Creamy pasta in pumpkin sauce recipe. A delicious and easy pasta recipe with creamy pumpkin sauce. A really good vegan creamy pumpkin pasta without cheese. Go ahead and make this pasta in pumpkin sauce for a cozy winter dinner, great for parties too! Here is how to make best creamy pumpkin pasta recipe.
Comforting & Creamy Pumpkin Pasta!
Creamy pumpkin pasta is our latest favorite at home. Ever since I tried this super delicious spinach pasta, I wanted to make one with pumpkin sauce. Finally I first made some last month and I have already made it twice again since then 🙂 It is too good, seriously.
My kid is a big fan of white sauce pasta but this creamy pumpkin pasta is a pretty delicious makeover to your white sauce. Pumpkin along with milk makes an incredibly smooth sauce with slightest ever hint of sweetness, perfect!
Also talk about easy dinners, this pumpkin pasta gets ready in flat 20 minutes, from the scratch I mean. You can make the sauce ready by the time you boil a pot of water and cook your pasta.
All you have to do is saute some peeled pumpkin chunks along with onion, blend with milk, add cooked pasta and season. As easy as that and there you have the best ever creamy pasta in pumpkin sauce.
For cooking pumpkin you can saute them as I did or oven roast them or simply steam it. I prefer sauteing as it gets done quickly and you can side by side cook the pasta.
There are so many variations you can make with this versatile recipe. Here I have just some veggies along with pasta to make it more nutritious and vibrant.
You can serve this pasta in pumpkin sauce as dinner or lunch. Serve with a side salad like apple salad, avocado salad or beet salad and a small piece of baguette or pesto bread or garlic bread.
Few other delicious pasta recipes that I make at home are masala pasta, pasta primavera, veg cheese pasta, paneer pasta etc.
This Pasta In Pumpkin Sauce Recipe Is
Quick, simple to make & easy
Takes 20 minutes from start to finish
low cal
vegan & includes gluten free option
Way way kid friendly
Rich, creamy, flavorful & delicious.
Ingredients For Pumpkin Sauce Pasta
As mentioned above you will need very few simple ingredients for this recipe. You will probably have these in your pantry now. You will need
Yellow Pumpkin– Nice and fresh chunks of yellow pumpkin to make the one of a kind pumpkin sauce. If fresh pumpkin is not a choice you can easily use pumpkin puree from the stores. Just make sure it is unsweetened and plain.
Onion & Tomato– Along with pumpkin I have also added some onions for flavor and tomatoes for color and tangy taste. Tough optional, I suggest you keep them both. Adding onions and tomatoes as well add volume to your sauce.
Almond Milk- Almond milk is used to make the pumpkin sauce creamy and rich. As we are not adding any cheese here I suggest you add almond milk. On the other hand if you want to make this sauce more rich go ahead and add some fresh cream or grated cheese or full fat milk.
Seasoning- The seasoning for this pasta is kept to minimum with salt, pepper and dried Italian herbs. You could easily change the seasoning and add paprika, crushed red pepper, nutmeg and white pepper for more delicate flavor.
Cooking Pumpkin For Pasta Sauce
As mentioned above you can cook pumpkin in multiple ways for this sauce. Here I have sauteed the pumpkin in olive oil along with minced ginger and garlic. You can also
- Oven roast the pumpkin– Roast peeled and cubed pumpkin in preheated oven along with cubed onions and minced garlic for 25-30 minutes at 200 C/ 400 F. Let cool and blend with milk.
- Steam– You can also simply steam cook the pumpkin until soft and then blend. This would be least preferred method though, as roasting or sauteing lends more flavor.
- ready made pumpkin puree-This is an easiest option when you want to make pasta in pumpkin sauce very quickly. Just add some milk to ready made unsweetened pumpkin puree and blend well. Season as required and your pumpkin sauce is ready.
How To Make Creamy Pumpkin Sauce Pasta
Cooking Pasta
Bring around 4 cups of water to a rolling boil. Add 1/2 teaspoon salt and mix well. You can also add few drops of olive oil.
Add picked and measured pasta and mix well.
Cook for about 8-12 minutes depending upon the quality of your pasta or package instructions timing. Cook until pasta is soft with a mild bite (al dente).
Drain excess water after reserving 1/4 cup for using later. Keep the cooked pasta covered until use.
Making Pumpkin Sauce
While the pasta is getting cooked we can make the sauce ready.
Peel and cut the pumpkin into chunks after removing the pith. Also cube the onions and mince the garlic cloves. You will need 1.5 cups cubed pumpkin, 1/2 cup cubed onions and 4-5 cloves of garlic minced.
Heat 1 tablespoon olive oil in a thick pan. Add the cut veggies and garlic.Saute well for 6-7 minutes. Now add cubed tomatoes and saute for another 6-7 minutes.
Remove to a blender jar and let cool for few minutes. Let the pan remain with the oil.
Add 1/2 cup almond milk to the blender jar over the cooled ingredients.
Blend well to a very smooth sauce. Set aside.
Making Pasta in Pumpkin Sauce
Heat the pan with oil we used for making sauce again. Add 1/4 teaspoon chili flakes and saute well.
Add chopped 1.5 cups veggies if using and saute well for 5-6 minutes.
Now add the prepared sauce. if you are not using vegetables you can directly add the pumpkin sauce to the heated oil. Mix well and cook for 3-4 minutes. Add the reserved 1/4 cup stock from cooking pasta, salt to taste and mix well. Simmer for 3-4 minutes.
