Creamy One Pot Pumpkin Pasta Recipe

This One Pot Pumpkin Pasta is creamy and easy to make and tastes great. Perfect for a Fall family dinner and ready in under 30 minutes!

Fall is just around the corner and I am so excited for the return of my favorite flavor: pumpkin! This Creamy One Pot Pumpkin Pasta with Spinach makes for the perfect comforting family dinner main or side dish. As an added bonus the dish is very easy to make and is ready in under 30 minutes.

The pasta uses cream cheese and heavy cream for a creamy, silky texture. Once finished the dish is then topped with some crunchy toasted walnuts and freshly grated parmesan cheese for the perfect finish.

Ingredient Notes

Heavy Whipping Cream: I really like the creamy texture heavy whipping cream gives this pasta. It can be swapped out for milk or half and half, but I do not recommend using skim milk and the sauce will be a bit more watery.

Pumpkin: Fresh, cooked pumpkin can be subbed in for canned pumpkin. The flavor will be more rich and recommend pureeing it so you can still have the same smooth sauce texture. If you want to really pumpkin it up you can also add in some fresh roasted pumpkin in addition to the creamy pumpkin sauce.

Pasta: I used medium shells, because they are my kids favorite, but you could use any variety of pasta (spaghetti, angel hair, rotini, ect.) you wish. Whole wheat pasta, a cheese stuffed ravioli, or gnocchi can also be used and go great with the pumpkin sauce as well.

Fresh Spinach: I like adding in a bit of fresh spinach, because it adds in some more color, flavor and texture. It also makes me feel better eating a bowl of pasta if there is a vegetable included lol. You could leave the spinach out completely if you wish or add in another green like kale.

Why You'll Love This!
Only One Pot Required
Quick & Easy: Ready in Under 30 Minutes
Versatile: Perfect for a Fall Dinner Side or Main

Instructions

Pumpkin Pasta

1. Add water, vegetable broth, and olive oil to a high walled skillet. Bring to a boil and add in uncooked pasta and stir.
2. Stir frequently and cook pasta for 12 minutes or until pasta is fully cooked and only a small amount of liquid remains.
3. Turn off heat and add in chopped spinach and stir gently for 1 minute until all the spinach is wilted.
4. Add in remaining ingredients to pasta.
5. Stir until well combined, creamy and sauce is warm. About 1-2 minutes.
6. Serve warm immediately topped with optional toppers and enjoy!

Leftover Storage Instructions
I recommend storing any leftover pasta in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 4 days. You can re-heat in the microwave or stove top. For best results add a splash of milk to the pasta while warming to help get that creamy texture back.

Toasted Walnuts

Toasted walnuts are a favorite topper for my pumpkin pasta and I love the crunch they add. They are completely optional and do require an extra pan to make them yourself. I promise they are very simple though and they can be made ahead of time, or while the pasta is boiling.

To make toasted walnuts yourself, heat a medium skillet with butter and add in walnut pieces. Sprinkle with salt and any additional spices you wish and cook on medium heat for 5-10 minutes until semi soft and fragrant. Be careful not to burn the butter. Once toasted remove from pan and let cool. When the pasta is ready you can sprinkle them over the top and dig in!

It really is that simple. Of course you can leave the walnuts out, use a different nut like pecans or buy them yourself from a grocery store.

FAQS

Make it Vegan
This pumpkin sauce can easily be made vegan without compromising on taste. To make the sauce vegan you can sub in cashew or almond milk for the heavy cream and either leave out the cream cheese or use a vegan alternative.

Pro Tips

Stir Pasta: When cooking the pasta it is important to stir it frequently. This will help the pasta cook evenly and ensure it doesn't stick together.

Don't Over Boil: You want to cook the pasta until just al dente and a small amount of liquid is okay. When you stir the pasta it should not stick to the bottom of the pan. If this happens you either need to add more liquid (if your pasta needs more time to cook) or remove from the heat and stir in sauce ingredients.

Sauce Tips: When making the sauce you do not need to bring it back to a boil or stir for too long. You should just need to add everything to the pasta and stir until warm. If you heat the sauce for too long it may break or start to boil off making the pasta less creamy and more sticky which you do not want.

Main or Side?
This One Pot Pasta with Spinach will work great as a main dish or side dish. If using as a side you could pair with some roasted chicken, turkey breasts, or a lot of cooked seasonal vegetables. If using the pasta as a main dish you could pair with some toasted bread, a side salad or a warm soup.

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Happy Eating!