Meatless Monday: Thanksgiving-Worthy Lasagna
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Today is 11/2.
That means Thanksgiving is 24 days away.
What’s on the menu? (Do you have a menu?)
As announced last week, I’ll be serving up all kinds of tips and tricks to help you plan, prep and stay sane in anticipation of the biggest feast of the year.
This week’s meatless treat (and for the next three weeks) has a decidedly Thanksgiving-ish bent, and on other days leading up to the holiday, I’ll talk wine, dessert, kitchen tools, eating peacefully with the crazy relatives and anything else that’s keeping you up at night.
Now about today’s featured recipe: I suppose one could argue that lasagna and Thanksgiving shouldn’t be uttered in the same sentence, but this version, from vegetarian cooking doyenne Deborah Madison, is an autumnal shoo-in. Instead of the same-ole marinara-spinach-ricotta combo, this pretty little three-layered number celebrates the here and now, with in-season butternut squash, sage and walnuts.
Good-natured vegetarians will tell you not to fuss, that there are plenty of sides to keep them satisfied while everyone else is debating over white versus dark meat. My advice? Make the lasagna. It’s good will, it’s good eats and it’s equal opportunity feasting.
Vegetarian Thanksgiving Lasagna
Adapted from “Vegetarian Suppers” by Deborah Madison
Ingredients
3 1/2 cups milk
Aromatics: 1 each: garlic clove, slice onion, bay leaf, parsley sprig
4 garlic cloves
Approximately 20 fresh sage leaves (or 1 1/2 tablespoons dried)
1/2 cup fresh parsley leaves
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 large butternut squash (approximately 3 pounds), peeled, seeded and diced
1 medium onion, diced
1 cup walnuts or hazelnuts, finely chopped
3 1/2 tablespoons unsalted butter
3 ½ tablespoons all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon grated nutmeg
1 8-ounce package no-boil lasagna noodles
1 cup grated Gruyere
1 cup grated Parmigiano-Reggiano
Method
Grease a 9×13 baking dish.
In a small pot, gently heat milk with aromatics. When it’s nearly boiling, cover pot, turn off heat and let stand.
Chop the four garlic cloves along with the sage and parsley, and set aside.
Heat oil in a wide skillet. Add diced squash and onion and cook over high heat, stirring frequently, about 15 minutes. Reduce heat and continue cooking, until squash is fairly tender, about 10 minutes. Add garlic-herb mixture and nuts. Stir and cook for a few minutes more. Season with salt and pepper to taste and turn off heat.
Preheat oven to 375 degrees.
Make bechamel sauce: Melt butter in a medium saucepan and stir in flour. Roux will form quickly; cook for about 1 minute, constantly stirring. Pour milk over a strainer into roux, whisking. Lower heat and cook, stirring with a wooden spoon, until sauce thickens, about 15-20 minutes. Season with the ½ teaspoon salt and nutmeg. KOD note: If béchamel sauce is not your thing, season and heat 3 ½ cups tomato puree.
Assemble lasagna: Spread 1/2 cup of bechamel (or tomato puree) on the surface of the baking dish. Lay three or four noodles on top. Cover with half the squash mixture, 1 cup of the sauce, half the Gruyere, one third of the Parmigiano.
Repeat, beginning with noodles, finishing with a third layer of noodles. Spread remaining sauce on top, plus remaining Parmigiano.
Seal pan with a foil tent. (At this point, lasagna may be kept in fridge one day in advance.)
Bake for 40 minutes, then remove foil and continue baking until bubbly and golden, at least 10 minutes more. Remove from oven and let rest before serving.
Feeds at least six.
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[...] This post was mentioned on Twitter by russ_walker and Carrie, Tweets Tube. Tweets Tube said: Meatless Monday: Thanksgiving-Worthy Lasagna http://bit.ly/4q4lfP [...]
Kim, not a squash question (though am DEFINITELY going to try this), but a Turkey-Day question.
I’ve got the dough resting for a second (made the first last night) apple galette (a favorite, easy dessert of mine). I’d like to put the second “up” for later. Question: should I bake fully and freeze, then thaw to eat, or partially bake, freeze, then thaw & bake the remainder of time. Recipe calls for baking til dough just turning color (15-20 mins) @450, then reduce heat to 350 and bake for another 20-30, til pastry crunchy/flaky when pierced w/ a skewer.
Alisoncsmith, I think it would be best to bake fully, freeze and thaw to eat. Make sure you wrap well. Funny coincidence, I’ve been working on a savory galette (crostata if you’r Italian) for my cookbook!
In response to another comment. See in context »Of course, now we’ve decide that we just need to eat the 2nd one…
But a squash question, now…I’ve roasted one sugar pumpkin and pureed (2nd one will do tonight – just not enough room in the pan). The puree seems much waterier than the canned stuff – any adjustments I need to make for a straight-up pumpkin pie that would normally call for canned puree?
In response to another comment. See in context »[...] Butternut Squash Lasagna [...]
thanks. it’ll get baked fully tomorrow night, then. ooh! can’t wait for your book! a savory galette is a great idea!
This sounds wonderful and is the second vegetarian alternative for Thanksgiving I’ve come across that sounds wonderful. The other being a Shephard’s Pie in the final issue of Gourmet. Both will be served soon in the Blade’s casa.
I’m not sure about it as a Thanksgiving alternative to a main dish as the oven is getting pretty heavy workout in that last hour. I wonder if it could be cooked in parallel with the turkey on a rack under the bird. It certainly would be a great dish to bring to a Thanksgiving feast.
I’ve hosted a few Thanksgiving meals with pescetarians in attendance. As we live in the DC area, I’ve roasted a whole rockfish for the occasion. Out goes the bird, I kick up the oven temperature, and in goes the fish. I’ve even made the turkey eaters envious! [They can share, but the pescetarians get first dibbs.]
BB
[...] folk deserve a special entrée, too. A few weeks ago, I shared details for a scrumptious butternut squash lasagna, but if that fails to inspire, consider these roasted stuffed onions from Gourmet back in [...]
Fairlingtonblade, good to hear from you, it’s been a while. The lasagna could be baked the night before, then reheated with a foil cover after the bird emerges. As you’ll notice in my lastest post,there are so many things to choose from on Thanksgiving that haven’t got a thing to do with turkey.
Hey Kim,
Some very busy days. On the plus side, we had some great pizza at Paradiso and Mrs. Blade got to meet the Secretary of State! I’ll be out of town for Thanksgiving this year, so it’s the Blade’s first chance to cook Thanksgivign dinner with his mum. Hope to catch you on the chat this week.
Paul
[...] like that! Matt’s squash pasta with sage is also great — gorgeous and delicious. This butternut squash lasagna is on my to-try list; baked pasta dishes are ideal because you can essentially set it and forget [...]
[...] like that! Matt’s squash pasta with sage is also great — gorgeous and delicious. This butternut squash lasagna is on my to-try list; baked pasta dishes are ideal because you can essentially set it and forget [...]
[...] squash lasagna: from: Meatless Monday: Thanksgiving-Worthy Lasagna – Kim O'Donnel – Licking Your Chops – True/Slant Vegetarian Thanksgiving Lasagna Adapted from “Vegetarian Suppers” by Deborah Madison [...]