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Butternut Squash Pasta Bake

Butternut Squash Pasta Bake

The ultimate comfort food, this Butternut Squash Pasta Bake is creamy, cheesy, and loaded with flavor. Perfect for cozy evenings, it’s a great weeknight dinner that will satisfy your cravings. Try it tonight!
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Prep Time 45 minutes
Cook Time 35 minutes
Total Time 1 hour 20 minutes
Servings: 6 servings
Course: Dinner
Cuisine: Italian
Calories: 460
Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients
  

  • 300 grams Butternut Squash half a butternut squash roasted
  • 1 Tablespoon olive oil
  • 250 grams cottage cheese
  • 1 Tablespoon chives finely chopped
  • salt and pepper
  • 400 grams lasagne sheets fresh
  • 2 Tablespoon olive oil
  • 1 onion diced
  • 3 cloves garlic crushed
  • 700 grams Passata
  • 1 Tablespoon Oregano
  • 1 Tablespoon Thyme
  • salt and pepper
  • 1 cup grated cheddar cheese
  • ¼ cup pepitas pumpkin seeds

Equipment

  • Oven
  • Baking Sheet
  • Skillet
  • Frying Pan
  • Saucepan
  • Grater
  • Chef's Knife
  • Cutting Board

Method
 

  1. Begin by halving a butternut squash lengthwise. Use a spoon to scoop out the seeds, ensuring you get a clean cavity ready for roasting. Drizzle the cut sides with olive oil, then place them cut side down on a baking tray. Bake in a preheated oven at 180 degrees Celsius (360 F) for thirty to forty-five minutes until the squash is very tender.
  2. Once the squash is cool enough to handle, scoop out the flesh and transfer it to a mixing bowl. Mash it with cottage cheese, chives, and a pinch of salt and pepper until well combined. Set aside this creamy filling.
  3. Lay your lasagne sheets out on a clean surface. Spoon the butternut filling along the center of each sheet, leaving about a quarter of the sheet uncovered on one end. Carefully roll the pasta sheets into long cylindrical shapes, ensuring the filling is well contained.
  4. In a fry pan, heat olive oil over medium heat. Add the diced onion and sauté until it becomes translucent and fragrant, about five minutes. Then, add the garlic, cooking for an additional minute until it’s aromatic but not burnt.
  5. Pour in the passata, and stir in the oregano and thyme. Allow the sauce to simmer for about fifteen minutes, letting the flavors meld and the sauce thicken slightly. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
  6. As the sauce simmers, preheat your oven to 180 degrees Celsius (360 F). In a baking dish, pour a quarter of the sauce to coat the bottom evenly.
  7. Carefully place the stuffed pasta rolls into the baking dish, nestled in the sauce. Drizzle the remaining sauce over the top, ensuring each roll is generously covered.
  8. Sprinkle the grated cheddar cheese evenly over the top of the dish. Finally, add the pepitas for an extra crunch and flavor boost.
  9. Bake the pasta bake in the preheated oven for thirty-five minutes, or until the cheese is melted and golden, and the pasta is cooked through.
  10. Once baked, allow the dish to cool slightly before serving. This Butternut Squash Pasta Bake is best enjoyed warm, straight from the oven!

Notes

The Butternut Squash Pasta Bake is suitable for freezing in an airtight container for up to four months. You can also use the butternut cottage cheese mixture to stuff giant pasta shells or layer as a traditional lasagne if you would prefer. Butternut Squash: This can be substituted for pumpkin. Cottage cheese: This can be substituted for ricotta cheese. You can also use cottage cheese that is already flavored with chives if you prefer. Lasagne sheets: I use fresh pasta sheets so that I don't need to pre-cook them. But you can parboil dried pasta sheets if you would prefer. I have also made this recipe with gluten-free lasagne sheets and it worked well. Passata: Passata is another name for tomato purée.