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Butternut Squash Lasagna Roll Ups filled with spinach and cheese, baked in a creamy butternut-parmesan sauce, and topped with melty cheese—cozy, comforting, and lighter than classic lasagna.
Butternut Squash Lasagna Rolls with Spinach
I fell in love with using creamy butternut squash as a pasta sauce, and have been making it so many different ways since! This recipe has been a fan favorite for years — it even appeared in my very first cookbook The Skinnytaste Cookbook. After testing different versions in my kitchen this fall, these Butternut Squash Lasagna Roll Ups quickly became a new favorite—cozy, satisfying, and lighter than traditional lasagna. I’ve created many lasagna-style dishes over the years, from my Spinach Lasagna Rolls Ups to my gluten-free Noodle-less Butternut Squash Lasagna, and this recipe combines everything I’ve learned about building flavor while keeping things balanced. If you love fall comfort food but want something a bit lighter, this one hits all the right notes.
Why This Works
These lasagna rolls up turned out better than I could have imagined, even my teen daughter who is pretty picky loved these! And, they are meatless so they’re perfect for meatless Mondays or the vegetarians in your life. Trust me, you won’t miss it!
- Cozy fall and winter flavors: The creamy butternut squash sauce gives you all the comforting vibes of a baked pasta dish without needing tomatoes or heavy cream.
- Great for tomato allergies: Since the sauce is made from blended butternut squash, shallots, garlic, and parmesan, this is a perfect option for anyone who can’t have tomatoes but still wants a rich, flavorful lasagna.
- A standout vegetarian main dish: With ricotta, mozzarella, spinach, and a hearty squash sauce, it feels substantial enough to serve as a vegetarian centerpiece for Thanksgiving, Friendsgiving, or holiday gatherings.
- Proven and trusted: This recipe has been a community favorite for years — it even appeared in my first cookbook — and I’ve continued refining it to make it lighter and cozier.
- Make-ahead friendly: Assemble it ahead, refrigerate, and bake when ready; leftovers reheat perfectly for easy meals.
- Freezer friendly: Leftovers reheat well, and the roll-ups freeze beautifully for future cozy nights.
How To Make Butternut Squash Lasagna Roll Ups
Here’s how to make these easy fall lasagna roll ups. See recipe card below for printable recipe.
- Cook the lasagna noodles:
Boil the noodles until al dente, then drain and arrange them flat on parchment so they don’t stick while you prep the filling. - Make the butternut squash sauce:
Sauté the shallots and garlic until softened. Add the butternut squash, water, salt, and pepper. Simmer until the squash is tender, then blend until smooth. Stir in the parmesan to make the sauce creamy and velvety. - Prepare the spinach-ricotta filling:
Thaw the frozen spinach and squeeze out as much water as possible. Mix it with the ricotta, egg, a little parmesan, salt, and pepper. - Assemble the roll ups:
Spread a thin layer of the butternut squash sauce on the bottom of your baking dish. Lay each noodle flat, spread with the spinach-ricotta mixture, and roll tightly. - Bake:
Place the roll ups seam-side down in the dish. Spoon the remaining butternut squash sauce over the top and sprinkle with the mozzarella. Cover with foil and bake until hot and bubbly, then uncover to brown the cheese. - Serve:
Let the roll ups rest for a few minutes so they set, then serve warm with extra parmesan.
Make-Ahead & Storage
- Make Ahead: Assemble the roll ups completely, cover tightly, and refrigerate for up to 24 hours before baking. Add 10–15 minutes to the covered bake time if baking straight from the fridge.
- Storage: Leftovers keep well in the refrigerator for 3–4 days. Reheat in the microwave or covered in the oven until warmed through.
- Freezer: Freeze baked or unbaked roll ups in an airtight container for up to 3 months. Thaw overnight in the fridge. Bake (or re-bake) covered until heated through.
Variations
- Gluten-Free: use gluten-free lasagna noodles.
- Higher-Protein: Use part-skim cottage cheese in place of ricotta.
- Butternut Swap: you can make the sauce with canned pumpkin for a twist.
More Butternut Squash Recipes
- Pasta with Butternut Sauce and Spicy Sausage
- Slow Cooker Butternut Squash Soup
- Roasted Seasoned Winter Squash Medley
- Maple Roasted Butternut Squash
- Roasted Butternut Squash Noodles
Butternut Squash Lasagna Roll Ups
Creamy, cozy Butternut Squash Lasagna Roll Ups filled with ricotta and frozen spinach, then baked in a silky butternut-parmesan sauce until bubbly and golden. A lighter, fall-inspired twist on classic lasagna — perfect for feeding a crowd.
Yield: servings
Serving Size: 1 roll up
Equipment
Ingredients
For the Butternut Parmesan Sauce:
- 1 lb butternut squash, peeled and diced
- 1 teaspoon olive oil
- 1/4 cup shallots, minced
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 2 tbsp fresh grated parmesan cheese
- kosher salt, and black pepper, to taste
For the Lasagna:
- 9 lasagna noodles, cooked (use gluten free noodles for gluten free)
- 10 oz package frozen chopped spinach, heated and squeezed well
- 15 oz fat free ricotta cheese, I like Polly-o
- 1/2 cup fresh grated Parmesan cheese
- 1 large egg
- kosher salt, and fresh pepper
- 9 tbsp part-skim shredded Italian Blend Cheese, about 3 oz (I used Sargento)
- 1 tablespoon fresh parsley, minced
Instructions
- Bring a large pot of generously salted water to a boil. Add the butternut squash and cook until soft.
- Remove squash with a slotted spoon, reserve about 1 cup of the water and set aside, then blend until smooth with an immersion blender, adding 1/4 cup of the reserved liquid to thin out.
- Meanwhile, in a large deep non-stick skillet, add the oil, sauté the shallots and garlic over medium-low heat until soft and golden, about 4 to 5 minutes. Add pureed butternut squash, season with 1/2 teaspoon salt and fresh cracked pepper and add a little more of the reserved water to thin out to your liking. Stir in 2 1/2 tablespoons of the parmesan cheese, taste for salt and adjust as needed. Set aside.
- Preheat oven to 350°F. Spray a 9 x 12-inch baking dish with oil.
- Ladle about 1/2 cup butternut sauce sauce on the bottom of the baking dish.
- Combine spinach, ricotta, Parmesan, egg, 1/4 teaspoon salt and pepper in a medium bowl.
- Place a piece of wax paper on the counter and lay out lasagna noodles. Make sure noodles are dry.
- Take 1/3 cup of ricotta mixture and spread evenly over noodle. Roll carefully and place seam side down onto the baking dish. Repeat with remaining noodles.
- Ladle about 1 cup of sauce over the noodles in the baking dish and top each one with 1 tbsp Italian cheese blend.
- Put foil over baking dish and bake for 40 minutes, or until cheese melts and everything is hot and bubbly. Top with parsley and serve.
- To serve, ladle a little extra sauce on the plate and top with lasagna roll.
Last Step:
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Notes
Variations
- Gluten-Free: use gluten-free lasagna noodles.
- Higher-Protein: Use part-skim cottage cheese in place of ricotta.
- Butternut Swap: you can make the sauce with canned pumpkin for a twist.
Nutrition
Serving: 1 roll up, Calories: 227 kcal, Carbohydrates: 29 g, Protein: 16 g, Fat: 5 g, Saturated Fat: 2.5 g, Cholesterol: 30 mg, Sodium: 265 mg, Fiber: 3 g, Sugar: 3 g
