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This creamy pumpkin pasta is rich, velvety, and ready in just 15 minutes (because comfort food shouldn’t be complicated). Kitchen-tested, reader-approved, and weeknight-worth…it’s foolproof!
save this recipe!A weeknight hero
Cozy, creamy, and ready before your playlist ends. I developed this pumpkin pasta sauce after testing every version I could think of (heavy cream vs. cream cheese, tomato paste vs. none). The result? A sauce that’s silky, slightly tangy, and rich without feeling heavy; comfort food with a nutritionist’s touch (🙋🏼♀️).
The best part? It’s secretly so simple to make (seriously, we’re talking a handful of ingredients and 15 minutes, folks). Serve it up with air-fried Brussels sprouts or a hearty tabbouleh salad, or just grab a fork and dive in. Let’s do this!
Reader rating
Key Ingredients
- Pumpkin Purée: The star. We tested canned and homemade — canned wins for consistency and creamy texture.
- Cream Cheese: Adds richness and body without needing heavy cream. Bonus: reheats beautifully.
- Tomato Paste: A small amount deepens flavor and balances the pumpkin’s natural sweetness.
- Garlic + Sage: Classic aromatics that bring warmth and a hint of holiday coziness.
- Vegetable Broth: Lightens the sauce while keeping it velvety.
Easiest Pumpkin Pasta (So Creamy)
Ingredients
- 12 oz pasta, bucatini, fettuccini, rigatoni, or your favorite variety, 340 g
- 1 Tbsp olive oil, 15 mL
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 Tbsp finely chopped sage
- 1 15-oz can pumpkin puree, not pumpkin pie filling, 425 g
- 1 cup vegetable broth, 226 mL
- 2 Tbsp tomato paste, 30 g
- ¼ cup cream cheese, about 2 oz, 50 g
- ¼ tsp each salt and pepper
- To serve: grated parmesan
Instructions
- Pasta: Cook 12 oz pasta in salted water according to the instructions on the package.
- Garlic: Meanwhile, heat 1 Tbsp olive oil in a medium pot over medium heat. Add 3 cloves garlic (minced) and 1 Tbsp finely chopped sage, cooking until soft and fragrant, about 2 minutes.
- Sauce: Stir in 1 15-oz can pumpkin puree, 1 cup vegetable broth, and 2 Tbsp tomato paste. Cover and bring to a gentle simmer, letting it simmer for 5 minutes. Remove from heat and whisk in ¼ cup cream cheese and ¼ tsp each salt and pepper.
- Optional Blend: If you want an even smoother sauce, carefully blend using a handheld immersion blender or countertop blender (leave the lid cracked to allow steam to escape).
- Serve: Toss cooked pasta and pumpkin sauce. Transfer to serving bowls, topping liberally with freshly grated parmesan.
Notes
Nutrition
Nutrition information is calculated by Sarah Bond, degreed nutritionist, and should be taken as an estimate. For the most accurate nutritional information, calculate it using the actual ingredients in your recipe.
did you make this?Leave a comment below and tag @liveeatlearn on social media! I love seeing what you’ve made!
Is there a replacement for the tomato that you would recommend or maybe leaving it out? My partner can’t have it because of allergies! I would love any suggestion!
You could just omit the tomatoes here or perhaps blend in some roasted red pepper!
This was super easy and super tasty and just what I was looking for in a pre-Thanksgiving meal that was both appropriate for the season, honored a bit of my Italian roots and was able to make vegan by substituting veg and cream cheese and vegan parmesian. The only other
change’ I made was by topping w/toasted pine nuts!
Thank you for this wonderful recipe . I will be making this again.
Thanks so much Lynne, and so glad you enjoyed the recipe! Have a lovely Thanksgiving x
This recipe is excellent ,I’ve made 4-5 batches and use it on everything !
Thank -you 🌹
I’m so thrilled to hear it!