Best Autumn Lasagna Recipes

AUTUMN LASAGNA WITH CHICKEN, SQUASH AND SAGE

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 375 F. Lightly grease an 8-cup casserole dish that fits a single lasagna sheet nicely.
• In a large sauté pan over medium heat add the oil and onion and sauté until the onion is translucent, about 5 minutes. Add the garlic and sauté one minute more. Add the chicken stock and then stir in the squash and sage and bring to a simmer, cooking loosely covered until the squash is tender (about 12 minutes for fresh, and 6 minutes for frozen. Stir in the chicken and sundried tomatoes. Remove this from the heat and stir in the ricotta and milk. Season to taste.
• To assemble, spoon a little of the chicken filling at the bottom of the prepared dish and place a sheet of lasagna on top. Spoon a generous layer of the chicken filling over this and top with a sprinkling Asiago. Top this with a lasagna sheet and repeat with the chicken filling and Asiago three more times, ending with a generous layer of Asiago on top. Place a sheet of parchment over the lasagna and cover with foil. Bake covered for 30 minutes, then uncover and bake an additional 35 to 45 minutes, until the top is golden and melted and the filling is bubbling around the sides. Let the lasagna cool for 10 minutes before scooping or slicing to serve.
• Additionally the lasagna can be assembled a day ahead and chilled, but add another 15 to 20 minutes of baking while it is covered.

MOM'S LASAGNA, FALL VERSION

Steps:

• Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Cook the lasagna noodles 3 to 4 minutes less than the package directs. Drain, reserving 1 cup pasta water, and pour the pasta onto a baking sheet to cool. Drizzle with olive oil to prevent the pasta from sticking and set aside until ready to assemble.
• For the Bolognese: Place a heavy-bottomed pan over medium-high heat and add the oil. Add the beef, season with salt, and cook, breaking up any lumps, until it begins to brown. Move the beef to one side of the pan, add the squash and cook until it begins to brown and soften, 2 to 3 minutes. Add the onions, celery and garlic with a large pinch of salt and cook, stirring occasionally, until the vegetables soften and begin to caramelize, about 5 minutes. Stir in the tomato paste and toast for a few minutes until it looks rusty. Add in the white wine, scraping the brown bits from the bottom of the pan with a wooden spoon. Add the crushed tomatoes and thyme bundle and bring to a simmer. Stir in the reserved 1 cup pasta water and cook over low heat, partially covered, until the sauce has thickened and reduced, at least 20 minutes. Season with salt and pepper and remove the thyme bundle.
• For the bechamel: Melt the butter in a heavy-bottomed saucepot over medium heat. Whisk in the flour until it forms a wet sandy consistency. Slowly whisk in the milk and bring to a gentle boil. Reduce to a simmer, then whisk in the nutmeg and 1 teaspoon each salt and freshly ground black pepper. Cook, stirring often, until thickened and smooth, 10 to 15 minutes. Remove from the heat and whisk in the ricotta, pecorino and egg yolks, then set aside to cool slightly.
• Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F. Line a baking sheet with foil. Place a 7-quart roasting pan or a lasagna pan on the baking sheet.
• To assemble: Spoon a layer of Bolognese into the pan, covering the whole bottom. Add an even layer of noodles and press into the sauce. Add a layer of Bolognese over the noodles, then another layer of pasta. Spoon some of the bechamel over the noodles, covering the entire surface. Add another layer of pasta, pressing down gently. Spoon a layer of Bolognese to cover the surface. Repeat the layering, ending with a layer of Bolognese on top. Sprinkle with the mozzarella, then cover with foil and bake until completely warmed through, 45 minutes to 1 hour.
• Uncover and continue to bake until golden brown and crusty on top, about 10 minutes. Sprinkle with grated Parmesan and let set 20 to 30 minutes before serving.

FALL VEGETABLE LASAGNA

Steps:

• .Heat 2 tsp oil in large nonstick skillet over med-high heat.
• Add squash in batches and cook 1 to 2 minutes per side until just tender; transfer to plate.
• Heat remaining 1 tsp oil in same skillet.
• Add onions, bell pepper, 1/4 tsp salt, and garlic; cook until softened, 3 to 5 minutes.
• Add spinach in batches and cook, stirring just until wilted, about 3 minutes. Transfer to plate.
• Combine ricotta, basil and remaining 1/2 tsp salt in a bowl.
• Heat oven to 375.
• Spoon half of the sauce on bottom of 9 x 13-inch baking dish.
• Layer sauce with 3 noodles; one third of ricotta mixture and squash.
• Layer twice more with 3 noodles, ricotta mixture and spinach mixture.
• Top with remaining noodles, sauce and mozzarella.
• Cover with foil and bake until sauce is bubbly and noodles are tender, about 50 minutes.

