I think this roasted pumpkin and tomato lasagna is great for your Thanksgiving feast! Lasagna for Thanksgiving? Yes, why not!? It is all about comfort food, right? Bonus, you can make this roasted pumpkin and tomato lasagna ahead of time; you just have to heat it up right before the feasting begins.
Beautiful layers of pumpkin puree, oven roasted tomato sauce and garlicky kale. The best flavors all under a ‘roof’ of melted cheese. So good!
How I make this roasted pumpkin and tomato lasagna?
Roast the pumpkin and tomatoes
I start with roasting the tomatoes and the pumpkin. I prepare a baking sheet with parchment paper and I sprinkle one half of the pumpkin with salt and pepper and drizzle some olive oil on it. With the flat/cut-side down I place it on the prepared baking sheet, like this:
It takes 20-30 minutes to roast the pumpkin. To check if the pumpkin is done, I test it with a fork. If the fork slides in, the pumpkin is soft enough and ready (stick the fork in the flesh, not the skin of the pumpkin). Roasting time depends on the size of the pumpkin.
To make the tomato sauce, I roast tomatoes, onion and garlic. I cut the tomatoes in half and transfer them to a high rimmed baking sheet with the flat/cut side up. I drizzle the tomatoes with balsamic vinegar and olive oil. Then I sprinkle them with salt, pepper and dried oregano. I roast them for 20-30 minutes (together with the pumpkin) and then I add the roughly chopped onion and the garlic cloves. I roast them for another 10-15 minutes until the onion are starting to turn golden brown and the cloves of garlic are softened. For a more detailed, step-by-step explanation and ingredient list, visit the recipe for my oven roasted tomato sauce right here.
If you are pressed on time, you can also use a can of pumpkin puree and store bought tomato sauce.
Prepare the garlic kale
To wilt the kale, I heat up a skillet at medium heat and add a tiny bit of olive oil to it. Once hot, I add the kale and garlic to it and stir until the kale is wilted and I can smell the aroma of the garlic.
Turning the roasted veggies into puree
I empty the baking sheet with tomatoes, onions and garlic into a high container and use my submergible blender to turn the roasted veggies into a thick smooth sauce/puree. I season the sauce with salt and pepper to taste. You can also use a blender instead. Just make sure your veggies are slightly cooled off before adding them to the blender bowl.
I do the same for the pumpkin. Before blending it into a puree, I add a pinch of pumpkin spice, and some salt and (lots of) pepper to taste.
Now that I have all the different layers prepared, I can start to ‘build up’ my lasagna.
Layer the lasagna
Into a (ceramic) baking dish, I add the first thin layer of tomato sauce. I do that so the lasagna sheets don’t stick to the bottom of the dish, but primarily because I don’t want the first layer of lasagna sheets to turn hard. The sauce will prevent that from happening.
After I have added a layer of lasagna sheets on top of the thin layer of tomato sauce, I add another (thicker) layer of tomato sauce, followed by a thin layer of grated cheese. Then I add a layer of lasagna sheets again.
The next layer I am adding is the pumpkin puree. I finish this off with a thin layer of grated cheese as well. I cover it all with a layer of lasagna sheets.
Now I add the garlic kale and spread it out over the lasagna sheets. I add another thin layer of grated cheese before I cover it with a layer of lasagna sheets.
The last layer I add is the remaining tomato sauce followed by a thick(er) layer of grated cheese. For the top layer I used both grated mozzarella and parmesan cheese. After that the lasagna is ready to go into the oven.
I bake the pumpkin lasagna for 40-45 minutes until the lasagna sheets are softened. I always stick a fork or skewer in the center to check to see if it is heated all the way through. And straight away I will feel if the lasagna sheets are soft as well.
To get a more crunchy and golden brown top, I sometimes turn the griddle on for a few minutes at the end. This is optional, but if you like crispy edge this is the way to go!
Now I cut the lasagna in squares and divide them over plates. The rest of the lasagna I place in the center of the table so everyone can help themselves to seconds (and thirds).
We all love lasagna in this household and this fall inspired lasagna is on the top of our list. I hope you fall in love too. It is
beautifully layered – so flavorful – easy to make – great to make ahead of time – SO delicious!
