Serious question: is there anything better than layers of roasted veggies, noodles, and cheese piled high and bubbling hot? Didn’t think so. Ever since I made my famous turkey lasagna years ago, I’ve been in LOVE with creating deliciously savory, cozy lasagna recipes that warm you up from the inside out.
To celebrate fall and all things comfort food, I had to reshare this incredible roasted vegetable butternut squash lasagna filled with everything you could want in a comforting dinner. There are 5 different types of roasted veggies snuggled between layers of noodles, cheese, and two types of sauce. Instead of red sauce, we’re making a sweet & savory spiced butternut squash sauce, plus a traditional ricotta layer.
I included plenty of ways to prep it ahead of time and even freeze it before or after baking so that you can have a wonderful dinner in no time at all. Happy cooking!
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What you’ll need to make this butternut squash lasagna
This delicious lasagna is layered with all of the colors of the rainbow, plus plenty of cheese. Here’s everything you’ll need to make it:
- For the roasted veggies: we’re using red bell pepper, yellow pepper, red onion, baby bella mushrooms, and zucchini. A true rainbow of veggies in this lasagna! You’ll roast them up with olive oil, garlic powder, salt & pepper.
- For the butternut squash: the squash will create a creamy, flavorful sauce layer instead of using traditional tomato sauce in the lasagna. You’ll start by roasting a large butternut squash (get all of our tips & tricks for prepping your squash here!), then blending the flesh with milk, cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger, allspice, salt, and pepper.
- For the noodles: you’ll of course need some lasagna noodles to layer it all up!
- For the ricotta mixture: we’re alternating the veggies and butternut squash sauce with a savory ricotta layer made from ricotta, an egg, salt, and pepper. Easy.
- For the layers: what’s lasagna without melty cheese? I like to use shredded mozzarella and grated parmesan.
- To garnish: add a sprinkle of fresh chopped parsley for a beautiful garnish.
Easy ways to customize
Out of a few ingredients? Here’s what I can recommend substituting and customizing in this roasted vegetable lasagna recipe:
- Choose your veggies. Feel free to mix and match the roasted veggies with any you have on hand, or use more of one veggie than another! You really can’t go wrong.
- Go gluten-free. You can also make this recipe gluten-free by using gluten-free lasagna noodles.
- Simplify the spices. Out of any of the warming spices? Feel free to use a teaspoon of pumpkin pie spice instead!
- Swap the squash. I love the flavor that butternut squash adds to the cozy sauce, but roasted sweet potato should work well, or you can try my pumpkin lasagna.
Add a boost of protein
Although this lasagna is vegetarian, it would be delicious with 1-2 cups cooked, shredded chicken or 1 pound of cooked Italian ground sausage. A great way to use up leftover chicken or rotisserie chicken! Add on top of the butternut squash sauce while assembling the lasagna.
Can I use no-cook lasagna noodles?
I don’t love using no-cook noodles (or “no boil” noodles) because they tend to have a different texture, but if you’re in a pinch (or only have no-cook on hand), feel free to use them!
Our best lasagna-making tips
Homemade lasagna may look a bit intimidating because of all of the different components, but with these tips & tricks, you’ll be making the BEST roasted veggie butternut squash lasagna like a pro:
- Don’t overcook the noodles. Make sure to boil the noodles just until al dente because they’ll cook more when you bake the entire lasagna. No one likes mushy noodles!
- Use room temperature ricotta. The ricotta mixture is easiest to mix with room temp ingredients, so I suggest letting the container of ricotta and the egg sit out a bit to come to room temp.
- Pre-cook layers to save time. This butternut squash lasagna is easy to make, but it is a bit time-intensive. Feel free to save time by r0asting the veggies and butternut squash up to 3 days ahead of time! Get all of our tips for roasting butternut squash here!
Prep this lasagna ahead of time
This roasted vegetable butternut squash lasagna is the perfect make-ahead meal for the holidays or any time you need a comforting dish. Plus, it makes amazing leftovers! To make it ahead of time:
- Assemble the lasagna completely as directed
- Cover and place it in the refrigerator one day before serving
- When you’re ready to serve, bake it up as directed and enjoy!
