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Lasagna…But make it FALL!! This cheesy pumpkin lasagna is a super easy dish to satisfy a large group of friends and family around the table this fall!
Thanksgiving is just around the corner, which means Friendsgiving celebrations and family gatherings are in full swing!!
If you are looking for a super easy dish to complement other festive dishes around the table, this cheesy pumpkin lasagna is the one! Delicious layers of pasta, pumpkin-tomato sauce, an herby ricotta spread, seasoned ground turkey and extra cheese to make a soul-warming pasta dish!
Cheesy Pumkin Lasagna
What’s better: Oven-Ready Lasagna Noodles or Regular Noodles?
Either one works! Oven-ready noodles are good on a time crunch because there is no added step of boiling the noodles before assembling the lasagna. We love using regular noodles because we prefer the texture of them better, as oven-ready noodles can be a bit chewy after baking.
How to Layer the Cheesy Pumpkin Lasagna
There is no science to layering lasagna but there is a pattern to layering our cheeses pumpkin lasagna that we recommend!
- First, spread your pumpkin tomato sauce/ricotta cheese spread on the bottom. (This will add moisture to first noodle layer to prevent any brownings or burning of the noodles on the bottom.)
- Next, lay down several noodles, lengthwise to cover the area of the pan.
- Even layer of ricotta cheese spread.
- Spoon an even layer of meat over the top.
- Spread the pumpkin tomato sauce over the top
- Lay down a noodle and repeat this until you fill the pan.
- Spread extra sauce on the top and sprinkle with cheese.
Make Ahead Tips
If you are planning on making the dish ahead of time, there are a couple ways you can save some prep time on the day of your dinner. One way is to make your sauces ahead of time. They can last up to 3 days in the fridge before cooking.
You can also cook the lasagna well in advance and freeze. If you are planning on cooking and freezing, your lasagna is good to be frozen for up to 3-4 weeks.
Reheating Frozen Lasagna
If you plan on reheating frozen lasagna, you will need to thaw the dish in the ridge overnight or for a least 8 hours. After thawing, preheat the oven to 375°F and cook for 40-45 minutes.
What you will need to make the cheesy pumpkin lasagna….
Lasagna noodles- We recommend using regular lasagna noodles for optimal texture, but if you are looking for ease, opt for oven ready noodles which require no cooking ahead of time.
Pumpkin Puree - The pumpkin does add a slightly sweeter taste but at the same time, it adds a lot of warmth when layered with the other ingredients. Making this a perfect fall dinner.
Tomato Paste- Traditional lasagna uses tomato paste to create a tomato sauce layer. In the cheesy pumpkin lasagna, we made a delicious pumpkin tomato sauce. The acidity of the tomato paste balances the sweetness of the pumpkin very well.
Parmesan & Mozzarella Cheese - Cheesy lasagna is the best lasagna! So to make this super cheesy, we added cheese blend of parmesan and mozzarella to each layer and sprinkled on top. Yum!
Nutmeg - Just a small amount does the trick to bring out the flavor of the pumpkin but not enough to taste.
What you need for ricotta cheese spread
Ricotta Cheese - Super soft cheese used in traditional lasagna recipes to add creaminess and volume to the lasagna.
Eggs - One egg is mixed into the ricotta mixture to add structure and fluffiness to the ricotta spread.
Oregano and Thyme - Great herbs for this dish to add extra punch of flavor!
Salt - A pinch of salt to season the layers of the dish. Not much is needed because you have a lot of natural flavor from herbs and spices.
What you need for the ground turkey mixture
Ground Turkey - We switched up the normal meat choice of sausage or beef with a lighter meat option, turkey. It complements the pumpkin flavor better.
Yellow onion - Chopped and sautéed with the ground turkey mixture to add a nice flavor to the sautéed mixture.
Garlic - Added to the sautéed ground turkey mixture for flavor. You can never have enough garlic in our opinion!
Spinach - Adding spinach to pasta sauces is a great way to sneak in some greens and you won’t be able to taste it at all. It also adds a nice pop of color to the lasagna layers.
This Cheesy Pumpkin Lasagna Pairs well with:
Cheesy Pumpkin Lasanga
Delicious layers of pasta, pumpkin-tomato sauce, an herby ricotta spread, seasoned ground turkey and extra cheese to make a soul-warming pasta dish!
- Total Time: 1 hour
Ingredients
- 1 lb box lasagna noodles
- 1 cup mozzarella, shredded
- 1 cup parmesan cheese, shredded
Pumpkin-Tomato Sauce
- 1 1/2 15 oz cans of pumpkin puree
- 1/2 cup milk
- 1/4 tsp nutmeg
- 1 8 oz can tomato paste
Ricotta Spread
- 15 oz skim ricotta cheese
- 1 egg
- 1/2 cup mozzarella cheese
- 1/2 tsp oregano, dried
- 3 sprigs of thyme, fresh*
- 1/2 tsp salt
Sautéed Ground Turkey Layer
- 1 lb ground turkey
- 1 yellow onion, rough chopped
- 5 cloves garlic, chopped
- 2 cups fresh spinach
Instructions
- Start by preheating oven to 400 °F and boiling a large pot of water for your lasagna noodles. Cook noodles according to package instructions, strain and set aside. (If you are using ready-to-bake noodles, skip this cooking step.)
- Make Ground Turkey Mixture: Heat skillet over medium high heat and add turkey, cooking until meat is cooked through. Remove meat from pan and add olive oil and chopped onions to the hot skillet, sauteeing until soft. Add garlic to onions and cook for a couple minutes, until fragrant. Next, add spinach to the pan and cook down until wilted. Once spinach has cooked down, remove the pan from heat and set to the side.
- Prep Your Sauces: One is a pumpkin-tomato sauce and the other a ricotta spread. In one medium bowl add pumpkin puree, milk, nutmeg and tomato paste. Using a spatula or wooden spoon, stir together until incorporated. In a separate medium sized bowl, add ricotta, egg, mozzarella, oregano, thyme and salt and stir together until combined.
- Assemble cheesy pumpkin lasagna. Start with a layer of pumpkin filling not he bottom of the pan. Scoop 1/2 cup pumpkin mixture and spread in an even layer over the bottom of the pan. Second, place several noodles in a single layer to cover the sauce. Third, spread ricotta mixture, next sprinkle with mozzarella and turkey mixture. Lastly spread pumpkin mixture in an even layer over the top. Add a layer of noodles to cover and repeat this layering until the pan is full.
- Make sure your top layer is noodles, spread any remaining sauce over the top and sprinkle generously with cheese.
- Cover the dish with foil and place in the oven to cook for 25 minutes. After, remove the foil and cook for an additional 20 minutes until the edges start to brown.
- Remove from the oven and cool for 5 minutes. Serve hot and top with basil or extra thyme.
Notes
- Recipe Notes: You can sub for 1/4 tsp dried thyme.
- Prep Time: 20
- Cook Time: 40
- Category: Main Course
- Cuisine: Italian
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