Easy 20-Minute Creamy Pumpkin Ricotta Pasta Recipe
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This Easy 20-Minute Creamy Pumpkin Ricotta Pasta Recipe is a super easy dinner for those busy weeknights when you’re craving something comforting! Easily customize this vegetarian pasta for picky eaters, meat eaters, and even for certain dietary needs to make this a great meal for the whole family.
I love having really quick go-to dinner recipes for the colder months when we’re really busy with school, work, and all the activities!
Some other go-to dinner recipes for the fall or winter are this Creamy Pumpkin and Cauliflower Soup, Easy 25-Minute Vegan Chili, and 30-Minute Skillet Pumpkin Lasagna.
Pumpkin and Ricotta Pasta
This pasta dish is creamy from whole milk ricotta cheese, pumpkin puree, parmesan cheese, and reserved pasta water. It’s best when served right away to maintain its creamy texture.
I used rigatoni noodles for this recipe because it’s my family’s favorite, but feel free to use whatever pasta noodles work best for your family! I love adding fresh rosemary to this dish, but you could also try adding fresh sage.
This dish could even be served at Thanksgiving dinner!
What You’ll Love About Ricotta Pumpkin Pasta
- Easy. This recipe is so simple and uses only 7 ingredients! Simply cook the pasta and then add the remaining ingredients to the pot and stir!
- Quick. Ready in just about 20 minutes with no chopping or prepping required, this dinner recipe is such a great option for a busy night or if you have a baby attached to your hip!
- Comforting. Talk about fall comfort food! This recipe is perfect for pumpkin season or a cold winter night.
Pumpkin Ricotta Pasta Ingredients
- Rigatoni: I chose rigatoni for this recipe, simply because it’s my family’s favorite type of noodle, but you can use any pasta noodle of choice. You’ll need a pound of pasta, whatever you choose. If you need to make the recipe gluten-free, opt for a gluten-free noodle.
- Reserved pasta water: Be sure to reserve a half cup of pasta water when you’re straining the noodles to help the pumpkin ricotta sauce have a creamy texture.
- Whole milk ricotta cheese: I use full fat ricotta cheese to help make the sauce creamier. Feel free to use low fat ricotta cheese or use vegan or tofu ricotta cheese if needed!
- Pumpkin puree: You want to use pumpkin puree for this recipe and not pumpkin pie filling, as pumpkin pie filling includes spices and sweetener.
- Parmesan cheese: I used grated parmesan cheese in this recipe. You can use a vegan parmesan cheese if needed.
- Salt: Feel free to add some more salt to taste.
- Rosemary: You can use fresh rosemary or dried rosemary. You could also replace the rosemary with fresh sage to pair well with pumpkin season!
- Black pepper: Add some cracked black pepper to taste.
- (Optional) White beans, plant-based sausage, or roasted chickpeas: Any of these serve as a plant-based protein to add to the pasta.
- Optional) Kale: I like to add some kale strips massaged in olive oil and sea salt for a perfect way to make this recipe more nutrient-dense.
How to Make Pumpkin Ricotta Pasta
STEP 1 – Cook pasta
Bring a large pot of water to a boil and cook pasta over medium heat according to package instructions, until al dente. Strain noodles, and reserve ½ cup pasta water. Don’t rinse the cooked pasta. Put the pasta back in the pot.
STEP 2 – ADD REMAINING INGREDIENTS
To make the creamy pumpkin sauce, add ¼ cup of the reserved pasta water to the cooked pasta. Then add ricotta cheese, pumpkin puree, parmesan cheese, salt, and rosemary and stir to combine. Add more of the reserved pasta water if needed to achieve desired creaminess. Top with your preferred protein source and enjoy!
What to Serve With Pumpkin Ricotta Pasta
- side salad
- Crispy Roasted Green Beans With Slivered Almonds for a veggie-heavy side dish
- roasted chickpeas
- plant-based meatballs or sausage
- kale – I like massaging some kale strips with olive oil and sprinkling it with a little salt and then adding it to the pasta to make it more nutrient-dense
- garlic bread
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How to Store
Fridge: Store leftovers in the fridge for up to 3 days in an airtight container. When reheating, you may need to add olive oil or a splash of water to the pasta to make it creamy again.
Freezer: Allow the pasta to cool completely and then transfer it to an airtight freezer-safe container. I love to use BPA-Free Soupercubes trays to freeze pretty much everything! Store in the freezer for up to 3 months.
Reheat: The day before you’re ready to eat the pasta, thaw the pasta in the fridge overnight. When you’re ready to eat it, reheat in the microwave or on the stovetop. Add some olive oil and a splash of water to make it somewhat creamy again.
Frequently Asked Questions
Yes! Use your preferred gluten-free noodles.
Use a vegan ricotta cheese and parmesan cheese and you’ll make the recipe both vegan and dairy-free.
Top the pasta with roasted chickpeas or add white beans or plant-based sausage to it.
I like to reserve some of the plain pasta noodles before adding the remaining ingredients and set them aside for my picky eater. I serve these plain noodles with olive oil and a little sea salt or marinara sauce to my picky eater. I will also serve him a little bit of the pumpkin pasta for him to try if he chooses. I will include a vegetable on the side, as well as whichever protein addition we’re all eating, such as roasted chickpeas.
No! Please don’t use pumpkin pie filling, as it has spices and sweetener in it. Please only use pumpkin puree or actual cooked pumpkin (if you have time to prepare an actual pumpkin).
20-Minute Creamy Pumpkin Ricotta Pasta Recipe
Ingredients
- 16 ounces rigatoni noodles, (or pasta of choice)
- ½ cup reserved pasta water
- 1 cup whole milk ricotta cheese
- ½ cup pumpkin puree
- ¼ cup parmesan cheese
- 1 teaspoon fresh rosemary diced, or dried rosemary (or sub fresh sage)
- 1 teaspoon salt, (plus more to taste)
- Black pepper, to taste
Instructions
- Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Cook pasta according to package instructions, until al dente.
- Strain noodles, reserving ½ cup pasta water. Don’t rinse the cooked pasta. Put the pasta back in the pot.
- For Picky Eaters: Reserve some of the plain pasta before adding the remaining ingredients. Refer to FAQ section for ideas on how to serve this pasta to picky eaters.
- Add ¼ cup of the reserved pasta water to the cooked pasta. Then add ricotta cheese, pumpkin puree, parmesan cheese, salt, and rosemary and stir to combine. Add more of the reserved pasta water if needed to achieve desired creaminess.
- Top with your preferred protein source, fresh herbs, and enjoy!
Notes
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