Butternut Squash Lasagna Roll Ups with Maple Cream Sauce
Fair warning, this is a recipe that makes even the pickiest vegetable eater love butternut squash. This homemade version of Lean Cuisine’s Butternut Squash Ravioli has everything a layered or stuffed vegetable pasta should: cheesy, hearty filling with a lightly sweetened cream sauce. Makes 12 to 14 roll ups.
Butternut Squash Lasagna Roll Ups are a tasty and comforting meal perfect for fall! These lasagna rolls are stuffed with a cheesy butternut squash filling and topped with a deliciously sweetened and spiced cream sauce.
Ingredients for butternut squash filling:
1 medium-sized Butternut Squash – the base of the filling. Fresh squash will be roasted and pureed.
Olive oil – for roasting the squash
Cream cheese – adds creaminess and flavor
Parmesan cheese – adds savory flavor
Melted butter – adds richness
Maple syrup – gives a subtle sweetness and adds liquid
Cinnamon and nutmeg – some spice for depth
Salt and pepper – add these to taste for seasoning
Ingredients for Lasagna Rolls:
12 to 14 lasagna noodles – about 12 ounces of dry lasagna
Heavy cream – adds richness and creaminess to the sauce
Half of a small onion (about 1/4 cup, diced) – adds sweetness and flavor. A small onion is about 4 ounces = the size of the palm of a hand (or a pool ball)
Butter – adds flavor and helps make the sauce smooth
Maple syrup – adds sweetness
Orange juice (or zest) – gives a hint of citrus *this could be omitted if you’re out but it gives a delicious depth
Cinnamon and nutmeg – add warmth and spice
Can lasagna filling be made ahead?
Yes! The butternut squash can be roasted 2 or 3 days ahead of time or the filling itself could be made ahead 1 to 2 days. Make the filling then store in the fridge in an airtight container.
If the filling is made ahead, it should be reheated in the microwave or may need a little liquid added so it will spread smoothly.
Don’t let the steps or the involved time intimidate you! Some of the items can be made ahead of time and much of the recipe process can overlap.
Butternut Squash Lasagna Roll Ups with Maple Cream Sauce
Ingredients
For the butternut squash filling:
- 1 medium whole butternut squash *roasted, see below
- 1 to 2 Tablespoons olive oil (for roasting the squash)
- 1/2 cup cream cheese, cubed
- 1/3 cup Parmesan cheese, shredded
- 1 Tablespoon butter, melted
- 1 Tablespoon pure maple syrup
- 1/4 teaspoon cinnamon
- pinch nutmeg
- salt and pepper to taste
For the maple cream sauce:
- 1 cup heavy cream
- 1/2 small onion, finely diced
- 2 Tablespoons butter
- 2 Tablespoons pure maple syrup
- 1 Tablespoon orange juice or 1 teaspoon orange zest
- 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
- pinch nutmeg
- black pepper to taste
- 12 to 14 lasagna shells, cooked according to package directions
Instructions
Recommended Order of cooking/prep—Be sure to read all directions before starting!
- Cook the pasta during the last 15 minutes of roasting the squash and/or making the filling. Drain the pasta and pat dry before adding the filling and rolling, but do not let pasta harden. Prepare the sauce during the first bake of the lasagna rolls.
Roast the butternut squash:
- Preheat oven to 400°F. Cut butternut squash in half lengthwise and remove seeds. Pierce halves several times on top with fork. Brush lightly with olive oil and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Roast for approximately 1 hour or until tender.
Make the butternut squash filling:
- Let squash cool slightly (enough to handle)—scoop all of the squash out of the skin into a food processor. Add cream cheese, melted butter and parmesan and let all cheese melt into warm squash by pulsing lightly.
- Add maple and spices and process until you reach the consistency of thick mashed potatoes.*If not using a food processor, hand mix or use a stand mixture until smooth and whipped.
- While squash is roasting/while making the filling, cook the lasagna noodles al dente according to package directions. Noodles should be patted dry but do not let harden.
To make the lasagna rolls: Oven on 350°F
- Preheat oven to 350°F. Coat bottom of rectangular baking dish with a light layer of butternut squash filling. This should be very thin.
- Use a spoon and drop a spoonful of filling on edge of a lasagna noodle, dragging filling away from you (thinning it out). Repeat this 2 or 3 times on each noodle to cover entire noodle, being careful not to put filling on too thick.
- Roll lasagna noodle up like a swiss roll (tightly rolled, but not letting filling squish out of sides). Begin setting in baking dish next to one another. Repeat with all remaining noodles and sauce—this amount of filling should make 12-14 rolls.
- Once baking dish is full of rolled lasagna noodles, brush with any remaining filling to coat top of noodles. Cover lasagna dish with aluminum foil and bake for 18-20 minutes. Remove after this bake so you can top. See below.
For the maple cream sauce: prepare during the first bake of the lasagna
- Melt 2 Tablespoons butter in a deep skillet over medium heat.
- Add onion and cook until translucent and soft, about 3 minutes.
- Add remaining ingredients (heavy cream, orange juice, maple, spices) and whisk lightly to incorporate.
- Bring to a low boil then reduce heat and let simmer until reduced and thickened, about 10 minutes. Whisk occasionally throughout to prevent browning of cream.
To finish the dish:
- Remove lasagna rolls from oven and uncover. Top with cream sauce, covering as much of each lasagna roll as possible and drizzling down into the sides of the dish.
- Return lasagna pan to oven and bake, uncovered, for 5-7 minutes more.Remove from oven and let stand for a few minutes before serving.
Storage/Leftovers:
- Leftover lasagna rolls can be refrigerated in an airtight container for 3 days. Reheat covered in the oven until heated through.
Notes
- Squash can be roasted and/or mashed 2 days ahead, kept in the fridge.
- You may need to warm the mixture if you roasted the squash ahead of time so the cheese will melt and blend in. Simply reheat the squash in the microwave until warmed through.
Nutrition
We rolled the filling into lasagna noodles but stuffed shells or homemade ravioli would be delicious options for the butternut squash filling. The cream sauce is good over grilled chicken or tossed with roasted veggies like carrots or baked sweet potatoes if you’re not feeling pasta that night.
My sauce pictured is slightly pink because I used a dark red onion–you could use a sweet yellow onion instead and your sauce will not be pink.