Creamy, savory pumpkin pasta sauce. This fall inspired sauce is thick and full of veggies and savory flavors. It's ready in under 20 minutes and one of the coziest dishes I've had.
I like to pair this pumpkin pasta sauce with pan fried gnocchi, but you can use any pasta you have on hand for a bright, flavorful, elevated fall meal.
Why You Need This Pumpkin Pasta Sauce.
This sauce is not your average pasta sauce, it has notes of pumpkin, cinnamon and savory herbs in it. It is nothing you'd expect and it's full of fiber. It has Roth Goat's Chèvre melted right in, giving it a creamy satisfying silky texture.
This pumpkin pasta sauce is versatile, you can spread it over pizza for a fall inspired pie or mix it in with any pasta of choice. I prefer it with gnocchi personally, the gnocchi is the perfect vehicle to carry the savory creamy sauce.
Ingredients For Pumpkin Pasta Sauce.
Pumpkin Puree. You want to be sure it is pure pumpkin puree, fresh or from a can. Do not confuse this with pumpkin pie filing!
Crushed tomatoes. 1 small can will be plenty for this recipe.
Seasonings. Cinnamon! This is very important, it won’t make it taste sweet, I promise. It brings out the pumpkin and just works so well.
Olive Oil. A high quality EVOO with light taste is best.
Butter. for browning the gnocchi. You can use oil as well, but I find butter gives it a better texture. Omit this ingredient if you are using another type of pasta.
Yellow onions. Chopped small
Red Bell Pepper. This adds savory flavor and texture to our sauce
Goat’s Chevre. This will bring all the creaminess into the sauce. I prefer Roth Cheese. It is high quality, consistent and comes in a few different flavors like herb or plain!
Gnocchi. I prefer the shelf stable kind made from potato. You can also us frozen if preferred. We will be frying the gnocchi vs boiling it. I never boil my gnocchi as I find it gets soggy!
How To Make Pumpkin Pasta Sauce.
Step 1. Warm the olive oil in a large skillet over medium/high heat. Once it’s shimmering, add the onion, bell pepper and salt. Cook, stirring often, until the onions and pepper are tender and sweating, 8 minutes.
Step 2. Add the garlic, Italian seasoning, red pepper, thyme, and cinnamon to the skillet with the veggies. While stirring, cook until fragrant, about 1 minute. Add the canned tomato and pumpkin purée, stir to combine. Reduce heat to low and cook on a light simmer, for about 2 minutes. Remove it from the heat.
Step 3. Transfer the mixture to a high-speed blender. Blend until smooth and creamy, I prefer a little texture of chunks from the veggies!
Step 4. In a separate skillet, add butter to a pan. Cook gnocchi on medium to high heat in the skillet for about 8 minutes. tossing often. Once the gnocchi are lightly browned on both sides, add 2 tablespoons of water to the hot oiled skillet with the gnocchi in it to lightly steam them all the way through. Turn the heat down to low to keep the gnocchi warm - do not let it burn! If the gnocchi starts to cook too much remove from heat until serving.
Step 5. Place sauce mixture back into skillet and cook on low/simmer. Add in the goats chèvre and mix well. Sauce will be luxurious and creamy.
Step 6. Season generously with freshly ground black pepper and additional salt if needed. Add sauce cooked gnocchi or pasta of choice. Top with garnish and enjoy warm.
Expert Tips:
If you want your gnocchi softer, cook according to package. I prefer a crispier gnocchi.
You can use fresh tomatoes vs canned tomatoes if you's like.
Do not skip the cinnamon!
You may use cream cheese or vegan cream cheese in place of goat cheese.
Other Good Recipes You May Like.
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Pumpkin Pasta Sauce
Ingredients
- 1 16 oz package of gnocchi *
- 1 tbsp olive oil
- 1 tbsp butter *
- 1 cup chopped red bell pepper about 1 pepper
- ½ cup chopped yellow onion
- 3 chopped garlic cloves
- ½ tsp cinnamon
- ½ tsp italian seasoning
- ½ tsp salt
- ½ tsp pepper
- 1 15 oz canned crushed or whole tomatoes about 1 cup
- 1 cup canned pumpkin *
Instructions
- Warm the olive oil in a large skillet over medium/high heat. Once it’s shimmering, add the onion, bell pepper and salt. Cook, stirring often, until the onions and pepper are tender and sweating, 8 minutes.
- Add the garlic, Italian seasoning, red pepper, thyme, and cinnamon to the skillet with the veggies. While stirring, cook until fragrant, about 1 minute. Add the canned tomato and pumpkin purée, stir to combine. Reduce heat to low and cook on a light simmer, for about 2minutes. Remove it from the heat.
- Transfer the mixture to a high-speed blender. Blend until smooth and creamy, I prefer a little texture of chunks from the veggies!
- In a separate skillet, add butter to a pan. Cook gnocchi on medium to high heat in the skillet for about 8 minutes.tossing often. Once the gnocchi are lightly browned on both sides, add 2tablespoons of water to the hot oiled skillet with the gnocchi in it to lightly steam them all the way through. Turn the heat down to low to keep the gnocchi warm - do not let it burn! If the gnocchi starts to cook too much remove from heat until serving.
- Place sauce mixture back into skillet and cook on low/simmer. Add in the goats chèvre and mix well. Sauce will be luxurious and creamy.
- Season generously with freshly ground black pepper and additional salt if needed. Add sauce cooked gnocchi or pasta of choice. Top with garnish and enjoy warm.
Amari
Really good. We had a lot of sauce left over and we’re able to make it again for another night during the week. Thank you.
Chrissy P
Really filling and hearty. Loved the cinnamon flavors.