The pumpkin parmigiana is a delicious autumnal twist on the classic parmigiana, with a soft consistency and a cheesy heart. Layers of sliced pumpkin seasoned with cooked ham, diced mozzarella, chopped rosemary and basil, and grated Parmesan create a very tasty and appetizing main dish. The beauty of this parmigiana is that there’s no need to cook the pumpkin first by grilling, frying, or baking it. The secret is to slice the pumpkin thinly enough and assemble the parmigiana directly. The pumpkin will cook perfectly, becoming soft but not mushy, creating a harmony of taste with the other ingredients we use!
The preparation is very simple: slice a pumpkin thinly and create layers in an oiled and breadcrumb-sprinkled baking dish with pumpkin, cooked ham, diced mozzarella, chopped herbs, grated Parmesan, breadcrumbs, and oil. Continue with the layers until all ingredients are used and bake for about 30 minutes at 392°F (200°C).
A different way to enjoy pumpkin in autumn, which will surely win everyone over with its goodness and is a must to make and remake for its ease. Try it and let us know what you think!
Also discover:
- Difficulty: Very easy
- Cost: Economical
- Preparation time: 10 Minutes
- Portions: 4 People
- Cooking methods: Oven
- Cuisine: Italian
- Seasonality: Autumn, Winter
Ingredients to Make Pumpkin Parmigiana
- 1.8 lbs butternut squash
- 5 oz Prague cooked ham
- 9 oz mozzarella
- 3.5 oz grated Parmesan
- 3.5 oz breadcrumbs
- 1 sprig rosemary
- basil
- extra virgin olive oil
- 2 tbsps butter
- salt
Tools to Make Pumpkin Parmigiana
- 1 Peeler
- 1 Cutting board
- 1 Knife
- 1 Baking dish
- 1 Oven
How to Prepare Pumpkin Parmigiana
Start preparing the pumpkin parmigiana by peeling the pumpkin and removing its seeds. Slice it thinly.
Chop the rosemary and basil, dice the mozzarella, and cut the cooked ham into pieces.
Butter or oil a baking dish and sprinkle it with breadcrumbs.
Create a first layer with the pumpkin slices and salt them.
Distribute the mozzarella, ham, chopped herbs, grated Parmesan, breadcrumbs, and oil.
Continue in this way until all the ingredients are used up, creating about three layers of parmigiana. Finish with the remaining breadcrumbs, herbs, and Parmesan, and drizzle with oil.
Bake the pumpkin parmigiana in a preheated oven at 392°F (200°C) for about 30-35 minutes or until well browned.
Simo and Cicci Recommend
Store the pumpkin parmigiana in the fridge for a few days. You can also freeze it, defrosting it in the fridge and then continuing with the cooking in the oven or air fryer.
For air fryer cooking, it will take about 20 minutes, still at 392°F (200°C).
If you slice the pumpkin thicker, it’s preferable to grill or bake it for 15 minutes before assembling the parmigiana.
You can replace the cooked ham with prosciutto, speck, or mortadella. Instead of mozzarella, you can use smoked provola or another type of melting cheese.
For an even more autumnal variation, you can add porcini mushrooms or sautéed champignons to the filling.
