One of our all-time favorite fall vegetables is the ever-versatile butternut squash! And after you try this lasagna, you’ll see why. What started as an attempt at gluten-free ravioli turned into something even more AMAZING! This new twist on classic lasagna swaps tomato sauce for a savory, creamy, butternut squash cashew sauce that pairs perfectly with lasagna noodles and sautéed kale and mushrooms.
This plant-based (and gluten-free optional) entreé is undeniably comforting and crowd-pleasing and will make an excellent addition to holiday dinner tables or as meal prep for the week’s lunches! Did we mention just 10 ingredients are required? Let us show you how it’s done!
Origins of Lasagna
Perhaps like many of you, we were under the impression that lasagna originated in Italy. Turns out, its origins are a bit more complicated!
Some say the concept originated in ancient Greece where layered dough sheets (called laganon) were cut into strips and baked. Others claim it resembles a Roman dish recorded in a cookbook from the 1st century AD. And still others place its origin in England or Italy in the 14th century, where cookbooks describe the concept of layering cheese and pasta in a dish and baking it. (Source)
The following is a plant-based twist on the soul-satisfying concept of layering “cheese” and pasta and baking in a casserole dish.
How to Make Butternut Squash Lasagna
The butternut squash component of this lasagna is the sauce! Butternut squash is roasted with garlic until both become tender and caramelized, then they’re blended with creamy cashews, lemon juice, salt, nutritional yeast (optional), and water.
The result is a smooth, balanced, rich sauce that takes the place of both the “cheese” and “sauce” layers of a classic lasagna.
For the noodles, you can go with any type you enjoy — regular, whole wheat, gluten-free (we like Tinkyada), grain-free. Or, if you’re feeling extra trendy and adventurous, we hear there are even chickpea lasagna noodles out there these days (let us know how they are in the comments if you try them)!
The final component is the sautéed onion, mushroom, and kale filling seasoned simply with salt, pepper, and (optional) dried thyme.
Layer it between comforting noodles and creamy sauce.
Then bake to bubbly perfection and garnish with vegan parmesan cheese and fresh basil for even more flavor!
We hope you LOVE this butternut squash lasagna! It’s:
Rich
Savory
Comforting
Saucy
Veggie-packed
& Crowd-pleasing!
It’s the perfect entrée for your holiday table, feeding a crowd, meal prep, and enjoying all fall and winter long! While plenty worthy as a standalone meal, it would also be delicious served with our Lemon & Herb Roasted Chicken, Easy 1-Pot Tomato Soup, or Lemony Arugula Salad with Crispy Shallot.
More Delicious Lasagna Recipes
- 8-Ingredient Zucchini Lasagna (GF)
- Lentil & Eggplant Lasagna
- Sweet Potato Lasagna
- Easy Vegan Lasagna
If you try this recipe, let us know! Leave a comment, rate it, and don’t forget to tag a photo #minimalistbaker on Instagram. Cheers, friends!
Butternut Squash Lasagna (Vegan, GF Optional)
Ingredients
BUTTERNUT SQUASH SAUCE
- 1 small butternut squash (1 small squash yields ~2 cups or 480 g purée)
- 10-12 cloves garlic, peeled and left whole
- 1 ¼ cup raw cashews
- 3 Tbsp lemon juice
- 1/2 tsp sea salt (plus more to taste)
- 1 Tbsp nutritional yeast (optional)
- 1 ½ cups water (plus more as needed to blend)
NOODLES
- 10 ounces dry lasagna noodles (gluten-free as needed // we used Tinkyada)
- 1 Tbsp salt (for salting pasta water)
- 1/2 tsp olive oil
FILLING
- 1 ½ Tbsp olive oil
- 1 large onion, diced (1 onion yields ~3 cups chopped)
- 6 cups roughly chopped cremini mushrooms
- 8 cups finely chopped kale (1 bundle yields ~8 cups)
- 1/2 tsp each sea salt and black pepper
- 1 tsp dried thyme (optional)
FOR SERVING optional
- Freshly chopped basil
- Vegan parmesan cheese
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 425 F (218 C) and line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Slice your squash in half lengthwise and remove the seeds, but leave the skin on. Rub squash flesh with a bit of oil. Place garlic cloves on the prepared baking sheet and top with squash cut side down (the scooped-out squash should cover the garlic so it doesn’t burn). Bake for 30-40 minutes, or until the skin is blistered and golden brown and a knife inserted into the squash comes out very easily.
- While the squash is cooking, bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Cook the lasagna noodles in the salted water according to package instructions or until al dente. Then drain, set aside, and gently toss with a little olive oil to prevent the noodles from sticking together.
- Heat a large rimmed skillet over medium heat. Once hot, add the olive oil and onion and sauté for 3-4 minutes or until softened, then add the mushrooms and sauté another 5-7 minutes or until lightly browned. Then add kale, salt, pepper, and thyme (optional) and sauté for another 5-7 minutes or until tender.
- Once the squash is tender and cool enough to handle, scoop 2 cups (~480 g) roasted squash (adjust amount if altering number of servings) into a high-speed blender. Add roasted garlic cloves, cashews, lemon juice, salt, nutritional yeast (optional), and water and blend until smooth, adding more water and scraping down the sides of the blender as needed. It should be thick, creamy, and scoopable. Taste and adjust as needed, adding more salt for overall flavor, lemon for brightness, garlic for savory flavor, or nutritional yeast for cheesiness.
- Reduce oven temperature to 350 F (177 C).
