Pumpkin Pasta Sauce with Penne

This pumpkin pasta sauce recipe is lusciously creamy, flavored with savory spices and Parmesan. Serve it over penne pasta for an easy meatless meal.

Pumpkin pasta sauce recipe

It’s pumpkin season! A few years ago, Alex and I needed a quick and easy dinner recipe for guests and we were craving pumpkin. This orange squash is often served in sweet dishes, but why not try something savory?

Let me tell you, pumpkin puree actually makes for a creamy, irresistible pumpkin pasta sauce! Its texture melds seamlessly with Parmesan cheese, and its subtle flavor works just as well with garlic and chili powder as with pumpkin spices. This pasta sauce is now a family favorite in our house: it’s quick to whip up and takes under 30 minutes to make!

5 Star Reader Reviews

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ “This was honestly so bomb. I’m a little surprised since I haven’t made a savory pumpkin dish before. Thanks for sharing!” -Julia

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ “Just tried this recipe. It was so quick and easy and came out perfectly! Loved how they described how to temper the Greek yogurt. Great meal when you are hungry but can’t make up your mind. Also great to impress your significant other! Thank you!!” -Adam

Pumpkin parmesan pasta

How to Make Pumpkin Pasta Sauce

Here are all our secrets to this easy pumpkin pasta sauce! I based it off of my Pumpkin Gnocchi Bake, one of my most popular pumpkin recipes. So why not steal that sauce for a quick pasta? Instead of using cream cheese or heavy cream, this sauce features Greek yogurt, which brings a healthy spin.

Here are the basic steps for how to make pumpkin pasta sauce (see the recipe below for exact quantities):

  • Mince garlic, then heat olive oil in a skillet. Saute the garlic for 1 to 2 minutes, then carefully add canned pumpkin puree, vegetable broth, chili powder, nutmeg, salt and pepper.
  • Simmer about 10 to 15 minutes until the sauce becomes thick.
  • Stir in a bit of Greek yogurt. To do so, you’ll temper the Greek yogurt with some of the sauce: in a small bowl, mix the yogurt with a few spoonfuls of the pasta sauce. This makes sure it doesn’t curdle when immediately hitting the hot pasta sauce. 
  • Mix in grated Parmesan cheese. Serve on any shape of pasta, and garnish with additional Parmesan.

The resulting pumpkin pasta sauce is flavorful and creamy, with no bitter aftertaste like canned pumpkin can sometimes have. Mainly, it’s cheesy and delicious! Even better, you can make up the entire pumpkin pasta sauce recipe and boil the pasta in 30 minutes.

Best Pasta Shapes for Pumpkin Sauce

Even though I’ve shown this pumpkin pasta sauce recipe with penne, it can work with any type of pasta! It’s fantastic with short pasta, like macaroni, rigatoni, or fusilli (spirals). You could also use it on longer pastas like linguine or fettuccine.

I typically make this one with short cuts of pasta, but it absolutely works with whatever you’re feeling at the moment.

Pasta with pumpkin sauce

Pumpkin Puree vs Pie Filling

Pumpkin puree is cooked pumpkin that has been blended down into a puree. Do not accidentally grab pumpkin pie filling and use it in this recipe. It’s sweetened and includes pumpkin spices. The cans look very similar on the shelf, so it’s easy to do. In fact, one time I mistakenly started to use pumpkin pie filling in this pasta sauce, but after I smelled the cinnamon I realized my mistake!

Fun fact: most canned pumpkin also has butternut squash (here’s what’s really in your canned pumpkin puree.) Butternut squash is sweeter and creamier than pumpkin, which can be bitter and stringy, so many times manufacturers add it to the can. Some people are horrified to find this out, but I just want the creamiest, tastiest puree possible. After all, pumpkin is just a type of squash!

