This creamy vegan pumpkin garlic pasta is cozy fall comfort food made without dairy, heavy cream or butter. The sauce blends pumpkin purée with cashews, shallot and plenty of garlic for a silky, savory pasta sauce that comes together while the noodles cook.
It's rich and creamy without feeling heavy, and the pumpkin adds beautiful color and a subtle sweetness that works surprisingly well in a savory pasta dish. Best of all, the whole dinner comes together quickly with simple ingredients.
Why Pumpkin Works So Well in Pasta Sauce
Pumpkin isn't just for muffins and pie. Its naturally smooth texture makes it an easy way to add body and creaminess to dairy-free sauces.
Here, it gets blended with soaked cashews and sautéed garlic and shallot to create a sauce that is velvety and flavorful without needing traditional Alfredo ingredients.
The pumpkin flavor is present but not overpowering, so this still feels very much like a creamy garlic pasta rather than a sweet pumpkin dish.
Ingredient Notes
- Pumpkin purée: Homemade pumpkin purée gives this sauce especially fresh flavor, but canned pumpkin works well too. Be sure to use plain pumpkin purée rather than pumpkin pie filling.
- Avocado oil: I prefer it here over olive oil because it gives the dish a buttery flavor.
- Raw cashews: Soaked cashews make the sauce especially smooth and creamy. For the best texture, blend the sauce in a high-speed blender until there is no detectable grittiness. I wrote a blog post on How and Why to Properly Soak Cashews which is helpful if you've never done it before.
- Shallot and garlic: Briefly sautéing these before blending takes away their raw bite and creates a deeper savory flavor. If you have extra time to let them caramelize slightly, I high recommend it for the best flavor.
- Maple syrup: Just one tablespoon helps balance the pumpkin and garlic. It does not make the sauce taste sweet.
- Pasta water: Don't skip reserving some before draining the noodles. A little starchy pasta water helps loosen the sauce and gives it a silkier consistency once tossed with the pasta.
Make It Your Own
I love this pasta on its own, but it is also an easy base for adding vegetables or plant-based protein.
Sautéed bell peppers and red onions are especially good here. For more texture and staying power, top each bowl with crispy lentils or caramelized onions.
If you can't have cashews, raw blanched slivered almonds can be used instead. Make sure they are slivered rather than sliced so they blend as smoothly as possible.
Tips for the Creamiest Pumpkin Pasta
Blend the sauce for a full minute on high speed so the nuts completely disappear into the sauce.
Once the pasta is drained, toss it with the pumpkin sauce right away while everything is still hot. Start with less sauce than you think you need, then add more along with reserved pasta water until the noodles are evenly coated and glossy.
The sauce will continue to thicken as it sits, so keep a little extra sauce or pasta water nearby if you want to loosen leftovers.
This is one of my favorite ways to turn pumpkin into a savory fall dinner, and it feels special enough for a cozy weekend meal while still being easy enough for a busy weeknight.
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Creamy Vegan Pumpkin Garlic Pasta
- Total Time: 20
- Yield: 6 1x
- Diet: Dairy-Free, Gluten-Free, Vegan
Description
This creamy vegan pumpkin garlic pasta is cozy fall comfort food made without dairy, heavy cream or butter. The sauce blends pumpkin purée with cashews, shallot and plenty of garlic for a silky, savory pasta sauce that comes together while the noodles cook.
It's rich and creamy without feeling heavy, and the pumpkin adds beautiful color and a subtle sweetness that works surprisingly well in a savory pasta dish. Best of all, the whole dinner comes together quickly with simple ingredients.
Ingredients
- 12 ounces gluten-free pasta of choice
- 2 tablespoons avocado oil
- 1 large shallot, peeled and diced
- 4 large garlic cloves, peeled and minced
- ½ cup raw cashews (or raw blanched and slivered almonds [not sliced almonds]), soaked
- 1 cup filtered water
- 1 cup homemade pumpkin puree (or sub canned)
- 1 tablespoon pure maple syrup
- ½ teaspoon fine salt
- optional add-ons: caramelized onions, crispy lentils
Instructions
- Bring a large pot of salted water to a rolling boil. Cook the pasta according to the package instructions.
- Meanwhile, heat the avocado oil in a large rimmed sauté pan over low heat. Add the shallots, garlic and salt. Sauté until the shallots are softened and slightly translucent, about 5 minutes. Transfer the mixture to a high-speed blender.
- Add the soaked and drained cashews, filtered water, pumpkin purée, maple syrup and salt to the blender. Blend on high speed until completely smooth and creamy, about 1 minute. Set aside until the pasta is finished cooking.
- Reserve some of the pasta water, then drain the pasta and transfer it to the sauté pan. Immediately pour the sauce over the pasta and toss with tongs until evenly coated. You may not need all of the sauce; reserve any extra for serving or reheating leftovers. Add 1-2 ladlefuls of reserved pasta water as needed to reach your desired consistency.
- Divide the pasta among serving bowls and garnish with caramelized onions and/or crispy lentils, if desired. Serve immediately.
- Store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to five days. For best results, reheat the pasta on the stovetop, adding reserved sauce or a splash of water as needed. Microwaving is not recommended, as it may dry out the pasta.
Equipment
Buy Now → Notes
Prep time does not include the time required to make homemade pumpkin purée. For the best flavor, I highly recommend using homemade pumpkin purée. It makes a noticeable difference in this dish!
I love adding sautéed bell peppers and red onions to this pasta.
If you are allergic to cashews, substitute raw blanched slivered almonds.
The nutrition information below is based on six servings and includes all of the sauce. It does not include any optional add-ins or garnishes.
- Prep Time: 5
- Cook Time: 15
- Category: pasta
- Method: Stovetop
- Cuisine: Italian
Christina says
The flavors were amazing in this dish! The garlic was a perfect compliment to the pumpkin. And it was so creamy! Definitely making again!
Elaine Gordon says
Thank you so much, Christina! I so appreciate the five star review 🙂
Jodi says
This dish is soooooooooooo delicious!!!!!!! It reminded me of something I would eat at a fancy, expensive, gourmet restaurant. I am always so surprised that your gluten free, dairy free, vegan recipes can taste so fantastic! You're a genius!! I added the pasta water to the blender. I may have missed where it said to do so but it was assumed. If I did it wrong it was a great mistake. Thank you for all you do!!!
Elaine Gordon says
Aw thank you SO much! That is my goal! Making gluten-free and vegan recipes taste delicious and gourmet! But keeping them easy of course!
You add the pasta water to the blender. I will update the recipe though to make it much more clear - sorry about that!