Pumpkin Pasta – Homemade Pasta Made with Pumpkin Puree
Since pumpkin is an excellent storage crop, we almost always have plenty on hand, so I’m always looking for new ways to use it. This pumpkin pasta recipe uses pumpkin puree to make homemade noodles with a surprise spice for extra flavor.
I usually serve the noodles as a side dish, but you can also use them in soup with vegetable broth or chicken broth. If you want double down on pumpkin, try pairing them with a pumpkin pasta sauce recipe, or stuffing them with pumpkin filling.
Prepping Your Pumpkin Puree
First, prep your homemade pumpkin puree. In a pinch, you could use canned pumpkin pie filling. (The recipe includes pumpkin spice with cinnamon, ginger, cloves, and nutmeg.) Cook the pumpkin until tender, and then blend the flesh into a smooth puree.
A one pound pie pumpkin will make about a cup of puree. You can also use other winter squash, such as butternut squash or butternut squash. I cut my squash in half, set it cut side down on a pan, and roast in a 350F oven for about 30-40 minutes.
For detailed cooking instructions, see “3 Ways to Cook a Pumpkin or Winter Squash“.
How to Make Pumpkin Pasta
My pumpkin pasta recipe was inspired by an old book of pumpkin recipes I found at a used book sale. It’s a basic egg noodle, substituting pumpkin for some of the eggs. We add some spices in for flavor and color.
Ingredients
- 2 cups all purpose flour
- 1/2 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice
- pinch of salt
- 1/2 teaspoon annatto powder (optional)
- 1/2 cup pumpkin puree
- 1 large egg
Top with butter or olive oil and your choice of finely chopped fresh herbs, such as fresh sage or parsley.
Instructions
Place the flour in a medium bowl and stir in pumpkin pie spice, annatto, and salt. Form a well in the center of the flour mixture and add in the pumpkin puree and egg. Stir to combine, using your hands or a pasta hook to form a firm dough.
Move the dough to a lightly floured counter top, and knead until smooth. Let rest in covered container for 30 minutes or more before rolling. The rest time helps the dough to relax, making it easier to roll out the noodles.
Roll out the dough with a rolling pin on a lightly floured surface, or use a pasta machine. You may want to divide the dough into smaller portions to make it easier to work with. Try to get it as thin as possible, so that some light comes through the pasta sheet.
Let rest for 10 minutes or so on a dry flour sack kitchen towel to help reduce sticking and firm up the pasta. While the pasta is drying, bring a pot of salted water to a boil. Cut pasta into strips or desired shape.
Drop the pumpkin pasta into the pot of boiling water and cook the pasta for 4 minutes (al dente), stirring occasionally to prevent clumping. Drain the cooked pasta in a colander, but do not rinse.
Pour into serving bowl and toss with butter or olive oil and fresh herbs and serve warm.
Store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator and use within 2-3 days.
Substitutions
For gluten-free pasta, substitute a gluten free all purpose flour blend, such as Namaste or Cup4cup. The texture will be a little different, but you should still get a workable dough. You may also need to add a little water while mixing if the dough seems too stiff. (It’s okay to add a little water with regular flour, too, but remember, we’re aiming for a firm dough.)
If you don’t have annatto, you can substitute paprika, or skip it entirely. I like the annatto because it adds a touch of heat and color to the pumpkin pasta. A pinch of cayenne pepper is another option.
Semolina flour is traditionally used for pasta, but less common in American kitchens. If you have it on hand, feel free to use it.
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For those who can’t have eggs, you may substitute an additional 1/4 cup pumpkin puree, but the texture will be slightly different. Without the egg, increase the cooking time to 6-8 minutes.
If you need to go dairy-free, stick with olive oil instead of butter. Try tossing with some shredded vegan parmesan for extra flavor.
If you don’t like parsley or sage leaves , try seasoning with salt and pepper to taste, and sprinkling on some grated parmesan cheese. I highly recommend using freshly grated cheese, as the flavor is so much better.
Adding Even More Pumpkin in your Pumpkin Pasta
If you want to get more creative in the kitchen, you can use this basic recipe to create more pumpkin pasta dishes.
Double the dough recipe, and cook up extra pumpkin to make pumpkin filled pasta. Here’s a simple savory filling recipe for making ravioli or cappellacci:
2 cups pumpkin or winter squash puree
1 large egg
4 tablespoons Parmesan cheese
1/4 teaspoon each white pepper and ground nutmeg
1/4 cup breadcrumbs
Pumpkin sauce has become a more popular alternative in recent years for people avoiding nightshades. Trader Joe’s makes a creamy pumpkin pasta sauce that’s pretty popular, and there are number of other ready made sauces on the market.
To make a homemade pumpkin pasta sauce, sauté a chopped small onion with a tablespoon of olive oil on medium heat for 5-7 minutes in a large skillet. Add the garlic (2-3 garlic cloves, minced) and cook for another minute or two.
Stir in 2 cups pumpkin puree, 1 cup chicken broth, 3/4 cup heavy cream or coconut milk, and 1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese. Simmer on medium-low heat until heated through. Season with your herbs of choice, or just salt and pepper to taste. Toss the sauce with your cooked pasta.
Print Friendly Recipe
PrintPumpkin Pasta
This homemade pasta recipe uses pumpkin or winter squash and seasonal spices in the dough for an interesting twist on traditional egg noodles.
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Rest Time: 30 minutes
- Cook Time: 4 minutes
- Total Time: 54 minutes
- Yield: 6 servings 1x
Ingredients
- 2 cups all purpose flour
- 1/2 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice
- pinch of salt
- 1/2 teaspoon annatto powder (optional)
- 1/2 cup pumpkin puree
- 1 large egg
Instructions
- Place the flour in a medium bowl and stir in pumpkin pie spice, annatto, and salt. Form a well in the center of the flour mixture and add in the pumpkin puree and egg. Stir to combine, using your hands or a pasta hook to form a firm dough.
- Move the dough to a lightly floured counter top, and knead until smooth. Let rest in covered container for 30 minutes or more before rolling. The rest time helps the dough to relax, making it easier to roll out the noodles.
- Roll out the dough with a rolling pin on a lightly floured surface, or use a pasta machine. You may want to divide the dough into smaller portions to make it easier to work with. Try to get it as thin as possible, so that some light comes through the pasta sheet.
- Let rest for 10 minutes or so on a dry flour sack kitchen towel to help reduce sticking and firm up the pasta. While the pasta is drying, bring a pot of salted water to a boil. Cut pasta into strips or desired shape.
- Drop the pumpkin pasta into the pot of boiling water and cook the pasta for 4 minutes (al dente), stirring occasionally to prevent clumping. Drain the cooked pasta in a colander, but do not rinse.
- Pour into serving bowl and toss with butter or olive oil and fresh herbs and serve warm.
- Store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator and use within 2-3 days.
Notes
Because moisture levels in flour vary, if the dough seems too dry, you can add another egg or a bit of water if needed. The dough softens as it rests. It’s also fine to make up the dough ahead of time, up to a day ahead, and let it rest in the refrigerator.
Pasta filling for ravioli or cappellacci:
2 cups pumpkin or winter squash puree
1 large egg
4 tablespoons Parmesan cheese
1/4 teaspoon each white pepper and ground nutmeg
1/4 cup breadcrumbs
This filling makes enough for a double batch of pasta.
More Pumpkin Recipes
Some of our family favorite pumpkin recipes include:
Pumpkin Muffins with Cream Cheese Filling
Squaffles (Pumpkin or Winter Squash Waffles) with Maple Cinnamon Whipped Cream