Tips For Cooking Pasta To Al Dente

Al dente means “to the bite” in Italian. It refers to pasta that is still firm on the inside when cooked. There’s a huge difference between al dente pasta and limp pasta: you’ll find that al dente pasta tastes so much more satisfying. You may also find yourself eating less pasta overall if you cook it to al dente, because you have to bite through each piece.

Here’s how to cook pasta to al dente:

  • Boil the pasta in a large pot of boiling water.
  • Start taste testing a few minutes before the package instructions indicate to. The pasta should be tender, but still firm on the inside so that it has a little bite.
Pumpkin Penne with Parmesan | Pumpkin pasta

What to Serve With Pumpkin Pasta

This pumpkin pasta makes a great easy dinner idea with a side dish that adds fiber. Here are some ideas:

Storage and Reheating

Leftover pumpkin pasta sauce stores in the fridge for up to 4 days. The pasta with sauce is best within 3 days; add a splash of broth when reheating if the pasta has become very thick.

I have not personally tried freezing this pasta, and I wouldn’t necessarily recommend it: but you could likely freeze the pasta sauce itself for up to 3 months.

Dietary Notes

This pumpkin pasta sauce recipe is vegetarian. For gluten-free, find gluten-free penne.

Frequently Asked Questions

What does pumpkin pasta sauce taste like?

It tastes savory, mildly sweet, and creamy, with cheesy notes from the Parmesan. It tastes deliciously savory.

What pasta goes best with pumpkin sauce?

Short or tubular shapes work best here like penne, rigatoni, shells, and fusilli.

Can you make pumpkin purée from canned pumpkin?

Canned pumpkin is purée already! All you need is canned pumpkin for this recipe, but you can also make it with homemade pumpkin puree.

Can you freeze pumpkin pasta sauce?

I personally have not, but you can technically freeze the sauce in an airtight container for up to 3 months.

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Pumpkin Pasta Sauce with Penne

Pumpkin pasta sauce recipe
Print Recipe

5 Stars 4 Stars 3 Stars 2 Stars 1 Star

5 from 3 reviews

This pumpkin pasta sauce recipe is lusciously creamy, flavored with savory spices and Parmesan. Serve it over penne pasta for an easy meatless meal.

  • Author: Sonja Overhiser
  • Prep Time: 15 minutes
  • Cook Time: 15 minutes
  • Total Time: 30 minutes
  • Yield: 6 1x
  • Category: Main Dish
  • Method: Stovetop
  • Cuisine: Italian

Ingredients

  • 1 pound penne pasta (or gluten-free pasta)
  • 3 garlic cloves
  • 2 tablespoons olive oil
  • 1 15-ounce can pumpkin purée
  • 1 ½ cups vegetable broth
  • ½ teaspoon chili powder
  • ¼ teaspoon nutmeg
  • ¼ teaspoon red pepper flakes
  • ¾ teaspoon kosher salt
  • Freshly ground black pepper
  • ¼ cup Greek yogurt
  • ½ cup shredded Parmesan cheese, plus more to garnish

Instructions

  1. Start a pot of salted water to boil, then boil the pasta until al dente. When done, drain the pasta and return it to the pot.
  2. Mince the garlic. In a large skillet, heat the olive oil over medium-low heat; add the garlic and sauté for 1 to 2 minutes, or just until the garlic is fragrant but not browned.
  3. Carefully add the pumpkin purée and broth to the skillet and stir to fully combine. Add the chili powder, nutmeg, red pepper flakes, kosher salt, and several grinds of black pepper. Cover and bring it to a high simmer, bubbling constantly, then cook for 10 to 15 minutes until thickened. Once thickened, place ½ cup of the sauce in a small bowl and mix it with the Greek yogurt, then add the mixture back to the pan and stir to combine. Add the shredded Parmesan and stir until mostly melted. Taste and adjust seasonings as desired.
  4. Pour the pumpkin Parmesan sauce onto the pasta. Serve immediately, garnished with additional grated Parmesan cheese.

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Sonja Overhiser
September 1, 2026 at 08:50AM

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