This savory vegan pumpkin pasta sauce is a fall-inspired cozy meal that you can make tonight for dinner 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 everyone!
If you think you don't like pumpkin, this pumpkin pasta sauce recipe is going to change your mind! It's rich, creamy, 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 mind. This pumpkin sauce recipe converted him into a pumpkin lover and it will do the same for you!
Besides being absolutely delectable, this simple fall-inspired pumpkin recipe is so easy to make, and it's ready to eat in only 20 minutes!
Ingredients & Substitutions
- Pumpkin Puree - I used canned because it's convenient, but of course, you can make it from scratch if you prefer. You could also use sweet potato or butternut squash instead of pumpkin puree for a similar flavor profile.
- Coconut Milk - This vegan pumpkin sauce recipe is made without cream, butter, parmesan, milk, ricotta, or cream cheese, so I used full-fat canned coconut milk to make it taste rich and creamy. Full-fat canned coconut milk gives the best flavor and richness to this sauce. You can substitute unsweetened almond milk or unsweetened cashew milk if necessary.
- White Wine - Pino Grigio is added for flavor, but you can omit it if necessary.
- Nutritional Yeast - This ingredient adds a cheesy flavor that pairs so well with the pumpkin.
- Sage - I used fresh sage because it's so flavorful and it's a pretty garnish, but you can also use dried sage.
How to Make Vegan Pumpkin Pasta Sauce
First, in a large pan, saute a small diced red onion over medium heat until the onions are translucent (Photo 1). While you're sauteing the onion, boil water in a separate pot and cook the noodles. The noodles should be done cooking around the same time that the pumpkin sauce is ready.
Next, deglaze the pan with ½ cup of white wine (I used pinot grigio) and let it cook for a few minutes until most of it has cooked down (Photos 2 & 3).
Next, 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 (Photos 4-6).
Add the canned coconut milk and pumpkin puree to the pan and stir to combine. Reduce the heat and let the sauce cook for about 5 minutes (Photos 7-9).
Lastly, drain the noodles and add them to the pan with the vegan pumpkin sauce. Toss to combine and coat every noodle with the sauce. Garnish the pasta with fresh sage and enjoy!
Serving Suggestions
This vegan pumpkin sauce is insanely delicious tossed with your favorite variety of freshly cooked pasta. I like to use noodles that have pockets or ridges to catch the sauce.
- Gluten-Free Bow Tie Pasta
- Pumpkin Shaped Pasta (This pasta would be perfect for Halloween dinner!)
- Cavatappi
- Elbows
- Orecchiette
- Shells
- Fusilli
- Radiatore
- Penne
The 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!
- Vegetable Noodles - If you're looking for a low-carb option, you could serve the sauce over spaghetti squash noodles or zucchini noodles.
Storage & How to Reheat
Put it in the fridge: Store the leftover pumpkin pasta in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3-4 days. You can reheat the pasta in the microwave or in a pan on the stove top. Add a little bit of water or plant milk to the pasta to help loosen up the sauce if it's too thick.
Freeze it: This sauce freezes perfectly. Pour the pumpkin sauce into a freezer-safe container and freeze it for 2-3 months. When you're ready to eat it, remove the container from the freezer and put it in the fridge to defrost for 24 hours. Then you can reheat it in the microwave or in a pan on the stove top. If the sauce is thick, you can add a little bit of water or plant milk to thin the sauce.
Expert Tips
- 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.
- The sauce is naturally gluten-free. Use gluten-free noodles to make this recipe gluten-free.
Ways to Adapt This Recipe
This pumpkin pasta is delicious just like this, but you could switch it up with these simple variations:
- Add Vegan Sausage: You can add sauteed slices of vegan sausage (we like Field Roast apple maple vegan sausage) to the pasta to make it more substantial, it's a delicious addition!
- Bake it: Make a vegan pumpkin pasta bake by putting the pasta into a casserole dish and top it with buttered bread crumbs and then bake it for 25 minutes at 400 degrees or until the crumbs are golden.
- Add Fresh Greens: Mix in a few handfuls of fresh baby spinach leaves or thinly sliced kale to this pasta right before you serve it for a pop of color. I like to do this as an easy to way get more greens in.
- Add Roasted Vegetables: Mix roasted broccoli, mushrooms, zucchini, asparagus, or bell peppers with the vegan pumpkin sauce to add more fiber and to make the meal even more filling.
- Add Plant-Based Protein: You could add green peas or chickpeas for an extra boost of plant-based protein.
Want More Vegan Pasta Recipes?
Sun-Dried Tomato Basil Hummus Pasta
Creamy Vegan Pumpkin Pasta Sauce
Equipment
- Large Saute Pan
- Large Pot
Ingredients
- 8 oz gluten-free bow tie noodles
- ½ cup vegetable broth or water (to saute)
- 1 small red onion diced
- ½ cup white wine (I used pinot grigio)
- 4 medium garlic cloves minced
- ¼ tsp ground cinnamon
- ⅛ tsp ground nutmeg
- 2 tbsp nutritional yeast
- 1 tbsp fresh sage roughly chopped
- Pinch of cayenne pepper (add more to taste)
- ¼ tsp himalayan pink sea salt (add more to taste)
- ¼ tsp black pepper
- 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 the onions are sauteing, 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 ½ 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, ¼ tsp ground cinnamon, ⅛ tsp ground nutmeg, 2 tbsp nutritional yeast, 1 tbsp fresh sage, a pinch of cayenne pepper, ¼ tsp salt, and ¼ tsp black pepper. Stir and let the flavors meld for 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 sauce. Toss to combine and garnish with roughly chopped fresh sage.
Notes
- Make sure to use pumpkin puree, not pumpkin pie filling. They're not the same.
- If you don't have fresh sage, dried sage will work too. Roughly, 1 tbsp of fresh sage = 1 tsp of dried sage.
- Store leftover pumpkin pasta sauce in an airtight container for 3-4 days or freeze it for 2-3 months.
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