Estimated reading time: 9 minutes

This turkey pumpkin lasagna turns leftover Thanksgiving turkey and pumpkin purée into a completely different dinner. The recipe was contributed to Canadian Budget Binder by CBB reader Nicola Don.

Pumpkin may sound unusual in lasagna, but in a savoury tomato sauce it adds body, moisture and a mild sweetness that works well with turkey, sweet potato and basil.

Nicola’s original recipe also includes homemade lasagna sheets and a creamy white sauce. If you want to save time, store-bought lasagna sheets can be used instead.

Turkey Pumpkin Lasagna Made From Holiday Leftovers

Thanksgiving leftovers do not have to become the same reheated dinner for several days. Turkey can be turned into soup, pot pie, chili, sandwiches or a completely new pasta dish like this one.

If you need more ideas after the holiday, see our Leftover Turkey Meals To Save Time And Money.

This lasagna also puts leftover pumpkin purée to work instead of letting an opened can sit forgotten in the refrigerator.

Why Pumpkin Works In Savoury Lasagna

Pumpkin is mild enough to disappear into a savoury sauce while giving it a thicker, smoother texture. The diced tomatoes keep the sauce tangy, and the turkey and sweet potato make the lasagna hearty.

This is not a sweet pumpkin dish. The pumpkin is simply another vegetable in the sauce, much like squash in other fall pasta recipes.

Homemade Lasagna Noodles Or Store-Bought

Nicola included homemade lasagna noodles in her original recipe. If you already own a pasta machine, this is a good recipe for putting it to use.

If you are short on time, use store-bought lasagna sheets and follow the package directions. The turkey-pumpkin filling and white sauce are still the heart of the recipe.

Turkey Pumpkin Lasagna Tips And FAQs

Can I Use Canned Pumpkin Purée?

Yes. Use plain 100% pumpkin purée, not pumpkin pie filling. Homemade pumpkin purée also works, but if it is very loose or watery, let some of the excess moisture drain before adding it to the sauce.

How Do I Keep Pumpkin Lasagna From Getting Watery?

Keep the turkey-pumpkin sauce thick rather than soupy. Mix the cornstarch with cold water before adding it, let the sauce simmer if it needs to reduce, and drain overly wet homemade pumpkin purée. After baking, let the lasagna rest for 10 to 15 minutes before slicing so the layers have time to settle.

Can I Make Turkey Pumpkin Lasagna Ahead?

You can assemble it ahead and refrigerate it before baking, but remember that the turkey is already a leftover. Health Canada recommends eating refrigerated leftovers within 2 to 3 days or freezing them for later use, so assembling a lasagna does not restart that clock. If the turkey is getting close to the end of that window, make and freeze the lasagna promptly instead of holding it another day in the refrigerator.

When reheating leftovers, Health Canada recommends heating them to 74°C (165°F). See Health Canada’s leftover food safety guidance.

What To Serve With Turkey Pumpkin Lasagna

This is already a filling main dish, so keep the sides simple. A green salad, steamed vegetables, roasted vegetables or a small piece of garlic bread all work well.

How To Make Turkey Pumpkin Lasagna

Printable version below

• Recipe Type: Lasagna
• Author: Nicola Don
• Prep time: 40 mins
• Cook time: 30 mins
• Total time: 1 hour 10 mins
• Serves: 6-8

This recipe combines cooked turkey, pumpkin purée, sweet potato, tomato sauce, fresh pasta and a creamy white sauce in a hearty baked lasagna.

Ingredients

• Turkey-Pumpkin Sauce
• 250 mL pumpkin purée
• 200 g cooked turkey, chopped
• 1 can (28 fl oz) diced tomatoes
• 1 cup turkey stock
• 1 onion, finely chopped
• 1 large sweet potato, cut into chunks
• 1 handful fresh basil
• 1 teaspoon cornstarch
• Cooking oil, for frying
• Salt and pepper, to taste
• 1 teaspoon brown sugar, optional if the tomato sauce tastes too acidic
• Fresh Pasta
• 2 cups plain or strong flour
• 4 eggs
• Pinch of salt
• Water, as needed
• White Sauce And Topping
• 1 cup flour
• 1 tablespoon butter
• 2 cups milk, plus more if needed
• Shredded mozzarella or Swiss cheese, to taste

Instructions

1. Preheat the oven to 220°C (428°F).
2. For the turkey-pumpkin sauce, finely chop the onion and cut the sweet potato into chunks. Add a little cooking oil to a large pan and cook both until they begin to soften.
3. Cut the cooked turkey into bite-sized pieces, add it to the pan and stir to combine.
4. Add the diced tomatoes and pumpkin purée. Stir well.
5. Mix the cornstarch with a small amount of cold water until smooth, then stir it into the sauce. Season with salt and pepper and reduce the heat to a simmer.
6. For the fresh pasta, sift the flour into a bowl and make a well in the centre.
7. Crack the eggs into a separate bowl, then add them to the flour.
8. Mix with a wooden spoon or your hands until a dough begins to form. Add a little water only as needed to bring the dough together.
9. Transfer the dough to a lightly floured surface and knead until smooth, adding small amounts of flour or water only if needed.
10. Set the pasta machine to its widest setting. Divide the dough into manageable pieces and pass each piece through the rollers.
11. Fold the dough in half and pass it through again 6 to 8 times, dusting lightly with flour if it becomes sticky.
12. Continue passing the dough through progressively narrower settings until it reaches the thickness you prefer. Nicola used setting five.
13. Cut the pasta sheets to fit your lasagna dish and lay them flat until ready to assemble.
14. Taste the turkey-pumpkin sauce and adjust the seasoning. If the tomatoes taste too acidic, add the optional brown sugar.
15. For the white sauce, place 1 cup of the milk and the butter in a large microwave-safe measuring jug. Heat for about 2 minutes, or until the butter has melted.
16. Gradually stir in the flour. Microwave for another minute, stir well, then add the remaining milk in stages.
17. Continue heating and stirring in 1-minute intervals until the sauce is smooth. Add a little more milk if needed to reach a pourable consistency.
18. Spoon a layer of turkey-pumpkin sauce into the bottom of the baking dish and cover with pasta sheets.
19. Repeat the sauce and pasta layers until the dish is filled.
20. Spread the white sauce over the top and finish with shredded mozzarella or Swiss cheese.
21. Bake for about 30 minutes, until the lasagna is hot throughout and the top is golden brown. Let it rest for 10 to 15 minutes before slicing.

