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This pumpkin lasagna with sausage and kale is a rich and hearty take on a classic dish. Hearty sausage, pumpkin, and cheese are balanced with fresh kale and mushrooms to make a mouth-watering meal.
Everybody loves lasagna. But sometimes the standard lasagna formula can get a little tiring.
Enter pumpkin lasagna with sausage and kale. Rather than using a marinara sauce, this recipe uses an earthy, savory pumpkin cream sauce. With fresh veggies like kale and mushrooms, Italian sausage, and lots and lots of melty cheese, this will quickly become one of your favorite lasagnas.
The flavors are complex, but the preparation isn’t. Despite being a show-stopper of a meal, this pumpkin lasagna only takes a little over an hour to make. And most of that time is when the dish is already in the oven!
Why Add Pumpkin To Lasagna?
Pumpkin isn’t exactly a traditional lasagna ingredient, but squash is a common flavor in Italian food. Pumpkin is a hearty flavor, and pairs really well with strong flavors like sausage, garlic, onion, and cheese. Like tomatoes, pumpkin is a smooth savory flavor with a hint of sweetness. It works well with all of the ingredients in this lasagna, while also being unique.
Recipe Ingredients
Here’s everything you need to make pumpkin lasagna with sausage and kale. Make sure to check out the recipe card at the bottom of the article to see the exact quantities of each ingredient.
For the Sausage and Kale Mixture
- Sweet Italian sausage
- Mushrooms – You can use any type, but basic button or baby bella mushrooms work perfectly.
- Onion
- Lacinato kale – This hearty kale is ideal for this dish, but you can use other types of kale.
- Garlic
For the Ricotta Filling
- Whole milk ricotta
- Grated parmesan cheese
- Large eggs
- Salt
- Ground black pepper
- Garlic powder
For the Pumpkin Cream Sauce
- Pumpkin puree – Be sure to use pumpkin puree, not pumpkin pie filling.
- Heavy cream
- Shredded mozzarella cheese
- Grated parmesan cheese
- Kosher salt
- Ground black pepper
- Nutmeg
For the Assembly:
- Lasagna noodles
- Shredded mozzarella cheese
- Grated parmesan cheese
Can You Use Other Types of Sausage?
You can use any type of savory sausage that you have on hand for this recipe. However, since lasagna is an Italian dish, the flavors in Italian sausage are perfect for this recipe.
Can You Make it Gluten-Free?
This is an easy recipe to make gluten-free, as only one ingredient has gluten: the lasagna noodles. To make this pumpkin lasagna with sausage and kale gluten-free, simply use gluten-free noodles.
How to Make Pumpkin Lasagna with Sausage and Kale
This recipe is bursting with different flavors, yet it’s easy and straightforward to make.
- Prep. Preheat the oven to 375F.
- Cook the noodles. Follow the instructions on the package to cook the lasagna noodles in salted water until al dente. When they’re finished cooking, drain and add to a bowl of water so they don’t stick.
- Cook the sausage and kale. Heat the sausage in a skillet over medium heat until browned. Add the onion and mushrooms and cook until the onion is translucent. Add in the kale and garlic and cook until the kale is soft, which should take 2-3 minutes. Set the mixture aside.
- Make the ricotta filling. Put all of the ingredients for the ricotta filling in a bowl, and whisk together until smooth.
- Make the pumpkin sauce. Place the pumpkin sauce ingredients in a saucepan over medium heat. Whisk until the cheese is fully melted, and the sauce has thickened, then set aside.
- Assemble. Place a layer of pumpkin sauce in a 9×13-inch pan, then add a layer of lasagna noodles. Pour on ⅓ of the pumpkin sauce, followed by ½ of the ricotta mixture and ½ of the sausage and kale mixture. Repeat that process, then add a final layer of noodles and the rest of the pumpkin sauce.
- Add cheese and bake. Top with shredded mozzarella and parmesan, and bake until the cheese is golden brown. This should take about 40-45 minutes. Remove from the oven and cool for at least 20 minutes.
Tips for Success
Here are a few tricks and tips for making a perfect pumpkin lasagna with sausage and kale.
- Get some color on the meat. The more color you get on the sausage, the more flavor it will add to the lasagna. When cooking the meat, make sure the pan is pretty hot, and don’t stir the sausage too much. This will allow it to caramelize a little bit.
- Tent, if necessary. Keep an eye on the lasagna when it’s in the oven. If the cheese is browning too quickly, cover it with aluminum foil. You want the cheese to end up golden brown, but you also want the lasagna to spend a good amount of time in the oven so everything can cook together.
