I first discovered pumpkin pasta sauce when I was living with my mom in between college and grad school and she picked up a jar for dinner. Years later, I finally made my own version! A delicious and nutritious weeknight meal, this recipe features a creamy tomato sauce boosted by pumpkin puree. The unique sweet and savory sauce makes my variation stand out amongst other fall pasta recipes. It’s finished with white beans and spinach, done in just 30 minutes using one pot, and makes enough for the whole family!
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Lizzie’s Dietitian Notes
One of my main goals when developing this recipe was to veer away from the heavy, cream-based pumpkin sauces that are popular online. Though delicious, they often leave me feeling sluggish and overly full. Instead of a dairy base, I used tomato sauce just like in the store-bought jar I had with my mom. Then, I added a handful of spinach for extra veggies and fiber and white beans for a protein boost.
The final result is a dairy-free pumpkin tomato sauce and a veggie-forward meal that helps me eat more plants without it feeling difficult! The recipe relies mostly on kitchen staples while still tasting unique and sort of fancy. Plus, it only requires one pot for the whole thing.
My entire family loves it, especially my dishwasher/husband (one pot=no mountain of dishes). What a win! For more fall dinners, see my list of 23 veggie-packed recipes for autumn.
5-Star Review
So delightful! Wanted to toss together something simple with what I had in my pantry – need to go grocery shopping – lucky I had pumpkin in the fridge. 5/5!”
– Meaghan
Ingredients and Substitutions
- Whole wheat penne pasta: Use regular pasta if that’s what you prefer. Substitute a legume-based option (like chickpea pasta) to make it gluten-free or add extra protein and fiber.
- Onion: Use yellow, sweet, or red onion or a shallot.
- Garlic: Fresh garlic cloves add the best flavor, but a teaspoon of garlic powder or dried minced garlic work as substitutes in a pinch.
- Ground cinnamon: Trust me, it works! This complements the pumpkin really well. Add a pinch of nutmeg for more pumpkin spice flavor.
- Dried oregano: Substitute Italian seasoning or dried thyme for oregano if needed.
- Pumpkin: Use 100% canned pumpkin puree, not pumpkin pie filling. I have made this recipe with many different brands, and I think Libby’s works best. It makes the sauce appropriately thick and not too watery. I have also successfully substituted 1.75 to 2 cups of homemade roasted pumpkin puree. Butternut squash puree should also work, but I have not tested the recipe with it.
- Tomato sauce: I typically use canned tomato sauce instead of jarred sauces that have a lot of added seasonings and add the onion, garlic, and other seasonings myself. Marinara sauce or a favorite brand of spaghetti sauce can be used instead, but I usually use less salt and omit the oregano when I do that.
- Honey: This balances the acidity in the tomato sauce. Substitute maple syrup or granulated sugar for a vegan pumpkin pasta (and omit the cheese).
- White beans: I like to use navy or cannellini beans in pumpkin pasta, but chickpeas also work well.
- Baby spinach: Baby arugula or kale would also work, but their flavors are stronger.
- Parmesan cheese: For a dairy-free dish, omit the cheese. Use a parmesan labeled as vegetarian if needed.
How to Make Pumpkin Pasta
The full recipe card with ingredient amounts and steps is at the bottom of the post. Here’s a preview of the steps with photos to serve as a guide in the kitchen.
Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add the penne pasta, and cook until al dente. Drain and reserve.
In the same pot, warm the olive oil. Cook the onion and garlic until slightly softened.
Stir in the cinnamon, oregano, and salt.
Cook for a couple more minutes until the onion is tender.
Add the canned pumpkin to the pot.
Add the tomato sauce to the pot.
Add the honey to the pot.
Stir well and heat until warm.
Add the white beans to the pot.
Add the baby spinach to the pot.
Transfer the cooked pasta to the pot. The heat from the sauce will help wilt the spinach.
Stir until everything is coated. Cook for a few more minutes until the spinach wilts and the pasta is warm.
Tips for Perfect Pasta
- Choosing the right pasta shape: This pumpkin pasta recipe works especially well with short pasta, such as penne, rigatoni, cavatappi, or fusilli. Spaghetti will also work, but the sauce may feel a little thicker. Add a splash of pasta water to thin if using longer strands of pasta.
- Keeping the sauce from getting too thick: For a thinner sauce, reserve a cup of pasta cooking water before draining it. Add small amounts, about 1 tablespoon at a time, to thin to your liking. If you didn’t reserve any water, use vegetable broth.
- Adjusting the pasta to sauce ratio: For a saucier dish, use less pasta. This recipe makes enough sauce for a pound of pasta. For fewer servings, cut the recipe in half. Alternatively, make all of the sauce but take out half of it to store or freeze before adding a smaller amount of pasta.
What to Serve With It
This recipe stands alone as a balanced vegetarian meal. I love serving it with a sprinkle of parmesan cheese and/or chopped fresh parsley if I have it! Sometimes I serve steamed green beans, broccoli, or garlic bread on the side for something extra. Creamy pumpkin pasta is also delicious as a side to chicken cutlets or fish.
