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This Pumpkin Pasta is Chorizo-spiced and oh so comforting. Tender spaghetti is tossed in a simple sauce made with ground cumin and coriander, pumpkin puree and crème fraîche for creaminess. It’s completely vegetarian, incredibly quick and easy to make in 20 minutes and it makes the perfect fall dinner served with this Fall Harvest Salad and Profiteroles.
It’s fall so we’re making all things pumpkin around here! Pumpkin and pasta is one of my favorite dinners to make. Everything from this Pumpkin Pasta alla Vodka, Pumpkin Sage Alfredo Pappardelle with Brown Butter and Pumpkin Macaroni and Cheese just screams fall and cozy deliciousness.
Ingredients You’ll Need For Pumpkin Pasta
- Pumpkin – Make sure to use 100% pure pumpkin puree. It’s sold right next to cans of pumpkin pie filling which is combined with sugar and spices.
- Spices – Ancho chile powder, ground cumin, dried oregano, coriander and a pinch of ground cloves. These spices give this pumpkin sauce a Chorizo-like flavor.
- Pasta – I used spaghetti but any type or shape of pasta will work here.
For the rest of the ingredients, please refer to the recipe index card below!
How To Make Pumpkin Pasta
- Make the pumpkin sauce – Heat butter in a medium saucepan set over medium heat. Add in shallots and garlic then cook for 2 – 3 minutes or until soft. Stir in spices and cook for an additional 1 – 2 minutes or until the spices are fragrant. Add pumpkin puree and yogurt cooking until warmed through. Taste and adjust for salt – it’s ok if it’s a little salty the pasta will need it!
- Boil the pasta – Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Cook the pasta until al dente then reserve 3/4 cup of pasta water. Drain the pasta then transfer it back into the pot.
- Assemble and serve – Pour the pumpkin sauce over the cooked pasta in the pot. Stir to evenly coat in the sauce, add a little of the reserved pasta water to thin out the sauce as needed. Divide among bowls then serve garnished with pumpkin seeds.
Tips and Tricks
- Pasta water – Save at least 3/4 cup of the pasta water to add back into the sauce. This starchy water will thin out the sauce so that it will coat the pasta better without making it runny.
- Pumpkin sauce – Since the sauce comes together so quickly you can easily make it ahead of time. Double it and store it in the fridge for up to 3 days. Allow it to cool then portion the sauce into a freezer-safe storage container to freeze for up 3 months. Reheat over the stove with a bit of pasta water until it reaches your desired consistency.
- Uses for leftover pumpkin: This recipe calls for 3/4 cup of canned pumpkin puree so you’ll probably have 1 1/4 cups leftover. Freeze it or use it to make Butterscotch Pumpkin Pie, Pumpkin Tres Leches Cake, or Pumpkin Macaroni and Cheese.
Recipe FAQs
Absolutely! I used spaghetti but feel free to use your favorite pasta shape.
This dish is vegetarian! The spices make the sauce taste like chorizo but there isn’t any meat in this dish.
Canned pumpkin puree is convenient and consistent, but you can also roast and puree fresh pumpkin for a deeper flavor.
I would say this dish has a mild level of spice.
More Fall Recipes
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In a medium saucepan, set over medium heat, add the butter. When melted, add the shallot and garlic. Cook until the shallot has softened, about 2 to 3 minutes. Mix in the chile powder, cumin, salt, oregano, coriander, cayenne and cloves. Cook for 1 to 2 minutes, until the spices are fragrant. Add the pumpkin puree, yogurt or crème fraîche and mix until warmed, about 2 to 3 minutes. Give it a taste and adjust the salt to your liking. It might be a bit salty but it’s ok because the pasta will need it! Set aside.
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Meanwhile, bring a cast iron oven filled with salted water to a boil. Add the pasta and cook until al dente (mine took about 8 to 9 minutes). Scoop out about 3/4 cup of pasta water and set it aside. Drain the pasta and add it back to the cast iron oven.
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Add the pumpkin mixture to the pasta and pour in about 1/2 cup of pasta water. Toss until the pasta is evenly coated in the sauce. If needed, add an extra 1/4 cup of pasta water. Divide amongst plates or bowls and garnish with pepitas.
Tips and Tricks
- Pasta water – Save at least 3/4 cup of the pasta water to add back into the sauce. This starchy water will thin out the sauce so that it will coat the pasta better without making it runny.
- Pumpkin sauce – Since the sauce comes together so quickly you can easily make it ahead of time. Double it and store it in the fridge for up to 3 days. Allow it to cool then portion the sauce into a freezer-safe storage container to freeze for up 3 months. Reheat over the stove with a bit of pasta water until it reaches your desired consistency.
- Uses for leftover pumpkin: This recipe calls for 3/4 cup of canned pumpkin puree so you’ll probably have 1 1/4 cups leftover. Freeze it or use it to make Butterscotch Pumpkin Pie, Pumpkin Tres Leches Cake, or Pumpkin Macaroni and Cheese.
Serving: 4g | Calories: 504kcal | Carbohydrates: 91g | Protein: 17g | Fat: 8g | Saturated Fat: 4g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 2g | Trans Fat: 0.2g | Cholesterol: 16mg | Sodium: 650mg | Potassium: 414mg | Fiber: 6g | Sugar: 5g | Vitamin A: 7482IU | Vitamin C: 3mg | Calcium: 65mg | Iron: 3mg
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
