Lasagna is typically a FODMAP nightmare. It’s filled with ricotta (full of lactose), wheat noodles, and tomato sauce made with garlic and onions. This revamped lasagna recipe eliminates all of those FODMAP ingredients, but remains delicious and also nutritious. The nutmeg and sage pair well with the butternut squash and the spinach brightens it up at adds vitamins A & C, magnesium, and a little bit of iron. Also, it just so happens to be red and green, perfect for a Christmas celebration.
The first step is to tackle the butternut squash (unless you bought an already peeled one). Cut it in half and peel off the thick skin with a knife. Scoop out the seeds, then cut into slices. Toss the slices with olive oil, sage leaves, and salt and roast at 375 degrees F.
While the squash is cooking, it’s time to prep the rest of the ingredients. Cook your lasagna noodles, saute some fresh spinach, and mix together Farmer Cheese, shredded mozzarella, 1 egg, and fresh nutmeg. Both Farmer Cheese and mozzarella are very low lactose. If you are lactose tolerant, feel free to use regular ricotta cheese.
Have you ever cooked with fresh nutmeg? It’s easy to do if you have a small grater called a microplane and is much more fragrant than already ground nutmeg.
Once you have all of your ingredients: roasted squash, lasagna noodles, sauteed spinach, and cheese mixture, it’s time to assemble the lasagna.
Here’s the breakdown of the layers:
Sauce
Noodles
Half of the cheese mixture
Butternut squash
Half of the spinach
Sauce
Noodles
Second half of the cheese mixture
Butternut squash
Second half of the spinach
Sauce
Noodles
Sauce
Mozzarella cheese
Cook the lasagna at 350 degrees F about 40 minutes until the cheese is brown and bubbling.
Ingredients:
1 butternut squash
10 sage leaves
2 tsp olive oil
Salt to taste
9 gluten-free lasagna noodles, such as Tinkyada brown rice lasagna noodles (cook a few more just in case)
16 oz Farmer Cheese
1 cup shredded mozzarella + 1/2 cup for topping
1 egg
1/2 tsp nutmeg
1 jar Rao’s Sensitive Formula tomato sauce or 24 oz of homemade sauce
1 9-oz bag fresh spinach (or 1 bag chopped frozen spinach)
Instructions:
1. Preheat the oven to 375 and put a large pot of water on the stove to boil for the noodles
2. Cut the squash, scoop out the seeds, peel it, and cut into slices that are 1/8 inch thick.
3. Toss the squash with sage leaves, olive oil, and salt. Roast at 375 degrees F for 10 minutes, flip and roast for another 10 minutes or until soft.
4. While the squash is roasting, cook the lasagna noodles according to package directions.
5. Gently saute the spinach until just cooked through. Squeeze out as much water as you can. If using frozen spinach, defrost it and then squeeze out the water.
6. In a medium bowl, mix together the Farmer Cheese, mozzarella, egg, and nutmeg. Set aside.
7. Once you have all of your ingredients it’s time to assemble the lasagna. You should have: cooked noodles, roasted squash, cooked spinach, cheese mixture, and sauce
8. On the bottom of a 9×13 baking dish, spread a thin layer of tomato sauce, then place 3 lasagna noodles over the sauce. Spread half of the cheese mixture over the noodles. You may have to use your hands to flatten out the mixture because it will be thick. Next, evenly distribute half of the spinach over the cheese mixture, then half of the butternut squash, and then about 1/3 jar of sauce. Repeat this process so there is two layers of filling. For the top layer, place your last 3 lasagna noodles over the filling, cover with a thin layer of sauce, and sprinkle the reserved 1/2 cup of mozzarella cheese over the top.
9. Turn down the oven to 350 degrees F and bake for about 40 minutes until the cheese is brown and bubbling.
