Description

This comforting Roast Pumpkin & Spinach Lasagne features layers of tender roasted pumpkin, a rich tomato sauce, creamy béchamel, and buttery spinach, all topped with freshly grated Parmesan. A perfect blend of sweet, earthy, and savory flavors, this vegetarian dish is ideal for cozy dinners and can be prepared ahead or frozen for convenience.

Ingredients

Scale

Roasted Pumpkin

750g Crown Prince pumpkin or butternut squash
2 tbsp olive oil
Salt and freshly ground black pepper, to season

Tomato Sauce

1 medium onion, finely chopped
1 tbsp olive oil
1 celery stick, finely chopped
2 garlic cloves, finely chopped
400g can cherry tomatoes
2 tsp light muscovado sugar
Salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste

Spinach

500g spinach, washed
1 tbsp butter, plus extra for greasing
Freshly grated whole nutmeg, to taste
Salt and freshly ground black pepper, to season

Béchamel Sauce

500ml full-fat milk
6 peppercorns
½ onion
1 bay leaf
50g plain flour
50g butter

Assembly

6 fresh lasagne sheets
100g parmesan (or vegetarian alternative), freshly grated

Instructions

Roast the Pumpkin: Heat the oven to 200C/180C fan/gas 6. Halve the pumpkin or squash, peel and deseed it, then cut into 1cm slices. Toss the slices in 2 tablespoons of olive oil, season with salt and pepper, and spread them in a roasting tin. Roast for up to 40 minutes until tender and slightly charred around the edges.
Make the Tomato Sauce: While the pumpkin roasts, heat 1 tablespoon olive oil in a pan over medium heat. Add the finely chopped onion and soften for 5 minutes. Add the celery and garlic, cooking for an additional minute. Stir in the canned cherry tomatoes and 2 teaspoons muscovado sugar, then simmer uncovered for 30 minutes, stirring occasionally until thickened. Season to taste with salt and pepper.
Prepare the Spinach: Place the washed spinach along with the residual water clinging to it in a saucepan. Cover and heat on medium for about 4 minutes, turning the spinach with tongs periodically to wilt evenly. Once wilted, allow to cool slightly, then squeeze out excess water using your hands. Chop the spinach and gently warm it in a pan with 1 tablespoon butter, tossing to coat. Season with salt, pepper, and a generous grating of nutmeg.
Make the Béchamel Sauce: Bring the 500ml milk to a boil with the peppercorns, half an onion, and bay leaf. Remove from heat and infuse for 5 minutes. Strain out the solids. In a separate pan, melt 50g butter over low heat, then whisk in 50g plain flour to form a roux. Gradually whisk in the infused milk, cooking gently while whisking continuously, until the sauce thickens and becomes smooth.
Assemble the Lasagne: Butter a large gratin or baking dish approximately 1.4 litres in capacity. Layer the ingredients starting with half the roasted pumpkin at the bottom, followed by half the tomato sauce. Cover with lasagne sheets, trimming as needed to avoid overlap. Spread half the béchamel sauce over the sheets, scatter half the spinach on top, and sprinkle with half the grated parmesan. Repeat the layering with remaining pumpkin, tomato sauce, lasagne sheets, béchamel, spinach, and finish with lasagne sheets topped with the remaining béchamel and parmesan cheese.
Bake: Place the assembled lasagne in the oven preheated to 200C/180C fan/gas 6. Bake uncovered for 40 minutes until the top is golden and bubbling hot.

Notes

This lasagne can be prepared in stages over several days to make the process easier.
For freezing, omit the parmesan topping until ready to bake, and defrost completely before cooking.
Use a flavorful pumpkin variety such as Crown Prince or butternut squash for the best taste.
You can substitute vegetarian parmesan if you prefer a vegetarian diet.
Ensure you squeeze as much water from the spinach as possible to avoid a watery lasagne.

Prep Time: 30 mins
Cook Time: 1 hr 20 mins
Category: Main Course
Method: Baking
Cuisine: Italian

Keywords: roast pumpkin lasagne, spinach lasagne, vegetarian lasagne, autumn recipes, comforting dinner, creamy lasagne, healthy pumpkin recipes