For a savoury pumpkin dish, look no further than this absolutely mouthwatering pumpkin pasta sauce. Pairs perfectly with noodles of your choice, or brown rice if you’re avoiding wheat. This sauce is quick and easy to whip up, making it a great choice on busy weeknights, or any time you’ve got a pumpkin craving!
I know you will absolutely LOVE this vegan pasta sauce.
First of all, we’re talking pasta here! What’s not to love??
But secondly, the sauce and pasta are ready in 20 minutes flat! Perfect for busy weeknights, or lazy days.
This pumpkin pasta sauce is not only vegan, but it’s gluten free and be sure to use gluten free noodles if needed.
Plus, it’s oil free, making it low in fat compared to cream based or nut based sauces. AND it’s nut free too!
So you’ve got a delicious, absolutely mouth watering sauce made using pantry staples like canned pumpkin and vegetable broth, with little to no prep required that is allergen friendly and ready in 20 minutes!! WIN!
Is pumpkin healthy?
Aside from being utterly delicious, this pumpkin pasta sauce is quite nourishing and pumpkin has a ton of health benefits!
Pumpkin is actually considered a superfood that is nutrient dense and filled with vitamins. It’s rich in Vitamin A, lutein (said to aid in eye health) and antioxidants.
This superfood is also said to improve joint health and inflammation!
Now my favourite part: pumpkin is super low in calories! YES!!
So go ahead and use this pumpkin pasta sauce on EVERYTHING!
How to make pumpkin pasta sauce
This simple vegan pasta dish uses 9 pantry ingredients that don’t need any prep work. No washing, peeling, chopping or slicing! WOO HOO!
All you need is some low sodium vegetable broth, canned pumpkin puree and the perfect blend of seasoning. (See below for the full recipe card.)
Combine everything in a small sauce pan and simmer for a few minutes to allow the flavours to blend nicely. Then stir in the plant milk for a lovely creamy finish.
Voila! Pumpkin pasta sauce done!
Meanwhile, cook your pasta according to package directions for ‘al dente‘ pasta.
Once your pasta is cooked and drained, combine with the pumpkin sauce and garnish your plate with green onion, vegan parmesan cheese, or chili flakes for extra heat.
Expert Tips
- Salt your water. Make sure to add enough salt to the boiling water for best texture and flavour. Here’s a handy guide to help you salt your water perfectly each time.
- Cook your pasta al dente. Do not overcook! Al dente means that the pasta is still firm once cooked, giving optimal texture in every bite. To ensure your pasta does not over cook, start taste testing a few minutes before the package says it will be ready. It should be tender, but still firm. Other than the pasta being far more delicious when cooked this way, it has the added side effect of eating less pasta since it’ll take you a touch longer to eat it. 😉
- Store your leftover pasta and sauce separately. Pasta will absorb the sauce as it sits in the refrigerator, resulting in much softer/mushy pasta when reheating. If you like soft pasta, then go for it. Otherwise store them separately.
Variations/Substitutions
- The sauce is great on wheat pasta, zoodles, brown rice, or even chickpea or lentil pasta for a healthier noodle choice.
- If you’re cooking for picky eaters or children, skip the cayenne pepper, or depending on their tastes, you might want/need to skip the sage and ginger for their plate too. I recommend scooping out a bit of the pumpkin pasta sauce before seasoning, and set aside. Then season the rest. Don’t skip the sage or ginger for the remainder of the sauce. That’s really what is amplifying the flavours of this sauce.
- If you can’t do soy (but you can do nuts) swap the soy milk for unsweetened cashew or almond milk. Or if you want to add extra richness to the sauce, use the canned kind of coconut milk. Keep in mind, this will add more fat, so I like to use the “light” version.
How to store and reheat
To store your leftovers, place the pasta and sauce in separate sealed containers in the refrigerator for up to 4 days.
You may reheat together in a skillet. Or if you don’t want to change the texture, place the plain pasta in boiling water for 30 seconds or so and drain it. Just enough to heat through without cooking it further. Reheat the sauce in a small sauce pot or skillet and combine with the pasta and enjoy!
I don’t recommend freezing pasta as it will get very soft when thawing and reheating. You may, however, freeze the sauce if you have extra. Place it in an airtight container in your freezer for up to 2 months.
This amazing vegan pasta sauce is:
- creamy & velvety
- rich & delicious
- with a little bit of heat
- and all while remaining dairy free, oil free, and virtually fat free!
You’ve got to try this!
More amazing fall recipes!
