Marry Me Pumpkin Pasta
Marry me pumpkin pasta is a fun, fall-inspired take on the viral chicken recipe, without the meat. This creamy, dairy free pasta sauce is made with velvety pumpkin puree and rich coconut milk infused with tangy sun-dried tomatoes and sage for a flavor-packed sauce that hugs every bite of pasta.
Why you’ll love this pumpkin pasta recipe
This might be my favorite way to use up the leftover pumpkin puree. It uses the remainder of the can after you used that 1 cup for something else. But honestly, this recipe is worth popping a fresh can for. The sauce is so velvety and so creamy, you won’t believe it didn’t need a thickener – unlike most dairy free pasta recipes.
This recipe is also perfect for Thanksgiving week prep. It comes together in minutes, so you’ll have a flavorful satisfying meal to enjoy while you focus on getting all those pies and sides ready for Thursday’s big feast.
Searching for more pumpkin recipes? pumpkin risotto / pumpkin pasta with Italian sausage / pumpkin beer cheese soup / pumpkin hummus
Ingredients:
Making changes to a recipe can result in recipe failure. Any substitutions listed below are simple changes that I believe will work in this recipe, but results are not guaranteed.
- Pumpkin puree – You want regular canned pumpkin, not pumpkin pie filling. No sugar, no spices added.
- Coconut milk – Full fat coconut milk from a can is the only thing that will do. I prefer Aroy-D brand.
- Sun dried tomatoes – You can buy sun dried tomatoes however you like, but I like to buy them julienned when available. I recommend skipping the added spices, but packed in oil will work just fine.
- Sage – I added fresh sage to this recipe to make it more fall-forward and to enhance the pumpkin, but you can substitute fresh basil or parsley.
- Crushed red pepper flakes – This is optional to add a bit of kick to the recipe. Feel free to leave it out or adjust to taste.
The following is a detailed overview of the recipe steps with added tips and tricks for recipe success. For a simplified and printable version, including ingredient amounts and more formal instructions, see the recipe card below.
How to make this marry me pumpkin pasta
Cook the pasta. In a large pot of salted water, cook the pasta according to the package directions for al dente. Don’t forget to reserve some of the pasta water before draining.
Pro tip: This sauce comes together pretty quickly. In cases like this, I like to just let me pasta sit in the colander while I make the sauce. It saves me from dirtying another pan. BUT I don’t recommend this if you don’t already have your ingredients prepped or if you’re new to cooking recipes like this. If your pasta sits too long, it will stick together.
Make the sauce. Heat your pan over medium and let your olive oil heat up. Then, add garlic, crushed peppers, sun dried tomatoes and sage to the oil and let them simmer until fragrant – just about 30 seconds or so. Next, your coconut milk and pumpkin puree and stir or whisk until smooth. Add a bit of pasta water to the sauce (about 1/4 cup to start) and let the sauce simmer for a minute to soften the sun dried tomatoes.
Toss the pasta. Add the pasta to the pot and stir to evenly coat it with sauce. Add a bit more pasta water, if needed to really bring everything together. And, that’s it. You’re ready to eat!
Like sun dried tomatoes? Try these recipes: sun dried tomato pasta salad / sun dried tomato pesto / sun dried tomato pesto chicken skillet
Ingredients
- 16 ounces mezze rigatoni
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 4 cloves garlic (minced)
- 8 fresh sage leaves (thinly sliced)
- 1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes (optional)
- 3/4 cup pumpkin puree
- 1 cup canned coconut milk
- ½ teaspoon coarse salt
- ½ cup sun dried tomatoes (roughly chopped)
Instructions
- Cook the pasta. Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add the pasta and cook according to the package instructions for al dente. Before draining, reserve about 1/2 – 1 cup of pasta water.
- Prepare the sauce. Heat olive oil in a large pan over medium heat. Add garlic, crushed red pepper, sun-dried tomatoes, and sage and sauté until fragrant, approximately 30 seconds. Add coconut milk and pumpkin puree and stir until the mixture is smooth. Gradually add 1/4 cup of reserved pasta water and simmer for 1–2 minutes, allowing the flavors to develop and the sun-dried tomatoes to soften.
- Toss the pasta. Transfer the drained pasta to the pan with the sauce. Gently stir to coat the pasta with sauce, adding additional pasta water, a few tablespoons at a time, as needed to reach desired consistency.
Before leaving a comment or rating, ask yourself: