A creamy pumpkin pasta with spinach and walnuts is a quick and easy weeknight dinner.
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This pumpkin pasta is one of the easy recipes made with homemade pure pumpkin puree. It's one of the best pasta dinners to enjoy during pumpkin season. We can't get enough of pumpkin dishes once the fall season arrives, from oatmeal pumpkin cookies to pumpkin halwa, pasta to pumpkin banana smoothie, cheesecake to pumpkin pie filling, and the list goes on.
I no longer have to worry about painstakingly cutting or peeling the skin since using the Instant Pot. Simply place the entire fresh pumpkin in the instant pot and cook. Tempted to try? Why not check my simple guide on how to cook whole pumpkin in instant pot?
Pumpkin sauce is great to make ahead of time as part of a weekday meal prep. It comes in handy on busy weeknights or on those days when you're too tired to spend a long time in the kitchen preparing meals. All you need to do is reheat the sauce while the pasta is cooking. Drain water from the pasta and toss it with the sauce. Check the taste and add salt and seasoning if required.
Cashew powder and coconut milk combined with the sweetness of the pumpkin puree create a smooth and creamy pumpkin sauce with tons of flavours and a nutty aroma that even pumpkin haters can't resist. This easy vegetarian dinner recipe is made with simple ingredients without heavy cream or any fancy ingredients that are hard to find in local grocery stores.
Entice those who hate pumpkin. Similar to pasta with hidden vegetable sauce and creamy carrot pasta this pumpkin recipe is also a sort of vegan hidden sauce perfect to serve to picky kids.
Ingredients
- Pasta: Farfalle pasta has been used in this recipe. Feel free to use any pasta or spaghetti that you have on hand.
- Seasoning and Spices: Dried basil, oregano, garlic granules, crushed black pepper and salt.
- Liquids: Olive oil and coconut milk to make pasta sauce and water to cook pasta.
- Nuts and Vegetables: Walnuts, cashewnut powder and fresh spinach.
See the recipe card for quantities.
Instructions
Add boiling water from the kettle and salt to a steel pot.
Add pasta to the large pot of salted water, then boil uncovered for 8 to 10 minutes, or until the pasta is al dente, stirring frequently.
While pasta cooks get the remaining ingredients ready to make creamy pasta sauce.
Once finished, remove the pasta from the heat, place it in a colander to drain the water, and then set it aside.
Over low-medium heat, heat the oil in a large skillet or a pan.
Now add the pumpkin puree and cashew powder once the oil is hot, mix well, and simmer for one minute.
Add the coconut milk at this point and stir well until it bubbles.
Let the sauce simmer for 2 to 3 minutes.
Now add the oregano, basil, walnuts, salt, pepper, and garlic.
Add the cooked pasta and gently stir it into the sauce.
Finally, add the fresh spinach and stir thoroughly, simmer for a couple of minutes and then turn the heat off.
Enjoy the creamy pumpkin pasta with any side dish of your choice.
Variations and Substitutions
Garlic granules could be substituted with freshly minced garlic or garlic powder.
Feel free to use herbs that you have on hand such as fresh rosemary, fresh sage, parsley or mixed herbs instead of oregano and dried basil.
Coconut milk could be substituted with coconut cream and reserved pasta water. Ensure to keep aside pasta cooking water to use later.
Switch the flavour by using squash puree instead of pumpkin.
Feel free to use any shape of regular pasta instead of farfalle or use gluten-free pasta.
Chilli flakes (red pepper flakes) add a spicy kick. Stir in just before you serve this creamy vegan pasta.
Homemade pumpkin puree could be substituted with canned pumpkin puree.
Roasted sunflower seeds, pine nuts or roasted pepitas (pumpkin seeds) make a fabulous addition and add a crunch to this healthy pumpkin pasta.
Add vegan parmesan cheese or any dairy-free cheese for a cheesy flavour.
A handful of roasted pumpkin cubes is one of the great options to add texture.
Tips and Tricks
Cashew powder imparts a lovely flavour and creamy texture to this pasta recipe. Try not to skip it.
Once the water is drained from the cooked pasta, put the colander under a tap and run cold water over the pasta to prevent it from cooking further which would otherwise result in them sticking together.
The cooking time for pasta varies depending on the type of paste you use. So follow the package directions.
Storage
Freezer: If you are planning to make a big batch of this vegan pumpkin pasta, divide it into desired portions and store each portion separately in zip-lock bags or freezer-friendly containers. Keep them in the freezer. Ensure to allow the sauce to cool completely before you transfer it to zip-lock bags/containers.
