Skillet pumpkin ricotta lasagna

My skillet pumpkin ricotta lasagna is made with layers of lasagna, roasted pumpkin, and a mixture of fresh ricotta, mozzarella, and parmesan cheese. It’s the perfect baked pasta for cozy fall nights. This post is sponsored by Calphalon. All opinions are my own. Thank you for supporting the brands that make Beyond Sweet and Savory possible.

With the arrival of fall, I find myself making more comfort food like soup, pasta, and roast. I’m excited to partner with Calphalon to share my go to fall lasagna recipe, skillet pumpkin ricotta lasagna. Made with layers of lasagna, roasted pumpkin, and a mixture of fresh ricotta, mozzarella, and parmesan cheeses, it’s the perfect baked pasta for cozy fall nights. 

Ingredient note

Pumpkin: for this recipe, I roasted my own pumpkin, using kabocha squash. You can also use red kuri squash or butternut squash which tastes similar to kabocha squash. If you’re short on time, canned pumpkin is a good substitute.  

Cheese: for the cheese, I used a combo of ricotta, mozzarella, and parmesan, but feel free to use three of your favorites.

How to cook lasagna sheets

For the lasagna sheets, I like to cook them al dente and let the oven finish the cooking. I brought a large pot with 6 quarters of salted water to a boil and cooked the pasta for 6 minutes. After removing them from the pot, I placed them in a single layer on a sheet pan until ready to assemble. 

The pumpkin layer

The pumpkin mixture goes in the middle layer between the lasagna and the ricotta. It’s made with simply 4 ingredients, roasted kabocha, heavy cream, nutmeg, and cinnamon. The heavy cream lends richness while the spices give the pumpkin a lovely fall note. Divide the mixture into two for each layer.

For the ricotta layer, it has a mixture of ricotta, mozzarella, heady basil, seasoned with salt and pepper, and held together by 2 eggs. Use fresh ricotta if you can get your hands on some. It has a much creamier taste. Making your own ricotta is really easy. You can find the recipe here.

How to build the lasagna layers

With all your layers ready to go, it’s easy to assemble. I love using my Calphalon Premier™ Hard-Anodized Nonstick pan to make the pumpkin ricotta lasagna. It’s oven-safe up to 450°F and is 40% longer lasting nonstick compared to the Calphalon Classic pan for superior food release and easy cleaning. I didn’t even need to oil my lasagna sheets to prevent them from sticking to the pan.

The lasagna sheets go down first, followed by half of the pumpkin mixture, and finished with half of the ricotta mixture. Repeat the layering with lasagna, pumpkin, and finish with the ricotta mixture.

While the traditional lasagna is finished with a layer of bechamel, it would be too rich for this recipe. While I do love a creamy lasagna, the mixture of cheese here makes it nice and sauce without being insanely indulgent. Instead of bechamel, my skillet pumpkin ricotta lasagna is finished with a layer of mozzarella and Parmesan.

If you’re feeling ambitious, you can finish the lasagna with a layer of sliced squash. I used a very sharp knife to cut the squash to about ⅛ inch slices. Microwaving the squash for 5-7 minutes softens the skin and makes it easier to cut. If you're unable to slice your squash super thin, I highly recommend removing the skin so they cook evenly. While this layer requires extra work, the result is so worthwhile! The sliced squash becomes caramelized after baking and lends another dimension of texture and sweetness to the lasagna.

The essential two step baking process

Baking this pumpkin ricotta lasagna is a two step process. The initial bake with the foil melts the cheese and warms the sauce. The second bake with the foil off turns the lasagna golden brown and deliciously gooey. 

If you don’t want to bake it right away, you can freeze the lasagna up to a month before baking. To freeze before baking, simply assemble the lasagna as written in the instructions, then double wrap with plastic wrap and foil and freeze for up to 1 month. Once ready to bake, thaw out then bake according to instructions.

After an hour in the oven, you get a stunning vibrant lasagna that’s cheesy, creamy, and utterly delicious. I can’t really describe just how amazing this skillet pumpkin ricotta tastes! The squash layer has an amazing caramelized flavor from slow roasting while the sauce is incredibly rich and creamy and brightens up with the addition of heady basil. All the layers complement each other making every bite moreish!

For leftover lasagna, cut them into desired portions, place them in freezer safe containers, and freeze for up to a month. When ready to reheat, thaw it out and microwave until warm, about 2 minutes and you’ll have a delicious meal ready at your fingertips! 

With the holidays approaching, recipes like this lasagna are perfect to have in your back pocket for family gathering. I love to make this dish a day in advance, keep it in the fridge and allow the flavor to develop overnight, and throw it in the oven right before dinner. This skillet pumpkin ricotta lasagna is a delicious, vegetarian option that even the hardened carnivores will approve!

For more Italian comfort food inspiration, check these recipes: duck ragu with paccheri pasta, butternut squash gnocchi, spaghetti and meatballs, turkey spinach lasagna.