I love how food can reflect the seasons and this creamy pumpkin pasta is all about Autumnal cosiness. A creamy base with lightly charred roast pumpkin mixed in. The sauce is flavoured with garlic, tomato paste and lots of parmesan. It is a super delicious and cosy dish and the time it takes to roast the pumpkin is worth it, I promise.
Hi! I am giving this sauce a big update as I wanted to change up the recipe slightly. It was not a tough chore having to re-make it, this is one of my favourites as I just LOVE roasted pumpkin.
It's coming into Spring here in New Zealand but so many of you are in Fall and this just embodies all the Fall flavours so perfectly. Cosy and comforting. This sauce is actually delish any time of year in my books.
I know in the Northern Hemisphere canned pumpkin pureé is the norm for this sort of dish, it's not really a thing here! I prefer the flavour of roasting the pumpkin myself. The charred edges add such a wonderful depth of flavour to this creamy sauce, it's 100% worth the effort.
Main Ingredients
Pumpkin - use whatever variety roasts well, they are called different things in different countries!
Sage - The sauce starts with making a sage butter with the leaves then put aside for serving. It's totally optional.
Vodka - This is absolutely optional so don't worry at all if you don't have any. Vodka is used a lot in pasta sauces. It adds flavour but also helps bind ingredients together in the sauce.
Tomato paste - It rounds out the flavour of the sauce.
Cream - I use single cream (it's called light cream in the USA) in this recipe as the pumpkin makes it quite thick. This sauce definitely needs the pasta water to help thin it out.
Parmesan - Try not to buy pre grated parmesan it's usually full of horrible additives. Get a microplane or use the star side of your box grater to grate it finely.
Lemon juice - I always suggest using fresh lemon juice in my recipes, it can't be beat! It adds much needed acidity to this dish.
Salt and pepper - Pumpkin is pretty sweet so don't be afraid to really dial up the seasoning in this sauce.
Why do I need to roast the pumpkin first?
I know in other countries pumpkin puree ready bought is really popular but it isn't a thing here in New Zealand. I have always roasted my pumpkin for dishes like this. It does take much longer but I promise you it's worth it.
Roasting anything brings out so much more flavour and naturally helps the caramelisation, enhancing it's sweetness. I like to roast it long enough so that the edges are charred, it adds a wonderful depth of flavour.
If you really don't have time for the roasting then substitute 1 cup pureé.
The process:
I know the recipe looks like it had lots of steps but I promise, it's a really simple sauce to make!
- First you will get the pumpkin and onion roasting in the oven. The onion will cook quicker so watch it after 30 mins and take it out if getting too charred.
- Pureé the pumpkin and onion until smooth, adding ½ cup water to loosen.
- Put the pasta on to cook in well salted boiling water.
- Start the sauce. Melt the butter and fry the sage until crisp and the butter is lightly browned.
- Set the sage aside on paper hand towels.
- Add the garlic to the butter and sizzle for 30 seconds.
- Add the tomato paste and cook for 2 minutes, whisking into the butter.
- If using add the vodka an reduce down slightly.
- Add the pumpkin mixture, cream and ½ cup pasta water. Bring to a gentle simmer.
- Add the parmesan in a few lots, letting it melt in between each addition.
- Add the lemon juice and season to taste, don't be shy!
- Add the cooked pasta in and let it gently bubble for a minute or so.
- Serve with extra parmesan and the crisp sage on top.
Why pasta water is your best friend!
You'll hear me harp on about the magic that is pasta water in 99% of my recipes. It really is a key ingredient in every sauce I make. The starch left behind in the water acts as a thickening agent and helps sauces cling to the pasta.
I couldn't make a sauce without it. I never EVER drain my pasta in a colander, I always transfer it directly to the sauce using a spider strainer. That way the pasta pot full of water is left there for you to ladle in as you need. if you have seen my reels on instagram you'll notice my sauces are SAUCY.
Pasta soaks up liquid so quickly so I add enough pasta water to make it quite liquidy. By the time I serve into bowls and take to the table it hasn't dried up. You'll get to know what the right consistency is with some practice, you can't go wrong though I promise!
What pasta shape is best for this sauce?
I hate rules, use whatever you love! I have used a dried fusilli corti because it's one of my new favourite discoveries. Any shape, fresh or dried will be delicious!
Fancy making some pasta from scratch? I can help! My easy homemade pasta dough is the ONE. It will never let you down and you could make some homemade pappardelle which is really easy
I am super passionate about hand rolled shapes. If you are really new to pasta use my semolina pasta dough to make some hand rolled gnocchi sardi, the easiest shape EVER.
Recipe FAQs
If you absolutely must then yes! You'll need 1 cup of it.
The pumpkin makes this sauce quite thick so go for a single or light cream. Heavy, double or whipping creams will be far too thick here.
Yes definitely, just leave it out if you wish. It adds a touch of flavour but mostly gives the sauce a little shine and helps bind the sauce ingredients together. It's absolutely fine without.
A note on serving size!
