Sausage and Pumpkin Lasagna
This traditional Italian sausage and pumpkin lasagna is the perfect fall comfort food - Rustic, hearty, full of flavor and super easy to make!
This sausage and pumpkin lasagna is incredibly easy to make and is sure to become an instant family favorite!
As many of you know, I have a huge love for pumpkin— pumpkin risotto and pumpkin soup are a just a few favs - and during the cooler seasons, it often takes center stage in my cooking.
As soon as I got my hands on the first pumpkin of the season, I decided to recreate this traditional lasagna, and I promise it’s was a huge hit—everyone absolutely loves it!
This classic Italian pumpkin lasagna is made with layers of fresh egg pasta sheets, mixed with crumbled sausage and then combined with a velvety pumpkin cream and a smooth béchamel sauce.
Once layered, it's baked in the oven until everything melts together into a deliciously creamy filling, with a golden, crispy crust on top that adds the perfect crunch!
The savory Italian sausage pairs perfectly with the sweet pumpkin, creating a flavor combo that's pure magic.
It's such a fantastic dish for cozy fall Sunday lunches with family or friends.
Plus, you can prepare it ahead of time, even the day before—just cook it and reheat when ready to serve. So easy and convenient!
During the cooler months of the year, you can also add fresh truffle shavings or sautéed wild mushrooms for a more gourmet version!
Ingredients
This delicious sausage pumpkin lasagna recipe is incredibly easy to make, and all you need is less than 10 ingredients:
- Pasta: I like to use fresh lasagna egg pasta sheets, alternatively, I recommend using dry lasagna sheets that don't require pre-cooking.
- Pumpkin: Use a pumpkin variety with a creamy texture and a mild, not overly sweet flavor. My favorite varieties include Muscat pumpkin, Kabocha Japanese pumpkin or a classic Sugar pumpkin.
- Sausage: Any good Italian pork sausage made with just salt and pepper (and fennel seeds if you like) will work great.
- Wine: You'll need a little white wine for cooking the sausage, but you can swap it with vegetable stock or warm water if necessary.
- Cheese: I use Parmigiano Reggiano (Parmesan cheese), you can also add chopped caciocavallo, smoked scamorza cheese or mozzarella.
- Béchamel sauce: I use homemade béchamel sauce for an extra layer of flavor and creaminess, it's delicious and takes just 5 minutes to make. Alternatively, you can use store-bought white sauce.
How to make sausage and pumpkin lasagna
This sausage pumpkin lasagna recipe is ready in just 4 simple steps and takes less than 45 minutes to make.
It's one of those easy Italian dishes that everyone loves, and it doesn't take much effort!
Here's a quick look at the pumpkin lasagna recipe with step-by-step pictures.
Scroll to the end of the post for the full, printable recipe.
STEP 1. Sauté diced pumpkin with thyme in olive oil, add water, cook until soft. Season, then blend or mash until smooth.
STEP 2. Brown crumbled sausage and rosemary in olive oil, add wine, cook until evaporated.
STEP 3. Combine pumpkin purée with sausage, mixing well. Layer béchamel sauce, lasagna sheets, pumpkin-sausage and more béchamel, then repeat.
STEP 4. Top the sausage pumpkin lasagna with béchamel sauce and Parmesan cheese, bake for 30 minutes, then serve.
Cooking tips
- Most dry lasagna noodles don't need to be pre-cooked, alternatively, you can briefly soak your regular lasagna sheets in hot water or use fresh lasagna pasta noodles, as I do.
- For a gluten-free option, simply use gluten-free lasagna sheets and rice flour to make the béchamel sauce.
- You can make the pumpkin and the béchamel sauce ahead to save some extra time.
Storage tips
- Fridge: Store your leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator. They will keep well for two days.
- Freezer: Divide the lasagna into individual freezer-friendly containers and store them in the freezer for up to 1 month.
- Reheat: I recommend reheating the lasagna in a warm oven for 4-5 minutes instead of using the microwave, as it keeps its crunchy texture much better.
More pasta bake recipes
If you like baked pasta as much as I do, you will not want to miss these family favorite recipes:
- Tuna pasta bake: A comforting British classic featuring pasta mixed with tuna chunks, creamy sauce, and melted cheese.
- Pasta ncasciata: This eggplant pasta bake combines pasta with fried eggplant, tomato sauce, béchamel sauce, and basil.
- Chicken bacon pasta bake: a hearty dish featuring tender chicken, crispy bacon, and pasta, all coated in a creamy cheese sauce.
Did you try this recipe?
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Recipe
Sausage and Pumpkin Lasagna
Ingredients
- 3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
- 800 g pumpkin, peeled and cubed
- 1 teaspoon fresh thyme ,
- 500 g Italian sausage
- 1 rosemary sprig
- 9 no-cook lasagna noodles, or 7 oz / 200 g fresh lasagna pasta sheets
- 180 g Parmesan cheese, grated
- 100 g smoked Scamorza cheese, optional
- 240 ml béchamel sauce
Instructions
- Heat the oven to 180°C (360°F) or 160°C (with fan option on) or gas mark 4.
- Heat 2 tablespoons of olive oil in a large skillet, add the diced pumpkin and thyme and sauté for 3 minutes. Pour in a glass of water and cook for 15 minutes, then season with salt and pepper to taste.
- Once the pumpkin is soft and has absorbed all the water, transfer to a blender and blend until smooth, or mash it with a fork until reaching the desired consistency.
- Meanwhile, remove the casing from the sausages and crumble the meat with your hands. Heat the remaining 1 tablespoon of olive oil in a large skillet over medium-low heat, add the sausage meat and rosemary sprig, and cook until browned, stirring often.
- Pour in the wine and allow it to evaporate, then continue to cook, stirring often, for 5 minutes or until fully cooked. Discard the rosemary sprig.
- Add the pumpkin cream into the skillet with the sausage and mix to combine the ingredients, then season to taste.
- To assemble the sausage pumpkin lasagna, start by spreading a thin layer of béchamel sauce over the bottom of a baking dish, then layer lasagna sheets and top them with pumpkin cream, crumbled sausage, chopped Scamorza (if using), grated Parmesan cheese and a drizzle of béchamel sauce.
- Repeat the layers, finishing with grated Parmesan cheese and béchamel sauce on top.
- Bake covered with foil for 20 minutes, then uncovered for an additional 10 minutes for a nice golden top. Once ready, remove from the oven, allow to cool slightly and serve.
Notes
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- Fridge: Store your leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator. They will keep well for two days.
-
- Freezer: Divide the lasagna into individual freezer-friendly containers and store them in the freezer for up to 1 month.
- Reheat: I recommend reheating the lasagna in a warm oven for 4-5 minutes instead of using the microwave, as it keeps its crunchy texture much better.
Nutrition
The information shown is an estimate provided by an online nutrition calculator. It should not be considered a substitute for a professional nutritionist’s advice.
I just made it for lunch and I can truly say that’s the best pumpkin lasagna I ever tried!