- Assemble the lasagna in a 9 x 13 (or similar size) glass or ceramic baking dish. Add 1/2 cup (120 ml) sauce to the bottom of the pan and spread it evenly. Then add a layer of noodles followed by 1/3 of the filling. Repeat with two more layers of sauce, noodles, and filling. Then finish with a layer of noodles and the remaining sauce as the top layer (it should be a thicker layer fully coating the noodles).
- Bake lasagna at 350 F (177 C) for 30 minutes or until the top layer is slightly dry and a little darker in color.
- Carefully remove from the oven and let cool 5-10 minutes before serving. Then slice, serve, and enjoy. We recommend garnishing with freshly chopped basil and vegan parmesan cheese. See notes below for freezing instructions.
Video
Notes
*Nutrition information is a rough estimate calculated with 1/4 tsp of the salt in the pasta water (since the full tablespoon isn’t absorbed into the pasta) and without optional ingredients.
Summer says
This turned out amazing!! It’s kinda labor intensive, and I wished I would have cooked the garilc and squash the night before, but the taste more than made up for it! It was the perfect meal for Halloween night! The basil and vegan parmesean really set off all the flavors! I had two helpings, and will probably have another before I stick it in the fridge! Thank you for another wonderful recipe!!
Woohoo! Love to hear this. Thanks so much for the lovely review, Summer!
Elle says
In the process of making this right now! So excited to try. Just wanted to hop on here and share that more than 30 minutes is absolutely needed in prep time. Especially if you’ve got a toddler running around or anything else that requires your attention. Even if I could dedicate full attention, this recipe requires quite a bit of prep time. Super excited to try and will report back what I think!
Thanks so much for sharing, Elle! We hope the end result is worth the work!
Julie Clarry says
Made this lasagna twice now and WOW fantastic! Nice change from the usual tomato sauce version. I added some grated marble cheddar on top with a couple of minutes under the broiler. Looked awesome. A few steps to get to the end but worth it. A keeper recipe! Thanks.
Woohoo! Love to hear this. Thanks so much for the lovely review, Julie!
Rebecca says
Hi!
I made this recipe but the kale flavor was overwhelming. Could I do something different or do you have a good substitute? Every other part of it was delicious.
Hi Rebecca! You could try spinach instead next time, which has a more mild flavor!
Faith says
This was AMAZING! We absolutely loved it. I used no cook GF noodles and boiled them for five minutes per the recipe. Despite adding oil, they were a bear to work with. After reading the comments, I would try again without boiling first.
It also took me over an hour to prep. I would love to see a time lapse video of a 30 minute prep to see how I could be more efficient. Cleaning all of those mushrooms took at least 10 minutes. 😀
Based on comments of the sauce coming up short for some cooks, I used a 9 x 9 pan and had the perfect amount. I would definitely do that again. Thank you so much for this wonderful recipe!
Woohoo! Thanks so much for the lovely review and for sharing your experience, Faith! It’s soo helpful for us and other readers. So glad you enjoyed!
Christina says
I improvised by adding roasted, red bell peppers to the sauce component. Worked like a dream. Taste was just divine!
That sounds incredible, Christina! We’re so glad you enjoyed the result! Thank you for sharing! xo
Alexandra says
This recipe is amazing 🤩 tastes great! I switched the mushrooms for regular white ones because my groceries store was out of creminis and added some parm cheese on top before baking it! Thanks a lot for this recipe, it will definitively become a regular one!
Woohoo! Thank you so much for the lovely review and for sharing your modifications, Alexandra! xo
Kelly says
This was really good- had most ingredients on hand. We have a Vitamix so I didn’t even need to separate squash meat from peel- just stuck it all in! Roasting the garlic made a world of difference- good call! And now have the other half in the freezer for a busy night next week!
Woohoo! Love that idea to freeze half for later. Thank you for sharing, Kelly! xo
The Vegan Goddess says
Fantastic! Time-consuming to prepare but worth every step.
Garlicky, rich and flavorful! Healthy and seasonal to boot.
Mine didn’t come out as pretty as yours because I used a slightly bigger baking dish (9×20) so the sauce and filling were too sparse. Next time I will use a smaller dish and shouldn’t have to double up on the sauce and filling then.
And, yes, Virginia, there will be a next time. : )
Woohoo! We’re so glad it was worth the time! Thank you for sharing! xo
Abby says
SO good! I followed the recipe exactly, and it was great! Also great for meal prepping
Yay! We’re so glad you enjoyed the recipe, Abby! Thank you for sharing! xo
Adi says
So yummy and not to difficult.
xoxo!
Emma says
Wow! This is incredible! Realized I didn’t have cashews when I stared to make this, but added in some vegan cream cheese instead and I think it turned out great! I didn’t listen to the instructions that said to oil the noodles after cooking/draining so they weren’t pretty but it still turned out great – more of a deconstructed lasagna for me! Added Italian seasonings instead of just thyme when cooking the veggies too. Wish I would’ve peeled the squash before baking because separating it after it was cooked was kind of messy – but overall 10/10 and can’t wait to make this before squash season ends!
We’re so glad you enjoyed the result, Emma! Thank you for sharing! If the squash doesn’t separate easily from the skin next time, we’d suggest baking a little longer! When fully cooked, it should come out easily when scooped with a spoon.
Rachel says
This was labor-intensive but very good. I was worried it was going to be bland, but it was very flavorful. Once I started assembling it I also thought it might not have enough filling because it looked sparse, but it all turned out fine. The only modifications I made were adding more nutritional yeast to the sauce, using fresh thyme instead of dried, and adding a bit of rosemary.
