If you’ve got an extra can of pumpkin purée lingering from your holiday feasts, use it to make this easy creamy pumpkin pasta recipe. Sautéed onion and garlic form the aromatic base for the sauce, but smooth pumpkin purée is the real star. It melds with cream and starchy pasta water for a luscious sauce easy enough to make on any weeknight. Ensure you’re using unsweetened pure pumpkin purée—this is no place for pumpkin pie filling. We prefer tubular noodles like rigatoni or penne for this pasta recipe; their nooks and crannies provide plenty of spots for the sauce to cling on.
Some might classify this a fall recipe, but we’d argue it knows no seasonal bounds. Relying almost entirely on pantry staples, it’s an easy go-to when you haven’t had time to run to the store. Plus, it’s flexible: We garnish the bowls with lemon zest and Parmesan cheese, but a few fresh sage leaves wouldn’t be out of place. Want to make the creamy pumpkin sauce dairy-free? Skip the Parmesan and swap the heavy cream for one of these substitutes. Try it with gluten-free noodles (these are our favorites), or if you want a protein boost, top the cooked pasta bowls with spicy Italian sausage or crispy chickpeas. Leftovers will keep in an airtight container in the refrigerator for 2 to 3 days; reheat over low heat with a splash of reserved pasta water.
Try more of our favorite pasta dishes, like butternut squash baked pasta, sweet potato and kimchi mac and cheese, or veggie-loaded kale pesto with whole wheat pasta →
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What you’ll need
Canned Pumpkin
$3 At Amazon
Dutch Oven
$133 $80 At Amazon
Colander
$11 At Amazon
Large Pot
$55 $48 At Amazon
Microplane
$18 At Amazon
Wooden Spoon
$7 At Amazon
Recipe information
Total Time
20 minutes
Yield
4 Servings
Ingredients
1
¼
1
6
1½
1
½
2
Preparation
Step 1
Cook 1 lb. medium tube-shaped pasta (such as rigatoni, penne, or calamarata) in a large pot of boiling salted water, stirring occasionally, until al dente. Drain, reserving 2 cups pasta cooking liquid.
Step 2
Meanwhile, heat ¼ cup extra-virgin olive oil in a large Dutch oven or other heavy pot over medium. Cook 1 medium white onion, finely chopped, 6 garlic cloves, finely chopped, and 1½ tsp. crushed red pepper flakes, stirring often, until onion is softened, 10–12 minutes. Add one 15-oz. can unsweetened pumpkin purée and cook, stirring often, until warmed through, about 5 minutes. Stir in ½ cup heavy cream and 1½ cups pasta cooking liquid.
Step 3
Add pasta to sauce and cook, tossing and adding more pasta cooking liquid ¼ cup at a time if needed, until sauce coats pasta, about 2 minutes. Add zest of 1 large lemon and 2 oz. Parmesan, finely grated (about 1 cup); toss to combine.
Step 4
Divide pasta among shallow bowls. Top with more Parmesan and red pepper flakes.
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