I told you I was leaning hard into fall dinners and I really did mean it. But doesn’t this look just delicious? I love to use butternut squash and pumpkin in ways you might not think of. Oftentimes we only think to bake with pumpkin, and to make soup out of most of the winter squashes. All delicious, but using squash in other ways can be so yummy and fun! I find the seasonal gourds to be especially great in pasta dishes, salads, and more. With this skillet lasagna, I sauteed the squash until it caramelized. Then lightly mashed it and created a butternut vodka cream sauce. It really did end up being simple, and turned out so delicious. I am so excited to share the recipe! When I had this idea come to mind, I knew that I really wanted to keep the recipe easy. A lot of times these winter squash recipes can be time-intensive and very hands-on. That’s not the case with this skillet lasagna. Aside from boiling the noodles, the entire meal is made all in the same pan with very little stress or effort. And most importantly, it really is so yummy. My mom actually just texted me and said, “Tieg, the lasagna was soooo delish!”.
Here are the details
Step 1: boil off the noodles You can use any shortcut pasta, broken lasagna noodles, shells, or whatever you love most. Step 2: make the sauce I wanted this to be spicier, so I started with a spicy ground Italian chicken sausage. Our local Whole Foods carries this at the meat counter. They hand-make it. You can also use pork sausage too, or even omit the meat entirely. Brown the meat in a large oven-safe skillet. I prefer to use only about 1/2 a pound, just enough for added flavor, but use any amount you enjoy. Then pull the sausage out of the pan and set aside on a plate. Next, add olive oil, butter, and the butternut squash to the skillet. Then season with shallots, garlic, fresh thyme, sage, a tiny pinch of cinnamon, and nutmeg. The cinnamon may sound odd, but you have to trust me, it’s the secret to balancing out this sauce. Cook the squash slowly in the olive oil until it softens and caramelizes. Now use the back of your spoon or a potato masher to mash the squash down into a puree. I leave my squash chunky, don’t stress about making this into a thin sauce. Now add the cream, parmesan, and a splash of vodka. Cook until the sauce is super creamy and you no longer smell the vodka. Finish the sauce with lots of parmesan cheese. Step 3: assemble and bake Now that our noodles are cooked and the sauce is made, simply mix everything together and bake. Add the sausage back to the sauce, then the pasta. Toss everything up to coat and finish with cheese. Then add the prosciutto, it will get crispy and delicious in the oven. When this comes out of the oven, the sauce will bubble up from the pan and the cheese will be very melty. It’s such a creamy delicious skillet pasta bake that has all the flavors we love most this time of year. And it’s cheesy – very cheesy, so it’s beyond good. Think roll your eye back, go for that second serving, good. Great for the end of October and then into November when the nights begin to get cold and long. The perfect plate to cozy up to by the fire! Looking for other butternut squash recipes? Here are a few ideas: Brie and Cheddar Butternut Squash Beer Soup Creamy Roasted Garlic Butternut Squash Pasta Rosemary Roasted Butternut Squash Pizza Roasted Butternut Squash and Spinach Lasagna Butternut Squash Pasta Carbonara with Rosemary Bacon Fall Harvest Roasted Butternut Squash and Pomegranate Salad Hasselback Butternut Squash with Sage Butter and Prosciutto Breadcrumbs Lastly, if you make this Easy Skillet Butternut Squash Lasagna be sure to leave a comment and/or give this recipe a rating! Above all, I love to hear from you guys and always do my best to respond to each and every comment. And of course, if you do make this recipe, don’t forget to tag me on Instagram! Looking through the photos of recipes you all have made is my favorite!
