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Chicken Pumpkin and Ricotta Lasagna is cheesy and low in fat! The perfect quick and easy meal to throw together for a hungry family!
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Anything pasta has me weak at the knees, from spaghetti’s like Spaghetti Bolognese and Basil Pesto Chicken Spaghetti, to Creamy Chicken Carbonara. The list of opportunities and flavours is endless, but todays pick was one nearly made me fall to the floor after tasting!
These are a few of my favourite things: When the cheese melts! When the cheese strings! When I’m feelin saaaad… I simply remember my favourite things…and then I don’t feeeeeeel….soooo baaaadddd…
Ooops. I sang. I couldn’t help myself. This lasagna packed a powerful punch. Or more like a slap-in-tha-face. Because lasagnaaaahh!! Combining pumpkin and pasta is really a no brainer for us.
Double the cheese. Double the flavour! The ricotta and the mozzarella hit is crazy good in this. Like cooking restaurant quality food in your own kitchen! Along side this pumpkin mash-up, a beautiful creamy texture is born.
I only used 6 lasagna sheets for this entire pan! So…I guess we could call this a lower carb lasagna too. I used these spelt lasagna sheets, and I’m a fan! A big, ‘I need an autograph,’ fan!
If you’ve been following my insane-ness for a while now…you’ve probably noticed see how much I love quick, easy and simple. And it’s not laziness, I promise you. It’s having 3 children (plus a husband, because let’s be real here, they need us just as much as the kids do. Right?) plus other things going on that by the time I get my ass home, I neeeeed quick and simple!
So…this lasagna filled my needs. I had this in the oven in about 10 minutes. No joke. Not even kidding. And so worth the oven baking time, with that cheeeeeesy melt-y goodness. The ricotta throughout the lasagna was pure perfection. Melt in your mouth perfection.
And the chicken in this instead of beef is a really nice and lighter way to change it!
I buy freshly ground chicken breast straight from my butcher. They’re so good when you ask them to ground up some chicken breast. That way, you can be 1000% sure your getting pure lean meat! And you can taste the difference especially when you serve it up with a few slices of this cheesy garlic bread on the side or a warm bowl of Cauliflower Soup. It’s the kind of meal that makes you want seconds.
Still looking for pasta recipe inspiration? Try these:
Spinach Ricotta Manicotti (Cannelloni)
Turkey, Sweet Potato and Kale Cannelloni
Chicken Pumpkin and Ricotta Lasagna
Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon garlic olive oil
- 3 cloves garlic minced, or 3 teaspoons minced garlic
- 1 medium onion roughly chopped
- 1 medium carrot roughly diced
- 4 cups pumpkin peeled and finely chopped
- 2 cups sliced mushrooms
- 1 medium zucchini sliced or chopped
- 2 lbs lean ground chicken mince
- 6 leaves fresh basil roughly chopped or torn
- 1 can condensed tomato soup
- 1 tablespoon Vegeta or any other vegetable stock powder
- 6 sheets wholemeal, spelt or whole grain lasagna sheets
- 9 oz light ricotta cheese
- 17 oz grated light Mozzarella
Instructions
- Prep: Preheat your oven to 200°C (390°F). Lightly spray a large oven-proof baking dish with non-stick spray.
- Sauté Vegetables: Heat the oil in a large pan over medium-high heat. Add the onion and garlic and cook until the onion becomes transparent (about 1-2 minutes). Add the diced carrot and pumpkin, cooking for 5-7 minutes until they start to soften. Add the mushrooms and zucchini and cook for another 5 minutes until all vegetables are tender.
- Cook Chicken: Add the ground chicken to the pan with the vegetables. Use a spoon to break up the meat and cook until it's browned all over.
- Assemble The Lasagna:Spread about 1 ½ cups of the chicken sauce on the bottom of your prepared baking dish.Arrange 3 lasagna sheets over the sauce.Top the sheets with another 1 ½ cups of sauce.Evenly spoon half of the ricotta over the sauce, then sprinkle with half of the mozzarella cheese.Repeat the layers: Add the remaining 3 lasagna sheets, the rest of the sauce, the remaining ricotta, and finish with the remaining mozzarella on top.
- Bake and Grill: Cover the dish with foil and bake for 40 minutes. After 40 minutes, remove the foil and change the oven setting to grill (or broil) on medium heat. Grill for 3-5 minutes, or until the cheese on top is golden and bubbly.
- Rest and Serve: Remove the lasagna from the oven and let it stand for 10-15 minutes. This helps the layers set, making it easier to slice and serve. Enjoy!
Notes
Recipe Notes & Tips
- Pumpkin Shortcut: To save time, buy pre-peeled and pre-chopped pumpkin from the grocery store. Just make sure the pieces are chopped finely (about 1-2 cm cubes) so they cook quickly and evenly with the other vegetables.
- Spreadable Ricotta: Ricotta can be tricky to spread. For an easier and creamier layer, mix the ricotta in a separate bowl with a pinch of salt and pepper before dotting it over the sauce.
- Lasagna Sheets: You don’t need to pre-boil the lasagna sheets. The sauce has enough moisture to cook them perfectly in the oven. Feel free to snap the sheets to fit the corners of your dish.
- Prevent Sticking: Lightly spray the inside of the foil with cooking spray before covering the lasagna. This stops the top layer of cheese from sticking to it when you bake.
- Check for Doneness: The lasagna is ready when the cheese is golden and bubbly, and you can easily pierce the layers with a knife. The pasta should feel tender, not hard.
- Make-Ahead Tip: You can fully assemble the lasagna up to 24 hours in advance. Just cover it tightly and store it in the fridge. You may need to add 10-15 minutes to the baking time when cooking it straight from the cold.
- Avoid Spills: Place your baking dish on a larger baking tray before putting it in the oven. This will catch any sauce that might bubble over, keeping your oven clean.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
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This recipe is missing some steps—what do you do with the tomato soup and vegetable stock? where do you add the pumpkin?
Hi Adrianna, Thank you so much for letting me know, I have rewritten the recipe to be clearer on the steps. Hope this helps Xx
Hi I am a great fan of your recepies I want to try this tomorrow I got my vegetables ready but I noticed u didn’t mention salt and pepper and spices did u forgot them or u are relying on the vegetable stock …thx alot
You are welcome to add in any seasoning that you enjoy and that you love for this dish. Thanks so much for following along with me!