Pumpkin Lasagna

Chef #1365024's Note:

Italian-Americans often serve lasagna or another pasta dish before their Thanksgiving turkey, and it got us thinking – what would happen if we cooked pumpkin, the most iconic Thanksgiving food, in lasagna. The result is a delicious blend of traditions. Made heartier with the addition of ricotta cheese, mushrooms and greens, this vitamin-A rich pumpkin lasagna can be served as a sophisticated side dish or a substantial vegetarian entrée (perfect for the vegetarians at your holiday table, too).

• Total Time: 1 hrs 35 mins
• Prep Time: 20 mins
• Cook Time: 1 hrs 15 mins

Ingredients:

Servings: 12

• 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil , divided
• 2 large onions , chopped
• 1 (4 ounce) can sliced mushrooms , drained
• 3 garlic cloves , minced
• ¼ teaspoon dried Italian seasoning
• 1 (15 ounce) can mixed greens , drained
• 1 (15 ounce) can 100% pumpkin
• 1 (15 ounce) container ricotta cheese , preferably whole milk
• ¾ cup freshly grated parmesan cheese , divided
• ½ teaspoon kosher salt
• ¼ teaspoon ground black pepper
• 1⁄8; teaspoon grated nutmeg
• 1 cup alfredo sauce
• 15 lasagna noodles , cooked according to package directions (about 3/4 pound)

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350°F.
2. Heat 2 teaspoons of the olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add onions and sauté until golden brown, 5 to 10 minutes. Add mushrooms and cook until browned, about 5 minutes. Add garlic and Italian seasoning, and cook for 1 minute. Stir in the greens and heat through; set aside.
3. Mix pumpkin and ricotta cheese in a large mixing bowl. Stir in Parmesan cheese, salt, black pepper and nutmeg until well combined.
4. Grease the inside of baking dish with the remaining teaspoon of olive oil. Spread 1/2 cup Alfredo sauce over the bottom of the baking dish. Top with 3 noodles, covering the bottom of the dish. Spread 1/4 of the pumpkin mixture over the layer of noodles and scatter 1/4 of the green mixture over the pumpkin. Repeat layers of noodles, pumpkin and greens, until you have 4 layers of each. Top with the remaining 3 noodles; spread the remaining 1/2 cup Alfredo sauce over the top. Cover with a sheet of foil and bake for 45 minutes until bubbling around the edges. Remove foil; top with remaining Parmesan cheese and return to the oven for about 15 minutes, until lightly browned.
5. Rest for 15 minutes and cut in 12 to 18 squares.