Pumpkin Carbonara Lasagna with Pancetta is one of my new favorite recipes! It's creamy, delicious, perfect for Fall. This lasagna is layered with a smoked gouda, ricotta, parmesan cheese, chili pepper paste mixture, spinach, and a yummy eggplant, mushroom, and onion layer that's too delicious to describe! The creamy carbonara sauce is full of more cheesy parmesan, pancetta, pumpkin puree, and tomato paste for added flavor! These flavors come together to make this a recipe that you will never forget! (Of note: Thank you, Amore, for sponsoring this post. All opinions are my own!)
This lasagna is unlike any other lasagna you've ever had. I can guarantee it. This is not your traditional lasagna but is a lovely take on the classic Italian recipe. I developed this recipe using tomato paste for the Pumpkin Carbonara Sauce and chili pepper paste in the cheesy layer of the lasagna. These pastes truly elevated the recipe and added a distinct flavor unlike any I've ever experienced.
The best Pumpkin Lasagna!
Amore specializes in providing authentic Italian flavors in the form of cooking pastes, legumes, as well as other Italian Specialties. The ingredients used in the production of these products are all made from fresh Italian ingredients from research done in Italy by the company's founder back in 1978 - which is what I love most about using these products.
Another things that I love about these pastes are how easy and convenient they are to use! Whenever I use the 8 oz cans of tomato paste, a lot of it ends up going to waste because the container isn't resealable. However, cooking pastes allow you to use whatever amount you need and store the rest for a future recipe. MAJOR WIN!
So, I turned 30 back in August this year! If you follow me on Instagram, you know that I was supposed to go to Italy! It's been my dream destination for years now! We planned on taking a 2 week vacation and do a tour of the country. I was so excited to visit the countryside in Florence, swim in the crystal clear waters in Capri, and experience the hustle and bustle of Rome! However, I was most excited to try authentic Italian cuisine!
Sadly, because of our current climate, we weren't able to go. However, cooking with these authentic Italian flavors truly made me feel like I was in Italy.
Pumpkin Carbonara Lasagna with Pancetta - let's cook!
Pumpkin Carbonara Lasagna with Pancetta is a dish that you will LOVE and will be making for years to come. At the first taste, I was blown away by how beautifully all of the flavors compliment each other.
Okay, let's make this recipe!
Start by prepping all of the ingredients! Chop up the garlic, onions, mushrooms, and eggplant, cut up the pancetta and assemble all of the cheeses and ingredients used for this recipe. Doing this makes it easier to build the lasagna.
Combine the garlic, onions, mushrooms, and eggplant in a large bowl. Season with salt and pepper, red pepper flakes, and fresh oregano leaves. Heat a large cast iron skillet with olive oil and add veggies. Cook until veggies have softened. Remove from the heat and allow to cool.
Heat a pot over medium heat and add pancetta and allow the fat to render. Cook until crispy then remove from the heat. Add Amore Tomato Paste, pumpkin puree, parmesan cheese, smoked paprika, salt, and pepper. Whisk together and add egg yolks and stir constantly for about 4-5 minutes so that the eggs don't cook.
Lastly! (almost there) Combine ricotta cheese, parmesan cheese, smoked gouda, and chili pepper paste. Now it's time to put everything together!
Lightly coat pumpkin carbonara sauce on the bottom of a 9x13 baking pan. Lay down the lasagna noodles, then the eggplant veggie mixture, the cheesy mixture, then more of the pumpkin carbonara sauce. Repeat this again - lasagna noodles, eggplant veggie mixture, cheesy mixture, then pumpkin carbonara sauce.
Sprinkle more parmesan cheese and sliced mozzarella on top and bake for 50 minutes. (25 minutes covered with aluminum foil and 25 minutes without).
... here's the hard part...
Let the lasagna cool for at least 30 minutes. Trust me. It's worth it. SO worth it. You'll have beautifully set lasagna that will make your tastebuds scream with joy.
