Squash, Sage & Chestnut Lasagna
Updated Feb 15, 2021, Published Nov 01, 2016
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Vegan Squash, Sage & Chestnut Lasagna
Ingredients
- Extra-virgin olive oil or gluten-free nonstick cooking spray, for greasing the pan
- 1 medium butternut squash
- 6 large gluten-free lasagna noodles or no-cook gluten-free lasagna noodles
- 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
- 1 medium yellow onion, chopped
- 2 3.5-ounce packages roasted whole chestnuts
- ¼ cup fresh sage leaves, coarsely chopped
For the béchamel sauce:
- 1 12-ounce package firm silken tofu
- 1½ cups unsweetened almond or other non-dairy milk
- ⅓ cup nutritional yeast
- 2 tablespoons vegan buttery spread, such as Nutiva or Earth Balance
- 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
- 2 garlic cloves, minced
- ½ teaspoon onion powder
- ¼ teaspoon ground nutmeg
- ½-¾ teaspoon kosher or fine sea salt, to taste
For the topping:
- ½ cup gluten-free breadcrumbs or ground almonds
- 1 tablespoon vegan buttery spread or coconut oil, melted
- Pinch of kosher or fine sea salt
- Pinch of freshly ground black pepper
- ½ teaspoon sweet paprika, optional
Instructions
- Grease a 2-quart casserole dish and set aside.
- Preheat the oven to 425°F. Place the whole unpeeled squash on a baking sheet and bake until it is easily pierced with a knife, 30-40 minutes. Remove from the oven and let sit until cool enough to handle. Reduce heat to 350°F.
- If required, par-boil your noodles while the squash bakes. Bring a large pot of water to a boil, add the noodles, and cook for about half the recommended cooking time, 5-6 minutes, just until they begin to soften and appear flexible. Drain and rinse with cold water. Set aside.
- Next, heat a medium frying pan over medium-high heat and add the olive oil and onion. Sauté until the onion is translucent, about 5 minutes. Crumble the chestnuts into the pan, leaving a few larger chunks. Add the sage and continue to cook until the sage begins to crisp a bit, 5-7 minutes. Turn off the heat.
- Once the squash is cool, cut it in half and scoop out the seeds. Scoop the flesh into the frying pan with the onion-chestnut mixture, and coarsely mash with a fork, leaving some chunks of squash and chestnuts. Set aside.
- Meanwhile, prepare the béchamel by combining all of the sauce ingredients in a blender and blending until silky smooth.
- Make the topping by combining the breadcrumbs, buttery spread, salt, and pepper in a small bowl. Toss until the crumbs are evenly coated.
- To layer the lasagna, coat the bottom of the casserole dish with about ½ cup of the béchamel sauce. Place 3 lasagna noodles side by side over the sauce. Top with half the squash mixture and spread it out as best you can – don’t worry if there are a few empty spots here and there. Pour half the remaining béchamel sauce over top and spread to cover the squash mixture.
- Repeat the layers of noodle, squash, and sauce one more time. Distribute the breadcrumb mixture evenly over top and then sprinkle with paprika, if desired.
- Bake for 35-45 minutes, until the top is browned and the edges appear bubbly. Allow to cool for 10-20 minutes before slicing. May be frozen.
Nutrition
Calories: 394kcalCarbohydrates: 63gProtein: 8gFat: 13gSaturated Fat: 2gSodium: 330mgPotassium: 792mgFiber: 5gSugar: 4gVitamin A: 13725IUVitamin C: 42.7mgCalcium: 187mgIron: 2.3mg
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
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