Pumpkin Alfredo Pasta Recipe

Is there anything better than a creamy, delicious pasta dish? This vegan pumpkin alfredo pasta recipe is the perfect comfort food for chilly autumn days. It’s quick and easy to make, and it’s sure to please vegans and meat-eaters alike. So why not give it a try today? You won’t be disappointed!

Plant-Based Vegan Pumpkin Alfredo Pasta Recipe

When you need a dinner recipe that brings that full-flavored comfort feeling to the table in less than 30 minutes, consider our Pumpkin Alfredo Pasta recipe. With a dreamy, creamy texture, it’s more than just healthy, it’s delicious!

Why pumpkin? Quite simply, this orange squash provides incredible nutrition, wrapped in some great flavor. In addition, pumpkin, like it’s other squash cousins, provides a versatile food ingredient. What is not to like?

What to Use in this recipe

The ingredients in this recipe are simple.

• Cashews – use raw cashews. pieces are fine as you will be blending them
• Hot water- hot to the touch but not boiling
• Olive oil – or your own favorite oil
• garlic- fresh is good but the chopped in a jar works
• Spinach- fresh is nice in this recipe but chopped frozen works
• Broccoli- use either frozen, thawed or chopped and steamed
• Pumpkin puree (not pumpkin pie filling)- use either canned puree or fresh pumpkin that is pureed
• Nutritional yeast – Provides the cheesy flavor addition. Feel free to use extra, if you like.
• Pasta- use your favorite shape. We like shells and rotini as they hold the sauce well. We always look for whole grain and organic.

One cup (245 grams) of canned pumpkin provides 

• Calories: 137
• Protein: 3 grams
• Fat: 7 grams
• Carbs: 19 grams
• Fiber: 7 grams
• Vitamin A: 209% of the Daily Value (DV)
• Vitamin K: 37% of the DV
• Copper: 28% of the DV
• Vitamin E: 22% of the DV
• Iron: 18% of the DV
• Magnesium: 13% of the DV
• Riboflavin: 10% of the DV
• Vitamin B6: 10% of the DV
• Vitamin C: 10% of the DV
• Potassium: 10% of the DV

Major Health Benefits of Pumpkin include:

• Boosts Immunity
• Promotes eye health
• Promotes skin health
• Supports heart health
• Helps control blood sugar levels

Pumpkin Fun Facts

• Although most of us consider pumpkins a vegetable, they are actually botanically classified as a fruit! Yes, the fact that they are produced on the vine from a flower makes them a fruit.
• When you think of squash, think pumpkin. Pumpkins are a variety of squash.
• Most pumpkins contain about 500 seeds. And those seeds are also quite nutritious!
• There are more than 45 types of pumpkins and include some pretty fun names including Sweetie Pie, Baby Bear, and Fairy Tale.
• Not all pumpkins are orange. In fact, they can be green, yellow, red, blue, white, teal, purple, pink, and even black. Of course, most of us know them as the traditional orange.
• Once they sprout, most pumpkins take 3-4 months to reach maturity.
• Every part of the pumpkin is edible. This includes the skin, leaves, flowers, and stem. Yes, those blossoms are often served either raw or battered and fried in high-end restaurants.
• For best flavor, the smaller sugar pumpkins are best for eating. The larger ones are not quite as flavorful, often tasting quite bitter.
• Pumpkin Pie is America’s favorite Thanksgiving dessert.
• Pumpkins are native to Central America and Mexico.
• The Victory Gardens of WW2 often included pumpkins as they provided a good amount of nutrition.
• Morton, Illinois, is known as the “Pumpkin Capitol of the World.” The company known as Libby’s is headquartered there and produces about 85% of the world’s canned pumpkin.
• Over 1.5 billion pounds of pumpkins are grown in the United States each year.

Ready to try our Pumpkin Alfredo Pasta Recipe?

Pumpkin Alfredo Pasta

Looking for a fall-inspired twist on a classic pasta dish with a healthy focus? Noodle dishes create a comforting feel to fall meals and this pumpkin alfredo dish delivers that with every bite.

Print Recipe Pin Recipe

Prep Time 5 minutes mins

Cook Time 10 minutes mins

Total Time 15 minutes mins

Course dinner, entree

Cuisine American

Servings 8 servings

Calories 201 kcal

Ingredients

  

1x2x3x

• 1 cup raw cashews
• 4 cups hot water
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 5 garlic cloves minced
• 2 cups spinach chopped
• 2 cups broccoli chopped, lightly steamed
• 2 cups pumpkin puree
• 1 cup nutritional yeast
• 2 lb pasta shells or rotini or your favorite, cooked according to package directions and drained.

Instructions

 

• Put the cashews and hot water to a high powered blender and blend on high until smooth and creamy, about 1 minute. Set aside.*
• In a large non-stick skillet, add the olive oil to a pan over medium heat. Once the oil is hot, add the garlic and saute until fragrant, about 2 minutes.
• Add the pumpkin puree and half the blended cashews into the pan. Stir until smooth. Add the remaining cashew mix and nutritional yeast, and whisk until smooth.
• Stir in the broccoli and spinach and heat until spinach begins to wilt, about 2 minutes. Taste and adjust seasonings as desired.
• Mix the pasta with the sauce, tossing to combine well.
• Serve immediately. Garnish with fresh herbs such as sage, if desired.

Notes

Notes:

Other vegetables may be substituted if desired.

To save time, frozen chopped broccoli works well in this recipe.

 

Nutrition

Calories: 201kcalCarbohydrates: 21gProtein: 9gFat: 11gSaturated Fat: 2gPolyunsaturated Fat: 2gMonounsaturated Fat: 6gSodium: 556mgPotassium: 801mgFiber: 6gSugar: 7gVitamin A: 10869IUVitamin C: 34mgCalcium: 59mgIron: 4mg

Keyword pasta, pumpkin

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Ready to Try Our Pumpkin Alfredo Pasta Recipe?

Pumpkins provide a nutritious food that can be used in many different recipes. Our pumpkin alfredo pasta recipe is a quick, easy, and delicious dinner option that your whole family will love. Have you tried this recipe yet? If so, please leave us a comment below and let us know how you liked it. We would love to hear from you!