Roasted pumpkin pasta
This pumpkin pasta recipe is a fall and winter favorite. The creamy pumpkin pasta sauce is made with roasted pumpkins. Enjoy this pumpkin pasta for a weeknight or weekend family dinner party or even for Halloween and Thanksgiving. Don’t miss our vegan butternut squash pasta and award-winning cranberry pesto pasta.
Ingredients
Pasta: You can use any pasta you like. Macaroni, rigatoni, penne, spaghetti—anything will work. Oil: Use olive oil, coconut oil, or even butter. Onion and garlic: Give the best flavor to your pasta. Seasoning: Pasta seasoning and red pepper flakes. Add fresh or dried rosemary if desired. Cream: gives pumpkin sauce a rich and creamy flavor. Pumpkin: Use homemade roasted pumpkin puree. You can also use canned pumpkin puree, but make sure you season it to taste with garlic powder, red pepper, and pasta seasoning. Parmesan cheese: Good quality cheese. Check the recipe card for the full list of the ingredients.
Step-by-step instructions
Puree the homemade roasted pumpkin with little water, or season the canned pumpkin puree. Cook the pasta in salted boiling water according to the package instructions. Drain and set aside. If possible, reserve the pasta water. Heat oil in a pan. Add onion and garlic and cook until the onion becomes light golden, 6 to 7 minutes, on a medium flame. Add the chile flakes, Italian pasta seasoning, and rosemary, and saute for a few seconds.
Add pumpkin puree, cream, and reserved pasta water. Stir and let the sauce simmer for 5 to 8 minutes so the flavors meld together. At this stage, taste and adjust the salt and seasoning. Add the cooked pasta and toss until combined and heated through. Add the parmesan cheese and mix. Serve and enjoy.
Tips
If using canned puree, season it as per your taste with red pepper flakes, pasta seasoning, garlic powder, and salt. You can even add a pinch of nutmeg for the best flavors in the recipe. Add fresh or dried herbs like thyme, rosemary, or basil for additional flavor. Add sausage, chicken, chickpeas, canned beans, or some spinach to make it protein-rich. For additional crunch, feel free to add pecans, walnuts, etc. To make pumpkin pasta vegan, use coconut milk instead of cream. If you are not a fan of pumpkin, make this pasta with butternut squash puree or sweet potato puree.
Serving suggestions
Serve it with a simple salad or bread toast for a complete meal. Also, try it with roasted Brussels sprouts, green beans almondine for a Thanksgiving dinner. Other favorite sides with pumpkin pasta include dinner rolls, garlic knots, and garlic parmesan bread twists.
Storage suggestions
Once cooled, leftover pasta can be stored in the refrigerator for 4 to 5 days. Reheat in the microwave or on the stovetop in a skillet. If the pasta becomes too thick, reheat it with a splash of water or cream.
More fall meal ideas
Recipe card
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