserve for another use. Slice remaining portions of squash crosswise into ¼-inch-thick half-moons. On a large cast-iron baking sheet, toss together sliced squash, olive oil, 1 teaspoon salt, and ½ teaspoon pepper until well combined; arrange in a single layer.
- Bake until tender, 10 to 15 minutes. Let cool. Leave oven on.
- In a medium microwave-safe bowl, combine collard greens, ¼ cup water, lemon juice, and ½ teaspoon salt. Cover with plastic wrap, peeling back a small area to let steam escape. Microwave on high until greens are tender, 5 to 8 minutes, stirring every 2 minutes. Let cool enough to handle; squeeze greens dry.
- In a 10-inch square cast-iron skillet, heat 1 tablespoon butter over medium heat. Add mushrooms; cook, stirring occasionally, until liquid has evaporated and mushrooms are lightly browned, 5 to 7 minutes. Stir in sage. Transfer mushrooms to a large bowl.
- In same skillet, melt remaining 3 tablespoons butter over medium heat; stir in shallots and garlic. Cook, stirring frequently, until fragrant, 1 to 2 minutes. Whisk in flour, nutmeg, remaining 1 teaspoon salt, and remaining ½ teaspoon pepper until smooth; cook, whisking frequently, for 3 to 4 minutes. Gradually whisk in milk and wine until smooth; bring to a boil. Reduce heat, and simmer, whisking frequently, until sauce is thick enough to coat the back of a spoon, 10 to 15 minutes.
- Remove from heat; whisk in 1½ cups Gruyère until melted and smooth. Reserve ½ cup cheese sauce in a small bowl; stir remaining cheese sauce into mushrooms. Wipe skillet clean; spray with cooking spray.
- Spread reserved ½ cup cheese sauce in bottom of skillet. Add a single layer of noodles on top of sauce, cutting noodles to fit if needed. Spread one-fourth of mushroom sauce onto noodles. Top with half of collard greens mixture; sprinkle with ⅓ cup mozzarella.
- Top mozzarella with one-third of remaining mushroom sauce; layer with half of squash and ⅓ cup mozzarella. Top mozzarella with a layer of noodles, half of remaining mushroom sauce, remaining collard greens mixture, remaining squash, and remaining ⅓ cup mozzarella. Top with remaining noodles and remaining mushroom sauce. Sprinkle with remaining ½ cup Gruyère. Spray a piece of foil with cooking spray; cover skillet, spray side down.
- Bake until heated through, about 30 minutes. Uncover and increase heat to broil. Broil until cheese is bubbly, 2 to 4 minutes. Let stand for 10 minutes before serving. Garnish with sage, if desired.
Notes
KITCHEN TIP[br][i]If you have lasagna noodle scraps after trimming sheets to fit the skillet, enjoy them with a pat of butter and a grind of pepper, or freeze them to add to noodle soups.[br][/i]
