This amazing pumpkin pasta bake is everything a pasta should be. Think cheesy flavours, creamy pumpkin pasta sauce wrapped around baked pasta topped with a layer of crunchy bread crumbs. It’s everything a pasta lovers dreams are made of. And it’s very very easy to make.
Only a few easy ingredients are needed for this amazing pumpkin pasta recipe…but it’s still loaded with flavours. Made with pumpkin pasta sauce, zucchini, garlic and leeks it’s a pasta bake like you’ve never tried it before. If you’re in need of a cozy comfort food recipe, then this is the one for you.
The pumpkin pasta sauce is creamy and loaded with sun dried tomatoes and creamy pumpkin flavours…think delicious creamy garlicky and cheesy flavours all coming tougher in one easy pumpkin pasta bake. It doesn’t get much better than this.
What’s great about this amazing pumpkin pasta bake recipe:
- Everything, yes, I said it, everything
- Delicious and creamy
- Easy to make
- Meal prep friendly
- Vegan or vegetarian
- Gluten-free option
- A crowdpleaser recipe
- Ideal fall comfort food pasta
- Great for weeknights and weekends
The pasta sauce
This creamy pumpkin pasta sauce is AMAZING. It’s made using only a few ingredients…but oh my goodness is it loaded with flavours. The depth and richness of the sun-dried tomatoes are the ideal match for the sweetness of the pumpkin and takes this dish straight to flavour heaven.
Pro tip: you can make the pasta sauce in advance and keep it in the refrigerator ready to cook. You can also freeze it for later, so you always have pasta sauce on hand if you’re in a time crunch.
Vegan or vegetarian
Depending on your preference, this pumpkin pasta bake recipe can be Vegan or vegetarian as you prefer. The pasta sauce is completely vegan in itself…what defines whether this pasta bake is vegan or vegetarian is the cheese you use. For a vegan pasta bake I recommend using vegan grated mozzarella cheese because it has the same delicious melting properties and real cheese.
For a vegetarian version, just use vegetarian grated mozzarella cheese and you’re good to cook.
Both ways are delicious and it’s difficult to tell them apart.
Gluten free option
If you are looking for a gluten free pasta option, then you’re in luck. Just replace the regular pasta in this recipe with lentil pasta or your preferred gluten-free pasta. And substitute the breadcrumbs with almond flour and you are ready to cook this delicious pumpkin pasta bake recipe. Bon appetit
How is this Amazing easy creamy pumpkin pasta bake made? it’s very easy. Just:
Instructions
For the pumpkin sauce
- In a large pot over medium high heat, add the sun-dried tomatoes with a little of the oil and the chopped onion. Stir together to combine and let it cook for a few minutes while stirring occasionally.
- Next, add the minced garlic, dried basil, dried thyme and dried oregano and stir together to combine everything. Let it cook for a few minutes before adding the pumpkin puree and tomato paste.
- Finally add the salt and pepper and put in the vegetable broth and coconut milk. Stir everything together to combine and bring the sauce to a boil. Let the sauce simmer for around 15 minutes and add more water if needed to keep the sauce from getting too thick while it simmers.
- Remove the sauce from the stove and puree it using a handheld immersion blender to blend the sauce directly in the pot (if you don’t have an immersion blender you can use a regular blender to puree the sauce).
For the pasta bake
- Cook the pasta as described on the pasta package.
- While the pasta is cooking, heat olive oil in a large pan and add the sliced zucchini and leeks. Let the zucchini and leeks cook at medium heat for 3-5 minutes while stirring occasionally.
- Season with thyme, pumpkin spice mix and salt and pepper. Stir to combine everything and let it cook for a few more minutes. Remove from the stove and set aside.
- Preheat the oven to 400F.
- Once the pasta has cooked, carefully drain away the water and add the pasta to a large mixing bowl. Add the pasta sauce and grated mozzarella cheese and gently combine until all the pasta is coated in sauce.
- Next add the zucchini and leeks and toss together. Pour the pasta into an oven safe pan and drizzle breadcrumbs on top. Bake in the oven for 20-25 minutes or until the pasta is golden and crispy on top. Remove from the oven.Serve hot and enjoy.
Amazing Easy creamy pumpkin pasta bake recipe
Ingredients
Pumpkin pasta sauce
- 1 large Yellow Onion Diced
- 1 cup Sun dried Tomatoes Packed in oil
- 3 cloves Garlic Minced
- 1½ cup Pumpkin Puree Unsweetened
- 1 cup Tomato Paste
- 4 cups Vegetable Broth
- 1 tsp Dried Basil
- 1 tsp Dried Oregano
- 1 tsp Dried Thyme
- Pinch of salt
- Pinch of Pepper
- ½ cup Full Fat Coconut Milk or your favorite full fat plant milk
Pasta Bake
- 8 oz Pasta Penne or pasta of your choice
- 2 tbsp Olive Oil
- 1 Zucchini Sliced
- 1 Leek Sliced
- 2 cloves Garlic Finely chopped
- 1 tsp Dried Thyme
- 1 tsp Pumpkin Spice Mix optional
- 1 cup Vegan Mozzarella Cheese Grated, or grated vegetarian mozzarella
- Salt and Pepper to taste
- ½ cup Panko Breadcrumbs
Instructions
For the pumpkin sauce
- In a large pot over medium high heat, add the sun-dried tomatoes with a little of the oil and the chopped onion. Stir together to combine and let it cook for a few minutes while stirring occasionally.
- Next, add the minced garlic, dried basil, dried thyme and dried oregano and stir together to combine everything. Let it cook for a few minutes before adding the pumpkin puree and tomato paste.
- Finally add the salt and pepper and put in the vegetable broth and coconut milk. Stir everything together to combine and bring the sauce to a boil. Let the sauce simmer for around 15 minutes and add more water if needed to keep the sauce from getting too thick while it simmers.
- Remove the sauce from the stove and puree it using a handheld immersion blender to blend the sauce directly in the pot (if you don’t have an immersion blender you can use a regular blender to puree the sauce).
For the pasta bake
- Cook the pasta as described on the pasta package.
- While the pasta is cooking, heat olive oil in a large pan and add the sliced zucchini and leeks. Let the zucchini and leeks cook at medium heat for 3-5 minutes while stirring occasionally.
- Season with thyme, pumpkin spice mix and salt and pepper. Stir to combine everything and let it cook for a few more minutes. Remove from the stove and set aside.
- Preheat the oven to 400F.
- Once the pasta has cooked, carefully drain away the water and add the pasta to a large mixing bowl. Add the pasta sauce and grated mozzarella cheese and gently combine until all the pasta is coated in sauce.
- Next add the zucchini and leeks and toss together. Pour the pasta into an oven safe pan and drizzle breadcrumbs on top. Bake in the oven for 20-25 minutes or until the pasta is golden and crispy on top. Remove from the oven.Serve hot and enjoy.