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Roast Pumpkin, Spinach & Tomato Lasagne

Yields1 ServingPrep Time1 hr 15 minsCook Time45 minsTotal Time2 hrs

It's not exacltly the recipe poster child, but this veggie loaded lasagne with spinach, pumpkin & tomato packs all the punch with flavour.

 1 kg Butternut Pumpkin
 250 g Beef Mince
 400 g Canned Cherry Tomato
 500 g Tomato Passata
 1 Medium Brown Onion
 2 Stalks Celery
 2 Cloves Garlic
 1 tbsp Oil (Olive or Rice Bran)
 50 g Butter, Salted
 50 g Plain Flour
 500 ml Milk (Full cream or skim depending on preference, but Almond, Cashew or other milk alternatives also substitute well)
 250 g Chopped Frozen Spinach
 250 g Lasagne Sheets (1 package)
 100 g Light Mozzerella Cheese
 1 tbsp dried oregano
 2 tsp Chicken Stock Powder
 Salt & Pepper to taste
1

Preheat oven to 200oC and chop pumpkin into 1" cubes. Roast pumpkin, seasoned with 1/2 tbsp oil, salt and pepper for 45mins or until tender. Remove from oven to cool. This step can be completed a day in advance if required.

2

Dice Onions and Celery. Mince Garlic finely. Sautee onions and celery over a medium heat with the remaining 1/2 tbsp oil until softened - approx. 5 minutes. Add mince to pan and brown. Once the mince has cooked through fully, add in the clove of garlic and sautee until fragrant.

3

Add in the tin of Cherry tomatos, passata & oregano and stir to combine. Reduce the temperature to low and keep the sauce at a low simmer while you prepare the remaining steps.

4

In a medium sized saucepan, melt the butter and stir in the flour over a low temperature to form a rough roux. Cook for 1-2minutes and then gradually incorporate the milk with a whisk. Continue whisking until the mixture thickens - approx 5-10mins. Whisk in the chicken stock powder and taste to see if the sauce requires more salt/pepper to taste

5

In a large lasagne pan (I use an ovenproof dish that is 25.5cm Square / 10" Square) begin by layering 1/2 the mince mixture.

6

lightly mush half the roast pumpkin into the base layer of mince & tomato sauce. Continue layering with the next layer of pasta sheets and then cover this with half of the creamy sauce. Sprinkle the frozen diced spinach over your creamy sauce layer and then continue with another layer of pasta.

7

Top the pasta with the remaining mince sauce and gently press down the remaining pumpkin into this layer. Top with another layer of pasta sheets and then creamy sauce. Finish the top creamy layer with your grated cheese. The prepared lasagne can be covered well and refrigerated at this point to be cooked at a later time. If you want to prepare this dish more than 2 days in advance I would reccomend freezing after cooking.

8

To finish off the lasagne, preheat the oven to 180oC and bake for 45 minutes or until golden on top and bubbling at the sides.

Leave the baked lasagne to rest for 20minutes before slicing in and serving.

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