This intensely rich vegan pumpkin pasta is an essential fall-inspired cozy meal that you can make tonight in just 20 minutes! Fresh sage leaves, pumpkin puree, and a creamy coconut base give this pasta a decadent flavor that’s sure to please any palate. Vegan, gluten-free, and oil-free.
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If you think you don’t like pumpkin, let alone combining pumpkin and pasta together, this pumpkin sage pasta recipe is going to change your mind! It’s rich, decadent, and so flavorful. What’s not to love?
My husband has never been a fan of pumpkin-flavored anything, but now he loves pumpkin pasta! When I told him that I was going to make pumpkin pasta for dinner, his smile instantly turned into a look of uncertainty. All it took was one bite for him to change his perception. This recipe converted him to a pumpkin lover and it will do the same for you!
Besides being absolutely delectable, this simple fall-inspired vegan pasta is so easy to make, and it’s ready in only 20 minutes!
After you try this tasty pasta recipe, you should try this vegan pesto pasta, this spaghetti and vegan meatballs recipe, and this vegan taco pasta!
How to Make Pumpkin Pasta – Step by Step Instructions
Step #1 – In a large pan, saute a small diced red onion in 2-3 tbsp of low-sodium vegetable broth over medium heat, until translucent and all the liquid has been absorbed (Photo 1).
Step #2 – While you’re making the pumpkin sauce, boil water in a separate pot and cook the noodles. The noodles should be done cooking around the same time that the sauce is done cooking.
Step #3 – Deglaze the pan with 1/2 cup of white wine (I used pinot grigio) and let it cook for a few minutes until most of it has cooked down (Photo 2 & 3).
Step #4 – Add the minced garlic, ground cinnamon, ground nutmeg, nutritional yeast, fresh sage, a pinch of cayenne pepper, salt, and pepper. Stir and let the flavors meld for 30 seconds to 1 minute (Photos 4-6).
Step #5 – Add the canned coconut milk and pumpkin puree to the pan and stir to combine. Reduce the heat to medium-low and let the sauce heat up for about 5 minutes, stirring occasionally (Photos 7-9).
Step #6 – Drain the noodles and add them to the pan with the pumpkin sauce. Toss to combine and garnish with roughly chopped fresh sage.
What Type of Pumpkin Puree Should You Use?
First of all, make sure that you pick up pumpkin puree, not pumpkin pie filling, to make this pumpkin sauce recipe. Pumpkin puree should only contain pure pumpkin. Pumpkin pie filling is already seasoned and it usually contains sugar which you don’t need for this sauce.
My first choice for pumpkin puree is this organic pumpkin puree in a carton because it’s organic and there are no additives or preservatives. This canned version is my second choice because the can lining is BPA-free and it’s also organic and contains only pureed pumpkin.
What Type of Noodles Should You Use?
Any noodles would be delicious tossed in this vegan pumpkin pasta sauce but I prefer noodles that have pockets or ridges to catch the sauce. This recipe makes a lot of sauce, so there’s a lot of sauce for the noodles to soak up!
- Gluten-Free Bow Tie Pasta
- Pumpkin Shaped Pasta (These would be perfect for Halloween dinner!)
- Cavatappi
- Elbows
- Orecchiette
- Shells
- Fusilli
- Radiatore
- Penne
What Goes Well With Pumpkin Pasta Sauce?
We already know that this vegan pumpkin sauce is insanely delicious tossed with your favorite variety of freshly cooked noodles, but this pumpkin sauce is very versatile and it can also be served with the following options:
- Ravioli – You can use store-bought vegan ravioli and drizzle this savory pumpkin sauce over the top for a quick dinner.
- Gnocchi – Toss hot vegan gnocchi in this pumpkin sauce for an incredibly satisfying and easy meal!
- Lasagna – Use this recipe for spinach artichoke vegan lasagna and substitute this pumpkin sauce for the tomato sauce in the recipe. Can you imagine how delicious creamy spinach artichoke dip and savory pumpkin sauce would taste together? Holy yum balls.
- Spaghetti Squash – If you’re looking to cut carbs, you could serve the pumpkin sauce over spaghetti squash noodles
- Zoodles – Zucchini noodles are another low-calorie option that you could serve pumpkin sauce over for a lighter dinner.
Is This Pasta Recipe Allergy-Friendly?
Yes, this creamy pasta is allergy-friendly because it’s dairy-free, gluten-free (if you use gluten-free noodles), and nut-free (unless you’re specifically allergic to coconut). This recipe is also whole food plant-based, vegetarian, and vegan.
Notes & Substitutions
- If you don’t want to use pumpkin puree, sweet potato puree or butternut squash puree will work too.
- If you want to learn how to make pumpkin puree from scratch, use this recipe.
