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If you’re looking for a way to use up the leftover pumpkin from Halloween, these dishes are just perfect! Tasty, simple, quick, and nutritious, each of the pumpkin pasta ideas brings a little something new to the table and gives you a way to showcase your culinary skills… even if you don’t really have any. (It’s me. I’m the one with no cooking skills.)
Anyway, without any further fluff, let’s jump right into them, shall we?
21 Pumpkin Pasta Ideas
So, you think you know everything about pumpkins? Well, prepare to be surprised! Pumpkins aren’t just for Halloween decorations or pumpkin spice lattes (although those are pretty fantastic). Let’s dive deep into the world of pumpkins and uncover some delicious recipes and mind-blowing facts that’ll make you see these orange wonders in a whole new light. From their origins to their nutritional value, and everything in between, get ready to have your pumpkin knowledge expanded like never before.
Trust me, you won’t look at one the same way again!
1: Light Ricotta, Spinach, and Pumpkin Cannelloni
Ah, pumpkins! You know those big, round, orange things you see take over every doorstep during autumn? Well, let me tell you, there’s more to them than just being a decorative item for Halloween. It appears that the humble orange vegetable has been around for at least 7,000 years, and first originated in Central America.
That’s certainly something to think about as you’re making your way through these 21 pumpkin pasta ideas. This light ricotta cheese, spinach, and pumpkin cannelloni is simple and quick as well as delicious – and it would make the great family dinner post-Halloween.
2: Pumpkin Tortellini with Chestnuts and Sage Beurre Noisette
For Native Americans, pumpkins were a staple part of the daily diet. They might not have had the oh-so-lovely pumpkin spiced latte back then, but they did sometimes use pumpkins and other foods as a type of currency.
Sage Beurre Noisette is a classic French sauce that translates to “sage brown butter.” It’s a simple yet flavourful sauce that consists of two main ingredients: butter and sage. The term “beurre noisette” refers to browned butter, which is achieved by heating butter until its milk solids turn brown, resulting in a nutty aroma and flavour.
3: Cannelloni with Spinach, Pumpkin, and Nutmeg
In case you weren’t aware, pumpkins are packed with nutrition, such as antioxidants, fibre, and vitamins A, C, and E. And that’s not all. They’re also a great source of iron, magnesium, and potassium.
Spinach is a nutritional powerhouse too, offering a myriad of health benefits in its vibrant green leaves. Packed with vitamins A, C, and K, it supports immune function, skin health, and blood clotting. Its high iron content aids in preventing anaemia and promotes energy production. You know, just in case you needed an excuse to cook this delicious sounding dish.
4: Rigatoni Bake with Pumpkin and Sage
From their ancient origins to their various shapes and sizes, pumpkins are truly one of nature’s most fascinating creations. And let’s not forget about their incredible nutritional value. So, the next time you spot a pumpkin, give it the respect it deserves. And maybe, just maybe, you’ll discover a newfound appreciation for everything pumpkin-related!
Rigatoni is a type of pasta that is characterized by its large, ridged, and cylindrical shape. The word “rigatoni” comes from the Italian word “Rigato,” which means “ridged” or “lined.” The ridges on the pasta serve a functional purpose, as they help sauces adhere to the surface, making it a popular choice for dishes with hearty and chunky sauces.
5: Pumpkin and Brussels Sprouts Pasta Bake
Have you ever wondered why we carve pumpkins at Halloween? It all started way back when people realized that making spooky faces on vegetables was a great way to ward off evil spirits. And thus, the Jack-o’-Lantern was born. Nowadays, carving pumpkins has become an art form, with people creating intricate designs that would make Michelangelo jealous. Who knew that a simple vegetable could bring out the inner artist in all of us?
Eating Brussels sprouts at Christmas has become a tradition in many Western countries, particularly in the United Kingdom and the United States. The association of Brussels sprouts with Christmas likely has historical and cultural roots, but it could also be down to the fact that the vegetable is in season at Christmastime, in the UK.
6: Pumpkin and Goat’s Cheese Lasagne
The pairing of pumpkin and goat’s cheese is a culinary match made in heaven due to their complementary flavours and textures. The earthy sweetness of pumpkin harmonizes with the creamy, tangy notes of goat’s cheese, creating a balanced and delightful taste profile, and the sweet pumpkin works great with the savoury cheese.
This dynamic duo is often celebrated for its ability to elevate salads, pizzas, pastas, and other dishes, offering a delightful blend of sweet, savoury, and creamy elements that tantalize the taste buds.
7: Roast Pumpkin and Spinach Lasagne
Lasagne is such a great, easy, and comforting autumn/winter dish, and it’s the perfect pasta dish to add pumpkin to. Vegetarian-friendly, freezable, and only 435 calories per serving, this is definitely one you’ll want to add to your family recipes!
This recipe will serve up to six people, is described as easy, and takes around 25 minutes of preparation work with a little over two hours of cooking time. You can do other things for that cooking time though, obviously. Unless you want to stand there and watch it, but that’s not my cup of tea. I’m a lazy chef.
8: Pumpkin alla Vodka Pasta
If you’ve never thought about adding vodka to pasta, perhaps it’s time that you gave it a try. This quick, simple, and easy dish combines pumpkin pasta ideas with booze, kale ribbons, and golden mushrooms, and who doesn’t love that? It’s not child-friendly, obviously, but it’s a great “luxury” treat for those autumn and winter months.
Each serving of this pumpkin pasta idea contains 467 calories, and it’ll only take 15 minutes of preparation time and 20 minutes of cooking time. It’s a great meat-free dinner that’ll make weekday evening meals a breeze.
9: Chicken and Pumpkin Lasagne
Are you aware that chicken and pumpkin actually pair really well? The contrasting flavours bring an extra something-something to dinner time, and it’s a great way to use up leftover pumpkin or chicken.
There are so many different ways to liven up lasagne these days that you’re bound to find a recipe that works for you. The pumpkin in this dish could easily be switched for spinach or other vegetables, and the chicken could be replaced with vegan or vegetarian-friendly options as well as other meats.
10: Pumpkin Fettuccine Alfredo
Fettuccine Alfredo is a classic Italian pasta dish that consists of fettuccine noodles tossed in a rich and creamy Alfredo sauce. The sauce is typically made with butter, double cream, and grated Parmesan cheese. Some variations may include additional ingredients such as garlic, salt, and pepper to enhance the flavour.
This variation contains, as you might’ve guessed, pumpkin along with parmesan cheese. Containing just 472 calories per serving, it’s definitely a good one for those watching the calories. High protein, low salt, high fibre, and low sugar, you’ll need ten minutes of preparation time plus 25 minutes of cooking time to whip it up.
11: Creamy Roasted Pumpkin Pasta with Fried Sage and Chilli Pumpkin Seeds
This recipe is a fantastic way of ensuring that there’s no waste from your Halloween pumpkins. You can use virtually all of it – the seeds, the flesh, and the guts. None of us can afford to throw food away these days, right? (Did someone say cost of living crisis?)
You’ll need just ten minutes of prep time plus one hour of cooking time with this tasty pumpkin pasta dish, and it’s classed as an easy recipe, making it perfect for weeknight dinners. It serves four people and contains 503 calories per serving.
12: Pasta with Pumpkin, Bacon, and Fried Sage
If you prefer your pumpkin pasta ideas to be without the chilli factor, this recipe ticks the boxes. Not only that, but it also takes 15 minutes, max – cooking time and prep time together! Serving four people, the pasta dish is essentially a one-pot dish, which means there won’t be tons of dishes to wash up afterwards.
The creator of this recipe suggests serving it up with a side of brussels sprouts or a green salad, but you could always throw in some chips, garlic bread, or any other kind of side that takes your fancy. You’re the one cooking and then eating it, after all!
13: Pumpkin and Chestnut Cannelloni
Chestnuts have a unique taste that is distinct from many other nuts. When roasted, chestnuts have a sweet and slightly starchy flavour with a creamy texture. The sweetness is mild, and the texture is soft and mealy, almost like a potato. They have a subtle nuttiness but lack the pronounced oiliness and richness that you might find in other nuts like almonds or walnuts.
Chestnuts are often associated with autumn and winter, and they are commonly used in both sweet and savoury dishes. Roasting is a popular method of preparing them, and it enhances their natural sweetness while giving them a delightful, warming aroma. Additionally, chestnuts can be used in stuffing, soups, desserts, and pumpkin pasta ideas like the ones you’ve seen in this list.
If you’re interested in more recipes that feature chestnuts, please allow me to point you in this direction: 31 Chestnut Recipes for the Festive Season.
14: Roast Pumpkin, Blue Cheese, and Sage Baked Macaroni
Perfect for cold autumn/winter evenings, this pumpkin pasta dish takes an hour to whip up in total and doesn’t too much effort or actual work. (We love that, right?) The creator suggests serving up with a salad, but I much prefer garlic bread as the side to my pumpkin pasta ideas.
Mac and cheese is a firm favourite in so many places around the globe now, and there are so many ways to liven up the simple but delicious dish. This recipe incorporates blue cheese, Parmesan, and aromatic sage alongside crispy breadcrumbs and mellow nutmeg.
