Description
Pumpkin Lasagna Roll Ups are a comforting and delicious fall-inspired dinner featuring cheesy, creamy pumpkin ricotta filling rolled in tender lasagna noodles, baked in a smooth béchamel sauce, and topped with crispy fried sage and parmesan cheese for a perfect balance of flavors and textures.
Ingredients
Lasagna Roll Ups
- 12 to 15 lasagna noodles, boiled
- 12 ounces ricotta cheese
- 1 (15 ounce) can pumpkin puree
- 1 cup finely grated parmesan cheese, plus more for sprinkling
- 1 large egg
- ¼ teaspoon dried sage
- Kosher salt and pepper, to taste
- 2 cups freshly grated mozzarella or provolone cheese
Béchamel Sauce
- 2 tablespoons butter
- 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
- 2 cups milk
- ¼ teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg
- Salt and pepper, to taste
Fried Sage
- 1 tablespoon butter
- 1 handful (about 15) fresh sage leaves
Instructions
- Preheat Oven: Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C) to prepare for baking the lasagna roll ups.
- Cook Noodles: Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Cook the lasagna noodles according to package instructions, about 8 to 9 minutes. Use 12 noodles for the recipe, but cook extra in case some break. Drain and immediately lay them flat on a kitchen towel or parchment paper sprayed with nonstick spray to prevent sticking.
- Make Filling: In a large bowl, whisk together the ricotta cheese, pumpkin puree, parmesan cheese, egg, dried sage, salt, and pepper until well combined. Set aside.
- Assemble Roll Ups: Place about 3 tablespoons of the pumpkin ricotta filling on each lasagna noodle. Spread the filling evenly over the surface of each noodle. Sprinkle about 1 ½ cups of the grated mozzarella cheese evenly over the filling on all noodles. If some noodles have less filling, add extra from the bowl to even it out.
- Roll Noodles: Carefully roll up each lasagna noodle tightly from one end into a roll.
- Prepare Béchamel Sauce: In a large skillet over medium heat, melt 2 tablespoons butter. Whisk in 2 tablespoons flour and cook for 2 to 3 minutes until fragrant and golden. Slowly whisk in 2 cups milk, stirring constantly to avoid lumps. Continue whisking until the sauce thickens, about 3 to 4 minutes. Reduce heat to low, add nutmeg, salt, and pepper to taste. Adjust seasoning as needed.
- Arrange Roll Ups in Baking Dish: Lightly ladle about ½ cup of béchamel sauce into the bottom of a 9×13 inch baking dish or a 12-inch oven-safe skillet. Place the lasagna roll ups seam-side down in the dish. Pour the remaining béchamel sauce evenly over the roll ups. Sprinkle the remaining mozzarella and a bit of parmesan cheese over the top.
- Bake: Bake uncovered for 25 to 30 minutes, until the top is golden and bubbly.
- Fry Sage: While the lasagna bakes, heat 1 tablespoon butter in a skillet over medium heat. Add fresh sage leaves and cook for 1 to 2 minutes until crispy. Remove from heat and set aside.
- Serve: Remove the lasagna roll ups from the oven. Top with the crispy fried sage leaves and extra parmesan cheese for sprinkling. Serve warm for a comforting fall meal.
Notes
- You can prepare the béchamel sauce a day ahead and refrigerate it; reheat gently before assembling.
- Leftover cooked lasagna noodles can be used later in the week as regular pasta with sauce.
- Use fresh pumpkin puree for a sweeter flavor, but canned is convenient and works well.
- To make it vegetarian, ensure cheeses are rennet-free.
- For a gluten-free version, substitute regular lasagna noodles with gluten-free noodles and use gluten-free flour for the béchamel.
- Make sure to roll the noodles tightly to prevent the filling from falling out during baking.