This vegan roasted pumpkin pasta with garlic is a simple family dinner idea that's easy to prepare, nutritious, bursting with flavour and perfect for autumn!
See also vegetarian stuffed pumpkin!
This roasted pumpkin pasta requires very little preparation and a handful of ingredients. It's nutritious, full of flavour and texture.
Because roasted pumpkin is so delicious I decided to combine (most of it) with the pasta straight from the oven. I mashed a small amount of the pumpkin to create a sauce. So this recipe is both creamy and chunky.
What I also love about this dish is its lovely yellow orangey colour. A little bowl of sunshine to cheer you up on a grey wet autumn day, which we have so many of! Pumpkin is my happy food at this time of year:)
Roasted pumpkin pasta ingredients
In addition to the roasted pumpkin I used plenty of garlic, as well as a fair amount of arugula (also called rucola or rocket leaves). Arugula has a peppery nutty flavour, perfect with both the pumpkin as well as the garlic. I also used a small amount of onion granules for added flavour and pine nuts for crunch.
Substitutions
- Arugula/rocket leaves: This can be replaced by finely chopped baby spinach or watercress.
- Pine nuts: Use lightly toasted pumpkin seeds or sunflower seeds instead.
- Pasta: I used fusilli but penne or farfalle will work well too.
What kind of pumpkin to use
I recommend using culinary, sugar pumpkin (also called pie or sweet pumpkin) as it's got lots of flavour and is widely available at this time of the year. Sugar pumpkins are smaller than field pumpkins which work better as Halloween decorations.
How to prepare the pumpkin
There are many ways of preparing pumpkin depending on the dish and the amount of time you want to spend making it.
For this pumpkin pasta recipe I peeled, chopped and then roasted the pumpkin with some seasoning and a bit of oil (see Instructions below). This is a quick and simple method which really brings out the lovely nutty, sweetish flavour of the pumpkin.
1. Preheat the oven to 425 F/220 C/ gas mark 7. Cut the pumpkin into thick wedges, place each wedge on its side and cut the peel off slicing downwards. Chop the pumpkin into similar size pieces.
2. Place the pumpkin chunks in a large bowl, season and drizzle with 2 tablespoons of oil.
3. Stir thoroughly and spread on top of a baking sheet lined with parchment paper in a single layer. Do not overcrowd the baking sheet.
4. Roast on top of the upper oven shelf for 30-40 minutes or until the pumpkin is golden brown and tender, turning twice.
Assembling the recipe
1.10 minutes before the pumpkin is ready boil the pasta (according to packet instructions).
When both the pasta and pumpkin are ready to serve in a pan heat up 2 tablespoons of oil and briefly fry the garlic slices until golden stirring all the time (this will take seconds). Remove the garlic from the pan with a slotted spoon (leave the oil in the pan).
*Optional: Fry the arugula quickly (for about 20 seconds) in the oil used to fry the garlic in to get a deeper, more intense garlic flavour throughout the dish. (Alternatively combine the fresh arugula with the other ingredients before serving).
2. Place 2 spoonfuls (or a little more if you want more sauce) of the roasted pumpkin in the pan you used to fry the garlic in. Mash with a fork and add some of the water from cooking the pasta to make a little sauce. Sprinkle the onion granules, stir and heat up.
3. Add the pasta, pumpkin, arugula and stir. Add the garlic slices, scatter the pine nuts, stir thoroughly, adjust the seasoning if needed and serve!
Top tips and FAQs
- Use sugar/culinary pumpkin, NOT carving pumpkin.
- You can peel and chop the pumpkin in advance and refrigerate in a plastic bag overnight.
- Roast the pumpkin on the upper oven shelf but take care not to let it burn - turn over twice. Do NOT overcrowd the baking sheet.
- Use pasta of your choice (fusilli, penne or farfalle work well).
- Start boiling the pasta 10 minutes before your pumpkin comes out of the oven.
- I like to cook my pasta in salted water with a bay leaf for added flavour, but this is optional.
- Prepare the garlic and arugula (this takes seconds) once both the pasta and pumpkin are ready to serve.
- Take care not to brown the garlic too much - fry for a few seconds only stirring all the time.
- You can, but don't have to, lightly toast the pine nuts in a small pan before serving.
- Best served immediately.
- Not suitable for freezing.
Serving suggestions
This pasta with pumpkin is delicious as it is but you could serve it with a scatter of parmesan cheese (make sure it's vegetarian), crumbled feta (this creates a delicious contrast with the sweet flavour of the pumpkin) and freshly chopped parsley. It's delicious served with garlic bread (omit the garlic in the recipe), grilled halloumi or grilled chicken (for a non-vegetarian dinner idea).
If you would like to add some spices into this dish a dash of nutmeg and/or paprika are good options.
What to do with too much pumpkin
Pumpkin is a large vegetable so chances are you won't use all of it to make this pumpkin pasta recipe. Thankfully there are lots of ways to use leftover pumpkin.
- Add it into a vegetable soup or casserole for an autumnal twist. Or make this simple pumpkin carrot soup.
- Enjoy it for breakfast or brunch in pancakes or muffins.
