I love butternut squash… I love lasagna… I love anything mini. So naturally, I LOVED the idea of a mini butternut squash lasagna! And there’s more to love still… for those who don’t do noodles, I’ve created a noodle-less version, too! Yep, two lasagna versions… both full of butternut-ricotta-spinach goodness, but only one with noodles. This makes this a two-in-one post… whether or not the noodle-less one can indeed be called lasagna is questionable, but it sure does the trick for anyone looking for layered goodness without any noodle. 🙂
For some reason, everything little is cute. Whether it’s a baby, a puppy, or simply a tomato, if it’s tiny, it’s adored. Lasagna is no exception. In these teeny ramekins, a typically large and messy dish becomes a cute and little perfectly tucked bowl of goodness. It doesn’t matter what size ramekins you use, but you need some type of mini baking bowl to make these personal-sized portions. If you don’t have them, go ahead and layer them out in a lasagna pan… a full-sized platter of goodness is good, too! But I think we can all agree that little is adorable. And it’s functional, too- these were perfect to-go lunches for work! I just grabbed a ramekin, reheated it at work, and had a delicious lunch in minutes flat. Love that.
This post is unusual in that it is really two recipes in one. But since they both involve the same exact ingredients, with the exception of the noodles, I figured it’d be best to post them together and let you as the reader decide which floats your boat. Both are equally delicious…. the noodle adds some texture, while the layered ones without noodle are creamy and just as tasty without… your choice. Or make both as I did if you wish. 🙂
The picture above is the noodle-less version… a few layers of a ricotta-spinach blend along with a sautéed shallot and herb-smothered butternut squash puree, topped with some melted mozzarella cheese. Um, yum. The one pictured below is the noodle version… same thing, but with noodles lining the bottom, middle, and top… the baked cheese on top gives the noodle a crispy delicate crunch. Yum again…
It’s Autumn baked in a mini bowl. What’s not to love 😉
Makes 4 personal-sized lasagna
INGREDIENTS
to bake the squash…
1 medium butternut squash
drizzle olive oil
salt and pepper, to taste
for the butternut mixture…
1 tbsp ghee (or butter)
2 large shallots (3/4 cup chopped)
2-3 garlic cloves (1 tbsp minced)
1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese
1 tsp minced finely chopped fresh sage leaves
1/2 tsp salt (split in half)
1/2 tsp black pepper (split in half)
baked squash from above, about 3 cups
for the ricotta mixture…
1 cup ricotta cheese (fresh is best, if possible)
1 cup fresh spinach leaves
1/2 cup grated mozzarella cheese
1 tsp finely chopped fresh basil leaves
1 egg
1/4 tsp salt
1/4 tsp black pepper
for layers…
lasagna noodles, 1-2 sheets per ramekin, depending on size {no-boil or boil ones both work}
extra grated mozzarella, a couple tbsp per lasagna
to garnish, small sage leaves
DIRECTIONS
Preheat oven to 425 degrees
The squash should be baked first, since it takes the longest…
I tried two techniques- I peeled half of the squash before baking it,
and put the other half in with the skin on
{I was curious which method was more efficient; turns out they both are, so choose which one is best for you.
Peeling the skin off can be tedious, but it cooks the squash faster… your call} 🙂
To bake the squash, cut it in half lengthwise, remove all of the seeds,
and then drizzle the face with olive oil and sprinkle liberally with salt and pepper.
Then place the halves face-down on a baking sheet and bake for about 45 minutes, until soft.
When done, poke with a fork to make sure they are done (it should be soft and mushy)
You can prepare the remaining ingredients while the squash bakes…
when it is done, set it aside until cool enough to handle
Finely chop the shallots and garlic
Heat the ghee in a pan over medium heat
Add the shallots and garlic, along with half of the salt and pepper (1/4 tsp each)
Sauté for about five minutes, until lightly golden and translucent
Separate the shallot mixture into two halves… half will be for
the butternut squash mixture, half will be for the ricotta mixture
Divi it up into two mixing bowls
In one, add the ricotta cheese, the mozzarella, the chopped basil, salt and pepper
Mix well
Taste and adjust seasonings as desired
Add spinach and egg
Stir well, making sure the egg is evenly mixed in
Now for the butternut mixture…
Depending on what method you used to bake it (skin on or off),
either chop up or scoop out all of the squash
{This squash made about 3 cups baked}
Add the squash to the second bowl {with the shallots and garlic}
Add the parmesan cheese, sage, salt and pepper
Stir to mix well
Taste and adjust seasonings as desired
If you’re making the noodle-less version, skip below to that section…
if you’re making the noodle version, stay right here! 🙂
Bring a pot of salted water to a rapid boil
Add the lasagna noodles, boil until soft and pliable, and then strain liquid
(rinse with cool water to expedite the cooling process-
doing so also removes some starches so the pasta won’t stick to itself)
Now you’re ready to assemble!
Lightly grease your ramekin dishes
Cut the lasagna sheets into squares about the
same size as the ramekin dish you are using… you’ll need three squares per lasagna
(Things don’t have to be perfect here… the noodles with be covered anyway 😉 )
Lay one noodle square down on the bottom of the dish-
you may need to overlap it in sections to make it fit…
Scoop some butternut mixture over it
Top the butternut with a healthy heap of ricotta mixture
Then top that with another lasagna square and again more butternut… we’re repeating layers here
Then more ricotta
Top it off with one last lasagna square
(Remember, there’s no such thing as perfection here… just make it work how you can 🙂 )
Then add a little pile of grated mozzarella on the top,
piling it on tightly so it doesn’t fall off during baking
{cover as much of the exposed noodle as possible…
otherwise it will become dry during baking- covering it with chesse will help it stay yummy and moist}
Bake for about 30 minutes, until the cheese is golden brown
That’s it! Let them rest for about 5-10 minutes to settle before serving…
Top with a little fresh sage leaf and dig in!
Now for the noodle-less version!! Pretty much the same concept, sans noodle 🙂
Lightly grease your ramekins
Add a scoop of butternut mixture to the dish
Add some ricotta mixture (generous portions are welcomed)
Then more butternut…
And then more ricotta
Finally, the third and last layer of butternut to wrap up the layering process
Top it all of with a little pile of rated mozzarella
Bake for about 30 minutes, until the cheese is lightly golden brown
Garnish with a little sage leaf if desired
And that’s it… two butternut dishes done! Hope you enjoy!!