Thank you for sharing your experience, Rachel! We’re so glad you enjoyed the result! xo
Melissa Pendoley says
Made this tonight, and it is so delicious! Love that this uses fall vegetables. I think the thyme and Parmesan are a must! Perfectly complimented the dish!
Yay! We’re so glad you enjoyed it, Melissa! Thank you for the lovely review and for sharing your modifications! xo
Bcattalani says
I made this for our Sunday dinner. It is just delicious!! The butternut squash sauce is creamy and comforting. The kale and mushroom filling- scrumptious. I made this as written and will definitely make it again and again!
We’re so glad you enjoyed it! Thank you for the lovely review! xo
Barb says
This was delicious and I’m planning to make it for a group gathering in November. I think some non-vegans may be surprised by how good it is.
Love that, Barb! Thank you so much for sharing! xo
Sian says
Making this today, but I ran out of squash sauce for the top layer. What should I do? Would a bit of vegan bechamel sauce work? Or maybe some tomato sauce?
Thanks!
We think either of those options would be delicious!
Sian says
Vegan bechamel with soya milk worked great. Next time I’ll use a bigger squash :-)
Great recipe
Yay! Thank you for sharing, Sian!
Lynsey says
I have everything but the cashews…would you recommend something else? I’m a beginner vegetarian and currently not so strict as of yet. Do I make the trip or do you have a substitute?
Hi Lynsey! The cashews are important here for the sauce to have the right texture, and we haven’t tested this with any alternatives. If you had sunflower seeds those might work, but they will have a stronger flavor. Let us know how it goes if you try any substitutions!
Michaela says
This recipe is amazing! It was so delicious and all the sauce and filling proportions were perfect. My partner and I ate this for three dinners in a row and were stoked about it. I can’t wait to make it again!
Woohoo! We love to hear this. Thanks so much for the lovely review, Michaela!
Kate says
This was a delicious way to use up the kale and butternut squash from my CSA box. I followed the recipe exactly and it’s perfect. I’ve never been a huge fan of marinara-based lasagna, so this is a new favorite. Thanks MB!
Woohoo! Love to hear this. Thanks so much for the lovely review, Kate!
Joanne says
I made this but changed up a few things.
I cooked the squash as mentioned, used honey roasted cashews, a bit of butter, pecorino Romano cheese instead of yeast and used oat milk instead of water.Also I used fresh spinach instead of Kale and also included shallots.
It was amazing!!
Thank yoy for the inspiration!
Yum! Sounds delish. Thanks so much for the lovely review and for sharing your modifications, Joanne!
Angie says
Absolutely delicious. The recipe is straightforward and easy to follow, yet somehow I managed to need 1:45 of prep time, not the 30 minutes stated in the recipe. Since I made this on a lazy Saturday afternoon, it was no trouble to take an extra long while chopping all those veggies. I blame de-stemming kale.
Maybe it will go faster next time after practice. This lasagna is so good I’ll be making it again.
Woohoo! So glad you enjoyed. Thanks so much for the lovely review and for sharing your experience, Angie!
Taylor Gamache says
Do we need to soak the cashews?
Nope!
Priya says
Any other type of mushrooms work besides cremini?
Yes! We think most other types would be delicious!
Priya says
It was delicious!!!! I used a mix of mushrooms. Only thing I would change is to cover the Lasagna to retain some moisture, it was a bit dry or maybe make more sauce. It was absolutely delicious!
Amazing! Thanks so much for the review, Priya!
Helene says
I decided to skip boiling the lasagna noodles and just to cook them longer in the oven with everything else. I regret doing that and wish I just followed the recipe. I’ll try to make it again at some point. I ended up having the cook the lasagna for 55 minutes in order for the noodles to cook (they were no-boil noodles). So it didn’t save time. I also kept the dish covered in the oven the entire time to help retain moisture in the lasagna but it still came out quite dry. I saved it by smothering it all in marinara sauce but obviously this dish was supposed to have a different flavor. I would also add more filling of some kind next time because everything is spread out a lot in 9×13 dish and it gives the impression of too much noodles and not enough filling
Thank you for sharing your experience, Helene! Sorry to hear the no boil noodles gave you trouble. You can use a 9 x 9 baking dish for a taller lasagna, if preferred. xo!
Sabrina says
A bit time consuming but definitely worth it because it is very delicious! I prepared in the morning and baked later in the day.
We’re so glad it was worth it, Sabrina! Thank you for the lovely review! xo
Catherine says
Just realize my lasagna noodles are “oven ready” type. Can I use those with this recipe? or should I run back to the store! Help.
Thank you
Hi Catherine, other readers have reported success using oven ready noodles. Check the comments to see what they did!
Sabrina says
This was so delicious and easy!
Subbed the water for almond milk in the sauce
Wonderful! We’re so glad you enjoyed it, Sabrina! Thank you for sharing! xo
Teresa says
This is absolutely incredible! I only did 3 cups of mushrooms and added Apple sage Fieldroast sausage. An absolute must make!
Thank you,
Woohoo! We’re so glad you enjoy it, Teresa! Thank you for the lovely review! xo
Stephanie says
This recipe was soooo good! My non-vegan friends LOVED it, everyone took 2 servings it was so good! Real crowd pleaser. Flavors are on point. I put Trader Joe’s vegan cashew mozzarella cheese on mine and I feel like it elevated it even more, but I didn’t put it on the whole thing because I know not everyone likes vegan cheese, but if you want, I highly recommend adding the cheese on top for the last 10 minutes of baking.
