Have you ever heard of a lasagna that doesn’t contain meat, dairy or nuts, and can even be made gluten-free? One that makes a beautiful centerpiece to a holiday meal, full of seasonal winter vegetables?
This holiday wonderdish is the ultimate please-everybody, lick-the-plate-clean creation. We’ve blended up a creamy pumpkin sauce without the cream by combining pureed pumpkin with pepitas, a.k.a. shelled pumpkin seeds.
Layers of spinach and mushrooms make up the filling for this delicious lasagna. We add Garlic Gold® Oil to every layer for tons of garlic flavor throughout, and a coating of crunchy Garlic Gold® Nuggets on top makes you forget all about the traditional cheese topping.
– Coco Harris, Recipe Editor for Garlic Gold
Ingredients:
1/2 cup Garlic Gold® Oil, divided
1 large yellow onion, diced, divided into three equal piles
1 1/2 teaspoons kosher salt, divided
8 ounces crimini mushrooms, halved and sliced 1/8” thick
1 10-ounce bag frozen, chopped spinach, defrosted according to package instructions
1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
1 can pumpkin puree, or 2 cups baked mashed pumpkin
1/2 cup raw shelled pumpkin seeds (a.k.a. pepitas)
2 cups low sodium vegetable broth
1 1-pound box lasagna noodles (gluten-free if desired)
4 Tablespoons Garlic Gold® Nuggets
Directions:
1. To make the mushroom mixture: Heat two tablespoons of the Garlic Gold® Oil in a large (12-inch) skillet over medium heat. Add a third of the diced onion to the pan, along with 1/2 teaspoon of the salt. Sauté for five minutes, until onions become translucent. Add the mushrooms and saute for another 5 minutes, until mushrooms are wilted. Transfer mixture to a bowl and set aside.
2. To make the spinach mixture: Heat another two tablespoons of the Garlic Gold® Oil in the large skillet. Add another third of the onions, along with another 1/2 teaspoon of salt. Sauté for five minutes, then add the nutmeg and pepper and stir for an additional minute. Add the defrosted chopped spinach, stir to combine and warm through, then transfer to another bowl. Set aside.
3. To make the pumpkin sauce: Heat the final quarter cup of Garlic Gold® Oil in the large skillet. Add the last third of the onions and final 1/2 teaspoon of salt, and sauté for five minutes.
4. While the onions are cooking, in a blender combine the pumpkin puree, shelled pumpkin seeds, and vegetable broth. Blend for one minute, until creamy, stirring occasionally if necessary.
5. Pour the blended pumpkin mixture into the skillet with the sautéed onions and stir to combine. Stir for about three minutes, until warmed through and just beginning to simmer. Turn off heat, then taste for seasoning, adding more salt if desired.
6. To assemble the lasagne: Ladle half of the pumpkin sauce into the bottom of a large (9-inch by 13-inch) casserole. Place a single layer of [uncooked] lasagna noodles on top of the sauce, pushing them into the sauce a bit. Spread the mushroom mixture evenly on top of the noodles. Add another layer of noodles, then spread on the spinach layer. Add a final layer of noodles, and ladle the remaining pumpkin sauce on top. Cover tightly and let sit for 15 minutes.
7. Preheat oven to 375F. Place the covered lasagna in the oven and bake for 1 hour. Remove from oven and let cool, covered, for a half hour before serving. Uncover, sprinkle with Garlic Gold® Nuggets, cut into squares and serve immediately.
Serves 6.