- Let it cool sufficiently. This lasagna smells fantastic. When you pull it out of the oven and smell the rich pumpkin and sausage, mixed with the melted cheese, you’ll want to dive in right away. Resist the temptation, and let it cool for at least 20 minutes. This will allow the lasagna to absorb the liquids, and will give the cheese time to firm up a little bit. As a result, the lasagna will hold its shape when you cut into it.
How to Serve Pumpkin Lasagna
This dish is pretty heavy with the meat, noodles, pumpkin cream sauce, and cheese. So I like to serve it with some lighter sides, like veggies and salads. Here are a few of my favorite things to serve with pumpkin lasagna.
- Vegan caesar salad
- Pistachio pesto brussels sprouts
- Broccoli salad
- Garlic roasted green beans
- Roasted lemony pesto asparagus
- Best tomato summer salad
How to Store Pumpkin Lasagna with Sausage and Kale
You can keep this pumpkin lasagna in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 5 days, or in the freezer for up to 3 months. Reheat in the oven or in the microwave.
Other Savory Pumpkin Recipes
Pumpkins aren’t just for pies and other desserts! If you liked this recipe, check out some of my other favorite savory dishes that star pumpkin.
- Pumpkin eggplant parmesan casserole with burrata
- Crockpot turkey pumpkin chili
- Cheesy pumpkin and spicy sausage stuffed shells
- Harvest corn and pumpkin chowder
- Pumpkin quinoa parmesan fritters
- Pumpkin mascarpone orecchiette with spicy sausage and broccolini
Pumpkin Lasagna with Sausage and Kale
Equipment
Ingredients
For the Sausage and Kale Mixture:
- 1 pound (454 g) sweet Italian sausage
- 8 ounces (227 g) thinly sliced mushrooms
- 1 small onion, diced
- 3 cups (63 g) finely chopped lacinato kale
- 2 teaspoons finely minced fresh garlic
For the Ricotta Filling:
- 15 ounces (425 g) whole milk ricotta
- ¼ cup (25 g) grated parmesan
- 2 large eggs
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ¼ teaspoon ground black pepper
- ¼ teaspoon garlic powder
For the Pumpkin Cream Sauce:
- 15 ounce (425 g) canned pumpkin puree
- 1 cup (236 ml) heavy cream
- 1 cup (112 g) shredded mozzarella cheese
- ¼ cup (25 g) grated parmesan cheese
- ½ teaspoon kosher salt
- ¼ teaspoon ground black pepper
- ¼ teaspoon garlic powder
For the Assembly:
- 1 pound (454 g) lasagna noodles
- 1 ½ cups (168 g) shredded mozzarella cheese
- 4 tablespoons (20 g) grated parmesan cheese
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 375 °F (191 °C)
- Cook lasagna noodles according to package directions in salted water until al dente. To prevent them from sticking together after draining, fill a large bowl with cool water and add the cooked noodles to the water.1 pound (454 g) lasagna noodles
- Heat a large skillet to medium and cook the sausage until browned. Add in mushrooms and onion and cook for a few minutes, until onions are translucent. Add in the kale and garlic and continue cooking for 2-3 more minutes, until softened. Remove from heat and set aside.1 pound (454 g) sweet Italian sausage, 8 ounces (227 g) thinly sliced mushrooms, 1 small onion, 3 cups (63 g) finely chopped lacinato kale, 2 teaspoons finely minced fresh garlic
- Whisk together all ingredients for the ricotta filling until smooth.15 ounces (425 g) whole milk ricotta, ¼ cup (25 g) grated parmesan, 2 large eggs, ½ teaspoon salt, ¼ teaspoon ground black pepper, ¼ teaspoon garlic powder
- Add all ingredients for the pumpkin sauce to a small saucepan over medium heat. Whisk well until cheese is melted and sauce is thickened, then remove from heat.15 ounce (425 g) canned pumpkin puree, 1 cup (236 ml) heavy cream, 1 cup (112 g) shredded mozzarella cheese, 1/4 cup (25 g) grated parmesan cheese, 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt, 1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper, 1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
- To assemble the lasagna, start with a thin layer of pumpkin sauce in a 9×13” pan.
- Next, add a layer of lasagna noodles, followed by ⅓ of the pumpkin sauce, ½ of the ricotta and ½ of the sausage/kale mixture. Repeat 2x, then finish with a final layer of lasagna noodles, remaining ⅓ of pumpkin sauce, and top with 1 ½ cups shredded mozzarella and ¼ cup parmesan.1 1/2 cups (168 g) shredded mozzarella cheese, 4 tablespoons (20 g) grated parmesan cheese
- Bake for 40-45 minutes, until cheese is golden brown. Remove from oven and let cool for at least 20 minutes before slicing.
