Roasted Butternut Squash and Spinach Lasagna.

This Roasted Butternut Squash and Spinach Lasagna is the perfect baked pasta for cozy November and December nights with family and friends. Beautiful layers of seasonal butternut squash, creamy buttery béchamel sauce, spinach, and lasagna noodles, all come together in this vegetable-focused lasagna. It’s vibrant, creamy, a little cheesy, and so delicious! Sprinkle the lasagna with salty prosciutto before baking for a warming dinner that’s mouth-wateringly delicious. This is a great, make-ahead lasagna for Friendsgiving, Thanksgiving, and all the upcoming holiday dinner parties.

This post is sponsored by Vermont Creamy. 

My favorite recipes this time of year are the ones that are simple to prepare, feed a big crowd, and can be made ahead of time. With Thanksgiving so close, and Friendsgiving happening all month long, recipes like this lasagna are perfect to have in your back pocket for gatherings with family and friends.

I know that this coming weekend is the big weekend for Friendsgiving here in the US. So with that in mind, I’m sharing not only this delicious (almost vegetarian) lasagna, but all my best tips and tricks for hosting!

First, the details…

It’s probably no secret…because I’ve said this a million times over, but lasagna is my go-to dish for entertaining. Every year I love to come up with a new recipe to share. This butternut squash lasagna recipe is my personal favorite. Sure I really love a classic lasagna, but my true favorites sway more towards anything with butternut squash. Add a buttercream sauce and you’ve sealed the deal.

Start off with the squash. It’s simply roasted until fork tender, then mashed, and stirred together with creamy ricotta cheese. I like to use a lot of squash to get a really great flavor and color.

While the squash is roasting, make the béchamel sauce. As always, I used my Aunt Katie’s base recipe for this sauce, as I’ve yet to create a better version. It’s a delicious mix of garlic, sage, rosemary, spinach, and buttery gouda cheese.

But her real secret to a great béchamel? A generous amount of butter…the key to everything this time of year. I used Vermont Creamery Cultured Butter for especially delicious flavor, richness, and creaminess. Using high-quality ingredients are so important to me. I love knowing that they use only two simple ingredients: cream and cultures (and sea salt if you’re using the salted butter).

Unlike traditional butter, Vermont Creamery’s Cultured Butter is fermented for 20 hours then churned to 82% butterfat. This provides the butter with an incredibly rich taste and creamy texture. It has a delightful tang and notes of buttermilk and hazelnut, which pair so nicely with the warming herbs and spices I’ve used throughout this recipe.

Once the squash has been roasted and the sauce made, simply layer everything together with easy, no-boil lasagna noodles.

Now, this next ingredient is optional, but one I really do love. Prosciutto. I like to add a little salty prosciutto to the top of the lasagna before baking. As the dish bakes, the prosciutto crisps and adds a really nice salty flavor.

Of course, if you’re vegetarian you can easily omit this!

I really can’t begin to describe just how delicious this roasted butternut squash and spinach lasagna is. Something about these flavors all layered together and baked is just beyond GOOD. The squash has an amazing caramelized flavor from slow roasting. And the sauce is incredibly rich and creamy and brightens up with the addition of spinach. When everything is put together, you get a rich, creamy, and super cheesy pasta. Every last bite is DELICIOUS!

My best tips for Friendsgiving entertaining.

tip one: start with a cooking schedule. This is KEY. I spoke about this in more detail last year, but I have to note this tip again. Once you have your menu set, plan out when each dish needs to be going into the oven, and when it’s coming out. Writing out a game-plan is the most helpful tool for creating a laid back, stress-free night, full of delicious food.

tip two: assign guests dishes to bring to your dinner. Trust me, there’s no reason you need to be making ALL the food. Make your favorite recipes, and have friends and family bring everything else. Just be sure you assign everyone what they need to bring. That way you won’t end up with multiple sweet potato casseroles.

tip three: make/prepare as many recipes as you can ahead of time. Don’t plan any recipes that require you to hover over the stove all night long. It’s best to work with recipes you can assemble in advance, like this lasagna!

tip five: set the table the night before. I can’t stress this one enough. If you want a nicely set table, set it the night before…or even the week before. My grandma taught me this tip and it’s the only way I can guarantee a beautifully set table. If I try to do it the day of I always run out of time.

Hoping this helps you all create an amazing night with family and friends!

PS. if you’re looking for a great salad to go along with this hearty pasta, I highly recommend this. It’s always a crowd favorite.

If you make this roasted butternut squash and spinach lasagna, be sure to leave a comment and/or give this recipe a rating! Above all, I love to hear from you guys and always do my best to respond to each and every comment. And of course, if you do make this recipe, don’t forget to tag me on Instagram! Looking through the photos of recipes you all have made is my favorite!

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{This post is sponsored by Vermont Creamy.  Thank you for supporting the brands that keep Half Baked Harvest cooking!}