Paleo Butternut Squash Lasagna
This butternut squash lasagna is hearty without being heavy- it is gluten-free, dairy-free, and Paleo- and reheats well. It is also a frugal meal and can be made with whatever ground meat best suits your taste: beef, pork, turkey, or sausage will work just fine. Using store-bought pasta sauce cuts down on preparation time. If you are strictly Paleo, gluten-free, or dairy-free, make sure to choose a sauce that omits these ingredients, or make your own.
This butternut squash lasagna is hearty without being heavy- it is gluten-free, dairy-free, and Paleo- and reheats well. It is also a frugal meal and can be made with whatever ground meat best suits your taste: beef, pork, turkey, or sausage will work just fine. Using store-bought pasta sauce cuts down on preparation time. If you are strictly Paleo, gluten-free, or dairy-free, make sure to choose a sauce that omits these ingredients, or make your own.
- Carbohydrate 21.9460204999183 g
- Cholesterol 60.38448425625 mg
- Fat 17.216073249987 g
- Fiber 3.53013436222014 g
- Protein 16.6376827991736 g
- Saturated Fat 6.56194805314038 g
- Serving Size 1 1 Serving (283g)
- Sodium 76.0837255958143 mg
- Sugar 18.4158861376982 g
- Trans Fat 2.67820214718535 g
- Calories 302 calories
Step-by-step
- Preheat the oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit. Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Chop onion, core and chop bell peppers, then add along with garlic to the skillet. When the onions are translucent and the peppers are soft, add the meat and seasonings. Cook until the meat is browned.
- While the ingredients in the skillet cook, cut off the top and bottom of the butternut squash. Peel the squash, then cut into quarters (one cut across the width, one cut across the length). Remove the seeds, then cut each piece in two. You will want to cut thin, plank-like slices of the squash, and I found that eight pieces made it easiest to cut slices between 1/8 and 1/4 of an inch thick.
- In a 9×9 square pan, pour a thin layer of pasta sauce- just enough to cover the bottom. Lay one layer of squash “noodles†over the sauce. I suggest using the misshapen noodles from the large, rounded bottom of the squash down here where no one will notice: save the nice rectangular planks for the top. Add a layer of vegetables and meat, then another layer of sauce, then another layer of squash; repeat. You will end up with three layers of squash total. Make sure to save enough sauce to pour a thin layer over the top noodles.
- Place the pan in the oven and cook for 45 minutes or until the squash noodles are fork tender and look crispy on the sides. Allow to cool for 5-10 minutes before serving.
The Mechanics of Second-Day Leftovers
Grain-free casseroles constructed from dense starches undergo distinct structural changes overnight in refrigeration. Butternut squash continues to absorb ambient moisture from the surrounding tomato sauce and rendered fats as it sits. This absorption firms up the cellular structure of the squash planks. Slices that might slide apart on the initial evening of baking cohere into solid, sliceable wedges after twelve hours in a cold environment. Starch retrogradation stabilizes the vegetable layers, transforming a loose casserole into a rigid slab.
Reheating Strategies and Texture Retention
Applying direct high heat to cold squash layers causes outer edges to burn before the center thwarts the chill. Cover the baking dish tightly with aluminum foil to trap steam during the initial fifteen minutes of warming. Remove the foil for the final ten minutes to crisp the exposed edges of sauce and meat. This dual-phase approach restores structural integrity without drying the protein layer.
