Mary Berry's butternut squash lasagne recipe

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This butternut squash lasagne recipe by Mary Berry can be prepared up to two days ahead and frozen too.

mary berry butternut squash lasagne
(Image credit: Mary Berry Cooks Up A Feast/DK/Georgia Glynn-Smith)
  • Vegetarian
Serves6
SkillMedium
Preparation Time30 mins (and leave overnight if you can)
Cooking Time45 mins
Total Time1 hours 15 mins
Cost RangeCheap
Nutrition Per PortionRDA
Calories567 Kcal28%
Sugar19.4 g22%
Fat30.5 g44%
Saturated Fat17.9 g90%
Salt1.4 gRow 4 - Cell 2
Protein25.9 g52%
Carbohydrates48.3 g19%
Salt1.4 gRow 7 - Cell 2

Butternut squash lasagne is hearty, comforting and lower in calories compared to the classic recipe. 

Mary Berry knows a thing or two about cooking for a crowd and this lasagne is no exception. It takes 30 minutes to prepare but is best chilled overnight if you have time. Each portion is under 600 calories and is packed with nutrients and vitamins thanks to the squash, spinach, pepper and mushrooms which you wouldn’t find in a traditional recipe. 

Ingredients

  • 1 tbsp olive oil
  • 225g (8oz) butternut squash (peeled weight), chopped into small cubes
  • 1 red pepper, halved, deseeded, and diced
  • 1 onion, roughly chopped
  • 2 garlic cloves, crushed
  • 225g (8oz) chestnut mushrooms, sliced
  • 2 x 400g cans chopped tomatoes
  • 1 tbsp tomato purée
  • 2 tsp sugar
  • 1 tbsp freshly chopped thyme
  • salt and freshly ground black pepper
  • 100g (31⁄2oz) spinach, chopped
  • 6–8 sheets lasagne

For the white sauce:

  • 75g (21⁄2oz) butter
  • 75g (21⁄2oz) plain flour
  • 900ml (11⁄2 pints) hot milk
  • 2 tsp Dijon mustard
  • 100g (31⁄2oz) Gruyère cheese, grated
  • 250g (9oz) mozzarella, chopped into small cubes

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Method

  1. Heat the oil in a large deep frying pan. Add the squash, pepper, onion, and garlic and fry over a moderate heat for 4–5 minutes or until the onion is starting to soften. Add the mushrooms, tomatoes, tomato purée, sugar, thyme, and some salt and freshly ground black pepper. Cover with a lid and simmer over a low heat for 20–30 minutes or until the vegetables are tender. Add the spinach and toss together until just wilted.
  2. Meanwhile, make the white sauce. Melt the butter in a saucepan, add the flour, and stir over the heat for 1 minute. Slowly whisk in the hot milk until the sauce is smooth and thick. Season with salt and freshly ground black pepper, then stir in the mustard and half the Gruyère.
  3. Spoon one-third of the tomato sauce over the base of the ovenproof dish, then spoon one-third of the white sauce on top. Arrange a single layer of lasagne over the white sauce and scatter over half the mozzarella. Spoon half the remaining tomato sauce on top, followed by half the remaining white sauce. Arrange another layer of lasagne on top and scatter over the remaining mozzarella. Spread the rest of the tomato sauce on top, followed by the rest of the white sauce, then sprinkle with the remaining Gruyère.
  4. Transfer to the fridge for at least 6 hours or overnight so the lasagne starts to soften.
  5. To serve, heat the oven to 200C (180C fan, Gas 6), then bake the lasagne for 45 minutes or until golden brown and bubbling around the edges.

Top tip for making butternut squash lasagne

Mary says: ‘Prepare the dish the day before if you can, so the lasagne sheets have time to soften in the sauce. Serve with salad and crusty bread.’ 

The lasagne can be made up to the end of step three, up to two days ahead. You can then freeze it for up to two months.

Continue reading for more tips and tricks from Mary and our team of experts. 

How to cook lasagne in the AGA?

Mary says: ‘Cook the tomato sauce in the simmering oven for 20-30 minutes. Bake the lasagne in the middle of the roasting oven for 40-50 minutes.’ If you’re making a lasagne for 12 you’ll need to cook it for around an hour. 

Can you use dried lasagne sheets instead of fresh?

Yes, Mary doesn’t specify whether to use fresh or dried lasagne sheets. However, given her tip about allowing the sheets to soften, you can assume she uses dried for this recipe.

Food writer Jessica Ransom says: 'Some supermarkets sell dried spinach lasagne sheets which add an interesting colour to your lasagne and some extra nutrients too.' 

How do you cut butternut squash into sheets?

If you'd like to make a lasagne with less pasta, or none at all, you could make some sheets of squash. To do this it's best to peel and deseed the squash. Then use a mandoline to slice the squash into big even pieces. Layer them up instead of pasta and as long as you cut them thin enough, you can bake the lasagne as per the original recipe. 

What can I add to butternut squash lasagne?

If you'd like to add some more herbs to the lasagne, sage and squash pair brilliantly. You could fry some sage leaves in a little oil until nice and crispy and then add to the top just before serving. 

For added crunch you could also toast some pine nuts or hazelnuts are another delicious, autumnal pairing. 

You can make this lasagne with a combination of squash and sweet potato if you like. 

Mary Berry Cooks Up A Feast: Favourite Recipes for Occasions and CelebrationsView at Amazon

Mary Berry Cooks Up A Feast: Favourite Recipes for Occasions and Celebrations by Mary Berry and Lucy Young (DK, £25) -<a href="https://amazon.co.uk/Mary-Berry-Cooks-Feast-Celebrations/dp/0241393523/ref=sr_1_1?crid=3Q7FJ42WQGBWK&keywords=Mary+Berry+Cooks+Up+A+Feast%3A+Favourite+Recipes+for+Occasions+and+Celebrations&qid=1695820434&sprefix=mary+berry+cooks+up+a+feast+favourite+recipes+for+occasions+and+celebrations%2Caps%2C98&sr=8-1&tag=hawk-future-21&ascsubtag=hawk-custom-tracking-21" data-link-merchant="Amazon UK"" target="_blank" rel="nofollow"> View at Amazon

For more easy feast inspiration, grab a copy of this book. If you need something quick and tasty there’s a sirloin steak and vegetable stir fry which would be perfect or if you have time to make dessert you might like the chilled marbled raspberry cheesecake.

Learn how to cook butternut squash if you’d like some more tasty ideas. We have an excellent classic lasagne recipe and plenty more Mary Berry recipes for you to explore. 

Mary Berry
Celebrity baker

Mary Berry CBE is one of the most loved celebrity chefs in the country. In her early 80s, she’s been on our screens showing us how to make the most delicious recipes and sweet treats for over 50 years! Mary is probably most famous for being one of the original judges on The Great British Bake Off, where she put contestants through their paces for nine years before leaving the show when it made its controversial move from the BBC to Channel Four. 

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