- Add it into autumnal 'sweet' recipes, such as this easy pumpkin cake with pecans or deliciously moist pumpkin brownies.
Top tip
Unused fresh pumpkin can be refrigerated in a plastic bag for up to 4 days.
Related recipes
- Pasta with Chunky Roasted Butternut Squash
- Pasta Bake with Fennel and Cherry Tomatoes
- Roasted Asparagus Pesto Pasta
- Roasted Red Pepper Pasta with Tomatoes
Check out also this collection of healthy vegetarian pasta meals.
Keep in touch!
If you make this easy pumpkin pasta I'd love to know how it turned out for you. Let me know in the comments below, thanks!
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Roasted Pumpkin Pasta Recipe
Equipment
- Large baking sheet
Ingredients
- 3½ cups (250-300 g) uncooked fusilli pasta penne or farfalle will be fine too
- 1.43 pounds (650 g) pumpkin peeled, chopped, see *Notes
- 6 garlic cloves thinly sliced
- 3.53 ounces (100 g) arugula/rocket 2 handfuls
- 3½ tablespoons olive oil
- ⅓ teaspoon onion granules
- Fine sea salt and pepper to taste
- 1 bay leaf optional
- ⅓ cup (80 ml) water from cooking the pasta adjust to taste
- Lightly toasted pine nuts and grated parmesan for serving, optional
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 425 F/ 220 C/ gas mark 7. Cut the pumpkin into thick wedges, place each on its side on a cutting board and slice the peel off downwards. Chop the pumpkin into similar size pieces and place in a large bowl. Season and drizzle with 2 tablespoons of oil, then spread on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper in a single layer. Roast in the upper part of the oven for 30-40 minutes or until golden brown and tender. Turn twice.
- 10 minutes before your pumpkin is ready boil the pasta al dente with the bay leaf (optional) in salted water. Strain, reserving approximately ⅓ cup of the pasta water. Set aside.
- When both the pumpkin and pasta are ready in a frying pan heat the remaining oil, add the garlic and fry over a medium heat for a few seconds until golden (don't let it brown too much as it will be bitter), stirring all the time. Lift the garlic out of the pan with a slotted spoon and place in a bowl (do not rinse the pan). Set aside. *Optional: Fry the arugula quickly (for about 20 seconds) in the oil used to fry the garlic in to get a deeper, more intense garlic flavour throughout the dish. (Alternatively combine fresh arugula with the rest of the ingredients before serving).
- Add about 2 spoonfuls of the pumpkin into the pan (use the same pan plus the garlic oil in it). Mash with a fork, add some of the water from cooking the pasta, onion granules and stir. Add the pasta, roasted pumpkin and arugula, stir and adjust the seasoning if needed, scatter over the garlic, pine nuts and parmesan (if using) and serve.
Notes
- *Use sugar/culinary pumpkin, NOT carving pumpkin.
- You can peel and chop the pumpkin in advance and refrigerate in a plastic bag overnight.
- Roast the pumpkin on the upper oven shelf but take care not to let it burn - turn over twice. Do NOT overcrowd the baking sheet.
- Unused fresh pumpkin can be refrigerated in a plastic bag for up to 4 days.
- Use pasta of your choice.
- Start boiling the pasta 10 minutes before your pumpkin comes out of the oven.
- I like to boil my pasta with a bay leaf for added flavour, but this is optional.
- Prepare the garlic and arugula (this takes seconds) once both the pasta and pumpkin are ready to serve.
- Take care not to brown the garlic too much - fry for a few seconds only stirring all the time.
- You can, but don't need to, lightly toast the pine nuts before serving.
- Best served immediately. Serve on its own, with garlic bread (omit the garlic in the recipe), parmesan or another hard strong cheese, crumbled feta, grilled chicken (for a non-vegetarian option) or grilled halloumi.
- Not suitable for freezing.
Nutrition
*Nutritional information is automatically generated and should be considered as an estimate.
**A note about baking: If using a fan-assisted oven refer to your appliance's instructions and adjust the temperature accordingly.
Monika
Do give pumpkin a try, before the pumpkin season is over! Happy FF:)
petra08
I absolutely will 🙂
Monika
Thank you and happy FF:)
Michelle Frank | Flipped-Out Food
Pairing pumpkin with arugula and toasted pine nuts is just brilliant, in my book. This is such a gorgeous dish: I can't wait to share it with my family! I'm also pinning to my Seasonal board for easy access. 🙂
Monika
Thank you Michelle, I am glad you liked the pine nuts, I thought of adding them at the last minute, I am glad I did:)
Alison's Allspice
I love the toasted garlic to add to this dish, my favorite! Also, that's an excellent idea to put a bay leaf into the pasta while boiling, I have to try it!
Monika
Thank you Alison, I boil potatoes with a bay leaf too!
Monika
Thank you Kirsty, I love pumpkin in anything and can never get enough of it.
Monika
Thank you Cat:)
Jhuls
Such a fantastic recipe to share! I will add this to my recipes to try! Thanks for sharing!
Monika
Thank you Jhuls:)
Love Keil (MunchkinTime)
This pasta recipe looks so delicious, pinning away!!!
Monika
Thank you!