Description
This sausage and pumpkin lasagna is a cozy, savory twist on the classic, featuring a creamy pumpkin sauce, hearty sausage, spinach, and layers of ricotta, mozzarella, and parmesan. Perfect for fall or anytime you want a comforting, flavorful meal.
Ingredients
Pumpkin Sauce:
3 tbsp unsalted butter
3 tbsp all-purpose flour
2 1/2 cups milk or half and half
1/4 tsp salt
1/4 tsp ground black pepper
Pinch nutmeg
1 cup pumpkin puree (not pie filling)
Filling:
1 lb ground pork sausage (regular, sage, or Italian)
1 shallot, minced
4 cloves garlic, minced
1/8 tsp ground red pepper flakes
4 cups spinach, roughly chopped
15 oz ricotta cheese
1 large egg
1/4 tsp dried sage (or 1 tsp fresh minced)
1/4 tsp salt
1 1/2 cups mozzarella cheese, freshly grated
1/4 cup parmesan cheese, grated
For Layering:
9 no-boil lasagna noodles
1 cup mozzarella cheese, freshly grated
1 tbsp parsley, chopped (optional)
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 375°F (190°C). Grease an 8×8 or 9×9-inch baking dish.
- Make the Pumpkin Sauce: In a saucepan over medium heat, melt butter. Whisk in flour and cook 30 seconds. Slowly whisk in milk, cooking until thickened. Stir in salt, pepper, nutmeg, and pumpkin. Remove from heat.
- Make the Filling: In a skillet over medium heat, cook sausage until browned. Add shallot and garlic; cook 2 minutes. Stir in red pepper flakes and spinach; cook until wilted, 3–4 minutes. Remove from heat and stir in ricotta, egg, sage, salt, mozzarella, and parmesan.
- Assemble Lasagna: Spread 1/4 cup sauce on bottom of dish. Layer noodles, half the filling, and 1/3 sauce. Repeat with another layer of noodles, filling, and sauce. Top with remaining noodles, sauce, and 1 cup mozzarella.
- Cover with foil and bake 20 minutes. Remove foil and bake another 20 minutes until golden and bubbly.
- Cool 15 minutes before slicing. Garnish with parsley, if desired.
Notes
Swap sausage for mushrooms to make it vegetarian.
Use butternut squash puree instead of pumpkin for a flavor twist.
Hot Italian sausage and extra pepper flakes make it spicier.
Drain spinach well to prevent a watery lasagna.
Can be assembled a day in advance and refrigerated before baking.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 slice (1/8 of lasagna)
- Calories: 420
- Sugar: 5g
- Sodium: 680mg
- Fat: 26g
- Saturated Fat: 13g
- Unsaturated Fat: 11g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 27g
- Fiber: 3g
- Protein: 23g
- Cholesterol: 105mg