AMAZING! We’re so glad everyone enjoyed it! Thank you for sharing, Stephanie! xo
Ashley says
This looks amazing! Any suggestions for alternative to the mushrooms?
Hi Ashley, we haven’t tried with other veggies, but perhaps more onion and kale plus red bell pepper, zucchini, and/or roasted eggplant? Or we could also see vegan sausage or lentils working well! Hope you love it!
Jen V says
Outstanding! So warm, creamy, comforting – yet still feels healthy! Love the combination of the garlicky butternut sauce with the kale and mushrooms. My husband highly approved and wanted to eat the entire pan in one evening.
Woohoo! We’re so glad you both enjoyed the recipe, Jen! Thank you for the lovely review! xo
Chris says
Awesome recipe. I had a spare butternut squash sitting around (who doesn’t?) and I put it to good use in this lasagna. Came out great.
Love the method btw of roasting the garlic INSIDE the butternut squash to prevent from burning, it made the whole house smell heavenly.
We love that trick, too! And we’re so glad you enjoyed the recipe, Chris! Thank you for the great review! xo
Gillian says
This recipe is delicious with the combination of beautiful butternut squash and garlic along with the kale and mushrooms. Thank you for a different take on lasagna once again! Love it. Helps me use some of my butternut squash from my garden. I added some hemp seeds and nooch to the top to add some additional crunch and texture.
Note: If using no boil- noodles read further. I found that there wasn’t enough liquid to properly cook the no boil green lentil noodles from explore cuisine. Therefore, I would recommend doubling the sauce content if you have no boil noodles, as our noodles came out under baked.
We’re so glad you enjoyed it, Gillian! No boil noodles can be trickier and we haven’t tested this recipe with them. Some other readers have reported using regular no boil noodles in this recipe with success, but perhaps the green lentil noodles do need additional liquid?
Robin says
Made this today. OMG! So delicious and easy to make. Love,love love this recipe
Yay! We’re so glad to hear it, Robin! Thank you for sharing! xoxo
Pam in Sacramento says
This was fabulous! Your timing was perfect, because I had a giant Costco box of mushrooms that I was trying to decide what to do with. I used kabocha squash and baby spinach, because that’s what I had. It was so creamy and delicious. Next time, I’m going to add a can of white beans to the spinach and mushroom layer, because I’m always looking for ways to work in more beans. Anyway, I’ve printed out this recipe and added it to my “make again” binder where I keep recipes for regular rotation. This will definitely be a fall favorite.
Yay! Love that idea to add white beans, Pam! Thank you for sharing! xo
Catherine says
I have been looking forward to making this, and it did not disappoint. Next time, I will probably do more butternut squash and/or less water for a thicker sauce. The roasted garlic inside the butternut squash technique was so fun and genius. Such a comforting meal and celebration of fall veggies!
We’re so glad you enjoyed that technique and the recipe, Catherine! Thank you for sharing! xo
Nicole says
This was amazing!!! I used Cappello’s noodles and I did add some pancetta but otherwise kept it the same. My kids and I gobbled it up!
Woohoo! We’re so glad the whole fam enjoyed it! Thank you for sharing, Nicole! xo
Nicole McKeever says
Hello – Found my answer to my earlier freezing question. Thank you and very excited to make this dish.
Great! Let us know how you like it! xo
Nicole McKeever says
Hello,
Some of my family is strictly vegan and the rest will eat vegan without a problem. Though we will be having turkey for Thanksgiving I would like a vegan main dish and this just has to be the one. It sounds fab! My question, if frozen do I thaw before baking or what do you recommend? Thanks in advance.
Nicole McKeever says
Hi – I just read all the way through the recipe and found my answer to freezing. Thanks!
Mindy says
Do you think I can use canned pumpkin instead of roasting the squash? It would save a step ;)
Hi Mindy, we don’t think it would be quite as good, but another reader reported it worked with 1 can of pumpkin, but was more liquidy. You’ll still need to roast the garlic, or at least sauté it! Hope that helps!
Gabrielle says
SO GOOD! But double the sauce (or I added some vegetable stock)!!!!!!!!!
Thanks for the great review and for sharing your experience, Gabrielle!
Janelle B says
I used chicken broth rather than water and used butter instead of oil to sauté the veggies. Also changed it from a lasagna to a baked macaroni and cheese casserole.
The sauce and veggies together as absolutely amazing!! I can’t wait to serve this to my family for dinner tonight!!!
Ooo interesting! Love the casserole idea. Thanks so much for the lovely review and for sharing your modifications, Janelle!
Sara says
This is delicious. I used canned butternut squash purée and left out the garlic. I think adding ground turkey or beef will be the addition for next time!
Thank you for sharing this recipe!
Yay! We’re so glad you enjoyed it, Sara! Thank you for sharing! xo
Nikki Odorisio says
Perfect fall dinner! I added dried sage and white wine vinegar to the sauce for a little extra pop. Added lentils to the filling. Used no boil noodles with about 1 cup extra water in the sauce and the texture of everything was fantastic. Topped it with some fresh parsley and toasted pepitas. Yum yum yum! I’m stoked to make this again!
Yay! We love to hear this. Thanks so much for the lovely review and for sharing your modifications, Nikki!
Aaliyha says
Probably a silly question, but did you cook the lentils somehow before adding them to the noodle layers?
Thanks
Aaliyha
Nikki Odorisio says
I did cook them first. I cooked them in water only, but some veggie bouillon would be good if you aren’t watching sodium. I put them on to cook just before I started prepping the mushroom and kale filling and they were all ready about the same time.
