Pumpkin Pasta Casserole

This creamy pumpkin pasta casserole is a healthy fall-inspired twist on your classic mac and cheese - completely made from scratch with a creamy, sage-infused pumpkin sauce and a crispy pecorino breadcrumb topping. 

Pumpkin lovers rejoice! Today is the first day of an exciting week on Not Enough Cinnamon: Pumpkin Week! Pumpkin, pumpkin and pumpkin again.

That's all you're going to see this week on NEC! We are kicking off this week with this Vegetarian Pumpkin Pasta Casserole - a healthy twist on a classic Mac and Cheese with a creamy sage-infused pumpkin sauce instead of a fatty cheese sauce and a crispy pecorino breadcrumb topping.

This Pumpkin Pasta Casserole is seriously the best pasta bake ever and the definition of Fall comfort food! On top of that, it's so easy to make.

I mean is there anything better than al dente macaroni pasta tossed with a creamy pumpkin sauce, with a bit of crispy crunch from the breadcrumbs and a savory note from the pecorino?

If it hadn't been for my gluten intolerance I would have seriously eaten the whole pan of pumpkin pasta and not just a small serving. Yes, my tummy doesn't like gluten at all - but I do. Boo hoo.

For this pumpkin pasta bake, you could use canned pumpkin purée, but honestly, I don't recommend it. I think it wouldn't taste as good as this homemade pumpkin pasta sauce, made with fresh pumpkin.

You can buy pre-cut pumpkin pieces to save you time and hassle, but in any case, go for the fresh stuff, not the canned one! To my Canadian readers: I wish you a wonderful Thanksgiving! May this day be full of joy and good comfort food like this Pumpkin Pasta Casserole!

For more pumpkin recipes, check out my chicken & pumpkin curry and my Paleo Pumpkin Spice Blondies.

If you tried this Pumpkin Pasta Casserole, don’t forget to rate the recipe below and let me know how it went in the comments – I love hearing from you! You can also follow me on Instagram, Pinterest and Facebook for more deliciousness and behind-the-scenes!

5 from 1 vote

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Pumpkin Pasta Casserole

This creamy pumpkin pasta casserole is a healthy fall-inspired twist on your classic mac and cheese - completely made from scratch with a creamy, sage-infused pumpkin sauce and a crispy pecorino breadcrumb topping. 

Course Main Course

Cuisine American

Keyword bake, casserole, easy, fall, mac and cheese, pasta, pecorino, pumpkin, sauce, vegetarian

Prep Time 20 minutes

Cook Time 1 hour

Total Time 1 hour 20 minutes

Servings 8

Calories 352 kcal

Ingredients

• 18 oz macaroni pasta 500 g

Pumpkin Sauce

• 2.5 lb pumpkin 1,1 kg peeled and cut into small pieces (weighted before being peeled)
• 1 tsp olive oil
• ⅓ cup shallot chopped
• 1 large fresh sage leave
• ⅓ cup grated Pecorino cheese packed (you can also use parmesan)
• 2 x ⅓ cup vegetable stock or chicken stock

Topping

• ¾ cup breadcrumbs
• ⅓ cup grated Pecorino cheese packed (you can also use parmesan)
• 1 tsp garlic powder

Instructions

1. Start with the pumpkin sauce. Add pumpkin pieces in a pot and cover with water. Cover with a lid and cook over medium heat for about 20 minutes or until pumpkin is very tender. Drain and transfer to the bowl of your food processor or blender.
2. While pumpkin is cooking, heat olive oil in a small skillet and sauté shallot for about 2 minutes or until tender. Transfer to food processor. When the pumpkin is done, add it to the food processor with sage, pecorino and stock. Pulse until you get a smooth sauce, scraping the edges as needed.
3. Preheat oven to 400F/200C.

4. In a large pot, bring water to a boil. Cook pasta until slightly undercooked (about 9 minutes if the package instructions say 11 minutes for instance). 

5. Drain pasta and bring back to the pot. Add pumpkin sauce and toss to combine. Adjust seasoning if needed (I didn't add any salt because of the cheese). Transfer pasta mixture into a large baking dish.
   

6. In a small bowl, combine breadcrumbs, pecorino and garlic powder. Sprinkle over pasta.

7. Bake for 20 minutes, turning the casserole dish halfway through, or until topping is golden brown. Remove from the oven and serve.

Recipe Notes

You could use canned pumpkin purée, but I don't recommend it. It wouldn't taste as good as this sauce, made with fresh pumpkin.

Nutrition Facts

Pumpkin Pasta Casserole

Amount Per Serving (1 /6th)

Calories 352 Calories from Fat 36

% Daily Value*

Fat 4g6%

Saturated Fat 1g6%

Cholesterol 8mg3%

Sodium 179mg8%

Potassium 648mg19%

Carbohydrates 64g21%

Fiber 3g13%

Sugar 6g7%

Protein 13g26%

Vitamin A 12100IU242%

Vitamin C 12.8mg16%

Calcium 150mg15%

Iron 2.5mg14%

* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.