Some recipes are worth slowing down for, and this Butternut Squash Lasagna is one of them. Tender noodles, melty cheese, earthy kale and mushrooms, and squash puree come together with a from-scratch brown butter béchamel sauce infused with sage. It’s nutty, aromatic, and definitely the real star (but I promise it’s easy to make!) This recipe takes a little patience, but the finished dish is cozy and rich without feeling too heavy. It’s made with simple, budget-friendly ingredients, and one pan makes enough to feed 9 for only $1.88 per serving. And because it tastes even better the next day, this recipe works really well for meal prep!

Side view of a slice of butternut squash lasagna.

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A Vegetarian Lasagna Made with Budget Basics

Roasted butternut squash is one of my favorite fall sides, so turning it into a hearty vegetarian spin on classic lasagna felt like an obvious next move. Preparing a whole squash may sound like the hard part, but this method makes it almost ridiculously easy. I don’t peel it or wrestle with it trying to cut it into cubes. Instead, I slice it in half, scoop out the seeds, and roast it until the flesh is soft enough to lift straight from the skin. Then I blend it with cottage cheese and vegetable broth to create a velvety sauce, ready to layer with the mushroom-kale filling, mozzarella, and sage brown butter béchamel sauce.

And don’t let the words brown butter béchamel scare you off. It’s made with budget basics like butter, flour, and milk, with fresh sage added as the butter browns. That little extra step gives the sauce a rich, toasted flavor that balances the sweet squash and earthy vegetables. Even better, the sage leaves turn crisp in the butter, so I save them to garnish the finished lasagna. Nothing wasted and inexpensive ingredients creating this much flavor is a budget win if I’ve ever seen one!

Tips for Success

  1. Use a sharp knife to make cutting the squash easier. Butternut squash is dense, so a large, sharp chef’s knife makes halving it much easier than trying to force a dull blade through it. Set the squash on a stable cutting board and work slowly. If the knife starts to stick, pull it back out and reposition it rather than pushing harder.

  2. Roast the squash cut-side down. Roasting the squash flesh-side down gives it direct contact with the hot pan, which encourages a little browning and helps the squash soften as steam builds underneath. It’s ready when a knife slides easily into the thickest part.

  3. Cook the moisture out of the vegetables. One thing to watch with veggie lasagnas is excess water from the vegetables — our zucchini lasagna is another example of a veggie-packed lasagna where this matters. Let the mushrooms release their liquid, then keep cooking until it evaporates and they start to brown. Once the kale goes in, cook it until wilted and reduced in volume. Too much moisture here can make the finished lasagna loose or watery.

  4. Keep a close eye on the brown butter. Butter can go from perfectly toasted to burnt surprisingly fast. Cook it over moderate heat and watch the milk solids at the bottom of the pan. Once they turn golden brown and the butter smells nutty, move on to the next step right away. A light-colored pan makes the color much easier to judge.

  5. Cover those noodles completely. Make sure the sauces reach all the way to the corners and edges of every lasagna sheet before baking. Any exposed noodles may not cook through properly and will stay firm.

  6. Give it at least 10 minutes to rest. Always give this lasagna at least 10 minutes to rest after it comes out of the oven. The sauces and cheese will settle and thicken slightly as it sits, helping the layers hold together better when sliced.

Ingredients

Cost: $16.95 recipe / $1.88 serving

  • 1 medium butternut squash, halved and seeded (about 2½–3 pounds) — $3.85
  • 2 tsp poultry seasoning, divided — $0.18
  • 2 Tbsp cooking oil, divided — $0.07
  • 1 tsp salt, divided — $0.02
  • ½ tsp black pepper, divided — $0.06
  • 1 cup cottage cheese (225g) — $0.95
  • ½ cup vegetable broth — $0.08
  • 1 cup onion, finely diced (150g) — $0.70
  • 3 garlic cloves, minced — $0.22
  • 8 oz. white mushrooms, finely chopped — $1.78
  • 4 cups kale, chopped (268g) — $0.95
  • 4 Tbsp butter (56g) — $0.46
  • 10 fresh sage leaves — $0.89
  • ¼ cup all-purpose flour (31g) — $0.04
  • 3 cups whole milk — $0.74
  • ½ cup Parmesan cheese, grated (50g) — $1.16

This lasagna is a satisfying vegetarian dinner that proves budget-friendly ingredients can deliver deeply layered, restaurant-quality flavor — especially when you give the leftovers a day to meld in the fridge.