Ashley Heninger says
Made this tonight. Had to come back to share. So very delicious. Both kids (5yo & 2yo) wanted seconds and ate every last bite including the final bites of kale. Definitely making it again.
Amazing! We love to hear that everyone enjoyed! Thanks so much, Ashley!
Allison says
So good! I used no-boil whole wheat noodles and covered the pan with aluminum foil for 40 minutes in the oven, then 5 uncovered. The bottom layer of the no boil noodles was a little hard, so next time I would probably mix some water in the sauce on the layer. This was delicious and will definitely make it again!
Nice! Thanks so much for the lovely review and for sharing your experience, Allison! We are so glad you enjoyed!
Janice says
This is delicious! I omitted the optional nutritional yeast but made no other changes. Roasting garlic under the squash is a great idea. We love it! Thank you!
We’re so glad you enjoyed it, Janice! It’s one of our favorite tricks for roasted garlic =) Thank you for the lovely review! xo
Lauren says
This recipe is amazing!!! It is so delicious and flavorful. If you’re a slow chopper like me, budget more time than the 1.5 hours listed (from start to finish it took me around 2.25). The roasting garlic under the squash hack is absolutely genius! Thank you!!!
Woohoo! We love to hear this. Thanks for the lovely review and for sharing your experience, Lauren!
Delaney Dickson says
I made this for my friend and it was great! I used the no boil lasagna sheets and they worked fine. :)
Woohoo! This is great to know! Thanks so much for the lovely review, Delaney!
Katye says
Hi! Quick question. Do you soak the cashews in water first?
Thanks!
Hi Katye! We find that if our raw cashews are fairly fresh, they don’t need to be soaked for this recipe. Hope this helps!
Lorena says
delicious!! i modified the filling a little by adding oregano, smoked paprika, a pinch of cayenne, and garlic. i also added 2 cloves of fresh garlic to the butternut squash sauce once it was completely purée (along with roasted ones!)
next time i make it, i would try to make the noodles at the very end. we all LOVED this recipe! thank you!!
Woohoo! Thank you so much for the lovely review and for sharing your experience, Lorena!
The Vegan Goddess says
You had me at butternut squash and lasagna! I need to try this and will report back. I also need to try the other lasagnas, especially the lentil and eggplant.
I made the zucchini eggplant the other day and will finish the leftovers today. I will comment there. : )
Yay! Thanks so much, can’t wait to hear what you think!
Carrie E Valentin says
What could I use to replace the mushrooms? My husband shudders at the thought of them!
Hi Carrie! We’d suggest checking out the other reviews to see what other readers have had successful with. We haven’t tried any ourselves yet but we think some good options would be eggplant, zucchini, or perhaps even crumbled tofu? Let us know how it goes if you give it a try!
Deborah says
Made this recipe today and not only was it easy, it had amazing flavor! My only modification was to soak the cashews in hot water while I prepared everything else. It made for an extremely creamy squash sauce. I also accidentally used oven ready noodles, but it turned out fine. My family has been vegan for years and yours is a site I turn to frequently because not only are the recipes easy and made with ingredients I usually have around the house, they’re delicious and very flavorful. Thanks so much!
Woohoo! Thanks so much for the lovely review and for sharing your modifications, Deborah! We are so glad you find the blog useful and enjoy our recipes! xoxo
June Siegel-Hill says
WOW, this is the best lasagna I’ve ever had in my life!
I like it so much more than a red sauce. It actually had a sweet flavor to it. I used two squashes instead of one. The roasted garlic and squash make the house smell amazing. I would use this cheesy sauce on other things too, it’s so good. I must’ve used more than the 6 cups of mushrooms and I think I used the Bella mushrooms. Fantastic. I’ve never enjoyed squash this much. Thank you.
YAY! We love to hear this! Thanks so much for the lovely review and for sharing your modifications, June!
Katie says
Next time I make this, I’ll definitely make sure to have more sauce!
Thanks for sharing your experience, Katie!
maria misiura says
I made this and it was THE BOMB! the mushrooms with the buttnernut flavor and kale were perfect. I added thyme to the mushrooms, and added more nooch. One can never have too much nooch, and I felt this recipe as written could have more. Also added some miso and veggie bouillon for some sharpness. I used Jovial brown rice noodles and did NOT pre-bake the noodles.
Woohoo! Thanks so much for the lovely review and for sharing your modifications, Maria! We are so glad you enjoyed!
Laura says
Can you use cashew butter instead of whole cashews? If so, any idea of the amount?
Hi Laura! We haven’t tried it so we aren’t positive how much it would need or if the results will be the same… but possibly 1/2 cup? You could start with that and if you feel the mixture isn’t creamy enough you could add more. Hope this helps!
Deanna says
What do you think about doing a sunflower for cashews substitute?
Hi Deanna! It will have a stronger sunflower seed flavor, but should work texturally! We’d recommend soaking (and then draining) the sunflower seeds in boiling water for 20-30 minutes prior to blending. Let us know how it goes if you give it a try!
Jessica says
Could I prepare this today and then cook it tomorrow? Would I need to do anything different? Looks delish! Can’t wait to take it to our family lasagna night tomorrow.
We haven’t tried it, but that should work! Let us know how it goes if you give it a try!
Anne says
This recipe is amazing! I made it for dinner and used thinly sliced zucchini as a substitute for the lasagna noodles. Will definitely make again!
Yumm – what a great idea! Thanks so much for the lovely review and for sharing your modifications, Anne!
Bob says
Made this exactly as is (with “imported” noodles), except I used 60 day aged Romano instead of the nutritional yeast (and doubled the amount). This was absolutely delicious, and that’s coming from someone who grew up in an NJ Italian family. I had to restrain myself from eating all the “sauce” before I even assembled it!