15: Mascarpone and Parmesan Pumpkin Pasta
We’re sticking with cheese once again, but this recipe calls for mascarpone rather than blue cheese and Parmesan. That’s not to say you can’t substitute the cheese in this recipe with other cheeses, of course. Goats cheese, cheddar, brie, feta, and cream cheese are great alternatives that taste great with pumpkin.
As previously mentioned, sharp and salty taste of Parmesan can provide a savoury contrast to the sweetness of pumpkin. Grated Parmesan is often used to top pumpkin risottos, pasta dishes, or roasted pumpkin, so it makes sense to add it to your pumpkin pasta dishes too.
16: Pasta Bake with Pumpkin Tomato Sauce
I love pasta bake-style dishes because you throw them in the oven and forget about them, for the most part. That’s the kind of cooking I can get behind on a busy weekday evening. Pasta infused with the richness of cheese, mushrooms, and spinach, bathed in a velvety pumpkin-tomato sauce, and crowned with a luscious walnut-sage topping.
This baked pumpkin pasta cleverly incorporates vegetables into every mouthful, takes 20 minutes of preparation time and half an hour of cooking/baking time, and contains 576 calories per serving. It’s packed with vegetables, making it super nutritious, and it’ll serve up to six people.
17: Cauliflower Carbonara with Pumpkin and Bacon Crumble
If you want some meat in your pumpkin pasta dishes, you might love this recipe, which features one of the best meats of all: bacon! This recipe is classed as three-out-of-four in terms of difficulty, so it’s one you might want to practice beforehand, or give yourself enough time to make it.
Although tricker than some of the other recipes on this list of pumpkin pasta ideas, this cauliflower carbonara with pumpkin and bacon crumble takes 25 minutes of preparation time plus 20 minutes of cooking time, and it serves up to four people, with 608 calories per serving.
18: Mushroom Mince and Pumpkin Pasta
By Sainsbury’s
This dish is vegan and vegetarian-friendly, takes just 20 minutes to whip up, serves two people, and is super easy to cook. Definitely another dish to add to your quick and easy weekday evening meals list!
Using gluten-free/dairy-free/vegan/etc., pasta will help to make this recipe gluten-free or dairy-free (etc.,) and alongside being super tasty, it’s also nutritious. With petit pois, spinach, and pumpkin puree, you’ll never know it was so jam-packed with healthy stuff!
19: Tortellini with Pumpkin, Brown Butter, and Sage
Tortellini is a type of pasta that is typically ring-shaped and stuffed with a mixture of meat, cheese, or a combination of both. The pasta dough is rolled into small, thin circles and then filled with a savoury mixture. The most common fillings include ground meat, such as pork or veal, along with Parmesan cheese, nutmeg, and sometimes other ingredients like prosciutto or herbs.
This delicious pasta dish combines spinach and ricotta tortellini with pumpkin, thyme, hazelnuts, Cashel blue (semi-soft cow’s milk vegetarian cheese from Ireland,) and sage. Ricotta cheese is not vegan, but it is considered vegetarian. Traditional ricotta cheese is made from the whey leftover during the production of other cheeses, often from cow’s milk. The whey is heated and then acid or an acid-producing culture is added, causing the proteins to coagulate and form curds. These curds are then strained to create ricotta cheese.
20: Colwick Cheese Tortellini with Pumpkin Velouté
In this delectable appetizer creation, Aaron Patterson elevates tortellini by incorporating a filling of Colwick cheese and a luscious chicken mousse, all served in a luxurious pumpkin velouté. Renowned for its creamy and mildly sour texture, Colwick cheese, a soft curd cheese, is easily sourced from select cheesemongers and specialty delicatessens.
“Velouté” refers to a classic French sauce that is made by thickening a light stock, such as chicken or fish stock, with a blond roux—a mixture of equal parts flour and butter. The term “velouté” translates to “velvety” in French, which aptly describes the smooth and creamy texture of the sauce.
21: Tagliatelle with Pumpkin and Sage
This Italian dish combines tagliatelle with pumpkin and sage, rocket leaves, and Parmesan cheese (for the top, of course!), for an easy weekday dinner or side that takes less than half an hour to cook and put together.
Sage (Salvia officinalis) is an herb that has been used for both culinary and medicinal purposes for centuries. While it’s primarily known for its aromatic and savoury flavour in cooking, sage also offers several potential health benefits, such as antioxidants, anti-inflammatory effects, aids with digestion, assists with cognitive health, can sooth menopausal symptoms, and has antimicrobial properties, amongst many others. I just thought that you might like to know that.
I hope you’ve found the pumpkin pasta dishes you were looking for today, but if you haven’t, there are plenty of other recipe collections here on Buzzy Kitchen. Why not take a peek at one or two of these while you’re here:
