How does layers of Creamy Pumpkin and Swiss Chard Lasagna as a midweek dinner sound to you? Easy and quick to put together and bake, it really cannot get better than that. This dish has really become quite a favourite in my home....well of course it has, it has cheese in it.? Lots of gooey, melty cheese, what's not to love, right!
These two vegetables pair really well in this dish. The beautiful warm sweet orange colour and flavour of the butternut goes so perfectly with the bright green iron rich spinach. It is really makes an impressive meal, both attractive and delicious.
So, how is it made?
Really simple... the pumpkin is cut up into large cubes and steamed until almost cooked but not mushy. While the pumpkin is steaming, I fry the chopped onions and garlic in a little oil until soft and translucent. To take away that bitter taste of the swiss chard, I usually chop it up really fine and cook it up a bit with the onions. Then make up a bechamel sauce by making up a roux ( a fancy way of saying that flour and butter is cooked together to help thicken the bechamel sauce) ?Okay, fine it is not fancy, it is the real term to describe the process.
By the time the sauce is thickened, the onion spinach mixture and the butternut should also be cooked. Remove it from the heat and now take your onion swiss chard mixture and the cooked pumpkin and add it all to the cooked bechamel sauce. Stir gently to incorporate altogether. Just be careful not to break the butternut up too much while stirring.
Layering the Lasagna
Just spread on of the bechamel sauce mixture on a lightly buttered oven proof dish. Place a layer of lasagna sheets, add another layer of the sauce mixture. Grate over whatever cheese you like or prefer, here I used an equal mixture of cheddar and mozzarella. Then place another layer of lasagna sheets over the grated cheese , and continue in this manner for about 3 layers until you end off with a layer of sheets, and then top with a thick layer of the bechamel sauce mixture and more grated cheese. Sprinkle freshly ground black pepper. Cover the lasagna with foil and bake for 20 minutes. remove the foil and bake for a further 10 minutes until the cheese is melted and golden brown.
Just so you know, you can substitute
- Swiss chard can be substituted for kale or baby spinach
- Butternut will make a great substitute for pumpkin.
- To add a different flavour to the bechamel sauce and also help it thicken faster, try adding in a packet of powdered pasta sauce. I sometimes use the Knorr four cheese pasta sauce to my pasta dishes, it is really convenient.
I hope you enjoy and love this lasagna as much as we do....an Oh, just a warning, if you have a lasagna/pasta loving family like mine, then don't plan on taking this for lunch the next day because.....THERE WON'T BE ANY LEFTOVERS!!!?
Enjoy ♥
Creamy Pumpkin and Swiss Chard Lasagna
Ingredients
- lasagna sheets
- 5 ml oil
- 20 ml butter
- 3 garlic cloves finely chopped
- 1 large onion finely chopped
- Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
- 300 g finely chopped swiss chard
- 500 g pumpkin peeled, de seeded and cut into slices
- BECHAMEL SAUCE
- 3 cups milk
- 5 tablespoons flour
- 4 tablespoons butter
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon pepper
- 500 ml grated cheddar cheese or mozzarella or both
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 180°C.
- Heat the oil in a pan and fry the garlic, onion, salt and pepper until the onion becomes translucent. Add in the chopped swiss chard. Cook for 10 minutes.
- Steam the slices of butternut for five minutes until slightly tender, but not mushy.
- BECHAMEL SAUCE
- Melt the butter and add the flour, stirring constantly to combine and letting the mixture cook, while stirring, for a minute or two. Gradually add in the milk, whisking constantly.
- Add the salt and pepper.
- Slowly whisk the white sauce, ensuring it doesn’t burn on the bottom of the pan, while cooking it over medium heat
- Whisk while the white sauce cooks and thickens quite a bit, about 5-7 minutes.
- Remove it from the heat and now take your onion swiss chard mixture and the cooked pumpkin and add it all to the cooked bechamel sauce. Stir gently to incorporate altogether. Just be careful not to break the butternut up too much while stirring.