Amazing! We’re so glad you enjoyed it, Bob! Thank you for sharing! xo
Doris says
I made this dish with gluten free noodles and omitted the oil to cook the onion and mushrooms. The result? The dish was simply wonderful! I intend to make it again using more butternut squash, like 3 to 4 cups instead of just 2. This first time, I used just the 2 cups of squash that the recipe called for and added an extra tablespoon of nutritional yeast for a total of 2. I used a cup of walnuts instead of the cashews as one member of my family has food issues with cashews. I did not add any extra water so the filling was very thick and creamy. The squash filling was what really made the dish special.
Great recipe, please keep them coming!
Wonderful! We’re so glad it turned out well with those modifications! Thank you for your kind words and lovely review, Doris! xo
Breanna says
Can i use no boil lasagna noodles instead? Will it change the recipe?
Hi Breanna, we haven’t tried with no boil noodles, but several other readers reported it worked for them! We’d suggest scanning the comments to see what they did. Hope that helps!
Stephanie says
Loved it! Satisfied my hunger for a hearty dish at season change. Did not follow exactly, my adaptions are as follows.
1. I love cashews but haven’t been able to find them so I subbed raw walnuts
2. Used other variety of hard squash offered by my CSA
3. Added small amount of cow’s milk parm cheese because we’re not vegan
4. Used Trader Joe’s no boil noodles and dipped them in the sauce prior to layering to ensure that they were moist enough to cook through. Did not add additional fluid and had great results! Did bake covered for 18mins then uncovered for 12, low broiled for about a minute to brown up the top.
Amazing! Thank you so much for sharing, Stephanie! xoxo
Jennie G says
can something be subbed for the mushrooms?
Hi Jennie, we haven’t tried with other veggies, but perhaps more onion and kale plus red bell pepper, zucchini, and/or roasted eggplant? Or we could also see vegan sausage or lentils working well! Hope you love it!
Lindsay says
SO YUMMY! Prepped everything in the morning and popped it in the oven at dinnertime. While we waited for it to cool, I pan toasted panko breadcrumbs in melted vegan butter for a topping (instead of vegan parm). It all turned out ah-mazing!
Woah, love that topping idea, Lindsay! We’re so glad you enjoyed the lasagna! xoxo
Amanda says
Really yummy! I also used gluten-free Tinkyada noodles and they fell apart quite a bit – next time I’d be gentler with them and use oil to prevent separation as recommended. I was craving something creamy and this was very satisfying!
Hi Amanda, We’re so glad you enjoyed the recipe! Tinkyada noodles are a bit more fragile, especially when following the directions on the box. We like to cook them until al dente for best results! Hope that helps for next time!
Leia says
This turned out so well! I only have a food processor and didn’t soak the cashews but I think because of the butternut squash it was still super creamy and not at all gritty. I also didn’t precook my lasagna noodles and just cooked it for longer with some time covered. I also swapped chard for kale because it’s what I had. It tastes incredible, definitely going on the rotation for when I have company :)
Amazing! We’re so glad you enjoyed it, Leia! Thank you for sharing! xo
Tamara says
This was AMAZING! I made everything almost exactly as listed in the recipe but added in a little of my homemade almond ricotta (vegan) and used spinach as I couldn’t find any good kale. We live in the Colorado mountains and this dish was perfect for a cold night with a bit of snow. My husband devoured it. Thank you! Saving this one!
Aw, we’re so glad to hear you both enjoyed it, Tamara! Thank you for the lovely review and for sharing your modifications! xoxo
Gigi says
I made this today and my husband and I really enjoyed it. He said it was almost as good as the real deal. (That is high praise in his book.) It had a good mouth feel and was so creamy! I made a lot of changes based on what was in the house.
I used a 15 oz. can of pureed butternut squash bc that is what I had. I didn’t have raw cashews and subbed full fat coconut milk. (maybe 2/3 of the can, mostly of the creamy part and a couple of tablespoons of the liquid.) So I left out the water and the cashews. I didn’t use the nutritional yeast. I did roast the garlic by itself in the oven.
I am due to go to the store and was low on veggies. I used a couple of pitiful mushrooms and a large onion and 10 ounces of a plant based ground beef substitute.
I did use the thyme and also added a couple of teaspoons of dried parsley and a teaspoon of dried basil. (Fresh would have been amazing.)
This recipe was definitely outside of my cooking box and I am so glad I tried it! Thank you!
Love your creative modifications and SO glad you enjoyed the result! Thank you for sharing, Gigi! xo
Diana says
Curious, did you brown the plant meat first? I’m considering using some vegan sausage but not sure how to treat it.
Sande says
What can I substitute for garlic for someone allergic to garlic?
Hmm, the garlic adds a lot of flavor to the sauce here, so it might be a bit bland without it. Perhaps roasted onion? Or a pinch of asafoetida?
Emily says
I recommend using a smaller pan than 9×13 – I was only able to make 2 layers of filling out of the recipe as stated and they were pretty thinned out. Super flavorful though and will definitely try to make again!
Thank you for sharing your experience, Emily! Glad to hear you enjoyed the flavor! xo
Dorothy says
Loving this riff off your butternut squash pasta (which is a near weekly staple in our home)! I added some brown lentils to the mushroom-greens mix.
We used only a cup of cashews to make the sauce a bit thinner. Also made this a day in advance to make for an easier dinner
Perfect lasagna! Thank you!