Be sure to head to Amore's website and check out their products! CLICK HERE! Also, if you make this recipe, be sure to tag me!
Pumpkin Carbonara Lasagna with Pancetta
Ingredients
- 1 eggplant, cubed
- 15 cremini mushrooms, sliced
- 1 onion, sliced
- 2 tbsps fresh oregano leaves, diced
- 1 tbsp red pepper flakes
- 6 cloves garlic
- ¼ cup olive oil
- 3 cups Ricotta
- 2 cups Parmesan
- 2 cups Smoked Gouda Cheese
- salt and pepper, as desired
- 3 cups Spinach
- 8-10 sheets lasagna noodles
- 4-6 slices mozzarella
Pumpkin Carbonara Sauce
- 32 oz can pumpkin puree
- 8 slices pancetta or thick cut bacon
- 4 egg yolks
- 1 cup Parmesan cheese
- 1 cup heavy cream
- 1 tsp smoked paprika
- ka salt and pepper
Directions
- Begin by cutting the eggplant into cubes and roughly slicing mushrooms and a red onion. Dice garlic cloves. Add everything to a large bowl and toss in diced fresh oregano leaves, red pepper flakes, and salt and pepper to taste. Add olive oil to a large skillet over medium heat and sauté veggies in a large skillet until veggies become soft, about 15 minutes. Remove from heat and set aside to cool.
- Roughly chop 8 slices of pancetta or thick cut bacon. Add to a large pot over medium low heat and allow fat to render and pancetta to become crispy. Remove from heat and add pumpkin puree, parmesan cheese, heavy cream and smoked paprika. Add in egg yolks and whisk sauce for about 5 minutes to prevent eggs from cooking. Add salt and pepper as desired.
- To make the cheesy layer, add ricotta, parmesan cheese, smoked gouda cheese, and to a bowl and mix together.
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
- Time to layer the lasagna! Add a light layer of sauce to the bottom of a 9x13 baking pan. Place lasagna noodles to fit the pan (I used 3 lengthwise and a half sheet horizontally). Pour eggplant mixture on top of noodles, then spread the cheesy mixture on top. Add spinach on top of cheesy layer and then repeat - pumpkin carbonara sauce, noodles, eggplant, cheese layer, spinach. For the last layer, add pumpkin carbonara sauce to cover completely. Add shredded parmesan and sliced mozzarella.
- Cover with aluminum foil and bake for 25 minutes. Remove aluminum foil and continue to bake for an additional 25 minutes.
- Allow to cool for AT LEAST 30 minutes.
Best ever!! Keep it coming
So different and so good! The pumpkin and carbonara sauce came so well together and I need not mention that pasta takes everything to a new level. Love it so much.
I always have this tomato paste on-hand. It was the perfect addition to your lasagna recipe. Wholly smokes it was delicious! The family gobbled it up, and have asked me to make it again!
The addition of pumpkin in this is inspired. I love the sweet and savory combo. And it had an amazingly good outcome!
When I first saw this recipe, I was like "sign me up!" It did not disappoint! It was luscious and dreamy. My family and I thoroughly enjoyed this lasagna. Such a nice play on cabonara and lasagna.
I normally stick to the same recipe for lasagna but ventured out with this one and am so glad I did. It's delicious! And my family basically demanded more.
Looks amazing, tastes amazing! Amore is one of our favorite brands to use, so much flavor. This is the perfect weeknight dish and my kids love it. We used homemade thick cut bacon, and let me tell you, this dish is it! So good....
I knew I had to try this lasagna recipe -- the ingredients just scream FLAVOR! And that pumpkin carbonara sauce is so mouthwatering. This dish is definitely a showstopper!
I love making savory pumpkin dishes and this one was a great addition to my recipe box. The salty pancetta is a genius addition.
This recipe is absolutely delicious!! It was flavourful, so warming and perfect for the fall season! I will definitely be making this again, just mouthwatering!