Now add the cooked pasta and mix well. Add 1/2 teaspoon dried Italian herbs and 1/2 teaspoon pepper powder. Mix well and remove from flame.
Serve pumpkin sauce pasta hot or warm.
Tips To Make Pasta In Pumpkin Sauce
Type of pasta- You can use any variety of pasta in this recipe. I have used macaroni as I had it handy, moreover it is easier for kids to eat. You can even use penne or spaghetti in this recipe. Also to make this healthier you can use whole wheat pasta or any whole grain pasta.
While cooking pasta- Make to sure to add the pasta only after water reaches rolling boil. Also do not cook until the pasta becomes very soft. It should cooked yet there should be a mild bite, Reserve about 1/4 cup pasta cooked water to add in the sauce. This stock add amazing flavor and prevents the dish from getting dry.
Vegetables- I like sneak in veggies in pasta as it is my kid’s favorite dish. I add a mix of carrot, bell pepper and corn in almost all pasta recipes. While it is optional I recommend adding them. Veggies add a nice bite to the otherwise smooth pasta.
Cheese- You can add some cheese in the recipe to make it richer and creamier. This pumpkin sauce pasta is way rich and creamy without any cheese though. If you prefer to add cheese you can add some processed cheese while blending the sauce or add some grated parmesan just before serving. Here I have not added any.
Storage & Serving- While you can store the pumpkin sauce for 4-5 days in refrigerator, serve the prepared pasta immediately. It does keep well for long hours.
How To Make Gluten Free Pumpkin Pasta?
To make this recipe gluten free use
- gluten free pasta.
- If using cheese use vegan cheese.
What Goes Well With Pumpkin Sauce Pasta?
You can serve this pumpkin pasta as dinner or lunch with a piece of baguette. Add a side salad and some soup to make this is a lovely elegant meal. Serve with some light drinks like strawberry or water melon agua fresca and finish with an espresso.
More Pumpkin Recipes
I hope you will try this pasta in pumpkin sauce recipe and enjoy as much as we did. P
Pumpkin Sauce Pasta Recipe
Creamy Pasta In Pumpkin Sauce
1 CUP = 250 ml
Ingredients
For Pumpkin Sauce
- 1.5 cups peeled and cubed pumpkin
- 1/2 cup chopped onions
- 1 medium tomato, chopped
- 4 garlic cloves peeled and minced
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1/2 cup almond milk
For Pumpkin Sauce Pasta
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1.5 cups chopped mixed veggies carrots, boiled corn, beans
- 1.5 cups pasta cooked al dente
- 1/2 teaspoon chili flakes
- 1/2 teaspoon dried Italian herbs
- 1/2 teaspoon pepper powder
- salt to taste
Instructions
Cooking Pasta
- Bring around 4 cups of water to a rolling boil. Add 1/2 teaspoon salt and mix well. You can also add few drops of olive oil.
- Add picked and measured pasta and mix well.
- Cook for about 8-12 minutes depending upon the quality of your pasta or package instructions timing. Cook until pasta is soft with a mild bite (al dente)
- Drain excess water after reserving 1/4 cup for using later. Keep the cooked pasta covered until use.
Making Pumpkin Sauce
- While the pasta is getting cooked we can make the sauce ready.
- Peel and cut the pumpkin into chunks after removing the pith. Also cube the onions and mince the garlic cloves. You will need 1.5 cups cubed pumpkin, 1/2 cup cubed onions and 4-5 cloves of garlic minced.
- Heat 1 tablespoon olive oil in a thick pan. Add the cut veggies and garlic.Saute well for 6-7 minutes. Now add cubed tomatoes and saute for another 6-7 minutes.
- Remove to a blender jar and let cool for few minutes. Let the pan remain with the oil.
- Add 1/2 cup boiled and cooled milk to the blender jar over the cooled ingredients.
- Blend well to a very smooth sauce. Set aside.
Making Pasta in Pumpkin Sauce
- Heat the pan with oil we used for making sauce again. Add 1/4 teaspoon chili flakes and saute well.
- Add chopped 1.5 cups veggies if using and saute well for 5-6 minutes.
- Now add the prepared sauce. if you are not using vegetables you can directly add the pumpkin sauce to the heated oil. Mix well and cook for 3-4 minutes. Add the reserved 1/4 cup stock from cooking pasta, salt to taste and mix well. Simmer for 3-4 minutes.
- Now add the cooked pasta and mix well. Add 1/2 teaspoon dried Italian herbs and 1/2 teaspoon pepper powder. Mix well and remove from flame.
- Serve pumpkin sauce pasta hot or warm.
Notes
- You can use any variety of pasta in this recipe. I have used macaroni as I had it handy, moreover it is easier for kids to eat. You can even use penne or spaghetti in this recipe. Also to make this healthier you can use whole wheat pasta or any whole grain pasta.
- You can add some cheese in the recipe to make it richer and creamier. This pumpkin sauce pasta is way rich and creamy without any cheese though. If you prefer to add cheese you can add some processed cheese while blending the sauce or add some grated parmesan just before serving.
- While you can store the pumpkin sauce for 4-5 days in refrigerator, serve the prepared pasta immediately. It does keep well for long hours.
- To make this recipe vegan and gluten free use gluten free pasta, almond or any nut milk in place of dairy milk while making sauce and use vegan cheese.
Leave a Reply