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This Baked Pumpkin Pasta is made with pancetta, kale, and white beans and topped with gruyere and panko crumbs.

Baked Pumpkin Pasta

This healthy baked pumpkin pasta bake is total comfort food. I know it’s rare to hear the words “healthy” and “comfort food” in the same sentence but hear me out! The pumpkin, kale, cannellini beans, and whole-wheat pasta give this dish a ton of fiber, and the gruyere and pancetta give it that comfort-food element while adding protein. You can also try my Pumpkin Mac and Cheese with Roasted Veggies, and for a more pared-down version of this recipe, try my other Cheesy Baked Pumpkin Pasta.

I don’t know about you, but I tried to like whole wheat pasta for years and never found a brand that my family would eat. I didn’t care for the texture until I discovered DeLallo Organic Whole-Wheat Pasta, which changed my life. My husband, who is pretty picky about his pasta, also loves it, and now it’s the only brand of whole-wheat I will ever use. Their gluten-free pasta is also AMAZING, so if you can’t eat gluten, you can easily swap it out.

What are the benefits of eating pumpkin?

I love cooking with pumpkin. Not only does it require no prep (besides opening the can!), it’s also full of nutrients. One cup of pumpkin has two grams of protein and seven grams of fiber. Plus, it’s a great source of vitamins A, K, and E.

Pumpkin Pasta Ingredients

This creamy pumpkin pasta bake is like a fancy mac and cheese! Here’s what’s in it:

Pasta: I teamed up with DeLallo to make this pasta recipe. Their whole- wheat penne was the perfect choice, but you could really use any shape, like their shells, fusilli, or cavatappi.
Pumpkin: Pumpkin is obviously a key ingredient here, but you could also use butternut squash puree.
Cheese: This dish isn’t called “cheesy baked pumpkin pasta” for nothing! I use gruyere, but you could swap it for white cheddar. I mix one cup with the pumpkin puree and half of a cup sprinkled on top for maximum
cheesiness!
Kale: I use two bunches of kale for this recipe, which means you’re getting a very healthy dose of greens. The kale cooks in the boiling pasta water for a couple of minutes before cooking the noodles. If you want to sub it for spinach, skip cooking it in water and just add it in towards the end with the pasta.
Beans: I use cannellini beans but feel free to swap with great northern.
Pancetta: Pancetta is basically Italy’s version of bacon, but you can sub it with bacon if you prefer.
Other Ingredients: The onion cooks in the pancetta drippings with a little bit of salt, garlic, and red pepper. This combo really enhances the flavor of the whole meal.
Panko: I top the pasta with panko, which gets crispy and golden in the oven. If you want to brown the breadcrumbs even more, you can broil the pasta for a minute or two at the end.

How to Store, Freeze, and Reheat Pumpkin Pasta

This pasta will last in your fridge for up to five days and in the freezer for up to three months. I like to portion out leftovers into individual serving containers, so if I need a quick lunch, I can just pull one serving out at a time. Thaw overnight and then microwave to reheat.

You can also freeze the whole baking dish. Complete all the steps through topping the pasta with cheese. Wrap tightly with plastic wrap and freeze. To reheat, thaw overnight, sprinkle with panko, and then bake until heated through.