Delicata Squash Lasagna

This is a low carb take on typical lasagna with a sweet twist. Like most squashes, delicata squash has an almost sweet flavor which adds a delicious variation to a classic lasagna. There's so many things to love about this lasagna. Of course it's DELICIOUS. But you are also replacing the pasta with a fibrous hearty vegetable and serving it between layers of your favorite marina sauce, creamy ricotta cheese and topped with perfectly melted mozzarella cheese.

This modified lasagna reminded me of a pizza place back at home who's specialty is a sweet pizza sauce. I think my next delicata squash recipe may just have to include pizza! Squash + pizza sounds good to me!

Sweet soft delicata squash layered between homemade marinara sauce and creamy cheesy ricotta and mozzarella is the comfort food we all love plus the vegetables we all need!

For this recipe I kept the ingredients BASIC BASIC BASIC! Cheese. Sauce. Squash. DONE!

I used a blend of whole milk and low fat ricotta #Galbani cheese because I had a partial container of each left but both work! I used a block of whole milk #Galbani mozzarella and shredded it using a cheese grater.

I like using a mozzarella block because it makes for easy shredding and since it's freshly grated you can be sure it will be creamy and melt perfectly!

I also used marinara sauce I had made previously and frozen. For my homemade marinara sauce recipe click here. Keep things vegetarian and add the marinara as is. I opted for a bolognese sauce by browning some 90% grass fed beef and mixing it into the sauce.

Assemble the lasagna like you would any other lasagna but replace the noodles with the squash.

Obviously the squash "half moons" are much smaller than typical lasagna noodles so I just lined the moons up in a row until I reached the other side of the dish, then started a new row next to that and repeated until the squash covered the entire surface.

Delicata Squash Lasagna

6 servings | Cook time: 1 hour 10 minutes

Notes: A veggie packed twist on classic lasagna.

Ingredients:

• 2-3 large delicata squashes (1200-1500g)

• 1 15 oz container #Galbani ricotta cheese (part skim)

• 1/2 cup fresh basil, chopped

• 3 cups marinara sauce

• 6 oz #Galbani whole milk mozzarella cheese block

• Salt and pepper

• Grated parmesan cheese, for topping

• 1 lb 90% ground beef (omit for vegetarian version)

Directions:

1. Preheat the oven to 300F.

2. Using a sharp knife slice the delicata squash in half longways. Use a spoon to scoop out the seeds and throw away. Place the squash flesh side down and slice the squash into 1/4” thick half moons. Discard the first and last half moon.

3. Spray 2 large baking sheets with nonstick spray. Arrange the squash in a single layer on the baking sheets. Spray them again with nonstick spray and season with salt and pepper. Bake in the oven for 25 minutes, shuffling around once, until the squash is soft or starting to brown.

4. While the squash is cooking, combine ricotta, salt and pepper and fresh basil together in a bowl, set aside. Use a cheese grater to shred the mozzarella.

5. If using beef, brown the beef in a pan, breaking up with a wooden spoon. Once cooked, add sauce and heat to a boil, lower to a simmer, stir occasionally.

6. Spray a 9x13” casserole dish with nonstick spray. Remove the squash from the oven and turn the oven up to 325F.

7. Spoon a small amount of sauce onto the bottom of the casserole dish and spread into a thin layer across the bottom. Arrange delicate squash in rows over the sauce.

8. Spoon ricotta mixture over and use a spoon to spread into a layer. Top with another layer of sauce.

9. Repeat layering squash, ricotta and sauce until all of the ingredients are used, ending with sauce.

10. Top the last layer of sauce with shredded mozzarella.

11. Cover the casserole dish with tin foil and place in the oven for 30 minutes. After 30 minutes, remove the foil, turn the temperature up to 350F and bake for another 15 minutes.

12. After 15 minutes, remove from the oven (you will see the sauce bubbling inside the dish). Cover with foil and let set for 5 minutes.

13. Serve warm, garnished with fresh basil and parmesan.

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Nutrition Facts are provided as a guideline only. Exact nutrition will depend on quantity, brand and ingredients used. Nutrition facts provided for both the vegetarian version and the beef version. You could also substitute ground turkey or chicken instead of beef.