It’s the perfect way to save time if you’re making this for Thanksgiving.
Two ways to freeze butternut squash lasagna
This easy roasted vegetable lasagna recipe makes the best freezer-friendly meal! Here are two great ways to freeze it:
- Bake first, then freeze. You can either bake it first, then cool to room temperature, slice into servings, place in freezer safe containers and then freeze. Or you can bake it, bring it to room temp, and then freeze the entire pan. Just make sure you double wrap it so the lasagna does not dry out. This is assuming you are freezing the entire pan. Once ready to reheat, thaw it out. Then bake, covered at 350 degrees F for 30-45 minutes or until heated through.
- Freeze before baking: To freeze before baking, simply assemble the lasagna as written in the instructions, then double wrap with plastic wrap and foil and freeze for up to 3 months. Once ready to bake, thaw out then bake according to instructions.
Tools you’ll need
Get all of my kitchen essentials here!
More cozy dinner recipes you’ll love
- Blow Ya Mind Cheddar Broccoli Chicken Pot Pie
- Brown Butter, Ricotta & Butternut Squash Baked Bucatini
- One Pot Butternut Squash Yellow Curry
- One Pot Cheesy Mushroom Spinach Beef Pasta
- Butternut Squash and Black Bean Enchilada Skillet
Get more delicious comfort foods here, and vegetarian dinners here!
I hope you love this cozy roasted vegetable butternut squash lasagna! If you make it be sure to leave a comment and a rating so I know how you liked it. Enjoy, xo!
Cozy Roasted Vegetable Butternut Squash Lasagna
Ingredients
- For the roasted veggies:
- 1 red bell pepper, julienned or cut into chunks
- 1 yellow or orange bell pepper, julienned or cut into chunks
- 1 red onion, thinly sliced
- 8 ounces baby bella mushrooms, sliced
- 2 medium zucchini, sliced and quartered
- ½ teaspoon garlic powder
- Freshly ground salt and pepper
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- For the butternut squash layer:
- 1 large butternut squash (at least 3 pounds)
- ⅔ cup milk (I like unsweetened almond milk, but any milk will work)
- 1 tablespoon brown sugar or coconut sugar (or pure maple syrup)
- ¼ teaspoon cinnamon
- ¼ teaspoon nutmeg
- ¼ teaspoon ginger
- ¼ teaspoon allspice
- ½ teaspoon salt
- Freshly ground black pepper
- For the noodles:
- 10 lasagna noodles
- For the ricotta mixture:
- 1 (15 ounce) container ricotta
- 1 egg
- ½ teaspoon salt
- Freshly ground black pepper
- For the layers:
- 3 cups shredded mozzarella cheese, divided (approximately 12 ounces)
- 1/2 cup grated parmesan cheese, divided
- To garnish:
- Fresh chopped parsley
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.
- Add all of the veggies for roasting to a large baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Drizzle with 2 tablespoons of olive oil and sprinkle with garlic powder, salt and pepper. Use your hands to toss the veggies together then spread them out in an even layer. Set aside while you prep your butternut squash.
- Use a sharp knife to cut off both ends of a butternut squash, you’ll cut about ¼-½ inch off each end. Next cut the butternut squash in half vertically. Place the butternut squash upright or vertically on a wooden cutting board that’s very secured to your counter. We don’t want the cutting board or squash to wobble as you cut it. Use your knife to cut the butternut squash vertically down the middle. Use a spoon to scoop out the seeds of the cut butternut squash. Place the butternut squash halves flesh side down on a separate medium baking sheet lined with parchment paper.
- Place both veggies and squash in the oven on two different racks. Roast the veggies for 30 minutes or until they are slightly golden then remove to cool down. The butternut squash will take slightly longer; about 1 hour total or until the squash is very fork tender. Set aside to cool for a little bit before scooping out the flesh. Keep heat in the oven.
