Lasagne Inside a Pumpkin!
Okay, this one is genuinely one of the most show-stopping things we've ever put on a table. A whole pumpkin, hollowed out, and filled with a rich, bubbling plant-based lasagne. It sounds completely unhinged and that's exactly why we love it. The ragu is deep and saucy, the pasta layers go soft and silky inside the pumpkin, and you get this amazing sweet, roasted squash flavour working its way into every bite. Make this for your next dinner party and you will absolutely, one hundred percent, be the most impressive person in the room.
Before You Start
- Preheat grill to high
- Food processor
- Large frying pan
- Large pan of salted water
- Large bowl
- Microplane or box grater
- Spatula
Ingredients
- 1 extra large pumpkin - roughly 60cm diameter
- 250g lasagne sheets
- 1 handful of basil leaves
- 50 plant-based parmesan
- 1 tsp smoked paprika
- 1 tbsp olive oil
- 50g plant-based parmesan
- 2 garlic cloves
- 5 sun-dried tomatoes
- 3 roasted red pepper (from a jar)
- 220g soy mince
- 680ml Passata
- 160g grilled artichokes
- Salt & pepper to taste
- 1 tbsp Nooch
- 200ml plant-based crème fraîche
- Salt & pepper to taste
- 50 plant-based parmesan
Method
First, prepare the pumpkin
- To ensure the pumpkin sits flat, use a knife to flatten the bottom slightly if necessary (being careful not to break through the skin)
- Carefully cut the pumpkin horizontally, so the bottom half is approximately 10cm in height
- Use a spoon to scoop out the seeds from the bottom half to create a giant baking dish
- Keep the top half for another recipe
Make the ragu
- Peel the garlic cloves and add them to the food processor
- Add the smoked paprika, sun dried tomatoes, red peppers and passata and blitz to combine
- Meanwhile, heat the olive oil in the hot frying pan and add the soya mince
- Pour over the tomato sauce and season with salt and black pepper
- Reduce the heat to medium and let bubble away for 10 minutes, stirring occasionally
- Chop the artichokes into small chunks and stir into the sauce
Meanwhile, parboil the lasagne sheets
- Bring the pan of salted water to the boil
- Snap the lasagne sheets roughly into thirds and add to the boiling water
- Boil for 3 minutes then drain and rinse with cold water
- Assemble
- Tip the lasagne sheets into the ragu and use a spoon to carefully fold them through the sauce, mixing well
- Use the spoon to make the top as flat as possible
- Remove the frying pan from the heat
Make the cheat's bechamel
- Put the creme fraiche and nutritional yeast in a bowl and stir to combine
- Grate in the 50g plant-based parmesan and season with salt and pepper
To finish
- Pour the ragu and lasagne sheets into the emptied-out base of the pumpkin and use a spatula to ensure the top is smooth
- Tip the bechamel over the top of the ragu and spread it evenly with the back of a spoon
- Grate over the remaining plant-based parmesan
- Transfer to the hot grill to brown for 5 minutes
- Tear the basil leaves over the top and serve
Tips & Variations
- Choose the right pumpkin: You want a medium-sized, flat-bottomed pumpkin that can sit steady in the oven without rocking around. A crown prince or a classic carving pumpkin both work brilliantly here.
- Don't waste the top: We always say keep the top half for a soup or a roasted side dish. Blend it with some stock, a bit of chilli and some coconut milk and you've got another meal sorted for the week.
- Give it time: We know the cooking time looks short but make sure your oven is properly preheated and your ragu is well seasoned before it goes in. The better your ragu tastes going in, the better the whole thing tastes coming out. Trust us on this one.
Why This Works
The trick here is that the pumpkin shell acts like a natural baking dish, steaming the lasagne from the outside in while it roasts and sweetens. That means you get layers of pasta that are perfectly tender and totally infused with pumpkin flavour in a way you just can't replicate in a regular dish. It's two recipes in one and the combination is honestly a bit of a revelation.