Great addition, Dorothy! Thank you so much for the lovely review and for sharing your modifications! We’re so glad you enjoy both recipes! xo
Alia says
Hi, Whats a good replacement for mushrooms? Any other veggie?
Hi Alia, we haven’t tried with other veggies, but perhaps more onion and kale plus red bell pepper, zucchini, and/or roasted eggplant? Hope you love it!
Emily says
I am allergic to tomatoes and always miss out on dishes like these. Thank you for this recipe. I am excited to try it!
We’re so glad you can enjoy this recipe, Emily! Let us know how you like it when you give it a try!
Marketa says
I did it exactly the same way, only I didn’t have enough mushrooms so I shredded one piece of smoked tempeh in the filling which was extra protein for the receipt and the taste was wonderful!
YUM – that addition sounds delicious, Marketa! Thank you for sharing! xo
Marketa says
One of the best lasagna I have tried! Really super yummy and very different from the tomato one! This will be our favorite family vegan dish to repeat in the future.
xoxo!
Sam says
Any thoughts on using canned pumpkin? it would be slightly less than the full 2 cups, but close! Would still need to roast the garlic.
Hi Sam, another reader reported it worked well with 1 can of pumpkin, but it was more liquidy. Hope that helps!
Ines says
My daughter is allergic to cashews. How can I replace them? I she can’t eat pistachios and cashews. ❤
Hi Ines, Sunflower seeds might work in place of the cashews or maybe 1/2-3/4 cup full-fat coconut milk (if not allergic) in place of the water + more squash to thicken? But we haven’t tried these modifications ourselves. Let us know if you give it a try!
Karen Finkelstein says
Another winner!! I saw this recipe yesterday morning and had to make it for dinner last night, and it sure is a crowd pleaser! I followed the recipe exactly and it was easy, delicious (very mushroomy) and filling. I have loathed mushrooms my entire life but slowly adding them for health benefits has made me now crave them lol – and this dish satisfies! I served it with bread sticks but a salad would be a great addition. Make this ASAP :)
Yay! We’re so glad you enjoyed this dish, Karen! Thank you for the lovely review! xo
MissZ says
We had this last night, but swapped out mushrooms, as I cannot eat them. Zucchini and Impossible were the requested substitutes. I also only had whole wheat Oven Ready lasagna sheets, but soaked them is hot water for 5 mins. This worked perfectly!
This was delicious, filling and comforting as the weather starts to turn. I could have had another slice but glad I have some for lunch today. The sauce was just gorgeous – rich, creamy and velvety. Will definitely make again, perhaps with an eggplant filling. Thank you!
Amazing! We’re so glad to hear it turned out well! Thank you for the lovely review and for sharing your modifications! xo
Diana says
I’m considering using some vegan sausage. Did you brown the impossible first?
Samantha P says
Made this last night with Spinach instead of Kale. It was very good – make sure to use all the spices that recommended. I didn’t and it would have been much better.
Great! We’re so glad it turned out well! Thank you for sharing, Samantha!
Susan Fox says
Oh wow, thank you for this as I’ve developed a problem with tomato based dishes. Looking forward to making this.
xoxo! Let us know how you like it when you give it a try!
Savannah says
Made this tonight- SO GOOD!!! I had to slightly wing it because my boyfriend doesn’t own measuring cups (lol) but it still turned out amazing! I added some chopped up vegan sausage to make it extra hearty and we both went back for thirds. Will definitely be making again!!! Thank you for the recipe!!!
AMAZING! We’re so glad you both enjoyed it, Savannah! Love that addition too! Thank you for sharing! xo
Mare says
Do the cashews need to be soaked first ? (We have been thoroughly enjoying your recipes for the past year. Easy to make, practical ingredients and very tasty. Thank you!)
Hi Mare, Aw, we love hearing that! It’s not essential to soak them, but you can. If you don’t have a powerful blender, soaking will help them blend more easily. Hope that helps! xo
Amanda says
Wow! Made this tonight and it was amazing. Tasted completely delicious. I will say that if I make it again, I might add some Harissa to the BNS mixture or something to give it a little heat. I also used no boil noodles, so would also use a little more water in that BNS sauce. And I would also do a little more veggies.
Amazing! Thank you for sharing your experience, Amanda! We’re so glad to hear you enjoyed it! xo
Marianne L says
I don’t have a high speed blender…would using a food processor work for blending the sauce?
Hi Marianne, unfortunately a food processor won’t get the cashews creamy. You could try using more squash + coconut milk for a similar sauce that would blend in a food processor. Let us know if you try it out!
Laura Sloan says
I love squash and this was a great way to use it! I started making it and then couldn’t find any lasagna noodles in my pantry so I used rigatoni and made it into a casserole. It was so delicious! I can’t wait to make it as a lasagna. The flavor is perfect. Thanks again for another delicious recipe.
We’re so glad you enjoyed it, Laura! Love your creative modification! Thank you for sharing! xo
Peo says
Can I sub mushrooms for something? I don’t eat mushrooms
Hi Peo, we haven’t tried with other veggies, but perhaps more onion and kale plus red bell pepper, zucchini, and/or roasted eggplant? Hope you love it!
Leah LeBroc says
OMG looks amazing. Only problem is the cashews as my daughter is allergic. Can you recommend a butternut sauce recipe without nuts?
Thanks!
Hi Leah, Sunflower seeds might work in place of the cashews or maybe 1/2-3/4 cup full-fat coconut milk (if not allergic) in place of the water + more squash to thicken? But we haven’t tried these modifications ourselves. Let us know if you give it a try!
