This Cheesy Baked Pumpkin Pasta is made with a quick pumpkin sauce made with bacon, shallots, Pecorino Romano and melted mozzarella cheese.
Pumpkin Pasta
Transform a can of pure pumpkin purée into a luscious, creamy pumpkin pasta sauce for a delicious fall comfort dish. This baked pumpkin pasta is cheesy and delicious, my husband loved how it turned out! Another pumpkin pasta dish I love is Pumpkin Mac n Cheese Recipe. See more pumpkin recipes here!
Why You Need This Pumpkin Pasta In Your Life
I had a can of pumpkin lying around and wanted to turn it into pumpkin pasta sauce. I added some bacon or pancetta, a little rosemary and topped it with cheese. My husband Tommy loved how it turned out! Now I make it all the time when it’s pumpkin season.
Also, I finally found a brand of whole wheat pasta that me and my family actually like. Even my husband couldn’t believe it was whole wheat and thought they had to be lying. The brand is Delallo, and I honestly can’t say enough good things about them.
What You’ll Need
Here’s what you’ll need to make these easy pumpkin pasta. See recipe card below for exact measurements:
- Pasta: Use whatever pasta you eat. Wheat, whole wheat, gluten-free or high protein. I used penne, but any short pasta shape will work.
- Bacon or Pancetta: Adds smokey flavor to the sauce.
- Shallot: Adds flavor to the sauce.
- Pumpkin: Use canned pumpkin puree or my homemade pumpkin puree.
- Broth: Use chicken broth or vegetable broth to loosen the sauce.
- Cheese: Pecorino Romano adds even more flavor to the sauce and finish it with some mozzarella melted on top.
- Salt and Pepper to season the pumpkin pasta sauce
- Rosemary: Adds more flavor to the sauce and some warmth.
Variations
- Pumpkin: I wanted to make this pumpkin pasta recipe quick, so I chose canned pumpkin. But you can also make homemade pumpkin puree, which, in my opinion, always tastes better!
- Butternut: Substitute pureed butternut squash for canned pumpkin.
- Gluten-Free: Swap whole-wheat pasta for gluten-free pasta or high protein pasta of your choice.
- Bacon: Replace the bacon with pancetta, prosciutto, or Italian turkey sausage.
- Vegetarian Pasta: Omit the bacon and add smoked paprika or vegan bacon.
- Extra Veggies: Add kale or spinach to the pasta.
- Thick Sauce: If your sauce is too thick, add more broth or water to thin it out.
- Cheese: Switch out the Pecorino with parmesan.
- Herbs: Sub sage or thyme for rosemary.
How to Make Pumpkin Pasta Sauce:
- Flavor: Canned pumpkin really has no taste, so I added flavor by sautéing bacon and shallots.
- Pumpkin Sauce: I added fresh rosemary and Pecorino Romano to mimic a pumpkin pasta gnocchi dish I love ordering at a local restaurant. I thinned it with some chicken broth and seasoned it with salt and pepper.
- Pasta: While the sauce simmered, I cooked the pasta according to the package directions and then stirred it into the pumpkin sauce.
- Bake: I transferred the mixture to a baking dish and topped it with Pecorino and mozzarella. Then, I covered the dish and baked it for about 30 minutes at 375F.
What to Serve with Pumpkin Pasta
With 16 grams of protein and eight grams of fiber per serving, this healthy pumpkin pasta is very filling. I’d either serve it with a veggie or protein to round out your meal. Below are some ideas:
- Fall Brussels Sprout Salad with Apples, Pecans, and Blue Cheese
- Green Beans with Mushrooms
- Roasted Broccoli with Smashed Garlic
- Air Fryer Rotisserie Chicken
- Breaded Pork Chops
Storage
This can be prepared up to a day in advance and stored, tightly covered, in the refrigerator. Let sit at room temperature for 30 minutes before baking.
More Canned Pumpkin Recipes You Will Love
- Creamy Pumpkin Polenta
- Pumpkin Chili
- Pumpkin Mac and Cheese with Roasted Veggies
- Baked Pumpkin Pasta with Pancetta, Gruyere, Kale, and White Beans
- Turkey Pumpkin Chili
Baked Pumpkin Pasta Recipe
Ingredients
- 8 oz Delallo uncooked whole wheat pasta, or gluten-free pasta
- 2 slices center cut bacon, chopped or pancetta
- 1 shallot, minced
- 15 oz homemade pumpkin puree , or canned pumpkin
- 1 cup reduced-sodium chicken broth
- 3 tbsp grated Pecorino Romano cheese
- salt and fresh black pepper, to taste
- 1/2 tsp fresh rosemary, chopped
- 1/4 cup shredded Pecorino Romano cheese
- 1/2 cup shredded part-skim mozzarella, I recommend: Polly-O
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 375°F. Spray a 9×9-inch baking pan with oil spray. Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil.
- Meanwhile, in a medium saucepan over medium heat add chopped bacon and sauté until golden, about 3 to 4 minutes. Add chopped shallot and cook 1 minute.
- Add pumpkin, chicken broth, rosemary and 3 tbsp Pecorino Romano, stir and add salt and pepper to taste; simmer about 8 – 10 minutes.
- Meanwhile, cook pasta according to package instructions for al dente. Drain and add the pasta to the pumpkin sauce and mix well.
- Transfer to the baking dish and spread evenly. Top with the remaining shredded Pecorino Romano and mozzarella.
- Cover and bake for 25 to 30 minutes, or until mozzarella is melted and the edges are lightly browned.
- Let it cool 5 minutes, then divide into 4 equal portions.
