Tender pasta tossed in a creamy pumpkin sauce made with 7 ingredients in under 15 minutes. An easy weeknight dinner, my entire family loves!

Small white bowls on a blue cloth napkin sitting on my white kitchen counter with my kids hands holding the bowl.
4.92 stars (35 ratings)
“This was delicious and so easy! We used the whole can of pumpkin purée because there was just a bit left. We also added frozen peas. Ate with fresh Parmesan. Yum!” -Kate
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My family’s love affair with this quick pumpkin pasta started years ago.

I was craving something that delivered all the fall vibes — pumpkin, cozy comfort, and carbs 😉.

So I whisked together a simple sauce using what I had on hand: a can of pumpkin purée, a squeeze of tomato paste, a clove of garlic, and a drizzle of heavy cream, then tossed it with bow-tie pasta (my kids’ favorite). It was good — like licked-plates good — especially topped with freshly grated Parmesan.

Over the years, I’ve made a few tweaks. A splash of balsamic vinegar balances the pumpkin’s natural sweetness, while a dash of nutmeg adds the warm, cozy flavor I crave. Sometimes I stir in cooked rotisserie chicken or shrimp to make it heartier. And I usually serve it with a simple green salad for the adults and a few chopped veggies for the kids.

#mymomhack – Trust me: make a double batch of the sauce! Use one now and freeze the other. On busy weeknights, all you’ll have to do is cook the pasta, thaw the sauce, and dinner is served.

To the Kitchen, We Go –>

Skilled with garlic, pumpkin and tomato paste cooking .
Cook your pasta. Meanwhile, in a large saucepan, gently cook the garlic in the olive oil for 1-2 minutes.
pumpkin sauce with a drizzle of cream in a skillet.
Add in the pumpkin puree, tomato paste, and broth, and stir until combined. Drizzle in cream or canned coconut milk, balsamic vinegar, nutmeg, salt and pepper and stir until well mixed.
pumpkin pasta sauce with cooked pasta in a skillet.
Toss the cooked pasta with the pumpkin sauce.
pasta and pumpkin sauce mixed together.
Add in the reserved pasta water if needed. I find that the reserved pasta water really makes the sauce thick and stick to the pasta.
Serve to your family with a sprinkle of Parmesan and enjoy!
2 small bowls filled with pumpkin pasta with 2 kids forks on a blue napkin.

Get the recipe: My Family’s Favorite Pumpkin Pasta (15-Minutes)

4.9 stars (35 ratings)
Tender pasta tossed in a creamy pumpkin sauce made with 7 ingredients in under 15 minutes. An easy weeknight dinner, my entire family loves!
Yield: 8 servings
Prep: 2 minutes
Cook: 13 minutes
Total: 15 minutes
Author: Michele Olivier
Course: Main Course
Cuisine: Italian
Print Recipe

Ingredients 

  • 16 ounce bow-tie pasta, regular, gluten-free, lentil, chickpea, etc. (any shape you prefer)
  • 1 tbsp olive oil
  • 2 cloves garlic, minced
  • 1 1/4 cup canned pumpkin puree
  • 2 tbsp tomato paste
  • 1 cup veggie or chicken broth
  • 3-4 tbsp heavy cream, or canned coconut milk
  • 1 tsp balsamic vinegar
  • pinch nutmeg (optional)
  • salt and pepper, to taste
  • parmesan for sprinkling (optional)

Instructions 

  • Bring a large pot of water to a boil and cook pasta according to the package instructions. Before straining, reserve 1 cup of pasta water.
  • Meanwhile, in a large saucepan, pour in the olive oil and heat over medium heat. Add in the garlic and cook for 1-2 mintues, stirring often. Add in the pumpkin puree, tomato paste, and broth, and bring to a simmer, stirring until combined. Reduce heat to low and add in the cream, balsamic vinegar, nutmeg and salt and pepper, stir and let simmer while pasta cooks.
  • Strain pasta and transfer to a saucpan of pumpkin sauce. Stir in the pasta, adding the reserved water in 1/4-cup increments to thin out the sauce. I used the full 1 cup of water for the recipe in the pictures above.
  • Spoon into bowls and sprinkle with parmesan (if using).

Notes

Age: great for baby-led weaning, toddlers, kids, and adults – everyone will love this meal!
Storage: Store leftover pasta in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 5 days. Sauce can be stored for 5 days in the fridge or 3 months in the freezer. To defrost the sauce, simply leave it in the fridge overnight or place a frozen container of sauce in your sink filled with warm water, then heat it on the stove. 
Cream or Coconut Milk: you can use either heavy whipping cream, half and half, or canned full-fat coconut milk in this recipe. 

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