This Spicy Pumpkin One Pot Pasta recipe is the perfect cozy fall dinner. Use pumpkin puree and other simple ingredients to make a creamy pumpkin pasta recipe.

a side view photo of a serving of pumpkin pasta in a bowl with a fork in it and parmesan on top

Quick

Beginner-friendly

You’ll Learn: How to customize this one pot pasta recipe

Worth It: Quick enough for a weeknight dinner

Bonus: Simple swaps for common diets

Why You’ll Love This Recipe

One pot pasta – I’m on a big one pot pasta kick. A few weeks ago I made a creamy meat sauce one pot pasta and now I am moving on to something more seasonal. I love the easy cooking process and clean up!
Savory fall favorite – Pumpkin is quintessential fall! Most people think of pumpkin as an ingredient in sweet foods like pie, cupcakes, and muffins, but I love it as an ingredient in savory foods. It works particularly well in soups and sauces.
Weeknight go to – This spicy pumpkin one pot pasta comes together in about 20 minutes. It is the perfect dish to feed your family on a busy weeknight. I think it will be great for fueling trick or treaters before they head out!

a side view photo of spicy pumpkin pasta in a white bowl with parmesan on top

Serving Suggestions

The thing I like about a one pot pasta is that you can make it your whole meal or you can use it as a side dish. I like to serve this spicy pumpkin one pot pasta with some roasted veggies, like air fryer asparagus or crispy air fryer brussels sprouts, and crispy prosciutto on top of the pasta.

You could easily make some cast iron roasted chicken breasts and serve this pasta as a savory and filling side dish. If you live somewhere where you can grill in the fall, make some balsamic grilled chicken tenders instead!

If you are making this for meal prep, I suggest pairing the pasta with sweet chicken or italian sausage, instant pot shredded chicken or some crispy chickpeas.

Once you’ve tried this delicious pumpkin pasta sauce, try this butternut squash pasta sauce or rigatoni alla vodka next!

Ingredients

Yellow onion – the onion provides the base of flavor in your pumpkin sauce for pasta
Olive oil – I used extra virgin olive oil, but you can use any neutral oil as well
Kosher salt, smoked paprika, cinnamon, nutmeg – this spice blend adds the classic fall flavors as well a depth of flavor
Crushed red pepper – the half teaspoon of crushed red pepper adds the spiciness to your pasta. Use as much or as little as you would like
Pasta – you can use any pasta shape you would like. Whole wheat or regular are both delicious
Canned pumpkin puree – the pumpkin puree doesn’t add much flavor, but it gives the pasta the perfect texture. Make sure it is just the puree and not pumpkin pie filling
Tomato paste – tomato paste is packed with flavor to enhance your pumpkin pasta
Water – you’ll add just enough water to cook and absorb into your pasta
Cream cheese – the cream cheese is the perfect creamy and tangy addition to your pumpkin pasta
Parmesan cheese – freshly grated is best, so I highly recommend buying a parmesan block and grating it yourself

Ingredient Substitutions

I only used onion as the base of this pasta, but you could add garlic cloves as well.

For a slightly thinner sauce, you could use heavy cream instead of cream cheese. To make this creamy pumpkin pasta sauce dairy-free, use coconut cream or coconut milk and vegan parm. These swaps will also make this a vegan pumpkin pasta sauce.

If you prefer a blended sauce, you can transfer everything to a blender or food processor before adding the pasta to the pot. You can add a splash of vegetable broth or chicken broth to help blend the sauce. You could also decide to make your pasta in a separate large pot of salted water instead at this point and combine the cooked pasta and the blended sauce in a large skillet.

For a gluten-free version, use your favorite gluten-free pasta!

How to Make

a photo of the diced onion browned in a pot next to a photo of pumpkin and tomato paste added to the pot

Step 1: Saute Onions and add pumpkin

Heat oil over medium high heat in a large heavy bottomed pot. Add diced onion to the warm oil and saute until soft and fragrant – stirring frequently (Image 1).

Reduce to medium-low heat and add salt, smoked paprika, cinnamon, crushed red pepper, and ground nutmeg to the large pot and stir. Allow the spices to toast for a couple minutes then add the pumpkin puree and tomato paste (Image 2) and stir again.

a photo of the water and pasta added to the pot next to a photo of the pasta cooked and tossed in the pot with the sauce

Step 2: Add Pasta and cook

Add the pasta and water to the pot (Image 3) and stir until evenly combined. Increase heat to high and bring mixture to a boil. Once boiling, cover the pot and reduce to a simmer.

Simmer on low for 12-14 minutes – stirring frequently. Taste the pasta to be sure its cooked aldente, then remove from the heat (Image 4).

a photo of the cream cheese added to the pot next to a photo of the pumpkin pasta stirred together in the pot with a wooden spoon

Step 3: Add Cheeses and Enjoy

Add the cream cheese and parmesan cheese to the pot (Image 5) and cover again to let the cream cheese melt for a few minutes. After a few minutes remove the lid and stir until the cheese is evenly mixed in (Image 6).

Serve immediately with some extra tablespoons of parmesan cheese on top. Garnish with fresh sage leaves if you have them.

a side view photo of a bowl of pumpkin pasta with parmesan on top

Storage and reheating

Serve the spicy pumpkin one pot pasta immediately or store in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 5 days. When ready to eat, remove from the fridge and reheat on the stovetop.