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Incredibly creamy Pumpkin Pasta Sauce is a savory, cozy, easy-to-make, vegan sauce that’s ready in minutes! Made with canned pumpkin puree, sautéed onion, garlic and sage, and tossed with your favorite pasta or gnocchi, it’s so good you’ll be making it all season long.
Enjoy pumpkin but make it savory! Whip up this creamy pumpkin sauce in just 15 minutes! It’s rich, satisfying and so comforting! It’s creamy without needing to add any cream or cheese. This recipe is based heavily on my Butternut Squash Pasta Sauce that I posted a couple years ago. Basically, I just swapped the butternut squash out for pumpkin. Simply, blend a can of pumpkin puree with sautéed onion, garlic and sage and any dairy-free milk. You’ll have a mouthwatering, seasonal sauce for any type of pasta or gnocchi!
Reasons you should make this recipe
- So tasty: Get ready for an absolute explosion of flavor! It’s creamy and savory with just a hint of sweetness from the pumpkin.
- Quick & easy: This pumpkin pasta sauce recipe is so simple to make and it comes together with very little effort. You can have the sauce just about made while the pasta is boiling, then simply stir everything together.
- Loved by all: Family-friendly and always a crowd-pleaser, this is a great dish to serve when you’re hosting guests! It tastes wonderful but it’s a breeze to throw together.
Ingredients you’ll need
This pumpkin pasta sauce recipe requires simple ingredients that you may already have in your kitchen. Here is everything that you’ll need:
- Olive oil: For sautéing the onion, garlic and sage.
- Onion and garlic: Sautéed for depth of flavor.
- Dried sage: The taste of sage pairs wonderfully with pumpkin! You can also use fresh sage leaves as desired!
- Pumpkin puree: The star of this recipe! You can make this sauce with either store-bought canned pumpkin puree OR with freshly roasted pumpkin (similar to what I did with the butternut squash sauce).
- Milk: I typically use unflavored almond milk but any nondairy milk will work.
- Salt & pepper: To bring out all of the delicious flavors.
Substitutions and variations
- Half and half: If you’re not worried about keeping the sauce vegan, half and half is a great substitution for the almond milk. The texture of the sauce will be thicker and slightly creamier.
- Pumpkin alternative: Try swapping the pumpkin puree with pureed butternut squash or sweet potato for a slightly different flavor.
- Freshly grated cheese: If you’d like to add some cheesiness, top with freshly grated parmesan cheese.
How to make this recipe
This pumpkin pasta sauce is perfect for busy weeknights! It’s quick and easy to get on the dinner table in a hurry and the whole family will love it! Here’s the simple process:
- Sauté: Heat the oil or butter in a medium skillet over medium heat. Once hot, add in the onion, garlic, and sage and sauté for 5 minutes.
- Blend: Add the onion mixture to a blender or food processor and add in the remaining ingredients: pumpkin, milk, and salt and pepper. Blend until creamy and smooth.
- Simmer: Add the sauce in the skillet used to sauté the veggies and heat until warmed through.
- Serve: Enjoy with your favorite cooked pasta, over gnocchi, on potatoes or however else you desire!
Helpful tips
- Pumpkin: Use pure pumpkin puree for this recipe. Pumpkin pie filling has added sugars and spices, which will not be good in this recipe.
- Seasoning pasta: If you’ll be serving this sauce with pasta, be sure to season the water with salt before adding to the pasta to boil. A good ratio is 1 teaspoon of salt per 4 cups of water.
Frequently asked questions
I recommend using some type of tubular noodle because the sauce will cling to it and get caught on the inside for a delicious bite. Penne, ziti, or rigatoni are great options, but really any short pasta is great for this sauce.
Yes, as written with almond milk or another plant-based milk this sauce is vegan. You can choose to use half-and-half but that will not be vegan.
This is wonderful served any way that you would serve regular pasta sauce! Aside from pasta noodles, it’s perfect for gnocchi (as seen pictured), with ravioli, over a baked potato or as a dip with garlic bread. It’s also delicious served over veggies such as brussels sprouts or broccoli.
Storage recommendations
- Storing leftovers: Transfer the sauce to an airtight container and store in the refrigerator for up to 4-5 days.
- To freeze: You can freeze the sauce in an airtight container for up to 2-3 months. Thaw in the fridge and warm in a saucepan on the stove or in the microwave. You may need to add some almond milk, broth or water to thin the sauce.
More savory pumpkin recipes
Pumpkin Pasta Sauce
Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- ½ sweet onion, roughly chopped
- 5 cloves garlic, roughly chopped
- ½ teaspoon dried sage
- 15 ounce can of pumpkin puree*
- 1 ¼ cup almond milk, unflavored (can use other non flavored milk if desired or half and half)
- salt and pepper to taste
Instructions
- Heat the oil in a medium skillet over medium heat. Once hot, add in the onion, garlic, and sage and sauté for 5 minutes.1 tablespoon olive oil, 1/2 sweet onion, 5 cloves garlic, 1/2 teaspoon dried sage
- Add the onion mixture to a blender or food processor and add in the remaining ingredients: pumpkin, milk, and salt and pepper. Blend until creamy and smooth.15 ounce can of pumpkin puree*, 1 1/4 cup almond milk, salt and pepper to taste
- Add the sauce in the skillet used to sauté the veggies and heat until warmed through.
- Serve with your favorite pasta, over gnocchi, or however else you desire!
Video
Notes
- Storing leftovers: Transfer the sauce to an airtight container and store in the refrigerator for up to 4-5 days.
- To freeze: You can freeze the sauce in an airtight container for up to 2-3 months. Thaw in the fridge and warm in a saucepan on the stove or in the microwave. You may need to add some almond milk, broth or water to thin the sauce.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
This was super easy to throw together and tasted delicious! I love that it was healthy too as other recipes have large amounts of butter and cream in them. Thank you! We added ground sausage to the sauce and served over pasta. So yummy!
My daughter found this recipe and we made it using coconut milk. Turned out great. We used it to make a sausage and pumpkin lasagne.
Delicious.
Delicious. Used over pumpkin ravioli
How can I make this using fresh pumpkin.my son has kidney disease and we use this over spiral( spaghetti) style squash
Ty
I had cooked pumpkin to use up and this recipe was perfect! I used unsweetened coconut milk and fresh (frozen) sage. Was wonderful – thank you!
Very good! I did not have milk so I used stock.. I mixed the sauce with roasted veggies and black beans. I then wrapped the mixture up in a warm homemade whole wheat tortilla
yay so glad that you liked it! Thanks for coming back to let me know- that means a lot!