Ground Turkey & Pumpkin Lasagna

Note: You can substitute the ground turkey for chopped kale or sautéed vegetables to make this recipe vegetarian

Ingredients:

2 large cloves garlic, minced
1 package ground turkey (16 oz)
1 large can of pumpkin puree (about 28 oz)
1 large can crushed tomatoes (about 28 oz)
1 can tomato paste (6 oz)
3 tbsp fresh oregano, finely chopped
3 tbsp fresh rosemary, finely chopped
10 sage leaves, 4 finely chopped, the rest left for garnish
1 package no-boil lasagna noodles
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon nutmeg
2 cups heavy cream
1 container whole milk ricotta cheese (about 15 oz)
1 egg
3 cups shredded gouda cheese
1 cup parmesan cheese, grated
1 package no-boil lasagna noodles
Olive oil
Salt & pepper

Directions:

Preheat oven to 375 degrees F. In a large pot or Dutch oven on medium heat, add a tablespoon of olive oil and minced garlic. Stir until the garlic is fragrant. Add ground turkey and stir until fully cooked through. Add pumpkin puree, crushed tomatoes, tomato paste, herbs and spices. Mix well. Once sauce starts to boil, reduce heat to medium low and cover. Cook down for about 8 minutes. While sauce is cooking, in a medium bowl combine the ricotta and egg. Mix well.

After the 8 minutes, stir the heavy cream into the sauce and season with salt & pepper to taste. Turn off heat and set sauce aside. In a large casserole dish or lasagna pan, start assembling the lasagna. Start with a layer of sauce mixture at the bottom, then add a layer of no-boil noodles, a layer of ricotta mixture, a layer of gouda, parmesan and then top with more sauce. Repeat this process until all of the ingredients are used. Make sure to leave enough sauce and gouda for the top layer.

Cover the dish with foil and place in the oven (on top of a large cookie sheet to prevent spills). Bake for 30 minutes. Uncover the lasagna and sprinkle with remaining sage leaves. Then bake uncovered for another 15 minutes until the top layer of cheese is slightly browned and the sage is crispy. Remove lasagna from the oven and let rest for 10 minutes before serving.

Note: You can also prepare this dish ahead of time. Before the baking steps, refrigerate for up to 3 days. Make sure to let the lasagna rest on the counter for 30-45 minutes before placing in the oven so that it gets closer to room temperature. Then bake as directed. Enjoy!