Pumpkin Spinach Lasagna Rolls

Put down your pumpkin pies, your pumpkin cakes, your pumpkin breads, and your pumpkin muffins. Why not try something new this fall? Something new being pumpkin used in a savory manner, rather than adding the "normal" sugar and pumpkin pie spice. 

I looooooove pumpkin in savory dishes. I'd actually never tried it until 2 years ago when I made Turkey Pumpkin Chili. I don't know if I was expecting my chili to taste like pumpkin pie, but it sooooooo did not. I was instantly hooked on the savory pumpkin 🎃

The hubby has been having a lot of stomach troubles lately, so this dish came at the perfect time. Tomatoes can actually exacerbate his tummy and acid troubles, so I was on the right track replacing a traditional tomato sauce with this creamy pumpkin one. These lasagna rolls are easy on the tummy.  

The best part? This pumpkin sauce is fast! I cheated, and used canned pumpkin and a head of garlic that I'd roasted a couple days ahead of time. Normally I'd use homemade pumpkin puree, but I used everything I had from last year. It's about that time of year to make some more! In the meantime, canned pumpkin is a great time-saver and extremely convenient. I always keep some on hand because my mother-in-law's dog eats pumpkin every day. It's a must-have when he stays here. 

Pre-roasted garlic. I love roasted garlic, there is no comparison on flavor. Some weeks, I'll roast 6-8 garlic heads just to have it on hand for the week's cooking. Another great time-saver! 

The sauce is sooooooo easy to make. You start by sautéing onions. Once soft, add the roasted garlic and saute for 30 seconds. Add the pumpkin and chicken broth, and bring to a simmer. Simmer for 10-15 minutes, stirring occasionally. Finally, stir in parmesan cheese. Salt and pepper to taste. 

That's it! You won't believe how delicious the sauce turns out. 

Roll the pasta up with a savory cheese mixture...

Smother in sauce, bake, and you are in business!

One perfectly cheesy, vegetarian recipe. Serve on the side of chicken or beef, or serve with a side salad for a meatless meal. I'm telling you, that pumpkin sauce is quickly going to become your autumn jam. It tis' a winner!

Well, the hubby and I just returned from spending a couple of days in Illinois. The hubby's cousin lives there and we try to visit at least once a year, more when possible. As it so happens, this year it ended up being a yearly trip. They just had a baby girl, so needless to say, their schedule has been busy this year! They live on a lake, and while the weekend was sunny, the water was too choppy to take their boat out on. Maybe next time. We did get to go wine tasting though, one of my favorite activities 😁 We had a great time at the Blue Sky Winery in Makanda, IL, we actually ended up with a case of their Chambourcin Reserve. A truly yummy pick 🍷While we may not have picked a good boating weekend, we did pick a good travel weekend. Not one drop of rain!  That nice weather was especially appreciated when driving.

While we had a great time, it was awesome to get home to our bed (which we love) and our pups (which we love even more). 

And now... it's time for laundry. Boooooooooo. 

I hope everyone had a great weekend!

Recipe adapted from Jess Fuel

Ingredients (serves 4-5):

Pumpkin Sauce-

1 tsp olive oil

1 onion, chopped

1 head of garlic, roasted

1 (15 oz) can pumpkin puree

3 cups Chicken Broth

1/4 cup parmesan cheese, shredded

1 1/2 tsp salt

1/2 tsp pepper

Filling-

1 (15 oz) container ricotta cheese

1 (10 oz) package of fresh spinach, roughly chopped

1/2 cup parmesan cheese, shredded

1 egg

3/4 tsp salt

1/4 tsp pepper

10 lasagna noodles, prepared according to package directions

1/2 cup mozzarella cheese

1 tbsp fresh parsley, chopped

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350º. Coat a 7 x 11 pan with cooking spray, set aside.

2. Prepare the pumpkin sauce- heat olive oil in a large skillet. When warm, add onion. Sauté for 5-7 minutes, or until softened. Add garlic to the pan, sauté for 30 seconds to 1 minute, or until well-incorporated. Add pumpkin and chicken broth to the pan. Stir to mix. Bring mixture to a boil, then lower heat to a simmer. Simmer for 15 minutes, or until sauce has thickened slightly. Stir in parmesan cheese, salt, and pepper. Remove from heat, set aside.

3. In a large bowl, combine ricotta cheese, spinach, parmesan cheese, egg, salt, and pepper. Mix well. Set aside.

4. Assemble the rolls- Spread 1 1/2 cups of pumpkin sauce onto bottom of prepared pan. Take lasagna noodles and lay them on a flat surface. Spread about a tablespoon of ricotta mixture onto a lasagna noodle, then roll noodle up, placing roll seam side down in the pan. Repeat with all lasagna noodles. After all the noodles have been placed in the pan, pour another 1 1/2- 2 cups of pumpkin sauce on top of the rolls. Top with cheese. Cover pan with aluminum foil. Bake in preheated oven for 30 minutes, then remove foil. Cook another 5 minutes, uncovered. Remove from oven and top with parsley. Serve immediately.

Printable Recipe

Looking for other pumpkin recipes? Try these!

Homemade Pumpkin Puree

Turkey Pumpkin Chili

Baked Pumpkin Doughnuts with Vanilla Cream Cheese Glaze

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