Roasted Butternut Lasagna with Crispy Sage and Cashew Bechamel - seriously flavorful vegan comfort food! Rich and sweetly savory, great for a weeknight dinner, perfect for entertaining!
Whenever I make lasagna I am reminded of my first years of cooking away from home - in college, in my own place for the first time. I learned about bechamel sauce and it became my favorite thing. I wanted to add bechamel to all the foods.
Then I made my very first lasagna. Back then I thought I was brilliant for using bechamel in place of ricotta or other soft cheese in the filling. I made many lasagna this way, as it was often requested when I hosted dinner parties or offered to bring something to an event.
I have made almost every lasagna with bechamel. Serious comfort food.
This is the first lasagna I have made in a while.
I wanted to bump up the protein without using a faux meat product, so instead of starting my bechamel with the usual butter-flour roux, I blended in cashews. Not only did I get my wanted protein, the result was a creamy sweet rich flavor.
We are in nutmeg week of Meatless Mondays A-Z, and while the nutmeg is a standard ingredient in my bechamel sauces, I also used it here to add warm spice to the butternut squash as it roasted. Wonderful depth of flavor in this dish.
Roasted Butternut Lasagna with Crispy Sage
inspired by lasagne alla zucca
dairy, egg, soy and gluten free, vegan
makes 9 x 11 pan of lasagna
INGREDIENTS:
1 butternut squash
drizzle olive oil
pinch sea salt
2 teaspoons freshly grated nutmeg
9-10 fresh sage leaves
1 package lasagna noodles (I use these - gluten free)
cashew bechamel sauce (recipe follows)
7 ounces jack cheese, sliced
INSTRUCTIONS:
Prepare cashew bechamel sauce (see recipe below).
Peel, remove seeds/innards, and cut butternut squash into cubes. Arrange in single layer on (parchment) baking sheet, drizzle with olive oil, sprinkle with sea salt and nutmeg. Arrange sage leaves on same sheet, brush with olive oil. Roast in 300 degree oven - 5 minutes for sage leaves, 30-35 minutes for squash. Remove from oven and cool.
Transfer cooled squash cubes to food processor and purée until smooth.
Assemble lasagna layers: Pour a small amount of bechamel in 9 x 11 baking dish. Add noodles. Spread a layer of squash purée, top with cheese, another layer of bechamel, top with crispy sage. Repeat steps for two more layers.
Cover with foil (especially important if using no-boil pasta noodles) and bake at 350 for 35-40 minutes. Remove from oven and let stand for 10-15 minutes, to set - you get even slices of lasagna layers this way.
Cashew Bechamel
dairy, egg, soy and gluten free, vegan
INGREDIENTS:
½ cup raw cashews
3 cups almond milk, divided
4 tablespoons butter (Earth Balance soy free)
4 tablespoons gluten free all purpose flour
2 teaspoons freshly grated nutmeg
1 teaspoon sea salt
INSTRUCTIONS:
In high speed blender or food processor, process cashews until crumbly. Add 1 cup milk while processing, until a smooth cashew cream forms - this will be much thinner than traditional cashew cream.
In saucepan over medium heat, melt butter. Whisk in flour, stirring until smooth. Cook over medium heat until mixture begins to darken in color - a light tan. Continue to stir while adding cashew milk. Mixture will thicken. Whisk in remaining two cups milk, and the salt and nutmeg, remove from heat.
This to me is the epitome of cold weather comfort food. Brightly flavored squash between layers of rich sauce and boldly flavored cheese. The crispy sage adds an earthy flavor perfect for winter foods. We will be enjoying this again soon.
What is your favorite cold weather comfort food?
printable recipes:
dairy, egg, soy and gluten free, vegan
[b]Roasted Butternut Lasagna with Crispy Sage[/b]
Ingredients
Instructions
Cashew Bechamel[/b]" thumbnail="https://www.spabettie.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/11/[email protected]spabettie.jpg" type="recipe"]
Natasha says
Now you've done it!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Arg!!!!( said with a clenched fist to the heavens) - must make, must....thank you for the inspiration!!!
Miss ya girl - hope your Daddy is good...Basil, and Jason too.
xo
Natasha
Kristina Sloggett says
ah, hello my long lost friend!! how ARE you?? I miss our chats, I know you are busy extreme, I hope you are well? think of you often XXO
anne says
This may sound like a stupid question but ------------ I have lots of raw almonds. Would the sauce be compromised if I used the almonds rather than cashews? If so, note to self - buy cashews.
Kristina Sloggett says
hi Anne! that is absolutely a valid question - and I almonds will definitely work, as far as consistency goes. The taste may be a bit different, but it would still be good! Enjoy!
Kiersten @ Oh My Veggies says
I hardly ever make lasagna anymore either and there's really no good reason for it other than laziness. But the last lasagna I made, I used a cashew sauce in it! It really does work well--this looks delicious!
Kristina Sloggett says
I know, and really? lasagna is so very easy, we shouldn't be avoiding it! I cannot wait to make this one again - I think cooler months are more lasagna friendly for me anyway...
agnès says
this looks amazing ! too bad my dear boyfriend can't stand the butternut & cheeze combination... i'll have to make it when he's away 😉
spabettie says
I am in the same place - Jason is not a fan... I made him his own lasagna this day (in the other half of the pan!).
Rachel @ Bakerita says
This sounds amazing!! Yummy - never thought of putting butternut squash in lasagna, but it seems like a wonderful idea.
spabettie says
thanks Rachel! I am definitely looking forward to making this again!
Peggy says
Looks awesome! I can't wait to try it...that is if I can find that cheese here in Hawaii?? I stumbled upon your blog today as I was searching for recipes for a 30 day meal plan I am making for my family. I'm so glad I found it! Looks like you have some yummy stuff on here! 🙂
spabettie says
hi Peggy! I am not sure, I hope you can find this cheese in Hawaii? I am so happy you found me, keep in touch and let me know if you have any requests... Mahalo!
Alyssa (Everyday Maven) says
Yum! The crispy sage puts it over the top and the addition of cashews is inspired!
spabettie says
thanks, Alyssa - I was very happy with this one...
Jeanette says
I'm always so amazed by the vegan cheese and cream sauces you come up with! This looks so good!
spabettie says
thank you, Jeanette! I suppose I love my comfort foods... 😉
Susannah says
Ooo... Yummy! I love butternut squash!
spabettie says
I do too - I cannot wait to make this one again...
Liz says
A piping hot bowl of soup!
Wow, this is pure comfort food...love the squash and sage combo...classic and delicious. And your layering video is so darn impressive...you rock, my friend!
spabettie says
aw, thank you, Liz - you just made my day! 🙂