- Pumpkin Oatmeal Cookies
- Air Fryer Spaghetti Squash
- Pumpkin Black Bean Burgers
- Creamy Autumn Soup
- Vegan Pumpkin Risotto
- Butternut Squash Soup
- Easy Pumpkin Spice Hummus
- Sweet Potato Mac and Cheese
If you tried this recipe, please let me know about it in the comments below. I always love hearing from you! Don't forget to Subscribe to This Healthy Kitchen to be among the first to get my new recipes! You can also FOLLOW ME on Facebook, Instagram, Pinterest and Twitter to see more delicious food and get all the latest updates.
Buon appetito,
Rosa
📖 Recipe
Ingredients
- 1.5 cups low sodium vegetable broth
- 2 cups pumpkin puree
- ½ teaspoon dried sage
- ½ teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon chili powder
- ½ teaspoon sea salt
- ¼ teaspoon cayenne pepper
- ¼ teaspoon ground ginger
- 2 tablespoons arrowroot powder or all-purpose flour
- ½ cup soy milk or milk of choice
- 450 grams pasta of choice I like fettuccine
Instructions
- Combine the vegetable broth, pumpkin puree, all the seasoning, and the arrowroot powder in a medium saucepan. Simmer over medium-low heat for 5-6 minutes, stirring often. Then turn off the heat and stir in the milk. Set aside and keep it covered.
- Meanwhile, bring a large pot of generously salted water to boil, and cook your pasta according to package directions. Drain and return to the pot. Then pour the sauce over the pasta and mix immediately so the pasta doesn't stick together. You may reserve some of the sauce to garnish each plate or mix it all in.
- Serve garnished with chili flakes and vegan Parmesan cheese if desired.
nicole vinski says
Thank You. I’ve been looking for a non-dairy recipe!
Rosa says
You’re most welcome!
Rosalyn says
Recipe sounds delicious but can I use fresh pumpkin instead of canned? Maybe roasted?
Rosa says
Sure, fresh would be fantastic, enjoy!
Shi says
Yumm!
Cara says
I have acid reflux and found this while looking for a healthy alternative to red sauce. I skipped on the chili/cayenne and used almond milk since I couldn’t find soy anywhere. The sauce came out a little too watery, so I’ll try using one cup of broth and one 15oz can of pumpkin puree in the future. I added some umami seasoning from Trader Joe’s and parmesan on top. It made a lot of servings, so I may try freezing half of it and play around with the leftovers. Sharing this with all of my friends with GERD.
Rosa says
Hi Cara, thanks for taking the time to leave a review. So glad you found something that works with your dietary restrictions. 🙂
Ashley says
I am new to the vegan lifestyle..like…only 13 days of new. My son expressed a need for more time with just me. Tonight was the first night of helping me in the kitchen (one of the ways we are getting one on one time). I chose this dish to be our first. He took the reins and followed the recipe. He did accidentally double the cayenne pepper, but it ended up being fine. I got to teach him about salting the pasta water. We used chickpea noodles, and explain tasting the food as you go, so you can make adjustments. The dish was a huge success! Its so savory and full of flavor! I’m not a pumpkin flavor fan, but this was delicious! Its so easy to make and so quick. My son was very proud of himself and let dad know he was the chef. Thank you for the wonderful dish and the memory that came with it. I cant wait to try more of your recipes
Rosa says
Thanks so much for the review Ashley! Such a beautiful memory, so flattered this dish was a part of that. 🙂
Gena says
I added arrowroot powder to thicken. Pretty spicy but tasty. I used fresh roasted pumpkin! Yum.
rosa says
Fresh pumpkin sounds great. So glad you enjoyed this recipe Gena, thanks for taking the time to leave your feedback. 🙂
Robyn says
I made this tonight to use on butternut squash ravioli. It was so easy to make and I had everything except the sage so I substituted mint( the type from the spice isle) it was absolutely delicious! So much flavor for so little effort! Thanks for sharing this recipe.
rosa says
Thanks so much for the feedback Robyn. I’m glad you enjoyed. 🙂
Sam says
Delicious and easy to make! Great recipe.
rosa says
Thanks Sam! Glad you enjoyed. 🙂
vin spano says
made the sauce and thought , this is spicy ( almost like a curry that can be made in ten minutes ) so I decided to skip the pasta and used cous cous I had in the freezer. Mixed it with pineapple ( for Taste ) and green peas ( for color ) and some vegan meatballs I had in the freezer. Added the sauce and then sliced a banana lengthwise to compliment the pineapple and add to the presentation. Superb. Thanks.
rosa says
Hi Vin, thanks so much for taking the time to share your process. I’m thrilled you enjoyed this recipe, and I love the creativity here. 🙂
Lucie says
Omgosh this looks so good I want a roll of that pasta 🍝
rosa says
Thanks so much Lucie! It’s so tasty, enjoy! 🙂