BUTTERNUT SQUASH, CARAMELIZED ONION AND SPINACH LASAGNA

Steps:

• Roast the butternut squash. Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Cut squash in half lengthwise; remove seeds. Place in roasting pan and drizzle with 3 tablespoons of olive oil. Place in oven and cook until soft all the way through, about 1 hour. Set aside until cool. When cooled, remove skin and place in food processor. Purée until smooth, season with salt and pepper to taste, and set aside.
• To caramelize the onions: Place 3 tablespoons of olive oil in sauté pan. Heat until hot but not smoking; add onions. Toss to coat with oil. Turn heat down to medium and cook until onions are soft and browned, about 25 minutes. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Set aside.
• Prepare a ricotta cheese mixture. Mix ricotta cheese, chopped rosemary, eggs, half the grated Parmesan and salt and pepper to taste. Set aside.
• Make a spinach Mornay sauce. Melt butter in a saucepan, add flour and stir. Cook 2 minutes. Add milk and stir until it comes to a boil. Add the rest of the grated Parmesan, the nutmeg and the defrosted spinach. Season with salt and pepper. Set aside.
• Assemble the dish. Spray a 9" x 13" pan with cooking spray. Spread 1 cup of the spinach sauce on the bottom of the pan. Cover with a layer of fresh pasta sheets. Spread half of the roasted butternut squash on top of the pasta sheets. Top with another layer of pasta sheets. Spread ricotta cheese mixture on top of pasta sheets, and spread caramelized onion on top of ricotta mixture. Cover with an additional layer of pasta sheets. Top with the other half of the butternut purée and then another layer of pasta. Finish by using the rest of the spinach Mornay sauce for the top layer. Cover with aluminum foil and bake at 350 degrees for 1 hour. Uncover and cook for 15 minutes more.

LASAGNA

Steps:

• For the sauce, heat 1/2 cup oil in a large heavy Dutch oven or kettle over low heat. Add the onions, minced garlic and pancetta, and cook, stirring, for 10 minutes, until the onions are wilted. Season liberally with salt and pepper. Raise heat slightly, add the wine and cook until it is mostly reduced, about 20 minutes. Crush the tomatoes into the pan, and add their juice. Add the tomato paste and 2 cups lukewarm water. Simmer for 1 hour.
• Combine the sirloin, cheese and eggs in a large bowl. Chop the parsley with the whole garlic until fine, then stir into the beef mixture. Season lavishly with salt and pepper. Using your hands, mix until all the ingredients are well blended. Shape into meatballs and set aside.
• Heat the remaining oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Dust the meatballs lightly with flour, shaking off excess, and lay into the hot oil. Brown the meatballs on all sides (do not cook through) and transfer to the sauce.
• In a clean skillet, brown the sausages over medium-high heat. Transfer to the sauce. Simmer 1 1/2 hours.
• Heat the oven to 350 degrees. In a large bowl, combine the ricotta, eggs, pecorino Romano, parsley and all but 1 cup of the mozzarella. Season well with salt and pepper. Mix thoroughly.
• Remove the meatballs and sausage from the sauce, and set aside to cool slightly, then chop coarsely. Spoon a thick layer of sauce into the bottom of a 9-by-12-inch lasagna pan. Cover with a layer of noodles. Spoon more sauce on top, then add a third of the meat and a third of the cheese mixture. Repeat for 2 more layers, using all the meat and cheese. Top with a layer of noodles, and cover with the remaining sauce. Sprinkle reserved mozzarella evenly over the top. Bake 30 minutes. Let stand 10 minutes before serving.

SUMMER LASAGNA

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Lightly grease a medium baking dish.
• In a skillet over medium heat, cook the ground beef until evenly brown. Drain juices. Mix the onion, green bell pepper, carrots, garlic, and tomato sauce into the skillet. Season with oregano, basil, salt, and pepper. Bring the mixture to a boil, reduce heat to low, and simmer 10 minutes, until vegetables are tender.
• In the bottom of the prepared baking dish, layer 1/2 the zucchini strips. In a bowl, beat together the cottage cheese and egg, and spread over the zucchini. Scoop 1/2 the beef mixture over the cottage cheese and egg mixture, and sprinkle with 1/2 the mozzarella cheese. Layer with remaining zucchini, beef mixture, and mozzarella. Top with Parmesan cheese.
• Bake 45 minutes in the preheated oven. Allow to sit 10 minutes before slicing to serve.

AUTUMN LASAGNA

Steps:

• PREHEAT oven to 375 degrees.
• CUT cabbage into thin strips. Pour boiling water over porcini mushrooms and let soak for 30 minutes or until softened. Drain and chop porcini mushrooms.
• HEAT 1 tablespoon of the butter and the oil in a large skillet over moderately low heat.
• ADD garlic, mushrooms and rosemary and cook until garlic is golden, about 3 minutes.
• ADD cabbage and cook over low heat, covered for 5 minutes.
• ADD wine and simmer until the wine is evaporated.
• ADD 1/4 cup of water and cook over low heat until cabbage is tender, about 6 minutes. Discard garlic and rosemary and season cabbage with salt and pepper to taste.
• MELT remaining 4 tablespoons butter over moderately low heat. Add flour and cook, stirring for 3 minutes.
• ADD milk in a stream, whisking and bring mixture to a boil. Simmer for 5 minutes and season with salt and pepper to taste and a pinch of nutmeg.
• ADD cabbage to sauce.
• COMBINE the 2 cheese. Spread one-third of the cabbage mixture in the bottom of a 9 x 13-inch pan.
• ARRANGE half of the lasagne in one layer on top of the cabbage and top with half the remaining cabbage mixture and half of the cheese mixture .
• ARRANGE the remaining lasagne over the cheese and top with the remaining cabbage mixture and cheese.
• BAKE in the middle of the over for 25-30 minutes or until bubbling.