- Make the butternut squash sauce: transfer the flesh of the butternut squash to a high powered blender or bowl of a food processor. Add in milk, brown or coconut sugar, cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger, allspice and salt and pepper. Blend until smooth and set aside.
- Do this step while the veggies and squash roast: Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Cook the lasagna noodles for 5-6 minutes, then drain. Immediately lay the noodles flat on an oiled baking sheet or cutting board so you can easily assemble the lasagna when ready. Another option is to soak the lasagna noodles in very warm (hot) water for 20-30 minutes if you do not want to boil them. (Note: you can also use no-cook lasagna noodles, but they aren't my favorite!)
- In the small bowl, add the ricotta, egg, salt and pepper. Mix until well combined. Set aside.
- To assemble the lasagna, spread 3/4 cup of butternut squash mixture over the bottom of a 9x13 inch baking dish. Place 5 of the cooked lasagna noodles on top, laying 4 vertically and 1 horizontally. Spread half of the ricotta cheese mixture on top of the noodles, followed by half of the roasted veggies, then top with ¾ cup shredded mozzarella. Next, add 1 heaping cup of the butternut squash mixture on top of the mozzarella and then sprinkle with 1/4 cup of parmesan cheese.
- Repeat layers once more: adding remaining noodles (4 vertically & 1 horizontally), the rest of the ricotta cheese mixture, remaining roasted veggies, ¾ cup shredded mozzarella, then top with any remaining butternut squash sauce and 1/4 cup parmesan cheese. Finally, top with remaining 1 ½ cups shredded mozzarella cheese.
- Cover with foil and bake for 25 minutes. Remove foil and bake another 15-20 minutes until cheese starts to brown just a bit. Garnish with extra parmesan and either chopped basil or parsley. Cool for 15-20 minutes before cutting and serving. Serves 12.
Recipe Notes
Nutrition
Recipe by: Monique Volz // Ambitious Kitchen | Photography by: Eat Love Eats
This post was originally published on November 2nd, 2021, republished on November 13th, 2022, republished on December 5th, 2023, and republished on November 2nd, 2025.
This is a very cozy fall recipe and it was a fun one to make! However, I will say that I swapped the tablespoon of brown sugar for 1/2 tablespoon of honey and it was still wayyyyy too sweet. I would recommend leaving out the brown sugar/other sweetener all together! The butternut squash is quite sweet enough on its own.
I swap the peppers for roasted carrot shreds and it was SO good. I look forward to this every Fall!
Perfect! One of our favs for fall, too 🙂
Wow, this lasagna was so delicious. We had it to celebrate Rosh Hashanah! A perfect fall meal! The flavors worked in unison and the roasting of vegetables makes the dish brings out the best flavors. Some of us went for seconds! Your recipes never disappoint!
So happy to hear that! One of our fav fall dinners 🙂
I amade this recipe for my family AND wow! There were no leftovers. We all loved it. I did add crumbled Italian sausage and result was FAB!
Amazing! Love the idea of adding sausage!
Would give this 6/5 stars if I could! Best thing my husband and I have cooked in a while. We used GF lasagna noodles and boiled them for 5 minutes before layering. We added the full amount of sugar and spices (despite some of the comments saying it was too pumpkin pie-y) and absolutely no regrets–the flavorful squash sauce really carried the dish. This is definitely going in our regular meal rotation!
Amazing! So happy you both loved it!
Made this for my family tonight and the first thing my husband said was “Oh WOW!” Absolutely loved and made lots of left overs for our busy week. It was a little more effort then I expected, but I’m so happy with the results. Thank you for this awesome recipe.
So happy to hear that! Perfect family dinner 🙂
I made this for Thanksgiving a few years ago and remember loving it. This recipe came to mind for a dinner party and it was as good as I recalled. Definitely a lot of elements to it, like any lasagna, none of them hard. Really a perfect winter vegetarian main dish!!
So good! Happy to hear it’s a favorite 🙂
Please mention the oven temp for baking the actual lasagna. Thank you and it was delicious!
Hi! It’s the very first step 🙂 Preheat to 400 degrees F.
