Pumpkin season is in full swing, and this pumpkin pasta sauce makes a comforting meal out of the popular fall vegetable. The best part? This creamy sauce does without adding heavy cream or similar, making it naturally vegan.
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I’m not a fall and winter person regarding the temperatures. But I love all the produce the colder season has to offer. From fruits like apples and pears to vegetables like sweet potatoes and celery root, there is a bunch of delicious produce the season has to offer. But the fruit vegetable I’m most looking forward to when fall arrives is pumpkin. The orange and beautifully shaped vegetable is a mainstay in my kitchen, and I use it to make all kinds of dishes this time of the year.
I used fresh pumpkin in this recipe, not pumpkin puree. I like to use ingredients for my meals that are not processed and contain additives. Using raw vegetables and fruits is the best way to do so when cooking. Also, pumpkin puree is not common in Austria because it is not very known. My recipes always start with raw pumpkin, which is easier to prepare than you think. This pumpkin pasta sauce is easy to prepare and does without heavy cream or similar, making it naturally vegan.
Love to celebrate the season with more pumpkin dishes? Try this deliciously healthy herb roasted butternut squash and vegan pumpkin soup to reap all the benefits of the orange produce.
Ingredients
- Pumpkin – I used Hokkaido pumpkin for this pasta sauce, but I think it would also work with butternut squash. If using a different type of pumpkin, peel the skin before using it.
- Garlic – Leave the garlic cloves unpeeled when baking the pumpkin. They get soft and are delicious peeled afterwards when blended with pumpkin.
- Olive oil – I used extra-virgin olive oil to bake the pumpkin and to finish up the sauce in the pan.
- Pasta – To add more complex carbs to the dish, I used whole wheat pasta in this recipe. Low-carb pasta made of chickpeas, beans or lentils is also great to keep this dish healthy.
- Nutmeg – Freshly grind the nutmeg instead of using already ground one if possible. The flavour is so much better and goes so well with the pumpkin.
- Cayenne pepper (optional) – If you like it spicy, add some cayenne pepper to the dish.
Instructions
Preheat the oven to 200°C (400°F) and line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
Dice the pumpkin into bite-sized chunks and place them on a baking sheet with the garlic, leaving the skin on. Drizzle over one tablespoon of the olive oil and season with salt, pepper, nutmeg and cayenne pepper. Bake for 20 minutes until tender.
Take the pumpkin out of the oven and remove the skin from the garlic. Place everything into a tall container or jar and blend with an immersion blender until creamy. Add pasta water until you reach the desired consistency.
Meanwhile, cook the pasta according to the directions on the package. When you drain the pasta, keep some of the pasta water to use in the sauce later.
Heat one tablespoon olive oil at medium heat in a pan and add the blended pumpkin. Let simmer for 1-2 minutes and season with salt and pepper if needed.
Mix with the cooked pasta and serve.
Pasta Topping Ideas
This pasta in pumpkin sauce is delicious when eaten just like that but taken to the next level with some fresh and crunchy toppings. Here are some pasta topping ideas:
- Fresh herbs (e.g. sage, parsley)
- Grated parmesan
- Sliced mozzarella
- Crumbled feta cheese
- Roasted bacon bits
- Roasted Chorizo (spicy Spanish sausage)
- Chopped nuts (e.g. cashews)
Tips and substitutions
- Peeling is not necessary. When using Hokkaido pumpkin or butternut squash, save yourself some peeling. The skin is delicate enough to eat too.
- This pasta is naturally vegan. Because I don’t use heavy cream or a similar ingredient to reach creamy consistency, this recipe is naturally vegan. After blending, I add some of the reserved pasta water to get an ultra-creamy result.
- Cook the pasta accordingly. Don’t overcook the pasta. It will continue to cook when drained and tossed into the pasta sauce.
- Add some toppings. Herbs, cheese, nuts, and more make great additions before serving. Scroll up to get all the delicious pasta topping ideas.
Top Tip
Reserve some pasta water when draining the pasta. It is full of starch and perfects the blended pumpkin to reach the desired consistency.
Recipe FAQs
Yes, try this pumpkin sauce with butternut squash or other types of pumpkin. When you use a different pumpkin variety, peel the skin before using it, as not every pumpkin skin is thin and eatable.
I haven’t tried it, but I think this recipe would also work with pumpkin puree. If using pumpkin puree, skip the steps on preparing the pumpkin, cook the puree in the pan, season and add the pasta.
Yes, this creamy pumpkin pasta sauce does without dairy, which makes it naturally vegan.
This recipe is ideal for meal prep. Store it in an airtight container and keep it in the fridge for up to 5 days. Or freeze it for up to 3 months.
Preheat the pumpkin pasta in the microwave for 1-3 minutes until hot. Add a bit of water to the pasta before reheating to keep it creamy.
Pumpkin Pasta Sauce
Ingredients
- 300 g hokkaido pumpkin (2 ½ cups diced)
- 2 garlic cloves
- 2 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
- 200 g whole wheat pasta (7 oz)
- ⅛ tablespoon ground nutmeg
- ⅛ cayenne pepper
- salt and pepper to taste
Topping ideas (optional):
- Fresh herbs (e.g. sage, parsley)
- Grated parmesan
- Sliced mozzarella
- Crumbled feta cheese
- Roasted bacon bits
- Roasted Chorizo (spicy Spanish sausage)
- Chopped nuts (e.g. cashews)
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 200°C (400°F) and line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
- Dice the pumpkin into bite-sized chunks and place them on a baking sheet with the garlic, leaving the skin on. Drizzle over one tablespoon of the olive oil and season with salt, pepper, nutmeg and cayenne pepper. Bake for 20 minutes until tender.
- Meanwhile, cook the pasta according to the directions on the package. When the pasta is cooked keep some of the pasta water to use in the sauce later.
- Take the pumpkin out of the oven and remove the skin from the garlic. Place everything into a tall container or jar and blend with an immersion blender until creamy. Add pasta water until you reach the desired consistency.
- In a pan, heat one tablespoon olive oil on medium heat and add the blended pumpkin. Let simmer for 1-2 minutes and season with salt and pepper if needed. If the sauce is too thick, add more pasta water.
- Mix with the cooked pasta and serve with the toppings of your choice.
Notes
- When using Hokkaido pumpkin or butternut squash, save yourself some peeling. The skin is delicate enough to eat too.
- Because I don’t use heavy cream or a similar ingredient to reach creamy consistency, this recipe is naturally vegan. After blending, I add some of the reserved pasta water to get an ultra-creamy result.
- Don’t overcook the pasta. It will continue to cook when drained and tossed into the pasta sauce.
Nutrition
Nutritional values are estimates only calculated with the recipe calorie and nutrition calculator provided by verywellfit.com. The author of this website is not a nutritionist nor a doctor. All nutritional data provided in the recipes and correspondent blog posts are for informational purposes only. Do not use the information as nutritional or medical advice.
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