Are you looking for other wholesome pasta recipes? Look no further! How about this rainbow lasagna, family favorite pasta bake, spaghetti with the best oven roasted tomato sauce, or this vegan green spaghetti alfredo with all the green veggies.
Roasted pumpkin and tomato lasagna
Equipment
- 2 baking sheets
- parchment paper
- 1 9×13 ceramic or glass lasagna pan
Ingredients
- 3½ cups oven roasted tomato sauce* (full recipe for the sauce, see notes below)(or use store bought tomato sauce)
- 1 medium pumpkin (you need 2 cups of puree)(or use a can of pumpkin puree)
- 1 tsp pumpkin spice (to season the pumpkin puree)
- 1 lbs kale roughly chopped
- 2 cloves garlic (minced)
- 1 box (whole wheat) lasagna sheets (the ones you don't have to pre-boil)
- 2 cup grated mozzarella
- ½ cup grated parmesan
- salt and pepper (to taste. For pumpkin puree, tomato sauce and garlic kale)
- 1 handful fresh thyme leaves (for garnishing, optional)
Instructions
Prepping all the veggies (veggie layers of the lasagna)
- Preheat the oven to 350F/175C.
- If you are making your own pumpkin puree and tomato sauce, start with roasting the tomatoes and the pumpkin. Prepare one baking sheet with parchment paper for the pumpkin. And another one for the tomatoes.
- Sprinkle one half of the pumpkin with salt and pepper and drizzle some olive oil on it (or both halves if your pumpkin is fairly small… you need 3 cups of puree). With the flat/cut-side down, place it/them on the prepared baking sheet and roast it for 20-30 minutes in the preheated oven. If a fork slides in smoothly, the pumpkin is soft enough and ready.
- Cut the tomatoes in half and transfer them to a high rimmed baking sheet with the flat/cut side up. Drizzle the tomatoes with balsamic vinegar and olive oil. Then sprinkle them with salt, pepper and dried oregano. Roast them for 20-30 minutes (together with the pumpkin) and then add the roughly chopped onion and the garlic cloves. Roast them for another 10-15 minutes until the onion are starting to turn golden brown and the cloves of garlic are softened. For a more detailed, step-by-step explanation and ingredient list, visit the recipe for my oven roasted tomato sauce right here.
- While the veggies are roasting in the oven, heat up a skillet at medium heat and add a tiny bit of olive oil to it. Once hot, add the kale and garlic and stir until the kale is wilted. Set aside.
- Once the veggies are roasted, empty the baking sheet with tomatoes, onions and garlic into a high container and use a submergible blender to turn the roasted veggies into a thick smooth sauce (you can also use a blender instead. Just make sure your veggies are slightly cooled off before adding them to the blender bowl). Season the sauce with salt and pepper to taste. Do the same for the pumpkin. Before blending it into a puree, add a pinch of pumpkin spice, and salt and pepper to taste.
Layer the lasagna
- Add the first thin layer of tomato sauce to the cermaic/glass lasagna pan. A thin layer is enough. After adding a layer of lasagna sheets on top of the thin layer of tomato sauce, add another (thicker) layer of tomato sauce, followed by a thin layer of grated mozzarella cheese. Then another layer of lasagna sheets.
- The next layer is the pumpkin puree; spread out all of the pumpkin puree into an even layer and finish this off with a thin layer of grated mozzarella cheese as well, then cover it all with a layer of lasagna sheets.
- Now spread out the garlic kale over the lasagna sheets, add another thin layer of grated mozzarella cheese before covering it again with a layer of lasagna sheets.
- The last layer is the remaining tomato sauce (no problem is this layer is thicker; it will seep down the sides and keep the lasagna from drying out during baking.Add a thick(er) layer of grated cheese. For the top layer I used both grated mozzarella and parmesan cheese. This is the final layer.
Bake the lasagna
- Bake the pumpkin lasagna for 40-45 minutes until the lasagna sheets are softened. To check for doneness, stick a fork or skewer in the center to see if it is heated all the way through. And straight away you will notice if the lasagna sheets are soft as well.
- Optional: to get a more crunchy and golden brown top, turn on the griddle for a few minutes at the end of the baking time.
Serve the lasagna
- Cut the lasagna in blocks and divide them over plates. Garnish with fresh thyme leaves (you can skip this step, but the thyme leaves give it even more depth of flavor).
Notes
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