I question the calorie count since there is lots of cheese in one serving as well as pasta.
It’s correct! The nutrition is just for 1 serving and it serves 12.
This was OUT OF THIS WORLD delicious!! I dislike zuchini, so subbed with fennel as someone suggested. So, so good! I will definitely be making this again for Thanksgiving/Christmas.
Amazing! So happy you loved it!
obnoxious that I can’t access the print version without giving you my email.
Hi! It should only ask for your email once, and you’re free to subscribe at any time. We’re happy to be able to provide a whole website of free recipes all with a printing option!
This lasagna recipe sounds amazing! I love how it uses roasted vegetables and butternut squash for a cozy twist. The combination of warming spices and melted cheese must make it the ultimate comfort food. Can’t wait to try making this at home!
Can you make the butternut squash sauce 2 days before – roast and mix with spices and milk?
I think that should be fine! Just give it a good stir before using it in the recipe.
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This was a lot of work and ended up a little too gooey for my liking. It was a nice alternative to regular tomato based lasagna, but not something I’ll make regularly.
Sorry to hear that! Were your noodles by chance overcooked? I’m not sure what else could be giving it a gooey texture.
This is a really fun and tasty twist on Lasagna. We have made it twice now this winter. I do have to leave out the cinnamon to an allergy but compensate with some other spices so it is not exact flavor profile but works for us. Thank you.
Absolutely! Glad you enjoyed!
Really enjoyed this recipe. I did change it up quite a bit due to ingredients on hand and needing a solid protein source. Used TVP instead of mushrooms, and skipped the zucchini as it’s isn’t in season. Used milk rather than egg to loosen the ricotta. But wow what a flavorful dish. Will definitely make again.
Perfect! Glad you enjoyed!
Pls clarify noodle placement 4 vertical 1 horizontal
Where does one place the one horizontal noodle?
Hi! Check out the video to see what I mean 🙂 you’ll place 4 noodles the long way in your pan, then 1 at the bottom on the short side of your pan to fill in the gap as the noodles won’t fully cover your pan vertically.
I think I would have loved this minus the sweet pumpkin pie spices. It was pumpkin pie lasagna. I did not anticipate the intensity of the spices and sweetness. I’m super bummed that I spent a good deal of time making it, but maybe minus the spices, it would be more to my liking. Not for me, but thank you for being awesome and sharing recipes.
Sorry to hear that you didn’t love this one! Feel free to reduce or omit the spices next time to keep it more savory.
Such a good recipe! Loved the spices in the butternut squash. It all paired really well together and was the perfect cozy recipe for the fall.
One of our favs for fall! Glad you loved it!
This looks absolutely delicious! Do you think it would be possible to add meat for my carnivore family?
Absolutely!
Can you use frozen butternut squash ?
Yep! Just use at least 3 pounds and roast up the cubes until they’re tender enough to blend with the rest of the sauce ingredients.
Fantastic! A new favorite! We add 1lb of spicy sausage to the veggies.
I would say prep and assembly takes 1-1.5 hours not 30 minutes. 😅 We’ve cooked this recipe twice and it’s taken is much longer both times.
So glad you enjoyed! I include any cooking steps (roasting the veggies, etc.) as cook time (rather than prep time) so that might be why! Is the whole thing taking about 2 hours and 15 minutes? I’ve adjusted and added another 15 minutes to prep as well 🙂
I did not read the ingredients before cooking but it has garlic, cinnamon, ginger, allspice, and nutmeg and in my opinion garlic is not a good mix with the others It also has no tomato sauce. It was a very involved recipe but my boyfriend and I were disappointed when we ate it. I guess tomato sauce just seems like a given as an ingredient in lasagna. The roasted vegetables were a good idea but I won’t be making this again. I’d replace the squash with marinara.
This is one of the most amazing lasagna’s I have ever made! Thank you for the recipe 🙂
I’m so glad!!
You asked to boil the lasagne noodle but they stick together and I couldn’t separate them, will they not cook through in th oven anyway? Why bother?
