Butternut squash lasagna rolls combine the best fall flavors. Cut butternut squash, sweet sausage, ricotta, and mozzarella turn traditional lasagna into a special dinner. It makes enough for 2 or dinner + lunch. Perfect if you're cooking for one or two.
[This butternut squash lasagna rolls recipe was originally posted in November 2020. It has been updated with new cooking instructions, expert tips, FAQ, related recipes, and ways to repurpose/use up ingredients]
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How will these lasagna rolls make your life easier?
I'll be honest, this butternut squash lasagna rolls recipe is easy, but not quick. It takes about 20-25 hands on minutes to prepare, then the same to bake. I highly recommend doubling or tripling this recipe for leftovers. You can also freeze the extra portions.
Take these simple shortcuts if you're short on time: grab frozen butternut squash (I'd smash it while cooking or chop it up more so you're not eating huge chunks of squash), just assemble it like lasagna. Use no-boil noodles to save a step.
Here are other delicious fall recipes: Curry Pumpkin Soup, Ground Beef & Rice Stuffed Squash, or Melanie's 30 Minute Pumpkin Turkey Chili.
What makes these butternut squash and spinach rolls so good?
- Butternut squash
- Extra virgin olive oil
- Butter
- Dried sage
- Kosher salt
- Breakfast sausage
- Frozen spinach
- Milk
- Chicken broth
- All purpose flour
- Lasagna noodles
- Whole milk ricotta
- Mozzarella cheese
How do I make lasagna roll-ups?
Start making your butternut squash lasagna rolls by preheating the oven to 375 degrees.
Pour olive oil and butter into large skillet over medium--low heat. Then add small small chopped butternut squash, dried sage leaves and kosher salt. Spread out evenly into one layer on pan. Cook for 8-10 minutes, stirring occasionally.
Pierce one piece of squash with a fork, if it comes out fairly easy, you're ready to move on to the next step: add breakfast sausage and frozen spinach. Break up sausage with a spatula and cook until sausage is browned on all sides. About 5-7 minutes.
Now let me address the elephant in the room-breakfast sausage? YES. It's sweet, and honestly goes so well with the squash and sage in these butternut squash lasagna rolls.
While sausage is cooking, prepare lasagna noodles by cooking them according to package directions, then transfer them to a cutting board or large plate when they're done. Don't make rolls if using no-boil noodles, just assemble regular lasagna.
Prepare the sauce for your butternut squash lasagna rolls. All you need to do is add chicken broth OR chicken bouillon paste + water, milk, and all purpose flour to a small mixing bowl. Whisk together until smooth. Set aside.
Prepare the baking dish by spraying with cooking spray OR butter.
When the sausage is browned, you're ready to add the flour and liquid mixture to the pan. The sausage doesn't have to be 100% cooked through, it still has plenty of time to cook.
Stir and cook for about a minute, or until sauce thickens to *almost* cheese sauce consistency.
Assemble your butternut squash lasagna rolls-add about ¼ c of mixture to each noodle, spread out to cover noodles. Next, add ricotta cheese to each noodle. Spread cheese over filling or plop 4-5 dollops throughout noodle. Roll up each noodle.
Spoon about ¼ c mixture into baking pan. Spread evenly in pan. Transfer noodles to baking dish. Place them seam side down so they don't fall apart. Top with any sauce/filling that fell out from rolling noodles. Top with shredded mozzarella cheese.
Bake your butternut squash lasagna rolls for 25-30 minutes, or until cheese is bubbly and rolls are hot. If cheese gets brown early in the baking time, cover with a lid or foil so it doesn't burn.
Substitutions/Tips
- You can use whole butternut squash or pre-cut cubed squash in this butternut squash lasagna rolls. I still recommend cutting each cube into half or quarters to speed up cooking time.
- You can use fresh sage if you have it, just use 3 T sage leaves.
- Cream cheese or goat cheese would be a good sub for ricotta in these butternut squash lasagna rolls
- You can save a step + some time by using no-boil noodles and just assemble the butternut squash lasagna rolls like traditional lasagna
- Chicken bouillon paste (like Better than Bouillon) is a great swap for chicken broth. It lasts longer and you won't waste that last ¼ c of broth. It's perfect if you cook for one.
- You can sub the chicken for vegetable broth and sausage for TVP for a vegetarian butternut squash lasagna rolls
- Other great add-ins: other vegetables like zucchini, small chopped broccoli, other squash.
FAQ
You don't necessarily need to cover these butternut squash lasagna rolls because they only cook for 20-30 minutes, but I would cover it if you're cooking it for longer. That way they won't dry out as much.