Consider freezing leftover pumpkin pasta sauce if you don't plan to finish it off in 4-5 days.
Defrosting: Take out a portion from the freezer and keep it in the fridge to thaw a night before you plan to use it.
Fridge: Use just enough sauce and toss the pasta. Store leftover vegan pumpkin sauce in the fridge for 4-5 days in a clean airtight container.
Serving Suggestions
This vegan pumpkin pasta makes a great midweek dinner.
Perfect to add to a fall dinner party menu.
Serve it with roast side dishes such as garlic herb roasted vegetables, roasted baby potatoes or roast turnip.
It goes well with corn, cucumber tomato salad.
FAQ
There are various ways to use pasta sauce if you are either not interested in freezing it to use in the future or don't intend to make pasta to finish it off.
Use it as pizza sauce to make homemade pizzas such as bread pizza and vegetable flatbread pizza. However, consider thickening it with tomato paste. Due to the pasta sauce being considerably runny and thinner than pizza sauce, it results in the pizza dough getting soggy. Serve it as a dip alongside baked potato wedges and maple roasted carrots.
Despite being conscious while cooking so as not to end up with leftovers. We often have to deal with leftovers.
The leftover cooked pasta and creamy sauce could perhaps be stored separately in the fridge. They could be reheated and tossed together just before meals.
However, it's not the same with leftover cooked pasta covered with sauce as the pasta would be soggy and it's really not possible to turn it into a fresh and flavourful dish as it would be when cooked freshly. It would still be consumable but just a little too soft and soggy.
Add a little coconut milk, water or vegetable broth and reheat it in the microwave or on the stovetop stirring once or twice in between.
KEEP IN TOUCH
Do let me know if you make this easy vegan pumpkin pasta with spinach and walnuts. If you like this recipe kindly consider rating it using stars in the comment section or on the recipe card to help more people find this recipe online. You can stay up to date by following me on Facebook, Pinterest, Instagram or subscribing to my Youtube channel. Or why not subscribe to my blog and get simple recipes straight to your inbox?
📖 Recipe Card
Creamy Pumpkin Pasta with Spinach and Walnut
Video
Equipment
- 1 Large Steel Pot
- 1 Shallow pan
- 1 Wooden Spoon
Ingredients
1 Cup = 250ml ; 1 Tablespoon = 15ml ; 1 Teaspoon = 5ml
- 2 Teaspoons Olive Oil
- 300 gms (or) 1 Cup Pumpkin Puree
- 15 gms (or) 1 Tablespoon Cashew Powder
- 35 gms (or) 1 Cup Fresh Spinach washed
- 12 gms (or) 5-6 Walnuts roughly broken
- 1 Teaspoon Dried Basil
- ½ Teaspoon Oregano
- ½ Teaspoon Garlic Granules
- 1 Teaspoon Crushed Black Pepper adjust to taste
- Salt add as required
- 200 ml (or) ¾ cup Coconut Milk
- 291 gms (or) 3 cups Farfalle Pasta
- Water to cook pasta
Instructions
- Add boiling water from the kettle and salt to a steel pot.Water, Salt
- Add pasta to the large pot of salted water, then boil uncovered for 8 to 10 minutes, or until the pasta is al dente, stirring frequently.291 gms (or) 3 cups Farfalle Pasta
- While pasta cooks get the remaining ingredients ready to make creamy pasta sauce.
- Once finished, remove the pasta from the heat, place it in a colander to drain the water, and then set it aside.
- Over low-medium heat, heat the oil in a large skillet or a pan.2 Teaspoons Olive Oil
- Now add the pumpkin puree and cashew powder once the oil is hot, mix well, and simmer for one minute.300 gms (or) 1 Cup Pumpkin Puree, 15 gms (or) 1 Tablespoon Cashew Powder
- Add the coconut milk at this point and stir well until it bubbles.200 ml (or) ¾ cup Coconut Milk
- Let the sauce simmer for 2 to 3 minutes.
- Now add the oregano, basil, walnuts, salt, pepper, and garlic.12 gms (or) 5-6 Walnuts, 1 Teaspoon Dried Basil, ½ Teaspoon Oregano, 1 Teaspoon Crushed Black Pepper, Salt, ½ Teaspoon Garlic Granules
- Add the cooked pasta and gently stir it into the sauce.
- Finally, add the fresh spinach and stir thoroughly, simmer for a couple of minutes and then turn the heat off.35 gms (or) 1 Cup Fresh Spinach
- Enjoy the creamy pumpkin pasta with any side dish of your choice.
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