Easy Creamy Pumpkin Pasta

Creamy pumpkin pasta is the seasonal answer to rich Alfredo. If you like creamy alfredo, you’ll love this super easy fall pasta recipe, loaded with the same rich velvety goodness as fettuccine in a dish that’s ready in under 30 minutes.

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There’s two things I love.

Fall and pasta.

And this creamy pumpkin pasta is the perfect blend of both.

We’re talking a creamy fettuccine alfredo style pumpkin jazzed up with some festive seasonal flavors like pumpkin puree and sage.

The result is literally my dream dish come true.

It’s fall in a bowl and comes complete with cheese and carbs.

Plus, like Lemon Pasta and Spaghetti Aglio e Olio, it’s really, really quick and ready in just about the amount of time it takes you to cook the pasta.

And, because it’s so seasonal unlike fettuccine Alfredo, you would be absolutely justified and correct serving this for Friendsgiving or other seasonal entertaining.

Unlike Patrick’s shoes, which are, of course, incorrect.

Ingredients and Kitchen Supplies

Here’s what you need to make pumpkin pasta:

• Fettuccine – You can use whatever type of noodle you like, but we find wide or broad noodles work best.
• Butter – Butter helps give it the rich flavor, but you could sub in margarine or olive oil if you prefer.
• Sweet Onion – We use yellow or sweet onions. White or red could also work for this in a pinch.
• Pumpkin Puree – You want to open a small can of it unless you are making a lot of other things, like pumpkin hand pies or classic pumpkin pie along with the pasta.
• Heavy Cream – You could use light cream, half and half, or whole milk, but it will not get as creamy with lower fat options. For the creamiest pumpkin pasta, stick with heavy cream.
• Parmesan Cheese – This helps to thicken the sauce.
• Garlic – You want to use fresh garlic for the best flavor.
• Sage – Again, a spring of fresh sage helps add some nice fall flavor.
• Rosemary – For a bit of an Italian flavor for the pasta, we use fresh rosemary.
• Spices – For a little bit of spice and flavor enhancement, we use sea salt, crushed red pepper, and black pepper. In a pinch, you could also use dried rosemary, sage, and garlic in place of the fresh stuff.

You won’t need any fancy equipment, but these tools make it easier:

• tongs
• garlic press
• large skillet
• pasta pot

How to Make Creamy Pumpkin Pasta

1. Cook the pasta according to the instructions on the package.

This will vary between pasta types but tends to be between 8 on the low end and about 11 minutes on the higher end.

2. Make the pumpkin pasta sauce.

Melt the butter in a large skillet over medium heat.

When the butter melts, add the onions, fresh sage, fresh rosemary, salt, and pepper.

Saute everything until the onions start to soften, about 3 to 4 minutes.

Stir in the garlic.

Then stir the pumpkin puree right into the onions.

Immediately after, you stir in the pumpkin stir in the heavy cream.

Let it keep cooking until the cream mixture is heated through, stirring often.

3. Put it all together.

Once the pasta is cooked and the sauce is done, add the pasta directly into the sauce, reserving a little pasta water to use if needed.

Stir in the Parmesan cheese.

Remove the skillet from the heat.

If needed, stir in about a quarter cup of pasta water to loosen the sauce.

Pull out the sage and rosemary sprig, serve, and enjoy!

Serving

Serve pumpkin pasta with homemade garlic bread, a Caesar salad, or your favorite salads or breads.

Pumpkin pasta is best served fresh from the skillet.

Storing

You should make pumpkin pasta fresh when you are ready to eat, but if you have leftovers, you can store them in an air tight container.

It should stay fresh for about 2 to 3 days in the fridge.

To reheat, it is best to do so in a pan, adding a bit of heavy cream or milk as you gently heat over medium low heat.

Adding cream while reheating helps to reinvigorate and hydrate the sauce again.

Heat until warmed through.

Tips and Tricks

• Top pumpkin pasta with your favorite cheeses, including shaved parmesan cheese, mozzarella cheese, or other Italian favorites.
• Use butter and heavy cream for the creamiest pumpkin pasta. But for a lighter pasta, you can use lower fat options, but the sauce will be a bit thinner.
• If you don’t add parmesan cheese to the sauce, it will be a bit thinner. You could mix in equal portions of combined water and flour to help thicken the sauce instead. About 2 tablespoons of each should thicken it nicely. If not, you can always add a small amount more until it thickens up. You can also add more cream to help thin it out.

Other Fall Pasta Recipes to Try

If you love pumpkin, try these other pumpkin recipes:

• Sheet Pan Gnocchi with Roasted Fall Vegetables
• Pumpkin Penne with Peas, Parmesan, and Sage
• Brown Butter Gnocchi with Butternut Squash
• Pumpkin Risotto
• Pumpkin Macaroni and Cheese with Pancetta and Peas

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