Look, I like my pasta REALLY saucy OK?! I have put this for two but it could easily stretch to 3 or 4 so just add more pasta if you need. I allow 100g dried or 150g fresh per person. Pasta water is really your friend here so use as much as you need to make it go further.
Want some other sauces to try?
If you loved this creamy pumpkin pasta then check out my recipe section for all sorts of delicious sauces and pasta techniques. For another Fall inspired plate then you must attempt my roast pumpkin agnolotti, it's a process but so fun to make. For a cosy creamy meal then make my Creamy Leek Pasta, it's one of my favourites. My Red Wine Risotto is also perfect for this time of year.
Made this recipe and loved it?
I would love love LOVE if you could leave me a review down below and let me know what you thought! I love to hear any changes or adaptions you have made too. Also if you put a photo on instagram, please tag me so I can see, it makes my day!
PrintRecipe
Creamy roast pumpkin pasta
- Total Time: 1 hour 15 minutes
- Yield: 2 people
Description
A creamy roast pumpkin pasta sauce flavoured with garlic, sage and lots of parmesan. A decadent and moreish pasta sauce you will love.
Ingredients
200g dried pasta or 300g fresh pasta (see notes on serving size)
800g pumpkin cut into bite size pieces, this should yield about 500g finished cut pieces
1 onion, cut into wedges
1 tbsp olive oil
40g butter
8 - 10 fresh sage leaves, optional
3 cloves garlic, very finely chopped or minced
2 tablespoons tomato paste
½ cup vodka, optional
¾ cup single or light cream
50g parmesan, finely grated
1 - 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
Salt and pepper
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 180 celsius (350f)
- Toss the pumpkin and onion pieces gently in a bowl with the olive oil, a good pinch of salt and a few cracks of black pepper.
- Arrange the pumpkin and onion pieces on a baking tray lined with baking paper and roast in the oven for 40 - 50 mins until lightly charred (see the pictures above).
- You might need to take the onion pieces out earlier so watch them closely.
- Pureé with a stick blender or in a food processor with ½ cup water. You should have about a cup.
- Cook your pasta in a pot of well salted boiling water. Reserve 1 or 2 cups of pasta water before draining.
- Melt the butter over medium heat and add the sage leaves if using.
- Cook, swirling the pan so the butter browns evenly. Remove the sage leaves when crisp and the butter is lightly browned.
- Set the leaves aside on a paper hand towel and leave butter in pan.
- Add the garlic to the butter and sizzle for 30 seconds, moving it around the pan so it doesn't burn. Turn the heat down if you need.
- Add the tomato paste and let it gently sizzle for a 2 minutes, whisking it into the garlic and butter.
- Add the vodka if using and let it reduce for a minute or so.
- Lower heat and add the pumpkin mixture, cream and ½ cup pasta water and mix well. I like to use a flat whisk.
- Bring it to a really gently simmer here, it shouldn't be bubbling aggressively.
- Add the parmesan in a few lots, whisking and letting it melt between each addition.
- Add the lemon juice and season to taste with salt and a good few cracks of black pepper.
- Add your pasta straight into the sauce and let it gently bubble away for a minute or so.
- Add more pasta water to loosen the sauce if needed. This is quite a thick sauce so loosen as much as you need.
- Serve with extra parmesan, a good crack of black pepper and the crisp sage on top.
Notes
- SERVING SIZE. I have put it as two servings but it could stretch to 4. I personally like pasta REALLY saucy but with some extra pasta water it can go a lot further.
- Start the sauce when your pasta has been cooking for a couple of minutes then they should be ready at the same time and you can transfer the pasta straight into the sauce.
- With most of my sauces I like to let the pasta bubble away in it to help coat the pasta. If you are using dried pasta then undercook it slightly so it doesn't overcook in the sauce.
- Prep Time: 15 mins
- Cook Time: 1 hour
Sky says
I made this while I was in surgical recovery and only allowed to eat soft foods. Well soft foods with a heap of punch to your taste buds are hard to come by but boy this did not disappoint. The sauce for this was so bloody good that I decided the very next day to make it again but add stock and turn it into a soup. The entire family loved the sauce and the soup and it'll be a easy go to from now on.
★★★★★
Emilie Pullar says
Hi Sky, I hope that you have recovered! So glad this meal was a comfort to you in that time 🙂
Austin says
This recipe was simple to follow and truly wonderful! Pumpkin is a favorite of mine and this recipe uses it beautifully by balancing all of the flavors together. Highly recommend giving this one a try; you will not be disappointed.
★★★★★
Emilie Pullar says
Hi Austin, so glad you enjoyed thank you so much for making! 🙂
Caitlin says
Holy wow was this delicious! It's a new fave, and everything worked sooo well together.
★★★★★
Emilie Pullar says
Yay so glad you enjoyed!! X
Samone says
I was looking for a easy mid week meal and I am so glad I found this one. Thank you!
★★★★★
Harriet says
Absolutely delicious! 10/10
★★★★
Emilie Pullar says
Yay! Thanks so much for making it! 🙂