Butternut Squash & Spinach Lentil Lasagna
- Serves 4
- Prep in 1 hour 15 minutes
- Cook in 1 hour
A family favourite & 1 that was a firm feature in my house as a child, but with a slight spin on the spotlight ingredients!
Yep the switch from meat to lentils in here, & a substituting of more plant based options over the usual dairy fare in the sauce turns this classic on its head, but I promise that carnivores & plant focused family members will dive in with equal levels of enjoyment.
Should you want to add cheese to your bechamel instead of using nutritional yeast of course feel free, & should you fancy the idea of going pasta free but fancy a meat based filling then use this bolognese recipe instead of the lentils.
Key Facts
- Family Friendly
- Plant Powered
- High Protein & Fibre
- Prep Ahead - Lasts 4 days
Ingredients
1 cup lentils vert/puy lentils
1 tablespoon brown rice miso paste, tamari or soya sauce
1 large red onion
2 cloves garlic
3 large vine tomatoes
2 sticks celery
1 courgette
1 tin plum tomatoes
1 heaped tablespoon tomato purée
1 heaped teaspoon dried mixed herbs
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon cumin
400ml stock – either homemade bone broth, purchased from s brand like Ossa organic or made with an organic stock cube + boiling water
1 teaspoon avocado oil
Bechamel – 500g organic silken tofu, 4 tablespoons nutritional yeast, 1 teaspoon ground nutmeg, 1 heaped teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
Lasagna Layers – 500g butternut squash, 200g fresh spinach leaves
Preparation
- 01
Place the lentils into a pan, pour over a litre of boiling water & leave to soak for at least 10 minutes (up to an hour). Drain & rinse then add back to the pan with 3 cups of fresh, cold water & the miso/tamari/soya sauce. Bring to a gentle simmer & leave to cook for 25 minutes.
- 02
Meanwhile finely dice the onion, celery, courgette & tomatoes, crushing or finely grating the garlic. Add the onion & celery to a large saucepan with the avocado oil & heat gently on a low flame. Stir well & leave to sweat for 5 minutes.
- 03
Add the fresh tomatoes, courgette, garlic, herbs, cinnamon & cumin to the pan, mixing well, then continue to cook for a further 5 minutes.
- 04
Drain the lentils then add to the pan with your vegetables along with the tinned tomatoes, tomato purée & stock, season well with black pepper & bring back to a simmer. Cook for 35 – 40 minutes until well reduced & the lentils are tender when squeezed.
- 05
Preheat the oven to 190°C & use a piece of kitchen towel to lightly grease a casserole dish or tin with avocado oil.
- 06
Peel the butternut squash & carefully slice into 2mm thick pieces. Place all the bechamel sauce ingredients into a food processor or high speed blender, puréeing until smooth, check the seasoning & adjust if necessary.
- 07
To assemble the lasagna start with a butternut squash layer, slightly overlapping the pieces to create a continuous sheet. Next add generous spoonfuls of the lentil mixture, using the back of a spoon to carefully smooth it down. Next a layer of spinach leaves, followed by your bechamel. Repeat this until you have used up your ingredients finishing with a layer of squash covered in bechamel. Sprinkle with a final flourish of nutmeg & pepper before placing in the oven to bake for 40 minutes.
- 08
Serve alongside a beautifully crisp salad or extra steamed greens.