Continue to Content

Yield: 6-8

Turkey Pumpkin Lasagna

Prep Time: 40 minutes

Cook Time: 30 minutes

Total Time: 1 hour 10 minutes

Turn leftover turkey and pumpkin puree into a savoury turkey pumpkin lasagna with sweet potato, tomato sauce, homemade pasta and creamy white sauce.

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Ingredients

Turkey-Pumpkin Sauce

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• 250 mL pumpkin purée
• 200 g cooked turkey, chopped
• 1 can (28 fl oz) diced tomatoes
• 1 cup turkey stock
• 1 onion, finely chopped
• 1 large sweet potato, cut into chunks
• 1 handful fresh basil
• 1 teaspoon cornstarch
• Cooking oil, for frying
• Salt and pepper, to taste
• 1 teaspoon brown sugar, optional if the tomato sauce tastes too acidic

Fresh Pasta

Toggle ingredient group

• 2 cups plain or strong flour
• 4 eggs
• Pinch of salt
• Water, as needed

White Sauce And Topping

Toggle ingredient group

• 1 cup flour
• 1 tablespoon butter
• 2 cups milk, plus more if needed
• Shredded mozzarella or Swiss cheese, to taste

Instructions

1. Preheat the oven to 220°C (428°F).
2. For the turkey-pumpkin sauce, finely chop the onion and cut the sweet potato into chunks. Add a little cooking oil to a large pan and cook both until they begin to soften.
3. Cut the cooked turkey into bite-sized pieces, add it to the pan and stir to combine.
4. Add the diced tomatoes and pumpkin purée. Stir well.
5. Mix the cornstarch with a small amount of cold water until smooth, then stir it into the sauce. Season with salt and pepper and reduce the heat to a simmer.
6. For the fresh pasta, sift the flour into a bowl and make a well in the centre.
7. Crack the eggs into a separate bowl, then add them to the flour.
8. Mix with a wooden spoon or your hands until a dough begins to form. Add a little water only as needed to bring the dough together.
9. Transfer the dough to a lightly floured surface and knead until smooth, adding small amounts of flour or water only if needed.
10. Set the pasta machine to its widest setting. Divide the dough into manageable pieces and pass each piece through the rollers.
11. Fold the dough in half and pass it through again 6 to 8 times, dusting lightly with flour if it becomes sticky.
12. Continue passing the dough through progressively narrower settings until it reaches the thickness you prefer. Nicola used setting five.
13. Cut the pasta sheets to fit your lasagna dish and lay them flat until ready to assemble.
14. Taste the turkey-pumpkin sauce and adjust the seasoning. If the tomatoes taste too acidic, add the optional brown sugar.
15. For the white sauce, place 1 cup of the milk and the butter in a large microwave-safe measuring jug. Heat for about 2 minutes, or until the butter has melted.
16. Gradually stir in the flour. Microwave for another minute, stir well, then add the remaining milk in stages.
17. Continue heating and stirring in 1-minute intervals until the sauce is smooth. Add a little more milk if needed to reach a pourable consistency.
18. Spoon a layer of turkey-pumpkin sauce into the bottom of the baking dish and cover with pasta sheets.
19. Repeat the sauce and pasta layers until the dish is filled.
20. Spread the white sauce over the top and finish with shredded mozzarella or Swiss cheese.
21. Bake for about 30 minutes, until the lasagna is hot throughout and the top is golden brown.
22. Let the lasagna rest for 10 to 15 minutes before slicing.

Notes

This recipe was contributed to Canadian Budget Binder by CBB reader Nicola Don.

Use plain 100% pumpkin purée, not pumpkin pie filling. If homemade pumpkin purée is very watery, drain some of the excess moisture before adding it to the sauce.

Store-bought lasagna sheets can be used instead of making fresh pasta if you want to save time.

The original recipe adds brown sugar only if the tomato sauce tastes too acidic. Add it to taste rather than automatically.

The amount of milk needed for the white sauce can vary slightly depending on the flour, so add a little extra if the sauce becomes too thick.

Did you make this recipe?

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Storing And Reheating Turkey Pumpkin Lasagna

Once cooled, cover leftover lasagna and refrigerate it. Individual portions are convenient for lunches and make it easier to reheat only what you need.

Lasagna also freezes well in portions. Wrap or cover it well before freezing, then thaw and reheat until hot throughout.

Recipe contribution: This Turkey Pumpkin Lasagna was contributed by CBB reader Nicola Don. We have preserved her original ingredients and method while cleaning up the instructions for easier reading.

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