Pumpkin Pasta Sauce is incredibly rich and creamy! This easy weeknight dinner is one of my favorite fall comfort foods. It's made with real pumpkin, fresh sage, and comes together in less than an hour!
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Why you'll love this recipe!
I know pumpkin is traditionally used in dessert recipes like Pumpkin Bread, Pumpkin Pie Bars, or Pumpkin Muffins, but trust me when I say that this savory version is AMAZING.
Easy - It may look and taste like this dish came from a restaurant, but this creamy pumpkin sauce comes together in less than an hour. It's the perfect easy weeknight dinner!
Healthy - You only need a few ingredients to make this decadent dish! It's a great option for anyone who is vegan, dairy-free, or gluten-free!
Comforting - There is truly nothing better than a warm, cozy bowl of pasta on a chilly fall day.
🍴Ingredient Notes & Substitutions
- Gluten-Free Pasta - Any pasta shape will work with this recipe! Jovial makes a variety of shapes like Fusilli, Fettucine, and Penne. For a Paleo or Whole30 option, serve with zucchini noodles or spaghetti squash.
- Pumpkin Puree - Any canned pumpkin puree will work - just make sure it's not pumpkin pie filling!
- Full Fat Coconut Milk - I love using full fat coconut milk because it takes the place of butter and heavy cream. It's rich, flavorful, and makes the sauce very creamy.
- Sweet Onion - Caramelizing the onion with sage gives this dish an amazing flavor!
- Fresh Sage - You can also use frozen! I freeze herbs from my summer garden.
- Garlic - Fresh garlic works best, but you could swap for about ½ teaspoon of garlic powder.
- Olive Oil - You could also use coconut oil or avocado oil. I prefer using Extra Virgin Olive Oil in my sauce recipes.
- Spices - You'll need salt, paprika, and dash of cinnamon for flavor!
🍴Step by Step Instructions
Step 1: Cook Onions & Garlic
Start by cooking diced onion, minced garlic, and sage with olive oil. Stir around for a few minutes until fragrant.
Step 2: Add in sauce ingredients
Next, pour in pumpkin puree, full fat coconut milk, paprika, salt, and cinnamon. Stir for a few minutes on medium heat.
Step 3: Simmer & Serve
Then, cover pan and let simmer on low for about 25-30 minutes. Stirring occasionally.
Finally, make the gluten-free pasta according to package instructions. When it's done, pour cooked pasta into the sauce and stir until completely coated!
Expert Tips
- Use an immersion blender or regular blender to puree the sauce for a super creamy texture. (You can also serve as is!)
- Stir in a little bit of water if the sauce is too thick. You could also use vegetable broth or chicken broth!
- For the best result, allow the sauce to simmer for at least 20-30 minutes. The longer it cooks, the more flavorful it will be.
- Cook pasta until it's al dente. It will absorb some of the sauce as it sits!
- I do not recommend adding all pasta into the sauce unless you're planning to finish it that day. As it sits, the gluten-free pasta can get soggy.
Topping Ideas
- Toasted Walnuts, Chopped
- Fresh Sage
- Roasted Chicken
- Grilled Chicken
- Chicken Sausage
- Pumpkin Seeds
- Chopped Cashews
- Fresh Cracked Black Pepper
How to store leftovers
Refrigerate
Store the leftover sauce in an airtight container. (I prefer glass containers.) The sauce will stay fresh for about 4-5 days in the refrigerator.
Freeze
You can also freeze leftover sauce for later! It will stay fresh for about 2-3 months.
Re-heat
To reheat, just add it to the stovetop in a pan on medium/low heat. Stir until it's warm.
How to store cooked gluten-free pasta
If you're using gluten-free pasta, I recommend not storing it with the sauce because it tends to get soggy. Store the pasta with a generous amount of olive oil in a separate container.
More pasta recipes!
After you make this Pumpkin Pasta Sauce Recipe, make sure to leave a comment & rate the recipe!
Recipe Card
Pumpkin Pasta Sauce Recipe
Equipment
- 1 Large Pan
Ingredients
- 9 Ounces Gluten-Free Pasta I used Jovial fettucine!
- 15 Ounces Pumpkin Puree Make sure it's not pumpkin pie filling!
- 13.5 Ounces Full Fat Coconut Milk 1
- 1 Sweet Onion, Diced
- ⅓ Cup Fresh Sage You can also use frozen! I freeze herbs from my summer garden.
- 3-4 Cloves of Garlic, Minced
- 1 Tablespoon Olive Oil
- 1 Teaspoon Salt
- ¼ Teaspoon Paprika
- ¼ Teaspoon Cinnamon
Instructions
- Start by cooking diced onion, minced garlic, and sage with olive oil. Stir around for a few minutes until fragrant.
- Next, pour in pumpkin puree, full fat coconut milk, paprika, salt, and cinnamon. Stir for a few minutes on medium heat.
- Then, cover pan and let simmer on low for about 25-30 minutes. Stirring occasionally.
- Finally, make the gluten-free pasta according to package instructions. When it's done, pour cooked pasta into the sauce and stir until completely coated!
Notes
Expert Tips
- Use an immersion blender or regular blender to puree the sauce for a super creamy texture. (You can also serve as is!)
- Stir in a little pasta water if the sauce is too thick. You could also use vegetable broth or chicken broth!
- For the best result, allow the sauce to simmer for at least 20-30 minutes. The longer it cooks, the more flavorful it will be.
- Cook pasta until it's al dente. It will absorb some of the sauce as it sits!
- I do not recommend adding all pasta into the sauce unless you're planning to finish it that day. As it sits, the gluten-free pasta can get soggy.
Nutrition
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Summer
LOVE IT!
Kim
Absolutely delicious and super easy to make! I ended up adding some sausage for a little extra protein and it was great but the sauce is amazing on its own. 100% making this again!