Creamy Pumpkin Baked Feta Pasta
Creamy Pumpkin Baked Feta Pasta is cozy comfort food with a fall twist! The pumpkin makes the sauce extra creamy and slightly sweet, while the baked feta adds tang and richness. Toss it all with pasta, and you’ve got an easy, flavor-packed dinner that feels both seasonal and special.
Servings: 8 servings
Calories: 261kcal
Ingredients
- 1 block 8 oz feta cheese
- 1 small yellow onion or half a large onion sliced
- 1 large shallot sliced
- 4 garlic cloves peeled
- 1 tbsp fresh chopped sage
- 1/2 tsp smoked paprika
- 1/4 tsp ground nutmeg
- 1/2 tsp red pepper flakes optional for heat
- 1/2 tsp salt plus more to taste
- 1/4 tsp black pepper
- 1/4 cup olive oil
- 1 cup pumpkin purée not pumpkin pie filling
- 8 oz pasta rigatoni, fusilli, or shells work great
- 1 cup pasta water
- 1 tablespoon lemon juice
- Optional: baby spinach or kale stirred in at the end
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 400ºF.
- Add the feta block to the middle of a baking dish and place the sliced onions, shallots, garlic, and sage around it. Season with the smoked paprika, ground nutmeg, red pepper flakes, salt, and pepper. Then drizzle the olive oil over top of everything.
- Bake for 15-20 minutes, until the feta is soft and the onions are golden around the edges.
- Meanwhile, cook the pasta according to package instructions.
- When the feta and onions are finished roasting, transfer everything in the baking dish along with the pumpkin purée, 1/2 cup of pasta water, and lemon juice to a blender. Blend until smooth and creamy, adding more pasta water if needed.
- Return the blended pumpkin-feta sauce to the baking dish, add the cooked pasta, and toss until evenly coated, adding extra pasta water as needed for creaminess.
- To serve, divide between bowls and garnish with more fresh sage and fresh cracked pepper.
Notes
- I like to garnish mine with crispy sage, I know it’s an extra step but if you want to take it up a notch this is a great way to do it!
- If you want the flavor to be more feta-forward, use half a cup of pumpkin puree.
- You don’t have to use a blender here. If you prefer a more rustic texture, simply stir the softened feta, roasted aromatics, and pumpkin purée together right in the baking dish until everything is combined. If you go this route, just make sure you chop the onion and dice the shallot and garlic before putting it in the oven. It may cook for less time, so check it after 10 minutes! But if you’re after that super smooth, velvety restaurant-style sauce, blending is the way to go.
- You can garnish with grated parmesan cheese too if you like!
Nutrition
Serving: 1serving | Calories: 261kcal | Carbohydrates: 27g | Protein: 8g | Fat: 13g | Saturated Fat: 5g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 6g | Cholesterol: 25mg | Sodium: 475mg | Potassium: 185mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 2g | Vitamin A: 4985IU | Vitamin C: 3mg | Calcium: 166mg | Iron: 1mg
