Gluten-Free Butternut Squash Lasagna Rolls with Green Béchamel Sauce Recipe
Feeling like a lazy gluten free lasagna? This one simplifies things by allowing you to roll up filling in one long lasagna noodle and neatly tuck it into a casserole dish with more lasagna “rolls” until full. Pop ’em in the oven, pull ’em out, and easily scoop out single servings of this luscious, vegetarian lasagna featuring butternut squash and a silken homemade spinach béchamel sauce. The pine nut gremolata topping is optional, but it’s so easy and delish, why not?
Butternut Squash Lasagna Rolls with Green Béchamel Sauce
Quick, glamorous, from-scratch vegetarian lasagna? Yes, please! Note: You'll need 1 full recipe (3 cups) of Béchamel Sauce, listed below. For quicker, less creamy results, you could substitute ricotta cheese.
Servings 9 people
Calories 364 kcal
Ingredients
- 1 medium butternut squash peeled, seeded, and diced into 1⁄2-inch cubes (about 4 cups)
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- Kosher salt
- 9 gluten-free brown-rice lasagna noodles
- 15 ounces whole-milk ricotta
- 1 egg
- Pinch of nutmeg
- 1/4 teaspoon lemon zest
- 1/2 cup finely grated Parmigiano- Reggiano cheese
- 1 cup plus 2 tablespoons coarsely grated fontina cheese
- 1-1/2 cups Béchamel Sauce see below
FOR THE GREEN BÉCHAMEL SAUCE:
- 1 tablespoon unsalted butter
- 3 tablespoons roughly chopped fresh sage leaves
- 1 cup firmly packed baby spinach
- 1-1/2 cups Béchamel Sauce see below
- 1 recipe Pine Nut Gremolata see below Kosher salt
Instructions
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Preheat the oven to 450oF. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
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On the prepared baking sheet, toss the butternut squash with the olive oil and 1 teaspoon salt. Roast, stirring halfway through cooking, until tender and browned in some places, 20 to 25 minutes. Set aside.
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Turn down the oven to 375oF. Bring a large pot of well-salted water to a boil. Have ready a bowl of ice water. Cook the noodles for 6 minutes, then plunge into the ice water. Drain, place in one layer on a baking sheet, and cover with a damp towel until needed.
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In a bowl, mix together the butternut squash, ricotta, egg, nutmeg, lemon zest, and Parmigiano-Reggiano until combined. Season with 1-1/4 teaspoons salt.
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Spread 1/4 cup of the squash mixture on each lasagna noodle, leaving a 1-inch border on both ends, then sprinkle each noodle with 2 tablespoons of the fontina.
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Spread 1⁄2 cup béchamel on the bottom of a 9-inch square baking dish or cake pan. Roll up each noodle lengthwise and place it seam side down into the dish. Drizzle 1 cup béchamel over the rolls, cover loosely with foil, and bake until bubbling and brown, about 40 minutes. Turn on the broiler and broil for 3 minutes. Let rest for 5 minutes.
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Make the green béchamel sauce: In a small sauté pan, melt the butter with the sage over medium-high heat. Add the spinach and cook, stirring constantly, until the spinach is wilted and soft, 1 to 2 minutes. In a blender, puree the spinach mixture with the béchamel sauce. Gently reheat the sauce just prior to serving and season to taste with salt.
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Place a few spoonfuls of green béchamel on each dinner plate. Top with a lasagna roll, sprinkle with gremolata, and serve.
Nutrition Facts
Butternut Squash Lasagna Rolls with Green Béchamel Sauce
Amount Per Serving
Calories 364
Calories from Fat 171
% Daily Value*
Fat 19g29%
Saturated Fat 10g63%
Trans Fat 1g
Polyunsaturated Fat 1g
Monounsaturated Fat 6g
Cholesterol 69mg23%
Sodium 271mg12%
Potassium 428mg12%
Carbohydrates 36g12%
Fiber 2g8%
Sugar 4g4%
Protein 15g30%
Vitamin A 9668IU193%
Vitamin C 19mg23%
Calcium 335mg34%
Iron 1mg6%
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.
BÉCHAMEL SAUCE
Though made about as thick as yogurt here for the lasagna recipes, this classic white sauce can be thinned with milk or cream to make an elegant base sauce. Add 1 ounce grated Gruyère cheese and 2 egg yolks per cup of thinned béchamel to make a Mornay sauce that’ll dress up eggs, fish, shellfish, vegetables, or chicken, or add a blend of cheeses (such as Gruyère, fontina, and Parmigiano-Reggiano) and a spoonful of Dijon mustard to create a base for macaroni and cheese.
Servings 3 cups
Ingredients
- 5 tablespoons unsalted butter
- 5 tablespoons gluten-free flour mix
- 4 cups milk
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- Pinch or two of nutmeg
Instructions
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Melt the butter in a saucepan over medium-low heat. Add the flour and whisk for 90 seconds to combine. Whisk in the milk, raise the heat to medium-high, and bring to a boil, stirring constantly. Lower the heat and simmer while stirring, for 10 minutes longer. Season with salt and the nutmeg.
PINE NUT GREMOLATA
It’s not likely you’ll have leftovers of this bright, crunchy garnish, but if you do, sprinkle it on roasted vegetables, veggie pizzas, or ricotta toast.
Ingredients
- 1⁄4 cup coarsely chopped Italian parsley
- 1 small clove garlic finely minced
- 1⁄4 teaspoon orange zest
- 3 tablespoons pine nuts toasted and coarsely chopped
Instructions
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In a small bowl, mix together the parsley, garlic, and orange zest. Stir in the pine nuts.
Recipe: Niki Ford
Photography: Dane Tashima
5 Comments on “Gluten-Free Butternut Squash Lasagna Rolls with Green Béchamel Sauce Recipe”
I am dairy free. Is there a way to make this using dairy free products?
Hi! Yes! You can substitute unsweetened almond milk for the milk, make a cashew ricotta (recipes available online or see our vegan lasagna recipe…link follows), and skip the parmesan (you may need additional seasoning). https://gffmag.com/kale-and-butternut-squash-lasagna-with-sweet-tomato-sauce-and-sage-cream-gluten-free-recipe/
This was really delicious and thank you for posting! The only thing I would change would be to add another cup of spinach to the bechamel sauce just to add some more “greens” to the dish. Really yummy.
Can you freeze these precooked or uncooked to serve individually later?
Great question, Pam. Absolutely yes!