How To Make Vegetarian Thanksgiving Lasagna

Prep: 30 mins

Cook: 45 mins

Difficulty: Intermediate

Servings: 12 Servings

One of the fondest Thanksgiving memories of my childhood was the year my mother tried to serve us a completely vegetarian Thanksgiving. We had just relocated to a new city after my mother had finished graduate school; we didn’t have friends or family to celebrate with, and I’m sure that money was tight that year. And what was the centerpiece of this event? A ham-roasted eggplant.

Ingredients

Cooking spray
1 large butternut squash (about 3 pounds)
1 (10-ounce) package no-boil or oven-ready lasagna noodles
1 (15-ounce) can pumpkin purée (not pumpkin pie filling)
1 cup crème fraîche
1 large egg, lightly beaten
1 teaspoon dried sage
1 teaspoon kosher salt, plus more for seasoning
1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1 ounce baby arugula (about 2 cups lightly packed)
1 pound grated Fontina cheese
12 whole fresh sage leaves
2 ounces finely grated Parmesan cheese
Chef's knife
Cutting board
Measuring cups and spoons
9x13-inch glass or ceramic baking dish
Y-shaped vegetable peeler
Large bowl
Whisk

Instructions

Grease the baking dish: Arrange a rack in the middle of the oven and heat to 375°F. Coat a 9x13-inch baking dish (glass or ceramic) with cooking spray and set aside.
Slice and roast the squash: Peel the squash and thinly slice it crosswise into 1/4-inch-thick rounds. Use a spoon to remove the seeds as needed. Sprinkle with salt and lay the squash rings into a single layer on 2 baking sheets. Bake until the rings are tender, about 20 minutes.
Make a pumpkin and crème fraîche sauce: While the squash roasts, place the pumpkin purée, crème fraîche, egg, 1 teaspoon salt, sage, and nutmeg in a large bowl and whisk until smooth.
Build the lasagna: Once the squash is roasted and cool enough to handle, build the lasagna. Spread about a 1/4 cup of pumpkin sauce in a thin layer on the bottom of the baking dish. Top with a layer of lasagna noodles, a layer of squash, 1/2 cup of sauce, 1/2 of the arugula, and 1/3 of the Fontina. Repeat layering with noodles, squash, 1/2 cup of sauce, the remaining arugula, and 1/3 of the Fontina. Top with the remaining noodles, pumpkin sauce, and Fontina.
Finish with Parmesan and sage: Top with the sage and Parmesan.
Bake the lasagna: Bake until the noodles are tender, the cheese is golden-brown, and the sauce is bubbly, 40 to 45 minutes.
Cool briefly: Cool for at least 15 minutes before slicing and serving.