Description
A creamy, flavorful pumpkin pasta recipe perfect for autumn dinners. This vegetarian dish combines pumpkin purée with garlic, sage, and parmesan to create a rich sauce, tossed with spinach and topped with walnuts and roasted pepitas for a delightful crunch.
Ingredients
Scale
Pasta
- 8 ounces pasta (fettuccine, spaghetti, linguini)
Sauce
- 1/4 cup olive oil
- 3 teaspoons minced garlic
- 1 cup pumpkin purée
- 2 tablespoons milk
- 1 tablespoon white wine vinegar (or apple cider vinegar)
- 3/4 cup vegetable broth
- 1 teaspoon salt (or to taste)
- 1/2 teaspoon pepper (or to taste)
- 3-4 fresh sage leaves (or 1/2 teaspoon dried sage)
- 1/2 cup grated parmesan
Additions & Toppings
- 2 cups spinach
- 1/4 cup chopped walnuts
- 2 tablespoons roasted pepitas
Instructions
- Cook the pasta: Cook the pasta according to package directions until al dente, then drain and set aside.
- Sauté garlic: While the pasta cooks, heat olive oil in a pan over medium-high heat. Add minced garlic and sauté for 2-3 minutes until fragrant but not browned.
- Prepare the sauce: Reduce heat to medium, then add pumpkin purée, milk, white wine vinegar, vegetable broth, salt, and pepper. Whisk quickly to combine and allow the sauce to simmer gently for 4-5 minutes.
- Add sage and parmesan: Whisk in the sage leaves and grated parmesan cheese. Turn off the heat and continue whisking for 2-3 minutes until the sauce thickens slightly.
- Combine spinach and pasta: Stir fresh spinach into the sauce to wilt, then add the cooked pasta and toss to coat evenly.
- Garnish and serve: Plate the pasta and top with chopped walnuts, roasted pepitas, extra parmesan if desired, and garnish with sage leaves. Serve immediately and enjoy!
Notes
- To store pumpkin pasta, let it cool completely. Place in an airtight container and refrigerate for 3-5 days or freeze for up to 3 months.
- The sage can be left as whole leaves and removed before serving or finely chopped and mixed in. Adjust the amount of sage to your taste preference.
- Use full-fat milk or any milk substitute for creaminess depending on dietary needs.
- Feel free to substitute walnuts or pepitas with other nuts or seeds.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 serving
- Calories: 450 kcal
- Sugar: 4 g
- Sodium: 550 mg
- Fat: 18 g
- Saturated Fat: 5 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 11 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 55 g
- Fiber: 6 g
- Protein: 15 g
- Cholesterol: 15 mg
