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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 calculated by Sarah Bond, degreed nutritionist.
did you make this?Leave a comment below and tag @liveeatlearn on social media! I love seeing what you’ve made!
Absolutely delicious!
So happy to hear it, Anna! 😀
Can you sub chicken broth? What if you don’t have sage? Still taste yummy without? Or other dried spices to recommend?
Yes, chicken broth will work if you’re not vegetarian! You can also replace a sage with herbs like rosemary or thyme.
Not too sweet for those worried about it tasting too much like pumpkin! Extra delicious if you add some cracked pepper for a little kick 🤗
Thanks for the kind words. Cracked pepper is a great addition!
What can I sub the cream cheese with to make it vegan?
You could use a vegan cream cheese here! 😀
This looks amazing. Wondering how to make this dairy free. Have you ever tried that or heard of someone that tried it? Maybe just look for dairy free cream cheese, or maybe coconut cream.
Dairy free cream cheese should work well here! 😀
Omg – absolutely delicious, like fall on a plate!! Super easy and quick.
So pumped you loved it, thanks Brittany
This so yummy! Creamy and delicious. All the flavors blend together nicely. This is the perfect Fall dish and so incredibly easy to make!!
Nothing better than hearing this, thank you!
This is really delicious 😋
I’m so thrilled to hear that you loved it, Jayne. Happy eating!
This worked exactly as written, thanks! It is so delicious!! and easy to make. I cannot wait to serve it to friends.
Really delicious!! I added some seasoned tofu as well! Yum! Thank you!
So pumped you loved it!