Butternut Bechamel Borlotti Bean Bake

Butternut Bechamel Borlotti Bean Bake

This one is a proper showstopper and honestly one of our all-time favourite bakes to pull out when we want to seriously impress. The butternut squash gets roasted until caramelised and sweet, then blended into this incredible silky bechamel that tastes so rich and indulgent you'd never guess it's fully plant-based. Layered up with hearty borlotti beans and baked until golden and bubbling, it's the kind of dish that makes everyone go quiet at the table in the best possible way. It takes a bit of time but trust us, every single minute is worth it.

Cook: 75 min
Serves 4

Before You Start

  • Preheat oven to 180°C
  • Increase oven to 220°C (for step 3)
  • Lasagne dish
  • Blender
  • Large saucepan

Ingredients

  • 1 butternut squash
  • 500g cherry tomatoes
  • 2 tbs miso
  • ½ tsp nutmeg
  • 200ml plant based milk
  • 2 tbs olive oil
  • Salt and pepper
  • 2 tbsp olive oil
  • 2 banana shallots
  • 2 rosemary sprigs
  • 5 thyme sprigs
  • 3 cloves garlic
  • 400g polpa tomatoes
  • 400g tin borlotti beans
  • 2 tsp sugar
  • 1 tbs soy sauce
  • Pinch of salt and pepper
  • 250g lasagne sheets

Method

1

Prepare and Roast the Butternut Squash

  • Carefully peel, de-seed, and cut the butternut squash into 1 inch chunks
  • Halve the tomatoes
  • Place the squash and ⅔ of the tomatoes in the lasagne dish then drizzle with the olive oil, and season with salt and pepper
  • Roast in the oven for 30-35 minutes until tender and a little caramelised
  • Allow to cool a little then transfer the contents of the lasagne dish to the blender along with the miso and nutmeg blend until smooth
  • Taste and season to perfection with salt, pepper and a pinch of sugar
2

Prepare the Tomato Sauce

  • While the squash is roasting, finely chop the banana shallots, strip the leaves from the rosemary sprigs and chop them finely, strip the leaves from the thyme sprigs, peel mince the garlic cloves, drain and rinse the borlotti beans
  • Heat 2 tablespoons of olive oil in a large saucepan over medium heat
  • Add the chopped shallots and sauté for 4-5 minutes until softened and translucent
  • Add the chopped rosemary, thyme and garlic to the pan, cooking for a further 2 minutes
  • Add the borlotti beans, polpa tomatoes and sugar and stir to combine and bring the sauce to a simmer for 5-10 minutes stirring occasionally, until it thickens slightly
  • Taste and season to perfection with salt and pepper
3

Assemble and Bake Lasagne

  • Increase the oven to 220ºC
  • Pick the basil leaves
  • In a lasagne dish add ⅓ of the tomato sauce, then ⅓ of the lasagne sheets, then ⅓ of the bechamel Repeat this process in the same order twice more, finishing with the bechamel
  • Top with the sliced cherry tomatoes and bake for 30-35 minutes until it’s golden and bubbling
4

Serve up

  • Allow to cool slightly before garnishing with plenty of the basil leaves on top

Tips & Variations

  • Swap the beans: We love borlotti beans here but cannellini or butter beans work brilliantly too if that's what you've got in the cupboard.
  • Nail the roast: Don't rush the squash in the oven. You want it properly tender and a little caramelised at the edges, that's where all the flavour comes from for the sauce.
  • Make it ahead: You can assemble the whole bake the night before, keep it covered in the fridge, and just pop it in the oven when you're ready. It actually tastes even better the next day.

Why This Works

The trick here is roasting the squash before blending it into the sauce. That caramelisation adds a deep, slightly sweet flavour that you just can't get any other way, and combined with the miso and nutmeg it becomes something genuinely special. The borlotti beans bring this lovely creamy texture that holds up beautifully in the bake and makes the whole thing feel really substantial.