Pumpkin Pasta Sauce

This Pumpkin Pasta Sauce is dairy-free and undeniably creamy while being vegan! It’s the perfect comfort food for Fall.

This Pumpkin Pasta makes six servings for just $5.19. That works out to be about $0.87 per serving.

For more Fall-Inspired recipes, I recommend this Fall Spinach Salad with Warm Nutty Dressing, this Cozy Cinnamon Apple Tea with Ginger, and these  Almond Flour Pumpkin Cake Balls.

Pumpkin Pasta Sauce Ingredients

We will roast the tomatoes, garlic, and onions until they are soft and charred. Roasting is going to add a rich depth of flavor without adding any dairy or meat products.

Ingredients and Cost

RECIPE COST: $5.19

PRICE PER SERVING: $0.87

• 1 cup raw cashews – $2.48
• 4 Roma tomatoes – $1.04
• 3 cloves of garlic – $0.30
• 1 small onion – $0.62
• 1 cup pumpkin puree – $0.50
• ½ cup unsweetened, unflavored, non-dairy milk – $0.16
• 1 teaspoon oregano – $0.05
• 1 teaspoon kosher salt – $0.02
• ¼ teaspoon coarse black pepper – $0.02

NOTE: The recipe prices are calculated by using grocery store websites. The actual cost of the recipe will vary depending on what ingredients you already have. 

Instructions

You are going to love how easy it is to make this pasta sauce.

1. First, soak the cashews for at least one hour. 
2. Next, roast the onion, garlic, and tomatoes with a drizzle of olive oil and a sprinkling of salt and pepper. Bake until nice and charred.
3. Then, add the charred veggies to the high-speed blender along with soaked cashews, pumpkin puree, and spices.
4. Finally, blend until a smooth and creamy sauce forms. Pour over pasta.

See, I told you it was easy. The hardest part is wondering which type of pasta to pour it over. I chose gluten-free brown rice fusilli.

Recipe Variations

• Are you looking for that traditional pumpkin/ fall taste? Add a pinch of pumpkin spice. 
• Try adding this pumpkin sauce to a pizza (instead of classic marinara), or use it in a healthy veggie lasagna.

Storage Tips

SERVE: You shouldn’t leave this pasta out for longer than 2 hours. 

STORE: Store the remaining sauce in a jar with a lid for up to 3 days. When reheating, As the sauce cools, it will start to dry out and thicken. That’s ok. Add a little bit of nondairy milk to the pan. Stir and mix until heated and creamy.

FREEZE: Place the sauce in a freezer-safe container and freeze for 1-2 months.

DEFROST: Defrost in the refrigerator overnight or at room temperature or 3-4 hours. The cause may become separated, and if it does, blend it for 1-2 minutes before reheating.

REHEAT: Place the sauce in a saucepan over medium heat and heat until warmed through, about 5-8 minutes.

Recipe FAQ’s

How do I make good pasta?

The Best Noodles to Eat with Pumpkin Pasta Sauce

Rigatoni — a tube-shaped pasta that varies in length. A bit larger than penne.

Fettuccine — a thick flat pasta that is long and ribbon-like.

Ravioli — stuffed with anything would taste excellent with this sauce.

Fusilli— also known as rotini, is a corkscrew-shaped pasta that nicely holds the sauce into every nook and cranny. That’s the pasta I chose (gluten-free).

The options are endless. Go on a food adventure and try a new pasta shape!

Read the recipe from start to finish. You will better understand the flow of the recipe and identify any unfamiliar words or methods.

Shop for the ingredients beforehand. When you shop ahead, you are less likely to swap out ingredients for what you don’t have, thus creating a complete recipe fail!

More Pumpkin Recipes

• Paleo Pumpkin Bread
• Gluten Free Pumpkin Muffins
• Creamy Pumpkin Lentil Soup
• Almond Flour Pumpkin Cake Balls

Did you make this recipe? Don’t forget to leave a comment below and an honest rating. ♡

5 from 6 votes

Print

Pumpkin Pasta Sauce

Prep Time

20 mins

Cook Time

32 mins

Soaking Time

1 hr

Total Time

1 hr 52 mins

 

This Pumpkin Pasta Sauce is dairy-free and undeniably creamy while being vegan! It's the perfect comfort food for Fall.

Course: dinner, Main Course

Cuisine: American

Keyword: dairy-free, pumpkin, Vegan

Servings: 6 people

Calories: 448 kcal

Jillian: Jillian

Ingredients

FOR THE PUMPKIN SAUCE:

• 1 cup raw cashews that’s been soaked overnight
• 4 roma tomatoes
• 3 cloves of garlic
• 1 small onion
• 1 cup pumpkin puree
• ½ cup unsweetened unflavored, non-dairy milk
• 1 tsp oregano
• 1 tsp kosher salt
• ¼ tsp coarse black pepper

OTHER AND OPTIONAL INGREDIENTS:

• 1 pound Your favorite type of pasta
• Fresh sprigs of time to garnish

US Customary – Metric

Instructions

PREP CASHEWS:

1. Soak the cashews in water (make sure they are fully submerged in water) for a minimum of one hour, but overnight is best. The longer you soak them, the creamier the sauce will be. 

ROAST VEGGIES:

1. Move the oven rack to the middle position and preheat to 400°F.

2. Add the tomatoes, onion (cut in half and placed flat side down), garlic (with the peel on) to a baking sheet.

3. Drizzle olive oil, salt, and pepper all over the veggies and toss with your hands to ensure the olive oil and seasonings fully coat the veggies.

4. Roast the veggies for 30 minutes. Then, set the oven to a low broil and broil for 2 minutes, just long enough to blacken the skin on the outside.

MAKE PUMPKIN SAUCE:

1. Add the pumpkin puree, soaked cashews, roasted tomatoes, onion, garlic, non-dairy milk, oregano, salt, and pepper to the blender.

2. Blend on high for 1-2 minutes, or until the sauce is nice and creamy.

3. Once blended, taste to adjust the seasoning. Adding additional salt if needed. 

SERVE:

1. Pour over a bed of hot pasta. Toss until fully coated, then sprinkle on fresh leaves of thyme (optional).

Recipe Notes

Is the pumpkin sauce too thick? Add additional milk of choice to help thin it out to the desired consistency. 

Are you looking for that traditional pumpkin/ fall taste? Add a pinch of pumpkin spice. 

Nutrition Facts

Pumpkin Pasta Sauce

Serving Size

 

1.5 cup

Amount per Serving

Calories

448

% Daily Value*

Fat

 

12

g

18

%

Saturated Fat

 

3

g

19

%

Polyunsaturated Fat

 

2

g

Monounsaturated Fat

 

6

g

Sodium

 

401

mg

17

%

Potassium

 

640

mg

18

%

Carbohydrates

 

74

g

25

%

Fiber

 

8

g

33

%

Sugar

 

7

g

8

%

Protein

 

16

g

32

%

Vitamin A

 

6706

IU

134

%

Vitamin C

 

9

mg

11

%

Calcium

 

61

mg

6

%

Iron

 

4

mg

22

%

* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.