Pumpkin & Kale Lasagne

6 February 2025Saffron

Prep time: 30 minutes

Cook time: 40 minutes

Serves: 8 portions

Pumpkin & Kale Lasagne. This, my friends, is one big oven dish of comfort. Creamy and cheesy béchamel sauce layered with sweet pumpkin and sautéed earthy kale and of course lasagne leaves (whole wheat to make it a bit healthier). Seasoned with lemon zest and loads of nutmeg, so so good!

I love making classic lasagnes with a tomato-y Bolognese sauce but sometimes it’s nice to change things around. The béchamel sauce is rich and cheesy and I love the way it bubbles and browns on the top. It’s a perfect sauce to combine with kale and pumpkin. Pumpkin & Kale lasagne is wintery and comforting, rich and silky, cheesy and packed with veg, what els do you need?

This recipe is inspired by Spice is in my DNA.

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(1 votes, average: 5.00 out of 5)

Pumpkin & Kale Lasagne

6 February 2025Saffron

Prep time: 30 minutes
Cook time: 40 minutes
Total time: 1 hour 10 minutes

Serves: 8 portions

Pumpkin & Kale lasagne is wintery and comforting, rich and silky, cheesy and packed with veg, what els do you need?

Ingredients

Béchamel sauce

100 g unsalted butter
100 g plain flour
1 liter milk (I use half fat)
1 tsp nutmeg, freshly grated
2 cups freshly grated parmesan
Pepper & Salt, to taste

Rest of the ingredients

2-3 tbsp olive oil, divided
1 small onion, finely chopped
2 garlic cloves, grated
500 g kale, de-stemmed and finley chopped
1 lemon, just the zest
500 g pumpkin type of choice, peeled and thinly sliced (± 5 mm thickness)
350 g dried lasagne sheets (whole wheat if you like), ± 16 sheets (will be divided in 4 layers of 4)
200 g fresh mozzarella, sliced into ± 1 cm thick slices
Pepper & Salt, to taste
150 g grated mozzarella
100 g grated regular cheese, like gouda

Instructions

Béchamel sauce (15 minutes)

1)
Start by preheating the oven to 200°C.
2)
Add the butter to a medium sauce pan (low-medium heat), when melted add the flour and whisk through.
3)
Keep whisking for about a minute, until it turns a slightly darker yellow colour, it will start to bubble up.
4)
Slowly add in the milk, drop by drop. Keep whisking so no lumps form.
5)
Turn the heat up a bit and let the sauce cook for ± 6-7 minutes until it starts to thicken. Keep stirring!
6)
Grate in the nutmeg and mix through.
7)
Take off the heat and mix through the parmesan until the cheese is melted through.
8)
Taste and season with pepper and salt. Set aside until ready to use.

The rest of the lasagne

1)
By now the oven should be preheated. Divide the pumpkin over a lined baking tray, drizzle with olive oil, pepper and salt and hustle around a bit to coat everything. Place in the oven and bake for 20 minutes to par roast.
2)
In a large heavy based skillet or pan heat the olive oil. Add the onions and a pinch of salt and sauté for 3-4 minutes until translucent and fragrant. Add the garlic and sauté for another 3 minutes.
3)
Add the kale and continue to stir, pour in 3 tbsp of water to help it steam and sauté for 7-8 minutes on low to medium heal until softened.
4)
Wash the lemon and zest all of the peel into the kale, stir to mix well. Remove from the heat and set aside.
5)
Now it’s time to assemble the lasagne:
1. You need a large oven dish for this, ± 20 x 30 cm. Start with a thin layer or the béchamel sauce. Then divide 4 of the lasagne leaves over the top, press down to remove air bubbles then repeat as mentioned below:
2. Layer 1: 1/3 of the Kale – 1/3 of the pumpkin – 1/4 of the béchamel sauce – 4 of lasagne leaves
3. Layer 2: 1/3 of the Kale – 1/3 of the pumpkin – 1/4 of the béchamel sauce – all the fresh mozzarella slices – 4 of lasagne leaves
4. Layer 3: 1/3 of the Kale – 1/3 of the pumpkin – 1/4 of the béchamel sauce – 4 of lasagne leaves
5. Layer 4: Spread the remaining béchamel sauce over the top and then all the grated cheese
NB. Of course you can layer it how you like, just remember to start and finish with the sauce, this will ensure the dried lasagne leaves get cooked.
6)
Bake in the oven for 30 – 35 minutes until the top is bubbling and nice golden and the lasagne leaves are cooked through.