Pumpkin lasagne recipe

Our hearty pumpkin lasagne is gluten-free and has just 444 calories per portion.

Swapping pasta for thin slices of pumpkin is a delicious and easy way to make the classic lasagne a little healthier. Our recipe still uses beef mince but if you'd like to make it vegetarian, swap for lentils or a meat substitute.

Ingredients

• 1tbsp olive oil
• 2 onion, finely diced
• 3-4 carrots, finely diced
• 4 sticks of celery, finely diced
• 2 cloves garlic, sliced
• 2tsp dried oregano, plus extra for the top
• 2x 400g packs 5% fat beef mince
• 800g jar passata
• 1/4tsp Worcestershire sauce
• 3 anchovies, chopped optional
• 60g 30% less fat halloumi
• 1 pumpkin approx 600g, peeled, seeds removed and sliced 5mm thick
• Fresh oregano, optional

For the béchamel

• 15g butter
• 2tsp Dijon mustard (most are naturally gluten-free)
• 20g cornflour
• 400ml semi-skimmed milk

Method

1. Heat the oil in a casserole dish. Add the onions and cook until soft. Mix in the carrots, celery, garlic and dried oregano. Sweat for 10 mins with the lid on.
2. Turn up the heat and mix in the mince. Once browned and combined, add the passata, Worcester sauce and anchovy. Simmer quietly for 20 mins with the lid off, stirring occasionally. Taste, season if necessary. Heat the oven to 200/Gas 6.
3. To make the béchamel melt the butter in a pan. Off the heat mix in the mustard and cornflour with a splash of the milk to form a smooth paste. Return to a medium heat. While whisking incorporate the milk a little at a time. Bring to the boil while mixing to create a smooth thick sauce.
4. Assemble the lasagne in a baking dish. Start with a third each of the ragu, pumpkin, then béchamel. Arrange the pumpkin so it evenly covers the ragu without overlapping. Repeat twice.
5. Crumble the halloumi on top and sprinkle with dried oregano. Cook for 45 mins, until the pumpkin is tender. Cover with foil if the cheese starts to brown too much.

Top tips for making pumpkin lasagne:

Use a sharp knife or mandolin to get thin slices of pumpkin. If pumpkins are no longer in season, you can use sweet potato or butternut squash instead. When preparing your pumpkin, don't throw away the seeds. They can be transformed into delicious snack. Read our guide on how to cook pumpkin seeds.

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