Delicious, light, and quick to prepare, this pumpkin pasta is an amazing dish you will enjoy this fall and all year long. The toasted breadcrumb topping, packed with pumpkin seeds, garlic, and fresh sage, adds great crunch to a smooth and easy pumpkin sauce.
Make this dish, because...
This is another great quick pasta dish that comes together in under 30 minutes and is great for weeknight dinners this season.
The pumpkin pasta sauce recipe is made with simple ingredients and has a creamy texture that coats the noodles beautifully.
The toasted breadcrumb topping adds delicious flavor and crunch to this simple dish.
Unlike many other pumpkin recipes this time of year, this delicious recipe is savory and has the texture of an American style alfredo sauce.
Ingredients
Pure Pumpkin Puree- Canned Pumpkin is great because it is easy to use and contains just real pumpkin puree. It has a slightly sweet and mild flavor that can be used to make many things including this delicious sauce. Be certain to double check your can to make sure you are getting the plain canned pumpkin and not pumpkin pie filling which has spices and other ingredients added.
Nutmeg- Frequently added to sweet pumpkin spices, nutmeg adds warmth and depth of flavor to this very simple sauce.
How to Pumpkin Pasta Sauce and Toasted Breadcrumb Topping
Start the water boiling for the pasta when you begin your prep. I usually start cooking the pasta around the same time I start the pumpkin pasta sauce.
1- Make the crunchy breadcrumb topping.
- Start by making the toasted breadcrumb topping. Heat a large saucepan on medium heat. Then, add butter and extra virgin olive oil.
- Once the butter is melted, add minced garlic, sage leaves, and pumpkin seeds to bring out their flavor.
- Then, add the breadcrumbs and lemon juice to the pan. Coat the breadcrumbs in the fats and toast them until they are a golden brown.
- Next, remove the toasted breadcrumb topping and wipe out the pan.
2-Sauté the onions and garlic.
- In the same pan, start your pasta sauce. Add butter and olive oil to the heated pan.
- Next, sauté the diced onion and minced garlic until the onion is fully cooked and translucent. Season the onions and garlic with salt, pepper, and nutmeg.
3- Finish the pumpkin pasta sauce.
- Then, add pumpkin to the pan along with heavy cream and ½ of a cup of reserved pasta water. Finally, add cooked, drained pasta to the pan and toss to coat. Add a little more reserved pasta water, if needed, to thin the sauce.
- Serve with a generous amount of breadcrumb topping and freshly grated parmesan cheese.
FAQs
Pumpkin pasta sauce has a mild, creamy flavor. To balance it out, I like to serve a side salad with a good crunch and an acidic vinaigrette.
A crusty loaf of bread is a nice addition to any pasta dish.
I recommend a wide noodle for creamy pumpkin pasta sauce. Fettuccini, linguine, and even tagliatelle, pick up the thick sauce nicely. If you prefer a tube shaped pasta, go with a cavatappi or rigatoni.
Pasta water contains the starch from the cooked noodles which will help the sauce cling to your noodles. It should also be a bit salty and add some flavor as well.
Diana's Tips for Success
Storage and Reheating
The toasted breadcrumb topping and pumpkin pasta sauce can be made ahead of time and kept in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up 3-4 days.
The pumpkin sauce will be thick if you make it ahead of time because you won’t have added the reserved cooking water.
Reheat the sauce by adding it directly to the hot, drained noodles along with some reserved pasta water.
Substitutions
If you don't have heavy cream on hand. Add ¼ of a cup of cream cheese. Reserve an extra cup of pasta water when you make this substitution in case you need to thin the sauce down more.
You can make this dish vegan by subbing out for non-dairy butter and using unsweetened Almond milk in place of heavy cream. The texture is a bit thinner, but almond milk is a better substitute than coconut milk because of it's neutral flavor.
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Creamy Pumpkin Pasta Topped with Sage Toasted Breadcrumbs
Ingredients
- 1 Pound Pasta cooked according to package instructions
- ½ Cup Parmesan Cheese optional
Ingredients Pumpkin Pasta Sauce
- 2 Cups Canned Pumpkin pure pumpkin
- ½ Yellow Onion diced
- 2 Cloves Garlic minced
- ½ Cup Heavy Cream
- ½-1 Cup Reserved Pasta Water
- 1 Tablespoon Butter
- 2 Tablespoon Olive Oil
- ½ Teaspoon Nutmeg
- Kosher Salt and Black Pepper to taste
Ingredients Toasted Breadcrumb Topping
- 1 Cup Breadcrumbs traditional, plain
- 1 Tablespoon Butter
- 2 Tablespoons Olive Oil
- 2 Tablespoons Fresh Sage Leaves cut into ribbons
- ½ Cup Pumpkin Seeds green pepitas
- 1 Clove Garlic minced
- Juice of 1 Lemon
- Kosher Salt and Black Pepper to taste
Instructions
Sage and Pumpkin Seed Toasted Breadcrumbs
- Start by making the crunchy topping.
- Heat a large skillet on medium heat.
- Then, add butter and olive oil.
- Once the butter is melted, add minced garlic, sage leaves, and pumpkin seeds to bring out their flavor.
- Then, add the breadcrumbs and lemon juice to the pan.
- Coat the breadcrumbs in the fats and toast them until they are a golden brown.
- Next, remove the toasted breadcrumb topping and wipe out the skillet.
Easy Pumpkin Pasta Sauce
- In the same pan, start your sauce.
- Add butter and olive oil to the heated pan.
- Next, sauté the diced onion and minced garlic until the onion is fully cooked and translucent.
- Season the onions and garlic with salt, pepper, and nutmeg.
- Then, add pumpkin to the pan along with heavy cream and ½ of a cup of reserved pasta water.
- Add drained pasta to the pan and toss to coat.
- Add a little more reserved pasta water if needed to thin the sauce.
- Serve with a generous amount of breadcrumb topping and parmesan cheese.
Notes
Substitutions
If you don't have heavy cream on hand. Add ¼ of a cup of cream cheese. Reserve an extra cup of pasta water when you make this substitution in case you need to thin the sauce down more. You can make this dish vegan by subbing out for non-dairy butter and using unsweetened Almond milk in place of heavy cream. The texture is a bit thinner, but almond milk is a better substitute than coconut milk because of it's neutral flavor.Nutrition
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Anjali
This is such a delicious fall pasta recipe!! Made it for dinner tonight and it was super easy and family friendly too!
Ryan Allen
The pumpkin noodles were such a hit for dinner last night. The breadcrumb topping was top notch. Thanks for sharing.
Beth
I love that this recipe is easy and elegant - perfect for a casual dinner or to impress last-minute company! All in 30 minutes - perfect!
Glenda
This is so crazy good! The sauce, even the crumb topping. I want this every day. lol Best Autumn dish I've had in a long time!
Michelle
Pumpkin and sage together is one of my favorite fall flavors. And the breadcrumb topping is divine