Hi! Be sure to separate the noodles as soon as they’re done boiling and laying them on a flat surface where they don’t touch. There are “no boil” lasagna noodles that will cook in the oven, but regular lasagna noodles (which I prefer) must be boiled beforehand.
Everything looks delicious can’t wait to try these
Time consuming to make but so good and so worth it. My calorie calculator did list it at double the amount of calories (and then some) as listed in the recipe so if someone is strictly monitoring that could be a problem.
So glad you enjoyed! Hmmm did you compute the nutrition facts based on 12 servings? Just double-checked and what’s written is accurate!
This recipe is a labor of love but so incredibly worth it! We used chopped/roasted broccoli in place of zucchini since my store was out, but I think any roasted veggies would be perfect in this. We used our last butternut squash from the garden and the sauce was cozy, silky and perfect. We also assembled it all the night before and it baked up perfectly!
This one’s great for adding any veggies you like! Such a fun cozy dinner 🙂
Very saucy and mild flavor. I’d opt for half the squash puree and twice the veggies. I love cinnamon, but maybe not in my lasagna.
Sorry to hear this wasn’t a hit! Always feel free to bump up the salt to bring out the extra flavors. The cinnamon is meant to give this lasagna a lovely, fall-inspired flavor, but you can leave it out if you’d like.
Absolutely amazing. I didn’t taste the veggies or sauce while cooking, and had a creeping feeling it would be too sweet from the squash or “healthy-tasting.” NOPE! 🙂
It is phenomenal and I have to make it again. I added chopped spinach to the ricotta mix, added a layer of spinach, and omitted the sugar altogether. It could use even more veggies next time. An absolute fall delight, and wonderful spin on the classic lasagna.
This one’s great for customizing! So glad you loved it!
I made this a few weeks ago and I’m still drooling over it. It was so deliciously comforting. I didn’t have enough butternut squash, I only had about 1 1/2 lbs, but I did have a kabocha squash, so I used that one as a supplement for the 3 lbs, and it turned out amazing. I keep telling everyone I made the best lasagna ever, and this is it! It’s like Thanksgiving and warm fuzzy feelings in one bite.
Great idea to add some kabocha squash! Perfect comfort meal 🙂
This recipe is *chefs kiss*. Seriously the best veggie lasagna I’ve ever had. It turned out with so much flavour. I added some truffle oil on the top and very much recommend trying that!
So glad you loved it! Truffle oil sounds AMAZING.
Such an AMAZING COMFORTING WINTER DINNER!!!! I love the subtle pumpkin spices in with all the cheesy goodness and plenty of veggies! To save time I used some homemade pumpkin puree I already had made instead of roasting a squash and I sauted the veggies in the cast iron skillet to make those faster. Cottage cheese works great in this too! Added whole wheat lasagna noodles for extra nutrition! Thanks for the yummy recipe!!!!
Great idea for swapping in pumpkin puree! One of our fav winter dinners, too 🙂
What would be the approximate quantity of butternut squash after roasting? Would frozen squash be an acceptable substitute?
You can definitely use frozen squash! I would suggest thawing at least 3 pounds of squash, then roast it as direction. You’ll then want to blend the squash cubes so that you get a puree.
This recipe is going to be a new staple in our home. I wouldn’t change one thing!
So happy to hear that! Love this for a cozy winter dinner.
To be honest, I wasn’t really sure about this. Kind of person that likes to keep my things status quo. HOWEVER….. this was absolutely delicious…. so good. 😋
Ahh this is so amazing, Jennifer! Glad you gave this recipe a try and it turned out great for you
This is the third recipe I have tried from ambitious kitchen. The first two were amazing so I figured I would give this one a try also. This was awful. It tasted like pumpkin pie married veggie lasagna. Gag worthy. Lasagna should never taste like this. I will leave a review in the amazing Turkey Chili (best ever) and the Ginger Healing Chicken Soup (savory, different and delicious) but I would not recommend this.
Hi Kathleen – Thanks for your feedback, everyone has different preferences and this one, while a hit for most, sounds not to be up your alley. No problem, many people actually love the fall flavors of this lasagna!