Description
This Patty Pan Squash Lasagna Bake is an easy and quick dinner idea with simple layers of tender squash and rich tomato sauce and creamy ricotta. It is one of the best healthy ideas for weeknight dinner or meal prep because it bakes into cozy slices with melted cheese and golden edges. Serve it for potluck or party nights when you want comfort food that still feels fresh and homemade.
Ingredients
- 4 medium squash about 1 1/2 pounds Patty pan squash
- 6 sheets oven ready Lasagna noodles
- 2 cups Marinara sauce
- 1 cup Ricotta cheese
- 1 1/2 cups Shredded mozzarella cheese
- 1/3 cup Grated Parmesan cheese
- 1 large Egg
- 2 tablespoons chopped plus extra for garnish Fresh basil
- 2 cloves minced Garlic
- 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning
- 1 tablespoon Olive oil
- 3/4 teaspoon Kosher salt
- 1/4 teaspoon Black pepper
Instructions
- Slice the patty pan squash into thin uneven rounds so every piece has a slightly different shape. Toss the slices with olive oil and part of the salt and pepper until the yellow and pale green pieces look lightly glossy and casually overlapped.
- Combine ricotta with egg and garlic and basil and Italian seasoning until the mixture changes from plain cheese into a speckled creamy filling. The texture should look thick and slightly uneven with green basil bits and small garlic pieces showing through the white ricotta.
- Spread tomato sauce into the baking dish then add lasagna noodles and patty pan squash and spoonfuls of ricotta so the flat ingredients become stacked layers. The sauce should peek between the noodles while the squash rounds overlap loosely and the ricotta sits in uneven creamy patches.
- Scatter mozzarella and Parmesan over the assembled layers until the surface changes into a pale cheesy top. The cheese should not look perfectly even because some tomato sauce and squash edges need to remain visible around the sides.
- Bake until the noodles soften and the squash turns tender and the cheese melts into golden uneven patches. The edges should bubble with tomato sauce while the top has browned spots and small craters where cheese settled into the layers.
- Cut one portion from the bake and transfer it to a plate so the inside layers show clearly. The slice should reveal soft squash and noodles and tomato sauce and creamy ricotta with melted cheese pulling slightly and basil scattered on top.
Notes
Pro Tips:
- Pat the squash slices dry before coating so the bake stays creamy and layered instead of watery at the bottom.
- Use oven ready noodles because they absorb sauce as the squash softens and make the recipe quick and simple.
- Rest the baked dish for at least ten minutes so the ricotta firms slightly and each portion slices more cleanly.
- Keep the cheese topping uneven because small bare spots let the sauce bubble and create homemade browned edges.
Storage: Let the Patty Pan Squash Lasagna Bake cool until the cheese settles and the sauce is no longer bubbling before storing. Cover the baking dish tightly or move sliced portions into shallow airtight containers so the layers keep their shape. Refrigerate for up to four days and reheat individual slices in the oven or microwave until the center is hot and the cheese softens again. For longer storage freeze portions in wrapped layers and thaw overnight before reheating for the best texture.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 30 minutes
- Category: Dinner
- Cuisine: American