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A creamy, dairy-free vegan pumpkin pasta sauce made with canned pumpkin and seasoned with warm fall spices. Quick and easy to prepare, perfect for a cozy and comforting meal.

Ingredients

Scale
  • 8 oz (about 2/3 of a box) pasta, cooked
  • 3 tablespoons oil
  • 1/2 onion, chopped
  • 3 garlic cloves, chopped
  • 2 tablespoons flour
  • 1 1/2 cups pumpkin puree
  • 1/4 cup reserved pasta water
  • 1/4 cup vegetable stock or water
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • Black pepper to taste
  • 1/4 teaspoon nutmeg
  • 1/4 teaspoon cinnamon
  • 1/2 teaspoon dried thyme

Instructions

  1. Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil and cook 8 oz (about 2/3 box) pasta according to package directions, reserving 1/4 cup pasta cooking water before draining.
  2. Heat 3 tablespoons oil in a large pan over medium heat.
  3. Add 1/2 chopped onion and 3 chopped garlic cloves and sauté until translucent and fragrant, about 5–7 minutes.
  4. Stir in 2 tablespoons flour and cook with the onion and garlic for about 30 seconds until crumbly.
  5. Pour in the reserved pasta water, 1/4 cup vegetable stock (or water), and 1 1/2 cups pumpkin puree; stir and bring to a gentle simmer.
  6. Simmer the sauce until it thickens, about 3 minutes.
  7. Blend the sauce until smooth using an immersion blender or by carefully transferring to a blender, then return the sauce to the pan.
  8. Stir in 1 teaspoon salt, black pepper to taste, 1/4 teaspoon nutmeg, 1/4 teaspoon cinnamon, and 1/2 teaspoon dried thyme and adjust seasoning.
  9. Toss the cooked pasta with the pumpkin sauce until evenly coated, adding extra reserved pasta water a tablespoon at a time if needed to reach desired consistency.
  10. Optional: sauté mushrooms, spinach, broccoli, or swiss chard separately until tender and fold into the pasta.

Notes

Save some pasta water before draining noodles to help thin the sauce and make it cling better to pasta., Salt generously to balance the natural sweetness of the pumpkin., Use green tops of scallions instead of onion for a low-FODMAP or onion-free variation., Cook flour with onion and garlic briefly to avoid raw flour taste., Use an immersion blender to puree sauce directly in the pan or transfer to a blender for smooth finish., Sauté extra veggies separately then fold in to preserve texture and color., Adjust nutmeg, cinnamon, and thyme amounts to taste for a stronger fall flavor., To reheat leftovers, warm sauce gently on stovetop and thin with water or stock if too thick., Add plant milk or vegan cream for extra creaminess or top with vegan parmesan for an umami kick.

Nutrition

Find it online: https://cookingcrumbs.com/10-minute-vegan-pumpkin-pasta/