This easy vegan pumpkin pasta sauce is super rich and creamy, made with just a few simple ingredients, and whips up in just 10 minutes!  Made with a can of pumpkin puree, a can of coconut milk, and seasoned with sage, it’s the perfect simple pasta dish for fall.

A white plate filled with vegan pumpkin pasta with fresh sage sprinkled on top.

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This pumpkin alfredo sauce is a variation of my popular vegan alfredo sauce with the addition of pumpkin and sage.  You can make it with any dairy-free milk that you wish, but coconut milk makes this dish extremely rich and creamy without refined oil.

I made this tonight with a can of coconut cream and oh my gosh, it was phenomenal! It is mild with a sage undertone and so creamy. I gobbled down so much of it! I will definitely be making this again.

—Leah

Why make pumpkin pasta sauce

  • It’s quick and easy – it only takes about 10 minutes to make.
  • This pasta is packed with healthy vitamin A – 165% RDA per serving!
  • It’s the perfect pasta sauce for a fall dinner party or Thanksgiving!
  • This recipe is naturally gluten-free, soy-free, dairy-free, and tree-nut-free.
A close up of vegan pumpkin pasta with fresh sage sprinkled on top.

Ingredients and substitutions

  • Pumpkin Puree – you can use a can of pumpkin puree or make your own from a whole pumpkin. Make sure to use pumpkin puree, not canned pumpkin pie filling. You could also swap out the pumpkin for mashed butternut squash.
  • Coconut Milk – I like to use a can of full-fat coconut milk or coconut cream for the creamiest sauce.  You can use low-fat coconut milk or 1 1/2 cups of any plain plant-based milk that you wish like soy milk, oat milk, or almond milk.
  • Water – to thin out the sauce a little.
  • Tapioca Starch – to thicken the sauce and give it a little bit of stretchiness. You can also use cornstarch, potato starch, or arrowroot.  I find that tapioca starch has the best texture and doesn’t get gloppy when it cools as corn starch does.
  • Spices – I like to use fresh or dry ground sage.  If you don’t have sage, poultry seasoning will also work or you could add oregano or dried basil.
  • Garlic Powder – or a clove of fresh minced garlic for flavor. You can also use onion powder instead.
  • Salt and Pepper– for flavor.
  • Pasta – any shape of pasta noodles that you choose. See which brands of pasta are vegan.

Did you know that not all brands of coconut milk use ethical treatment of animals and therefore not truly vegan? Read more about it and see which brands of coconut milk are vegan.

How to make creamy vegan pumpkin pasta sauce

Step 1 – Boil pasta in a large pot according to package directions. (This will vary depending on the type of pasta that you use.)

Step 2 – Pour a can of pumpkin puree, a can of coconut milk, 1/2 cup of water, 1 tbsp of starch, sage, salt, and pepper into a saucepan, and stir well.

A collage of 2 pictures showing the process steps of making the vegan pumpkin pasta sauce with coconut milk and pumpkin puree before and after it has been stirred.

Step 3 – Turn on the heat to medium and cook the sauce, stirring frequently, until it begins to boil.

Step 4 – Turn the heat down to low and let it simmer in the pan for 5 minutes stirring frequently.

Step 5 – Drain your cooked pasta and pour the sauce over the noodles. Stir well and serve warm. (Serve with vegan Italian sausage for a complete meal.)

A small red saucepan filled with cream pumpkin pasta sauce.

Pro Tips

  • You must stir the starch into the ingredients while they are still cold.  Don’t add the starch to the hot liquid or it will immediately start to cook and get clumpy.
  • Make sure to stir the sauce frequently.  You don’t want the starch to settle to the bottom and get clumpy.
  • Be sure to turn down the heat and allow the sauce to boil slowly for about 5 minutes to blend the flavors without burning the sauce.

Variations of vegan pumpkin pasta

Cheesy Vegan Mac and Cheese Sauce – make my vegan pumpkin mac & cheese by adding cheesy-tasting nutritional yeast to the sauce along with the rest of the ingredients.

Pumpkin Stuffed Shells – similar to my vegan stuffed shells with tofu ricotta. These pumpkin stuffed shells are also packed with vegan sausage and kale.

Vegan Pumpkin Lasagna – follow the recipe for my vegan lasagna and swap out the red sauce for pumpkin sauce and top the lasagna with vegan bechamel sauce.

Pumpkin Pasta with Vegan Sausage – Serve the pumpkin pasta with vegan Italian-style sausage or make my vegan sausage crumbles and sprinkle them on top of the pasta! (This is my favorite way to eat this sauce!  The flavors go incredibly well together!)

Pumpkin sauce over linguini with vegan sausage crumbles being loaded on a fork.
Vegan pumpkin pasta with vegan sausage crumbles

How to store vegan pumpkin sauce

The sauce will keep well in the fridge for up to 5 days or in the freezer for 3 months in an air-tight sealed container.  To reheat it, let it thaw overnight in the fridge then reheat it in a saucepan adding a tablespoon or two of water to the sauce if needed to thin it out.

Gluten-free instructions

Since the pumpkin sauce is already gluten-free, all you have to do is serve it over your favorite gluten-free pasta, and you have gluten-free pumpkin pasta!  I like to cook my gluten-free pasta al dente and rinse it well to wash off any starch before mixing it with the pasta sauce.

A fork full of linguini with vegan pumpkin sauce on it.

More recipes that use canned pumpkin

Vegan pumpkin pasta recipe

A white plate filled with vegan pumpkin pasta sprinkled with fresh sage.
5 from 11 rating

Vegan Pumpkin Pasta

Yield: 8
Prep: 2 minutes
Cook: 8 minutes
Total: 10 minutes
Author: Monica Davis
A quick and easy vegan pumpkin pasta sauce made rich and creamy with coconut milk and flavored to perfection.
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Ingredients

  • 16 oz pasta, (1 box of any pasta that you wish)
  • 1 (15 oz) can pumpkin puree
  • 1 1 (13.5 oz) can coconut milk
  • 1/2 cup water
  • 1 tablespoon tapioca starch , (or corn starch, potato starch, and arrowroot)
  • 2 teaspoons ground dry sage, or 2 tablespoons fresh sage
  • 1 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder, or 1-2 cloves of garlic
  • 1/4 teaspoon fresh ground pepper, or to taste

Instructions
 

  • Boil pasta according to package directions. (This will vary depending on the type of pasta that you use.)
  • Pour a can of pumpkin puree, a can of coconut milk, 1/2 cup of water, 1 tbsp of starch, 2 tsp sage, 1 1/2 tsp salt, and pepper into a saucepan and stir well.
  • Turn on the heat to medium and cook the sauce, stirring frequently, until it begins to boil.
  • Turn the heat down to low and let it simmer for 5 minutes stirring frequently.
  • Pour the sauce over your choice of pasta and serve warm. (Serve with vegan Italian sausage for a complete meal.)

Notes

  • You must stir the starch into the ingredients while they are still cold.  Don’t add the starch to hot liquid or it will immediately start to cook and get clumpy.
  • Make sure to stir the sauce frequently.  You don’t want the starch to settle to the bottom and get clumpy.
  • Be sure to turn down the heat and allow the sauce to boil slowly for about 5 minutes to blend the flavors without burning the sauce.
Serving: 1cup, Calories: 323kcal, Carbohydrates: 48g, Protein: 9g, Fat: 11g, Saturated Fat: 9g, Sodium: 449mg, Potassium: 341mg, Fiber: 3g, Sugar: 3g, Vitamin A: 8273IU, Vitamin C: 3mg, Calcium: 34mg, Iron: 3mg
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