What pasta shape works best with pumpkin pasta sauce?

I prefer a short pasta—this means most pastas that are not noodles. Of course, zuchette is the ideal pasta for this dish due to its pumpkin-like shape. But you can use rigatoni, rotini, macaroni, shells, or any other short pasta.

Can I use butternut squash instead of pumpkin?

Absolutely! Butternut squash is a great substitute for pumpkin puree. It will give your pasta a slightly sweeter and nuttier flavor, but it’s a great replacement if you don’t have pumpkin or prefer to use butternut squash.

How can I make creamy pumpkin pasta sauce vegan or dairy-free?

With a few simple swaps, you can make a completely vegan, plant-based creamy pumpkin pasta sauce. Swap heavy cream for canned coconut milk (make sure you’re not using coconut milk from a carton—this is a different consistency and will not be as thick). Swap shredded cheese for nutritional yeast . This is a great way to add a little nuttiness and different flavor depth to your pumpkin pasta. Use olive oil instead of butter . When you’re tossing together the pasta and sauce, add one tablespoon of olive oil at a time to your sauce until it reaches your desired consistency.

Can pumpkin pasta be made ahead of time?

You can make this pumpkin pasta sauce ahead of time, but I wouldn’t recommend adding the pasta. Sure, it makes great leftovers! But this dish is best made when you’re ready to serve. If you do need to make it ahead of time, follow the instructions (omit cooking the pasta) for the sauce and store in an air-tight container. When you’re ready to serve, cook the pasta and add pasta water to your cooked sauce.

Is pumpkin pasta sauce sweet or savory?

Both! Mostly savory, with a little bit of sweetness from the pumpkin and tomato. The garlic, onion, and cheese will give it more of a savory flavor profile.

Creamy Pumpkin Pasta Sauce with Zuchette Pasta Recipe

Creamy Pumpkin Pasta Sauce with Butternut Squash Pasta

overhead view of a bowl with creamy pumpkin pasta sauce topped with cheese and basil

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Creamy pumpkin and tomato sauce, similar to a Vodka sauce, paired with fall "zuchette" pasta and topped with plenty of shredded parmesan cheese and fresh basil.

Author: Nancy
Prep Time: 7 minutes
Cook Time: 15 minutes
Total Time: 22 minutes
Yield: 4 servings
Category: Pasta
Method: Cook

Ingredients

8 oz dry pasta
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 small shallot, diced
5 garlic cloves, crushed
1 cup pumpkin puree
2 tablsepoons tomato paste
½ cup heavy cream
½ cup shredded parmesan cheese plus extra for garnish
2 tablespoons salted butter
½ cup reserved pasta water
Small bunch of Italian basil
Red pepper flakes for garnish

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Instructions

Bring a pot of water to a boil and salt with 2 tsp of Kosher salt
While the water heats up, begin preparing the ingredients for your creamy pumpkin pasta sauce
Dice one shallot and five cloves of garlic to saute
In a large saucepan, heat 1 tbsp of olive oil over medium heat. Add shallots and garlic and season with a pinch of the remaining salt.
Add 8 oz of dry pasta to the boiling water and cook according to the instructions for al dente.
Once shallots are translucent and garlic is fragrant, add 1 cup of pumpkin puree and 2 tbsp of tomato paste. Stir well and cook for five minutes.
Pour in ½ cup of heavy cream and remove the pan from heat. Cover with ½ cup of shredded Parmesan cheese and stir well.
Using a spider strainer, transfer al dente pasta into the saucepan with the pumpkin pasta sauce.
Carefully collect ½ cup of pasta water using a Pyrex measuring cup or ladle. Add 2 tbsp of butter to the pumpkin pasta sauce and pour pasta water into the saucepan. Stir everything together until the butter is melted.
Serve immediately and top each bowl of pumpkin pasta with Parmesan cheese, red pepper flakes, and Italian basil.

Find it online: https://fedandfancy.com/creamy-pumpkin-pasta/