Pumpkin Lasagna
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Recipe type: Main Dish
Prep time: 
Cook time: 
Total time: 
Serves: 6-8
 
a twist on a favorite classic, this milk based pumpkin sauce makes this a unique holiday dish!
Ingredients
  • 12 no-boil lasagna noodles
  • 1½ tablespoons olive oil
  • 1.25 lb Sweet Italian turkey sausage
  • 4 cups diced eggplant (~1/2 of an eggplant)
  • 4 cups chopped kale
  • 1 onion, diced
  • 3 cloves garlic, minced
  • 1 teaspoon dried sage, divided
  • 1¼+ cup grated Parmigiano-Reggiano
  • 1 cup shredded mozzarella
  • 3 tablespoons butter
  • 3 tablespoons flour
  • 4 cups low fat milk
  • 1 can (15 ounces) pumpkin puree
  • ½ teaspoon salt
  • ½ teaspoon pepper
  • pinch of nutmeg
Instructions
  1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees. In a large skillet, heat 1 tablespoon of olive oil. Add turkey sausage and using a wooden spoon break it up as it cooks, ~8 minutes. Transfer cooked sausage to a bowl. Place pan back on the heat, add another ½ tablespoon olive oil, then add chopped onion, eggplant, kale and garlic. Cook for ~7-8 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add sausage back into the pan. Season lightly with a pinch of salt, pepper and ½ teaspoon dried sage. Set aside.
  2. In a large pot over medium heat, melt butter, then sprinkle flour on top and whisk together. Slowly add milk, stirring constantly until little bubbles form and mixture thickens (this will take about 4-5 minutes after those little bubbles form). Add puree pumpkin to the milk mixture and whisk well until combined. Add ½ teaspoon salt, ½ teaspoon pepper, pinch of nutmeg and ½ teaspoon dried sage.
  3. To assemble, use a 13x9 lasagna pan, mix the two cheeses together in a small bowl. Spread ~1 cup of pumpkin sauce on the bottom. Add 3 no-boil lasagna noodles. Top with 1½ to 2 cups of meat/veggie mixture, then ~1 to 1½ cup of sauce and a handful of the cheese. Repeat layers 2 times, ending with a layer of the lasagna noodles, topped with the remaining sauce and the remaining cheese. Cover with tented foil and bake for 45 minutes. Remove foil and bake for an additional 10 minutes. Serve with additional grated Parmigiano-Reggiano before serving.
Notes
Assembling lasagna always confuses me. To recap, you will use the veggie/sausage mixture in the 3 layers so you mentally need to divide that into 3 portions, the sauce you will use 5 times- on the bottom, in the 3 layers and on top of the 4th layer of noodles. I mentally divide the cheese into four portions since you'll use it in the 3 layers and then the top (which is the 4th layer of noodles). Hope that helps you divide your ingredients.
Recipe by Nutritious Eats at https://www.nutritiouseats.com/pumpkin-lasagna/