Alfredo Pumpkin Pasta Sauce features a delicious combination of pumpkin puree, cream, Parmesan, Romano, garlic and sage! You'll love this easy pumpkin Alfredo recipe that's ready in 15 minutes or less! Serve it over pasta or zoodles.
My pumpkin-hating hubby LOVES this creamy pasta sauce. Because anyone who loves my Alfredo sauce can't resist this version with pumpkin, sage and a hint of nutmeg.
It comes together quickly (15 minutes tops!) and thickens up nicely without any flour. So it's a delicious, gluten-free, keto, vegetarian sauce that can be used over pasta or zoodles. I bet butternut squash would be excellent with it!
How to make pumpkin pasta sauce
You'll melt some butter in a skillet and add sage leaves, then pressed garlic. When those have cooked briefly, you'll add cream, stir for a minute, then mix in pumpkin puree (not pie filling).
Next comes freshly grated Parmesan and Romano cheeses, which bring a savory, salty, delicious vibe to this dish. Don't be tempted to use grated cheese from a can, or your pumpkin sauce will be grainy.
Then, you'll add a little salt, pepper and ground nutmeg and stir just until the Alfredo is heated through. Done!
You'll mix it with zoodles or long pasta, such as linguine, fettuccine or spaghetti. This recipe makes enough sauce for a pound of pasta, but you can easily halve the ingredients and make eight ounces of pasta.
For a fabulous finishing touch, you'll drizzle a little olive oil on each serving.
OMG!
What to do with leftover pumpkin puree
This recipe uses 1 ½ cups (12 ounces) of canned pumpkin puree (affiliate link). In case you're wondering, I did test it using a full 15-ounce can, but the sauce was too thick.
You have many options for using the extra pumpkin puree:
- Make Pumpkin French Toast
- Use it in this Pumpkin Smoothie
- Stir it into oatmeal or yogurt
- Freeze it for later
- Check out these 100 recipes using leftover pumpkin puree
What to serve with pumpkin pasta
Since this a rich, decadent fall pasta, I recommend keeping the sides simple. Go with a tossed salad or rapini greens and perhaps some Italian bread. Don't forget, this is a pumpkin recipe, so you've got your veggies covered!
More pasta recipes to love
- Stovetop Mac and Cheese with Parmesan
- Creamy Smoked Salmon Pasta
- Creamy Walnut Sauce for Pasta
- Penne alla Vodka with Bacon
- Paglia e Fieno Pasta
Enjoy!
(Recipe Source: Cooking with Mamma C)
Alfredo Pumpkin Pasta Sauce
Video
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons salted butter
- 4 sage leaves
- 2 large garlic cloves
- 2 cups heavy whipping cream
- 1 ½ cups pumpkin puree (not pie filling)
- ½ teaspoon black pepper
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ⅛ teaspoon nutmeg
- ½ cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese
- ½ cup freshly grated Romano cheese
- olive oil to drizzle on each serving
- red pepper flakes for serving
- 1 pound cooked pasta or zoodles
Instructions
- Prep your ingredients. Grate the Parmesan and Romano, if needed. Press the garlic or peel and chop it finely. Rinse the sage leaves and pat them dry. (If you'll be serving the pumpkin Alfredo over pasta, place a pot of salted water on the stove to boil over high heat.)
- For the pumpkin pasta sauce, melt the butter in a 12-inch skillet over medium-high heat. Add the sage leaves and stir. Cook for a minute.
- Add the pressed garlic to the melted butter, stirring a bit. Let the garlic cook for 30 seconds (or a minute if you chopped the garlic), being careful not to let the garlic burn.
- Add the cream to the garlic butter and stir for a minute with a whisk or wooden spoon. Stir in the pumpkin puree, making sure it's completely dissolved into the cream mixture.
- Add the salt, pepper and nutmeg to the pumpkin cream sauce and stir to combine.
- Turn off the heat under the sauce and move your skillet to a cool burner. Gradually stir in the grated Parmesan and Romano.
- (At this point, you can start cooking a pound of pasta by adding it to the pot of boiling water. When the pasta is nearly done, reserve ½ cup (one standard ladle) of the cooking water in a bowl in case you need it to thin out the sauce for leftovers.)
- Move your pumpkin sauce pan to a burner over medium heat and stir until the sauce is heated through. (If your pasta isn't ready yet, you can turn off the heat and then reheat the sauce in a few minutes.)
- Add cooked and drained pasta (or heated zoodles) to the skillet with the heated pumpkin pasta sauce. Stir gently to combine.
- Serve the pumpkin pasta or zoodles with olive oil drizzled on top (don't skip it!) and red pepper flakes, if desired.
- If you have leftovers, add the reserved pasta water as needed to thin out the pumpkin pasta. Store the leftovers in the refrigerator for up to four days.
Notes
- It's important to use freshly grated Parmesan and Romano, so the cheese will melt smoothly. (Don't use the cheese sold in a can, or the sauce will be grainy.)
- This sauce makes enough for one pound of pasta. You can easily cut the sauce recipe in half for 8 ounces of pasta.
- Once the pumpkin sauce is mixed with the pasta, any leftovers will become dry. You can add the reserved pasta water to the leftover pumpkin pasta before refrigerating it. To reheat leftover pumpkin pasta, drizzle on a little olive oil before microwaving the leftovers.
- Nutrition info is just for the sauce.
What to do with Leftover Pumpkin Puree
This recipe uses 1 ½ cups (12 ounces) of canned pumpkin puree. In case you're wondering, I did test it using a full 15-ounce can, but the sauce was too thick. You have many options for using the extra pumpkin puree:-
- Make Pumpkin French Toast
- Use it in a Pumpkin Smoothie
- Stir it into oatmeal or yogurt
- Freeze it for later
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Mich says
Hi! I really want to make this, but never have anything heavier than half & half in the house. I know you tried the recipe with a full can of pumpkin puree and it was too thick. Do you think the sauce would be spot on if I used the entire can of pumpkin with something thinner than heavy cream (the half & half)?
Mamma C says
Hi Mich - I still wouldn't use the full can of pumpkin here, because it would probably make the sauce too thick and throw off the ratio of the other ingredients. However, you could make the sauce and then stir in extra pumpkin if you think it's not thick enough.
Jeff Vassel says
Very nice dish easy to make and you can play around with the ingredients a little especially the cheeses
Mamma C says
Hi Jeff - I'm so glad you enjoyed this! We love this pumpkin Alfredo.
Jacque Hastert says
My sister is coming over for dinner tomorrow and she loves pumpkin and pasta. I am going to surprise her with this pasta dish.
Mamma C says
Hi Jacque - I hope you guys enjoy it!
Michelle Miller says
Probably the most eye-catching pumpkin recipe I've see all week! So creamy and appealing!
Mamma C says
Hi Michelle - Aw, that's a great compliment! Thank you!
Andrea Metlika says
What perfect fall flavors in this pasta. My family is going to love this recipe.
Mamma C says
Hi Andrea - I hope so! Enjoy.
Kelly Anthony says
This pumpkin pasta sauce looks so warm and comforting on this cold rainy day. I have everything in my pantry and fridge to make this tonight and I'm so excited.
Mamma C says
Hi Kelly - I hope you enjoy this!
Shadi Hasanzadenemati says
I tried your recipe and loved it! Can't wait to make it again!
Mamma C says
Hi Shadi - That was fast! I'm so glad you enjoyed it.