Mia says
We LOVE the Banza chickpea lasagna noodles! Can’t wait to use them for this recipe.
Let us know how it goes!
Nina says
I love a lot of your recipes, this one looks so great! However someone in my family is allergic to nuts, so could you write what I could use as a sub for nuts and do you offer a nut free section?
Hi Nina, sunflower seeds might work in place of the cashews or maybe 1/2-3/4 cup full-fat coconut milk (if not allergic) in place of the water + more squash to thicken? But we haven’t tried these modifications ourselves. Let us know if you give it a try! You can find our nut-free recipes by selecting “special diet” in our recipe index. Hope that helps!
Lauren says
What would be a substitute for the cashews in the sauce for a nut allergy? Thanks!
Hi Lauren, Sunflower seeds might work in place of the cashews or maybe 1/2-3/4 cup full-fat coconut milk (if not allergic) in place of the water + more squash to thicken? But we haven’t tried these modifications ourselves. Let us know if you give it a try!
Amy says
Any suggestions on a replacement for mushrooms in this?
Hi Amy, we haven’t tried with other veggies, but perhaps more onion and kale plus red bell pepper, zucchini, and/or roasted eggplant? Hope you love it!
Lauren says
I’ve made other recipes where cashews are used in the sauce to make them creamy, but you had to soak them in water prior to blending. Do the cashews need to be soaked first in this recipe? Or do you truly just add them in raw?
Hi Lauren, it’s not essential to soak them, but you can. If you don’t have a powerful blender, soaking will help them blend more easily. Hope that helps!
Allie says
Hi Dana. I have a mushroom hater on my hands. Any ideas for a good mushroom swap? Thank you! Looking forward to trying this one!
Hi Allie, we haven’t tried with other veggies, but perhaps more onion and kale plus red bell pepper, zucchini, and/or roasted eggplant? Hope you love it!
Luci says
I substituted one can organic pumpkin purée for the squash. This yielded more liquid than probably the squash which helped to use up my no boil lasagna noodles. It’s delicious! I will make this for Thanksgiving and add chopped walnuts to the mushroom mix
We’re so glad those modifications worked well and you enjoyed the result! Also, VERY excited to hear it made its way onto your Thanksgiving menu =) Thank you for the lovely review, Luci! xo
Brooke says
Hi! Quick question: what would you use as a substitute for the cashews in the sauce? This recipe looks amazing, but I’m super allergic to tree nuts. Thanks for all you do – love your recipes! ✨
Thank you for your kind words, Brooke! Sunflower seeds might work in place of the cashews or maybe 1/2-3/4 cup full-fat coconut milk (if not allergic) in place of the water + more squash to thicken? But we haven’t tried these modifications ourselves. Let us know if you give it a try!
Mackenzie Galloway says
This is very garlic forward! I put a bit of cinnamon in the sauce to balance it out and it worked out great! If it seems like too much mushrooms and kale for the filling, it’s not. It cools down and you need it for all the layers.
Yay! Thanks so much for the review and for sharing your experience, Mackenzie!
Samm says
Looks so yummy! I have an allergy to mushrooms, do you know of any substitutes that may work well?
Hi Samm, we haven’t tried with other veggies, but perhaps more onion and kale plus red bell pepper, zucchini, and/or roasted eggplant? Hope you love it!
JoAnn says
This looks super yummy. Do you think it’ll work with any other squash?
We think so! We think sugar pie pumpkins would work well. You may need to add more liquid if using a drier squash like kabocha. Let us know if you try it!
Lisa says
This looks amazing and I can’t wait to try it! But we’re not much of a mushroom family. Have you tried it with any other vegetable substitutions?
Hi Lisa, we haven’t tried with other veggies, but perhaps more onion and kale plus red bell pepper, zucchini, and/or roasted eggplant? Hope you love it!
Paula says
This looks amazing and I have all the ingredients on hand to make it tonight! My only question is, my noodles are boil free, oven ready noodles. Do you think that would have the same outcome?
Hi Paula, this sauce isn’t as watery as marinara, so we’re not sure if they’ll cook through well. But we haven’t tried it! Let us know if you do!
MissZ says
I was going to ask the same question, as I want to make this tonight too! I have been told that we can soak the Oven Ready lasagna sheets in very hot water for 3-5 minutes to make them softer for the shorter bake time. I haven’t tried it, but will give it go. Good luck to us!
Great tip! Thank you for sharing!
Linda says
Hi! I’m looking to make this recipe but can’t stand mushrooms — it’s more of a texture than a flavor thing, though. I know you’ve left some suggestions as far as replacements go, but do you think pureeing the mushrooms would work (I don’t mind mushroom-based gravies), or would it become too runny overall? Thanks in advance!
Hi Linda, we don’t think the texture would be as nice that way, but perhaps if you did less mushrooms and then added some texture with onions and kale, it would work? Let us know if you try it!
Ali says
This looks incredible! Although, we have a nut allergy at our house :( Can I use something in place of the cashews?
Hi Ali, sunflower seeds might work in place of the cashews or maybe 1/2-3/4 cup full-fat coconut milk (if not allergic) in place of the water + more squash to thicken? But we haven’t tried these modifications ourselves. Let us know if you give it a try!
Jess says
Can you use no boil lasagna noodles? Thanks!
Hi Jess, this sauce isn’t as watery as marinara, so we’re not sure if they’ll cook through well. But we haven’t tried it! Let us know if you do!
Erica says
I know you have freezing instructions but if made a day ahead, should I freeze or could it just be refrigerated and then cooked?
We think refrigerating a day ahead would work well!