Name: Homemade Pumpkin Lasagna
Prep time: 30 min
Cook time: 15 min
Total time: 60 min
Ingredients: 12 lasagna noodles*; 4 cups pumpkin (fairytale or butternut squash) chopped small cubes ((500 grams)); 1 small shallot (or 1/2 an onion); 2 tablespoons olive oil; 1/4 teaspoon salt; 1-2 dashes black pepper; 1/3 cup butter; 1/3 cup all purpose flour; 4 cups milk (I used 2%) ((1 litre)); 1/4 teaspoon salt; 1-2 dashes black pepper; 3-4 tablespoons freshly grated parmesan cheese; 1 3/4-2 cups shredded firm mozzarella or (fontina or gruyere cheese) ((400 grams)); 1/3 cup freshly grated parmesan cheese ((33 grams))

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This Delicious Homemade Pumpkin Lasagna will make you happy that Fall has arrived. No need for meat in this vegetarian Lasagna Recipe. A creamy white sauce with double cheese is all you need. It makes a Fall get together or Family dinner extra special.

baked pumpkin lasagna in a white baking dish

I don’t make lasagna too much anymore with both our girls in Toronto, but I have to admit I couldn’t resist trying this Pumpkin Lasagna. It is definitely a rich and creamy baked pasta dish. Worth sharing with friends or family.

How to make it

In a medium pan add the olive oil, chopped shallot, chopped pumpkin, salt and pepper, stir to combine then cover and let cook until tender.

cooking the pumpkin in a black pan before and after cooked

In a medium pot on medium/low heat, melt the butter, add the flour, salt and pepper stir until smooth.

making the white sauce, melted butter and adding the flour to the pot

Then slowly add the milk, cook and stir constantly until it starts to thicken. Add the pumpkin mixture to the white sauce, stir together then gently fold in the parmesan cheese.

the thickened sauce adding the pumpkin and mixed together

putting the lasagna together in a white pan

Drizzle the baking pan with a little olive oil, spread a spoonful of sauce on the bottom of the pan, top with a layer of noodles,

sauce, shredded cheese, grated parmesan and repeat for 3-4 layers. Drizzle a little olive oil on the top and Bake.

Should lasagna sit before cutting?

It’s is best to let it sit for about 15 minutes, that way it firms up and isn’t a soupy mess when you serve it.

Can it be made in advance?

Yes lasagna can be made the day before, be sure to wrap it well and keep it refrigerated, then bake it and serve. If you want it to taste even better, then bake it the night before, refrigerate it overnight. While your oven is heating, let the lasagna come to room temperature on the counter then re-heat. This way the flavours all blend together and it tastes amazing.

What are the best noodles to use?

There are actually 3 different types of noodles you can use. The type that need to be pre-boiled, the no-boil or oven ready, these are made by being precooked at the factory and then mechanically dehydrated. Or you can use egg noodles, either homemade or store-bought.

How to store it

Any left-over lasagna should be stored covered or in an airtight container and eaten within 3-4 days. It can be re-heated either in the oven, on the stove or the microwave.

Can lasagna be frozen

Yes it can be frozen either baked or unbaked. Be sure to wrap it well and freeze in a freezer safe container. Either baked or unbaked, it should be thawed overnight in the fridge. Remove it from the fridge while the oven is heating, then bake. It will keep for up to 2-3 months in the freezer.

The best pumpkin squash for lasagna

For a baked lasagna you really don’t want a too sweet squash, the best would be a Fairytale pumpkin or butternut squash or maybe you have a favourite?

Where did lasagna originate

This dish goes back as far as ancient Rome, which was referred to as lagnum or lagane, from the Greek laganon. It has changed a lot in the years. In the Apicius recipe book these sheets of pasta are used to cover pies, but also to prepare a dish cooked in the oven called “lagana”, in which the sheets were interspersed with meat filling.

To the modern dish which is a layered one. The two cities Bologna and Napoli compete for the birthplace of this dish, although they are made quite differently. Bologna with a Bolognese sauce and the addition of parmigiano Reggiano and a bechamel sauce. Whereas the Lasagna from Napoli consists of a meat ragu, parmesan, mozzarella and ricotta cheese.

So if you are looking for the perfect Fall Comfort food, why not give this Homemade Pumpkin Lasagna a try and let me know what you think. Buon Appetito!