Creamy Pumpkin Pasta

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Easy to make and ready to serve in minutes, this creamy pumpkin pasta is a delicious fall meal that the whole family will love. Pumpkin puree is mixed with half and half and seasoned with nutmeg before being tossed with cavatappi pasta.

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Ingredients & substitutions

• Pasta: This recipe was originally sponsored by DeLallo. It is one of my favorite pasta brand because their pastas have a beautiful golden color, a fresh flavor and amazing texture since they’re made without enriched flours, preservatives or dyes!
• Oil: For cooking, I use olive oil to saute the garlic. Avocado oil or vegetable oil will work as well.
• Garlic: Use freshly minced garlic cloves for the best flavor. In a pinch, you can use some garlic powder.
• Pumpkin puree: Use a pure pumpkin puree for this recipe. Pumpkin pie filling has added sugars and spices which wouldn’t work in this recipe.
• Broth: This is optional, but if you remember to save the pasta water instead, I think it creates a better sauce in this recipe!
• Half and half: This makes the pumpkin pasta sauce nice and creamy. You can use whipping cream for a richer texture and flavor.
• Seasonings: Salt, pepper and nutmeg. Sage is not pictured but I retested the recipe with sage and it adds so much flavor.

How to make creamy pumpkin pasta

1. Cook the pasta and drain, reserving some pasta water.
2. Soften the garlic with olive oil.
3. Add the pumpkin puree to the pan.
4. Add the stock or pasta water and half and half and combine.
5. Add the cooked pasta to the pan.
6. Toss the pasta in the sauce and season to taste.

Tips for making pumpkin pasta

1. Don’t overcook the pasta. The pasta should be cooked al dente as it will continue to cook once it is drained and again when it is tossed in the pumpkin sauce.
2. Reserve some of the pasta cooking water. This is added to the sauce to help it thin, and it also helps to add additional flavor. The starch in the water also helps the sauce to cling to the pasta. If you accidentally toss the pasta water, you can use vegetable stock instead.
3. Add some veggies or protein. This delicious pumpkin pasta is easily adapted to your taste. You can cook up some veggies like bell peppers or mushrooms to add into the finished pasta, or stir in some cooked shredded chicken or ground beef.
4. Cook the pasta in salted water. This helps to add flavor to the dish right from the beginning. Make sure that there’s lots of water in the pot so that the pasta has room to move and cook evenly. Check out these other top tips for cooking pasta perfectly.

Frequently asked questions

This creamy pumpkin pasta recipe is such a cozy and delicious recipe that’s perfect for fall. So quick and easy to make and full of flavor, it’s a perfect easy weeknight dinner.

More pasta recipes:

• Baked Pasta with Ground Turkey
• Lemon Ricotta Pasta
• Caprese Pasta Salad with Pesto
• Creamy Butternut Squash Pasta
• Chicken Fajita Pasta

If you try this healthy-ish feel good Creamy Pumpkin Pasta recipe or any other recipe on Feel Good Foodie, then don’t forget to rate the recipe and leave a comment below! It helps others who are thinking of making the recipe. We would love to hear about your experience making it. And if you snapped some shots, share it on Instagram so we can repost on Stories!

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Review

Creamy Pumpkin Pasta

Get cozy this fall with this delicious and creamy pumpkin pasta recipe. Made with canned pumpkin puree and no cheese it's ready in minutes!

5 from 466 votes

Author Yumna Jawad

Servings 4 servings

Course Main Course

Calories 355

Prep Time 5 minutes mins

Cook Time 15 minutes mins

Total Time 20 minutes mins

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Ingredients

  

1x2x3x

• ▢ 1 ounces cavatappi pasta or pasta of choice
• ▢ 1 tablespoon olive oil
• ▢ 3-4 sage leaves minced
• ▢ 3-4 garlic cloves minced
• ▢ 1 15-ounce can pumpkin puree
• ▢ ½ teaspoon salt
• ▢ ½ teaspoon black pepper to taste
• ▢ ⅛ teaspoon ground nutmeg
• ▢ ½ cup whole milk
• ▢ Grated parmesan cheese for serving

Instructions

• In a large pot of boiling salted water, cook the pasta al dente according to package instructions. Reserve 1 cup pasta water, drain and set aside.
• Heat the olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the garlic and sage, and cook until aromatic, 1 minute. Add the pumpkin puree, salt, pepper and nutmeg and continue to cook for 2-3 more minutes. Add the milk and stir until well combined and creamy.
• Toss the reserved cooked pasta with the sauce, add ½ cup of the reserved pasta water to combine until the sauce clings to the pasta and is glossy.
• Sprinkle the grated parmesan cheese on top, if using and serve immediately.

Notes

Storage: Store any leftovers in an airtight container. They will last about 4-5 days in the fridge.

Nutrition

Calories: 355kcal, Carbohydrates: 64g, Protein: 11g, Fat: 6g, Saturated Fat: 2g, Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g, Monounsaturated Fat: 3g, Cholesterol: 7mg, Sodium: 22mg, Potassium: 348mg, Fiber: 5g, Sugar: 4g, Vitamin A: 11102IU, Vitamin C: 4mg, Calcium: 58mg, Iron: 2mg

Nutrition information provided is an estimate. It will vary based on cooking method and specific ingredients used.

Diet: Vegetarian

Cuisine American

Course: Main Course