Storing, Freezing, and Reheating
Like most pasta dishes, this recipe is best enjoyed right away. The pasta may soften and lose its al dente texture over time. To store and reheat pumpkin pasta, keep leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 2 to 3 days. Reheat in the microwave in 30-second intervals on high, stirring in between, until warm.
To freeze pumpkin pasta sauce, follow the recipe as written without the steps for preparing the pasta and adding the spinach and white beans. Let the sauce cool completely, then transfer to a freezer-safe container. Leave about an inch of headspace and seal tightly. Freeze for up to 3 months.
To reheat from frozen, let the sauce thaw in the fridge overnight before warming in a saucepan over medium heat. To reheat it directly from frozen in a saucepan with a lid over medium-low heat. Stir frequently to prevent scorching. Prepare fresh pasta, and add the spinach and white beans, for serving.
More Pumpkin Recipes
📖 Recipe
Tomato Pumpkin Pasta
Ingredients
- 1 pound whole wheat penne pasta
- 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
- 1 yellow onion - diced, about 1.5 cups
- 3 cloves garlic - minced or pressed
- ¼ teaspoon kosher salt - use more if you get a low sodium or no salt added tomato sauce
- ½ teaspoon dried oregano
- ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 15 ounces pumpkin puree - not pumpkin pie filling
- 15 ounces tomato sauce
- 1 tablespoon honey
- 15.5 ounces white beans - cannellini or navy; drained and rinsed
- 2 cups loosely packed baby spinach
- ¼ cup shredded parmesan cheese - for serving
Instructions
- Bring a large pot of salted water to boil. Add pasta, and cook according to package instructions until al dente.
- Carefully remove the pot and drain the pasta through a colander. Leave the pasta there.
- Return pot to stove and decrease heat to medium. Add the olive oil, onion, and garlic. Cook for 2 to 3 minutes until slightly softened.
- Stir in the salt, oregano, and cinnamon. Cook for 3 to 5 more minutes until onions are tender.
- Add the pumpkin puree, tomato sauce, and honey to the pot. Stir and cook until heated through, about 5 minutes.
- Add the white beans, baby spinach, and cooked pasta to the pot. Stir well to coat everything with the sauce. Cook for another 2 to 3 minutes until the spinach is wilted and the pasta is warm.
- Serve warm with a sprinkle of parmesan cheese. Enjoy!
- Leave a rating or review by tapping the stars on this recipe card (above) or in the comments section (at the end of the post)!
Video
Notes
- Adjusting the servings: This recipe makes 4 to 6 servings. For a smaller yield, make only the amount of desired pasta, and take some of the sauce out of the pot to freeze or store in the fridge before mixing everything together. For a higher sauce to pasta ratio, make less pasta.
- Storage: Leftovers can be stored in airtight containers in the fridge for 2 to 3 days. Reheat in the microwave in 30-second intervals on high until warm. The pasta will get softer and lose its al dente texture over time.
- Freezing: Follow the instructions as written, except for boiling the pasta and adding the white beans and spinach, to make only the sauce. Let it cool completely then transfer to freezer-safe containers or jars, leaving an inch of headspace. Seal tightly and freeze for up to 3 months. Thaw in the fridge overnight before reheating, or reheat directly from frozen in a saucepan with a lid over medium-low heat.
- To make vegan or dairy-free: Sub maple syrup or granulated sugar for honey and omit cheese for serving.
meaghan
So delightful! Wanted to toss together something simple with what i had in my pantry – need to go grocery shopping – lucky i had pumpkin in the fridge. 5/5!
Lizzie Streit, MS, RDN
Hi Meaghan, I’m so glad you enjoyed this recipe and that it was easy for you! Thanks so much for your 5-star review!
Jo
I do not have white beans on hand. I do have a can of Black beans or have lentils that I could parboil then add, wondering either will work? Will try I out.
Lizzie Streit, MS, RDN
Hi Jo, either of those options would work! Hope you enjoy the recipe.
Jo
Hey Jo – here! I made it! Thank you for responding to my queston! I made it – Came out delicious!!! I used black beans, pumpkin, spinach, fresh baby yellow tomatoes, can of tomatoe whole, chopped up, I have only a little evaporated milk & some rice milk.. may just sprinkle cheese & call it 👍 great. Thank you quick – ez!
Lizzie Streit, MS, RDN
YUM! It sounds like you made some delicious additions! Thanks for sharing.
Natahs
Absolutely delicious!
I roasted my pumpkin and rough puréed it as i have never seen a can of pumpkin purée in Australia.
Lizzie Streit, MS, RDN
I’m so glad you enjoyed it! Thank you for the 5-star review!
Juliet Gibson
We add sour cream – such a good recipe
Lizzie Streit, MS, RDN
Hi Juliet, that sounds like a delicious addition! So glad you enjoy the recipe. Thanks for letting me know.
Sous Chef Will
The sauce of sauces