- LAYERING THE LASAGNA
- On a lighly buttered oven proof dish, just spread on of the bechamel sauce mixture. Place a layer of lasagne sheets, add another layer of the sauce mixture.
- Grate cheese over this layer.
- Then place another layer of lasagna sheets over the grated cheese , and continue in this manner for about 3 layers until you end off with a layer of sheets, and then top with a thick layer of the bechamel sauce mixture and more grated cheese. Sprinkle freshly ground black pepper. Cover the lasagna with foil and bake for 20 minutes. remove the foil and bake for a further 10 minutes until the cheese is melted and golden brown.
Notes
Butternut will make a great substitute for pumpkin.
To add a different flavour to the bechamel sauce and also help it thicken faster, try adding in a packet of powdered sauce. I sometimes use the Knorr four cheese pasta sauce to my pasta dishes, it is really convenient.
Angie@Angie's Recipes says
wow that looks to die for...my mouth is watering terribly..I can eat pumpkin all year round and Swiss chard is another favourite. A perfect comfort treat for me.
The Gardening Foodie says
Thank you Angie,this has really become a favourite in our home. I am sure that yo will love this combo.
Have a great week!?
Patrick@looneyforfood.com says
This sounds incredible! So rich and great combo! I can almost taste the melts cheese
The Gardening Foodie says
Thanks Patrick, I am glad you like the recipe.It really makes a great combo for dinner.
Hope you are having a great week.?
Kelsie | the itsy-bitsy kitchen says
This sounds awesome, Ashika! Spinach lasagna is one of my favorite meals and I love this twist on it! I know I'll be trying this when fall rolls around and I can find pumpkin :). Seriously, anything topped with that much cheese is right up my alley. Happy Wednesday, my dear!
The Gardening Foodie says
Awww, thanks Kelsie,this is really an amazing combo, you will love it!
I know what you mean...cheese really is a magical ingredient.?
Happy Wednesday to you too, and enjoy the rest of your week!
Dawn- Girl Heart Food says
I've made pumpkin mac n cheese before with kale and it was fabulous so I know that this is going to be super yummy!! And you really can't go wrong with lots of cheese, can ya? Love comfort food like this - my favourite!!
The Gardening Foodie says
Oh Wow that is a great idea,pumpkin mac n cheese with kale. I have got to try that out as well. It really is amazing how these ingredients go together!!!
Have a wonderful Wednesday ?
Kelly @ Kelly Lynns Sweets and Treats says
I love this! Veggies are my favorite so I love how you incorporated them in this dish. Plus lasagna is always a yummy dinner! Xoxo
The Gardening Foodie says
Thanks Kelly, Lasagna is such a versatile dish to work with and these veggies together really make a tasty lasagna.?
neil@neilshealthymeals.com says
Creamy pumpkin and Swiss chard lasagna sounds absolutely wonderful to me Ashika!
When can you come over to me in Scotland to make it? 🙂
I love this and I love all that yummy cheese you've got on top. The perfect combo!
Hope you have a great weekend and thanks for this fantastic recipe!
The Gardening Foodie says
Haha? no problem at all just send over the plane tickets for a family of four and I will make every recipe on the blog for you and Lynne.?
You definitely cannot go wrong with lots of cheese on this lasagna.
A great weekend to you as well?
Maria @ kitchenathoskins says
I always feel lasagna is not a healthy option for weeknight dinner. But, with butter nut squash and swiss chard, I would happily serve this to my kiddos. Have a fab weekend Ashika:)
The Gardening Foodie says
Thank you Maria, I am sure the kids will love it.
Have a great weekend as well?
heather (delicious not gorgeous) says
this sounds so good!! it's a little warm in the us right now for this, but you can bet that as soon as the squash comes back in season in a couple months, i'll be making this (:
The Gardening Foodie says
Thanks Heather, this is a really great way to use squash...I am sure that you will love it.
Have a great Wednesday?