Butternut squash lasagna – completely pasta free.

Butternut squash lasagna sheets

I have said before on countless occasions that I am inordinately greedy. So when a, new to me, foodstuff appears in the shops I love to try it. Not because it is “free from”, not because it is “healthy”, not because it is “clean eating”.No I’ll try it because it might actually taste good. That’s why I eat quinoa, kale and courgetti. It’s also why I eat creme eggs, hobnobs and jam doughnuts.

The same goes for these butternut squash slices (from Sainsbury’s) that can be use in place of pasta in a lasagna. Effectively you make a vegetable gratin, but by using the tastes and flavours reminiscent of lasagna you can build a really delicious dish. When making my dish I chose to make a vegetarian version, but you could just as easily use your regular mince and white sauce recipe and simply substitute the butternut squash lasagna sheets.

Butternut squash lasagna sheets.

Butternut squash lasagna

1 pack butternut squash lasagna sheets

1 carton passata with basil or tomato frito

1 pack baby spinach

4 large portabella mushrooms

1 clove garlic chopped

1 large knob butter

1 tbsp olive oil

1 pack cauliflower and kale couscous or similar

white sauce

grated cheddar cheese

Large gratin dish

How to….

• Preheat the oven to 200c.
• In a pan gently soften the garlic in the butter, add in the mushrooms and cook until softened also. Add in the baby spinach and wilt down.
• Oil the bottom of the gratin dish with a tsp of oil.
• Place a layer of the butternut squash lasagna slices in the bottom of the dish. Season with salt and pepper.
• Drizzle with a third of the passata. Top with the spinach and mushroom mixture and another layer of lasagna sheets. Season with salt and pepper.
• Drizzle with another third of the passata. Top with the cauliflower and kale couscous (you could use cauliflower rice or beetroot rice too here.)
• Pour over the remaining passata, Top with the final layer of lasagna sheets. Season with salt and pepper. I haven’t given a recipe for white sauce as you may wish to make your own vegan version (mine is crammed with butter and full fat milk!)
• Give a proper covering of cheese.
• Bake for 40 minutes.
• Allow to cool a little before serving.

I had this as a stand alone dish but it would be tasty as a vegetable side dish with some simply grilled chicken too.

<ahref=”https://theflexitarian.co.uk/2017/03/black-bean-and-corn-enchilada-spaghetti-squash-boats-link-up-your-meatfree-recipeoftheweek-march-20-26“>

Advertisement