I recommend peeling your butternut squash to use in this butternut squash lasagna rolls recipe. The peel would be too hard to eat in the lasagna rolls.
It could be 2 things, one: your sauce is too thin and two: your noodles were too wet. Lasagna sauce should be canned spaghetti sauce consistency. Cook your sauce for longer, or don't cover it in the oven to release some of the moisture.
What can I make with leftover ingredients?
- Butternut squash: Harvest Bowl, swap for delicata squash in this Delicata Squash Soup, skip the acorn squash and add cooked butternut squash to the beef and rice in this Stuffed Squash with Beef and Rice.
- Sausage: Sausage Egg Bake, or swap for bacon in these easy Breakfast Sandwiches
- Ricotta cheese: Add to this Pumpkin Turkey Chili or Pistachio Pesto Pasta
Did you make these butternut squash lasagna rolls? Leave me a comment & rating to share how they turned out!
Butternut Squash Lasagna Rolls
Equipment
- cutting board
- knife
- Measuring Cups
- Measuring Spoons
- Large Skillet
- rubber spatula
- large stock pot
- small baking dish
Ingredients
- 1 cup cubed butternut squash
- 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
- 1 tablespoon butter
- 1 tablespoon dried sage
- ¼ teaspoon kosher salt
- ¼ pound breakfast sausage or sweet apple sausage
- ¼ cup frozen spinach
- ½ cup milk
- ½ cup chicken or vegetable broth OR ½ c water + ½ teaspoon chicken bouillon
- 1 ½ tablespoons all purpose flour
- 4 lasagna noodles
- ¼ cup whole milk ricotta
- 2 tablespoons shredded mozzarella cheese
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 375 degrees.
- Heat large skillet or cast iron skillet over medium-low heat. While skillet is heating, transfer 1 c cubed butternut squash onto cutting board. Cut each cube into 2-4 even size pieces.
- When skillet is warm, pour 1 T olive oil and 1 T butter into pan, then add small chopped butternut squash. Sprinkle 1 T dried sage and ¼ teaspoon kosher salt over squash. Spread out into one even layer on pan. Cook about 8-10 minutes, stirring occasionally.
- When squash has softened, add ¼ lb breakfast sausage and ¼ c frozen spinach to pan, break up with spatula. Cook 5-7 minutes, or until browned on all sides.
- Cook 4 lasagna noodles, according to package directions. Leave in water until ready to assemble.
- While sausage and squash are cooking, prepare sauce by adding ½ c chicken broth, ½ c milk, and 1 ½ T all purpose flour to small mixing bowl. Whisk flour into liquid. Set aside. Also prepare baking dish by spraying with cooking spray or smearing butter on the bottom and sides of the dish.
- Once sausage is browned, add flour and liquid mixture to pan. Stir and cook for about a minute, or until sauce thickens. Remove lasagna noodles from water, and place on a cutting board or large plate. Divide vegetable, sausage mixture into 5 parts, about ¼ c each. Spoon about ¼ c onto each of the 4 lasagna noodles, spreading evenly on top of each noodle. Top with 1 T ricotta on each noodle, evenly distributed on noodle. Roll each noodle up, just like a jelly roll.
- Spread final ¼ c on bottom of baking pan. Transfer noodles to baking dish, seam side down. Top noodles with any sauce/filling that fell out while rolling noodles. Then top with 2 T shredded mozzarella cheese. Bake for 25-30 minutes, or until cheese is bubbly and rolls are hot. Enjoy as is or with a green salad.
Video
Notes
- Use whole butternut squash or pre-cut cubed squash depending on what you have/how much time you have to make this dish.
- Substitute 3 T fresh sage leaves for the dried sage.
- Ricotta substitutions: cream cheese or goat cheese
- You can sub the chicken for vegetable broth
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Shelley says
What a deliciously unique recipe! And I just love some of the suggestions you offer, to change it up a bit each time I make it - like roasting the squash (I adore roasted squash!), using fresh sage (which I also adore!), and definitely the idea of trying cream cheese or goat cheese (oh my gosh - goat cheese!!). Thank yo so much!
Rebecca says
right, wouldn't goat cheese be amazing?!
Angela says
Great flavor combinations. I love sausage, butternut squash and sage together!
Rebecca says
thanks! me too, it's such a great combo
Lisa | Garlic & Zest says
You had me at lasagna! This is such a clever and beautiful seasonal dish. Great vegetarian dinner option!
Rebecca says
yes! a great vegetarian sausage would be delish in this