ROASTED PUMPKIN LASAGNA WITH SAVORY SAGE PARMESAN SAUCE

When I first made this lasagna, I was convinced it would be a disaster. The layered dish looked unappetizing after pouring water, but once baked, it turned into a dreamy, flavorful lasagna—just as good as any meat version but faster to prepare. Inspired by Ixta Belfrage’s recipe, I adjusted only one detail: blending sage with Parmesan to spread its aroma evenly.

This pumpkin lasagna will be on repeat all season long!

🕒 Prep Time: 40 min

🍳 Cook Time: 1 hour
🍽️ Yields: 8 servings
🔥 Total Calories: 3672 kcal

Ingredients

500 g lasagna sheets (dry, unboiled)
600 ml water or chicken broth
2 tbsp olive oil
5 sage leaves

Filling:

800 g cleaned, peeled pumpkin (thinly sliced like potato chips)
600 g cherry tomatoes (halved or quartered)
6 garlic cloves (crushed)
50 g tomato paste (1 heaping tbsp)
6 tbsp olive oil
4 tsp Himalayan pink salt (or regular salt, adjust to taste)

Cheese Sauce:

300 g cooking cream (20% fat)
120 g Parmesan (Parmigiano Reggiano)
7 sage leaves (~5 g)
½ tsp ground nutmeg
25 twists freshly ground black pepper

Instructions

Thinly slice pumpkin with a mandoline or slicer. Place in a large bowl.
Add tomatoes, tomato paste, crushed garlic, olive oil, and salt. Mix well by hand to combine evenly.
In a food processor, blend Parmesan with sage until finely ground (like grated cheese). If your processor isn’t strong, grate Parmesan and then pulse with sage.
Add cream, nutmeg, and black pepper to the cheese-sage mixture; blend to combine. Reserve 100 g of this sauce for topping.
Use a baking dish approximately 40 x 25 cm with straight sides. Lay down a layer of lasagna sheets (dry, unboiled). Tear sheets if necessary to cover the base completely (about 6 sheets per layer).
Spread one-third of the pumpkin mixture evenly over the pasta. Distribute tomatoes evenly on top. Drizzle one-third of the cheese sauce over the pumpkin.
Repeat layers: pasta sheets, half the remaining pumpkin, half the remaining cheese sauce.
Add a final pumpkin and cheese sauce layer, including juices from the pumpkin bowl.
Finish with a top layer of lasagna sheets. Press gently with your hands to compact layers. It’s okay if top sheets break — this helps even cooking.
Pour water or broth over the top (directly on sheets, not the edges) to moisten upper layers. Press down gently to compress layers.
Cover tightly with aluminum foil to trap steam.
Bake at 240°C (465°F) for 50 minutes.
Check if top sheets are tender; if not, sprinkle a few tablespoons of water, cover, and bake 10 more minutes.
Remove foil, spread reserved 100 g cheese sauce evenly on top with the back of a spoon.
Bake uncovered for another 5-10 minutes until golden and bubbling.
In 2 tbsp olive oil, fry remaining sage leaves torn into pieces until crisp. Drizzle the sage oil over the baked lasagna and garnish with fried sage leaves.
Let cool 30-60 minutes before slicing for cleaner cuts.
Reheats beautifully the next day at 180°C (350°F) for 10 minutes or in the microwave.

💡 Tips

Blending sage with Parmesan evenly distributes flavor, avoiding overpowering bites.
Breaking top pasta sheets helps them cook uniformly and adds rustic charm.
Use chicken broth instead of water for extra depth.
Letting lasagna rest improves slicing and flavor melding.
Perfect for seasonal autumn and winter dinners.

🎉 Perfect For

Vegetarian and seasonal autumn meals
Comfort food lovers looking for something different
Preparing ahead and batch cooking
Pumpkin and fall vegetable fans

📝 Final Thoughts

This pumpkin lasagna blends sweet, roasted squash with savory herbs and creamy cheese sauce into a comforting, elegant dish. It’s a fresh take on classic lasagna that’s sure to become a seasonal favorite.