Pasta, Creamy Pumpkin Sauce, Toasted Walnuts

Quick Easy Vegan Version of Traditional Italian Pasta & Sauce Recipe

Pumpkin makes a delicious pasta sauce recipe, and it's actually a traditional Italian pasta sauce recipe - tastier than tomato sauce, we think!

This quick easy pasta recipe is from Vegan Unplugged. You don't have to be unplugged or vegan to benefit from quick easy recipes like this one, using canned & packaged foods.

Total Prep and Cook Time: 20 minutes

4 Servings

Nutrition Data, 207 g Serving: 452 cal, 75g carb, 11g fat, 17mg sodium, 7g fiber, 15 g protein, low Cholesterol, good source Vit A, Thiamin, Folate. Estimated glycemic load 46

Ingredients:

• 1 (15 oz) can solid-pack pumpkin
• 1 cup water
• 1 tsp vegetable broth base (or vegan bouillon cube)
• 1 tsp ground sage
• 1 tsp garlic powder
• 1/2 tsp onion powder
• 12 oz angel hair pasta or cappelini
• Optional: 2 Tbsp minced parsley
• 1/2 cup chopped toasted walnuts (toast in a dry frying pan on medium-low, stirring frequently, or in a 300 degree oven for 15 minutes)
• Salt & pepper to taste

Directions:

• In a saucepan, combine the pumpkin, water, broth base, sage, garlic powder, and onion powder.
• Cook over medium heat until smooth and hot
• Season with salt and pepper to taste
• If the sauce is too thick, add a little water. Set aside
• Cook the angel hair pasta in a pot of boiling salted water until tender, 3 - 4 minutes. Drain and return to the pot.
• Add the reserved sauce and toss to combine
• Serve sprinkled with the toasted walnuts and minced parsley if desired

Recipe Tips:

Canned pumpkin would work great in this pasta sauce recipe, but I pretended I was using up my fresh produce, including a butternut squash. Since the power wasn't actually out, I cooked the squash in the crock pot, then pureed it in the blender, and carried on with the recipe.

Pasta tossed with a creamy sage-infused pumpkin sauce, and sprinkled with walnuts, is good enough to make you forget this is Pantry Cuisine. If water is at a premium, scratch angel hair pasta in favor of pouring a small amount of boiling water over a few ramen noodle bricks, then drain and proceed with the recipe.

Menu Suggestions: This pasta dish is perfect with another Vegan Unplugged recipe, black bean patties and a bright, crunchy green salad.

Recipe Comments:

Question: I've received a butternut squash in my organic delivery, can I use that instead of pumpkin? - Louisa G.

Answer: Absolutely! Cut it into large chunks (with skin on), bake it covered until tender, scoop out the squash from the skins, mash it, then proceed with the recipe. It won't be nearly as thick as canned pumpkin, so you'll want to reduce the water in the recipe. Start with 1/4 cup of water and go from there - Judith

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