Pumpkin Pasta Bake (Cozy, Cheesy & Perfect for Fall)
A pumpkin pasta bake bubbling in the oven is pure autumn comfort. Each forkful is filled with tender pasta coated in creamy pumpkin tomato sauce, melty cheese that stretches with every bite, and a buttery walnut sage crunch on top. It’s hearty, cozy, and secretly packed with veggies, making it the kind of dinner that feels both indulgent and nourishing.
Ingredients
- Pumpkin purée not pie filling
- Short pasta shapes like rigatoni shells, or fusilli
- Tomato paste
- Vegetable broth
- Mushrooms
- Spinach or kale
- Parmesan cheese
- Fontina cheese
- Gruyere or mozzarella optional swaps
- Fresh sage
- Oregano
- Nutmeg
- Red pepper flakes
- Walnuts
- Pecans optional alternative
- Butter
- Olive oil
- Salt and pepper to taste
Instructions
- Bring a pot of salted water to a boil, cook pasta until just shy of al dente. Drain and set aside.
- In a skillet, melt butter and add walnuts with chopped sage. Toast until fragrant, then set aside.
- Heat olive oil in the same skillet. Sauté mushrooms and onion until soft. Stir in tomato paste, garlic, and red pepper flakes until the paste darkens.
- Deglaze with vegetable broth. Stir in pumpkin purée, Parmesan, and a bit of fontina until creamy.
- Add cooked pasta and toss until coated with sauce.
- Transfer to a greased baking dish. Top with more cheese and the walnut sage mixture.
- Bake until the top is melted, golden, and bubbly. Serve hot.
Notes
Store leftovers in the fridge up to 5 days or freeze up to 3 months. Reheat with a splash of broth to keep the sauce creamy. Make it gluten free with GF pasta, swap spinach for kale, or add sausage, turkey, or chicken for extra protein. For nut-free, replace walnuts with toasted breadcrumbs.