- When you’re shopping for pumpkin puree to use for this healthy pasta recipe, look for pumpkin puree that’s organic and the label should only include pumpkin. Look for a brand that doesn’t contain any additives, preservatives, or BPA in the can lining. This is my favorite brand of organic pumpkin puree because it’s in a carton instead of a can, it’s organic, and there are no unnecessary ingredients.
- This recipe makes a lot of pumpkin sauce. I like my pasta to be really saucy, so I only made 8oz of pasta to go with it. You can use a 1lb package of pasta but it will be a little drier.
- If you’d like, you could mix in a few handfuls of fresh baby spinach leaves or roasted broccoli to this pasta right before you serve it for a pop of color.
- If you’d like to add a vegan “meat” option to this pumpkin pasta dish, sauteed slices of Field Roast apple maple vegan sausage is a delicious addition (my husband always requests this)!
Tips to Make the Best Pumpkin Pasta
- Use noodles that will catch the sauce in its ridges, like bowtie, orecchiette, cavatappi, or shells.
- Make sure to use pumpkin puree, not pumpkin pie filling. They’re not the same.
- Use fresh sage if possible because it really adds a lot of flavor to this recipe. If you can’t use fresh sage leaves, dried sage will work too. Roughly, 1 tbsp of fresh sage = 1 tsp of dried sage.
- I used full-fat canned coconut milk to make this pumpkin sauce because it’s what takes the place of the heavy dairy (butter, parmesan, milk, ricotta, and cream cheese) that are used in most traditional pumpkin pasta recipes. You can use light coconut milk or coconut milk from a carton, but the full-fat canned coconut milk gives the best flavor and richness to this sauce, in my opinion.
- Store leftover pumpkin sauce in an airtight container for 4-5 days or freeze it for a future meal.
More Vegan Thanksgiving Recipes You’ll Love!
Pomegranate Wild Rice Christmas Salad
Creamy Scalloped Potatoes Florentine
THE BEST Vegan Spinach Artichoke Dip
Super Cheesy Macaroni and Cheese
Roasted Garlic Balsamic Brussel Sprouts
If you’ve tried this Savory Vegan Pumpkin Pasta Recipe, please remember to give the recipe a star rating and let me know what you thought of it in the comments below, I love hearing from you! You can also FOLLOW ME on FACEBOOK, TWITTER, INSTAGRAM, and PINTEREST to see more delicious vegan recipes!
Savory Vegan Pumpkin Pasta
Equipment
- Large Saute Pan
- Large Pot
Ingredients
- 8 oz gluten-free bow tie noodles
- 2-3 tbsp low-sodium vegetable broth
- 1 small red onion diced
- 1/2 cup white wine (I used pinot grigio)
- 3 medium garlic cloves minced
- 1/4 tsp ground cinnamon
- 1/8 tsp ground nutmeg
- 1 tbsp nutritional yeast
- 1 tbsp fresh sage roughly chopped
- 1/4 tsp Himalayan pink sea salt (more to taste)
- 1/8 tsp black pepper
- Pinch of cayenne pepper (more to taste)
- 16 oz carton pumpkin puree
- 14 oz can full-fat coconut milk
Instructions
- In a large pan, saute a small diced red onion in 2-3 tbsp of low-sodium vegetable broth over medium heat, until translucent and all the liquid has been absorbed.
- While you're making the pumpkin pasta sauce, boil water in a separate pot and cook the noodles. The noodles should be done cooking around the same time that the sauce is done cooking.
- Deglaze the pan with 1/2 cup of white wine (I used pinot grigio) and let it cook for a few minutes until most of it has cooked down.
- Add the minced garlic, ground cinnamon, ground nutmeg, nutritional yeast, fresh sage, a pinch of cayenne pepper, salt, and pepper. Stir and let the flavors meld for 30 seconds to 1 minute.
- Add the canned coconut milk and pumpkin puree to the pan and stir to combine. Reduce the heat to medium-low and let the sauce heat up for about 5 minutes, stirring occasionally.
- Drain the noodles and add them to the pan with the pumpkin pasta sauce. Toss to combine and garnish with roughly chopped fresh sage.
Notes
- Use noodles that will catch the sauce in its ridges, like bow tie, orecchiette, cavatappi, or shells.
- Make sure to use pumpkin puree, not pumpkin pie filling. They're not the same.
- Use fresh sage if possible because it really adds a lot of flavor to this pumpkin pasta recipe. If you can't use fresh sage leaves, dried sage will work too. Roughly, 1 tbsp of fresh sage = 1 tsp of dried sage.
- I used full-fat canned coconut milk to make this pumpkin sauce because it's what takes the place of the heavy dairy (butter, parmesan, milk, ricotta, and cream cheese) that are used in most traditional pumpkin pasta recipes. You can use light coconut milk or coconut milk from a carton, but the full-fat canned coconut milk gives the best flavor and richness to this sauce, in my opinion.
- Store leftover pumpkin sauce in an airtight container for 4-5 days or freeze it for a future meal.
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