Vegan Pumpkin Pasta
This vegan pumpkin pasta is a great addition to your fall recipe collection. It requires less than 10 ingredients and will be ready and on the table in less than 20 minutes!
This delicious vegan pumpkin pasta makes an easy weeknight dinner or a side dish. Creamy, dreamy pumpkin sauce smothered over perfectly cooked pasta makes this delicious cozy meal one you’ll want to try during fall.
It’s as easy as blending cooked pumpkin, seasonings, spices and creamy coconut milk, then pouring over cooked pasta. I’m also sharing how to make this sauce without a stand blender.
Use gluten-free pasta for a naturally gluten-free and vegan meal.
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Making the Pumpkin Pasta Sauce
Making the best vegan pumpkin sauce requires using fresh pumpkin or even squash. Sure, you could make this recipe with canned, but it’s too easy to make from fresh, plus the flavor will be so much better. I highly recommend it!
Most types of pumpkin or squash can be used for this recipe. I used kabocha squash. It takes about 10 minutes to cook and if you have any that’s been pre-cooked then even better.
This would be a great way to use up any leftover Roasted Kabocha Squash or Roasted Butternut Squash. They make the tastiest purée as the flavors and natural sweetness are more concentrated.
But don’t worry, it won’t taste like you’re eating pie. That would be odd.
The savory flavors of this sauce come from browning onion and garlic in a pan which are then blended with the cooked pumpkin, spices and creamy coconut milk into a smooth sauce. Then reheat the sauce if necessary and pour it over cooked pasta to serve.
To take this pasta sauce up a notch, try adding 2 tbsps white miso paste or nutritional yeast for a cheesy flavor.
Pumpkin Sauce Without a Blender
If you don’t have a blender, you can still make this sauce. It might not be as smooth but the flavors will still be great. There are 2 methods for making pumpkin sauce without a stand blender or food processor:
- Use a stick or immersion blender. You may need to add 1 to 3 tablespoons of water to help the pumpkin blend easier. Be sure not to include the skin.
- Use a fork to mash the cooked pumpkin flesh in a bowl, getting it as smooth as you can.
Another tip for minimizing lumps in the sauce is to mince or finely chop the onion or garlic before browning and adding to the puree.
Once all the ingredients are prepared and cooked, simply combine them with the coconut milk, season to taste, reheat and serve over pasta.
Meal Prep Tips
This pumpkin sauce can be made ahead of time and stored in the fridge for up to 2 days or frozen for up to a month. The consistency of canned coconut milk might change after freezing so re-blend the sauce after thawing.
Instead, use vegan-friendly dried coconut milk or water while making the sauce and add the canned coconut milk while reheating.
Serving Ideas
This pumpkin pasta was served with sourdough bread, steamed broccoli and mushroom-lentil crumble from my Vegan Mushroom Lentil Meatballs Recipe.
Yes, I know this meal is high-carb, but I had this particular bowl while still living in Japan during winter. I don’t know about you, but as the weather gets colder, I tend to crave more carb-heavy meals.
The bread is also great for mopping up that last bit of sauce on the bottom of the bowl because we wouldn’t want any of it going to waste, right? But this pasta dish is also fine being served on its own.
Pumpkin sauce can also be used over steamed vegetables.
More easy pasta recipes
- Vegan Mushroom Pasta
- Vegan One Pot Pasta
- Vegan Coconut Pasta
- Vegan Puttanesca Pasta
- Vegan Lasagna for Two
Vegan Pumpkin Pasta
Ingredients
- 6 ounce pumpkin
- 5 ounce gluten-free pasta
- 1 onion, minced
- 2 garlic cloves, minced
- ½ tablespoon oil
- 1 cup coconut milk
- 2 tablespoons shiro or white miso paste, or nutritional yeast, optional
- Salt and pepper, to taste
Instructions
- Chop the pumpkin and add to a pot. Cover with 1/2 cup water and cook on low heat until soft.6 ounce pumpkin
- Meanwhile, cook the gluten-free pasta according to package directions.5 ounce gluten-free pasta
- Next, heat the oil in a pan and add the onion and garlic until browned. Remove from heat.1 onion,½ tablespoon oil,2 garlic cloves
- Remove pumpkin from pot and add the flesh to a blender along with the browned garlic and onions, coconut milk and miso or nutritional yeast. Blend until smooth and creamy.2 tablespoons shiro or white miso paste,1 cup coconut milk
- Return the mixture to the pan to reheat and season to taste. Stir in the cooked and drained pasta then serve immediately.Salt and pepper
Notes
- You can use 8 oz (226 g) of pre-cooked pumpkin for this recipe. Check out my post on how to roast a whole Japanese pumpkin.
- If you don’t have a stand blender, use a stick blender or mash the pumpkin with a fork. Further details for making this sauce without a blender are in the above post.
- Store the sauce in the fridge for up to 2 days or freeze for up to a month. The consistency of canned coconut milk might change after freezing so re-blend the sauce after thawing, use vegan-friendly dried coconut milk or use water while making the sauce and add the canned coconut milk while reheating.
- This pasta can be enjoyed on its own or served with Mushroom-Lentil Crumble from my Vegan Lentil Meatballs Recipe.