This post may contain affiliate links which will not change your price but will share some commission. Please read my privacy policy.
Creamy Pumpkin Pasta is perfect fall recipe packed with incredible flavors from pumpkin, bacon, cheese, and more.
If you love pasta recipes as much as I do, you’ll want to give this Tomato Ricotta Pesto Pasta and this Creamy Basil Pesto Shrimp Pasta a try!
Pumpkin Pasta Recipe
What’s better than a perfectly cooked plate of pasta? A perfectly cooked creamy pumpkin pasta that makes all your fall dreams come true!
I love this dish because it has so many incredible flavors, it calls for fresh ingredients which really elevate the dish, and it looks like a fancy gourmet meal without spending hours in the kitchen or having to pay the big price tag for a fancy meal.
It is perfect for a fall dinner party, Thanksgiving feast, or a quick weeknight dinner!
BONUS: The leftovers (if any exist) are perfect for work or meal prepping.
Pumpkin Pasta Ingredients
Pasta: Bucatini. If you have never heard of or used bucatini pasta before it is unique because it is thicker than spaghetti and has a hole in it allowing all the flavors to get in and around the pasta!
Pro tip: If you’re having trouble locating bucatini, you may need to visit an Italian grocer. Or you can substitute with spaghetti or fettucine.
Bacon: I recommend using thick cut bacon this way, when it cooks it doesn’t become impossible to find in the dish
Spices and herbs: Garlic, shallot, sage, lemon, cinnamon, red pepper flakes, nutmeg.
Dairy: Ricotta cheese and Pecorino Romano cheese.
Wet ingredients: Olive oil, half and half, and pumpkin puree.
Dry ingredients: All-Purpose flour.
*You can find the full list of ingredients and measurements in the recipe card at the bottom of this post*
Pumpkin Pasta Recipe
1. Cook the bacon. Preheat the oven to 400° F. Line a rimmed baking sheet with foil and place the bacon strips on the foil, without overlapping. Cook for 15 minutes, flip and cook 5-7 minutes until crispy. Dice and set aside.
2. Cook the pasta. Cook the pasta according to box instructions. Reserve 1/2 cup of pasta water when finished cooking.
3. Make the pumpkin sauce. Meanwhile, heat 1 tbsp of olive oil in a 12-inch skillet over medium heat. Add the garlic and shallot, and sauté for 1-2 minutes until fragrant.
Whisk in the flour, then remove the pan from the heat and slowly whisk in the half and half. Reduce the heat to medium-low and return the pan to the burner.
Whisk in the pumpkin, ricotta, sage, lemon juice, cinnamon, red pepper flakes, nutmeg, salt, and pepper. Thin the sauce with a little bit of the pasta water if needed and continue whisking until you have a smooth creamy sauce. (I used about 1/4 cup of pasta water in mine.)
4. Mix the pasta with the sauce. When the pasta is finished cooking, drain and add it to the skillet with the sauce. Mix in the bacon, then divide between bowls and serve. Garnish with more fresh sage and Pecorino Romano cheese if desired.
Helpful Items for this recipe
When cooking, it is so important to have tools that are doing to work with you and the recipe you are preparing. Below are some of my favorite tools for this recipe.
Questions you may have
Can you use milk instead of cream in pasta sauce?
Yes! If you don’t have cream or would prefer to use regular milk, that will work. Due note: if you use milk instead of cream your dish may not come out as creamy.
How do you thicken pasta sauce without cornstarch?
There are a number of ways to thicken your pumpkin pasta sauce without cornstarch, but my favorite (and the easiest) method is to use some of your pasta water.
The water you boiled your pasta in is full of starch and will help thicken your sauce up.
How do you make creamy pasta sauce from scratch?
Making a basic homemade cream sauce is actually quite simple and chances are, you probably have all of these ingredients lying around your kitchen right now.
All you need is: milk, butter, all-purpose flour, heavy cream, salt, pepper, and a touch of dry white wine
What can I use instead of tomato sauce for pasta?
There is a world of sauce out there just waiting to be eaten! If you aren’t a fan of tomato sauce, you can try pesto sauce, vodka sauce, meat sauce, etc.
Fun Fact About This Recipe!
Did you know this is one of the oldest posts on my blog? It recently got a total revamp with new text and photos. But I’m keeping this one around to remind me of when I first started this blog!
It’s from 2017, when I didn’t have any professional photography equipment and didn’t know all the ins and outs of photographing food. A lot has changed since then.
The only thing that hasn’t changed is Luna sitting by my side during all of it!
More Dinner Recipes To Try
- Miso Glazed Chilean Sea Bass
- Creamy Tuscan Kale Campanelle
- Lobster Pasta With Champagne Butter Sauce
- Filet Mignon
- Crispy Air Fryer Chicken Wings
WANT TO TRY THIS CREAMY PUMPKIN PASTA RECIPE?
PIN IT to your pasta recipes, dinner recipes, or fall recipes board to save it for later!
Find me on Pinterest for more great recipes. I’m always pinning!
Did you make this recipe? Post a photo on Instagram and tag me @JZEATS or #JZEATS so I can see! Leave a comment below and let me know what you think, too!
Pumpkin Pasta With Bacon & Crispy Sage
Ingredients
- 12 ounces thick cut bacon
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 2 garlic cloves, minced
- 1 shallot, diced
- 1/2 tablespoon all purpose flour
- 1 cup half and half
- 1 15 ounce can of pumpkin puree
- 1/4 cup ricotta cheese
- 1 tablespoon fresh chopped sage, more for garnishing
- 1/2 of a lemon, juice
- 1/2 tablespoon cinnamon
- 1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes
- 1/2 tablespoon nutmeg
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 1/4 teaspoon fresh cracked pepper
- 12 ounces bucatini
- optional: shaved pecorino romano for topping
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 400° F. Line a rimmed baking sheet with foil and place the bacon strips on the foil, without overlapping. Cook for 15 minutes, flip and cook 5-7 minutes until crispy. Dice and set aside.
- Cook the pasta according to box instructions. Reserve 1/2 cup of pasta water when finished cooking.
- Meanwhile, heat 1 tbsp of olive oil in a 12 inch skillet over medium heat. Add the garlic and shallot, and sauté for 1-2 minutes until fragrant. Whisk in the flour, then remove the pan from the heat and slowly whisk in the half and half. Reduce the heat to medium-low and return the pan to the burner. Whisk in the pumpkin, ricotta, sage, lemon juice, cinnamon, red pepper flakes, nutmeg, salt, and pepper. Thin the sauce with a little bit of the pasta water if needed and continue whisking until you have a smooth creamy sauce. (I used about 1/4 cup of pasta water in mine.)
- When the pasta is finished cooking, drain and add it to the to the skillet with the sauce. Mix in the bacon, then divide between bowls and serve. Garnish with more fresh sage and pecorino romano cheese if desired.
Wow! I just need to buy some pumpkin at the market tomorrow and I’ll make the dish asap 🙂
Let me know how it turns out!!