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Pasta Bake with Pumpkin Tomato Sauce

Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 30 minutes
Total Time 45 minutes
Servings 6 servings
Calories 650
A hearty and flavorful baked pasta dish featuring pumpkin and tomato sauce, topped with melted cheese and toasted walnuts for added texture and richness.

Ingredients

Pasta

  • 1 lb dry pasta of choice (such as mezzi rigatoni, shells, ziti, fusilli, or farfalle)
  • 2 Tbsp butter
  • 0.5 cup finely chopped walnuts
  • 2 Tbsp finely chopped fresh sage leaves
  • 2 Tbsp extra-virgin olive oil
  • 8 oz cremini (baby bella) mushrooms, sliced
  • 1 yellow onion, finely chopped
  • 0.25 cup tomato paste
  • 4 cloves garlic, minced
  • 0.5 tsp crushed red pepper flakes
  • 3-4 handfuls fresh baby spinach
  • 1 tsp dried oregano
  • 1 tsp kosher salt
  • 0.5 tsp black pepper
  • 0.25 tsp ground nutmeg
  • 3 cups vegetable broth
  • 1 can (15-oz.) pumpkin purée
  • 0.5 cup grated Parmesan cheese
  • 1.5 cups grated fontina cheese, divided

Instructions 

  • Cook pasta in salted boiling water until 2 minutes shy of al dente, then drain and set aside.
  • Toast walnuts and sage in butter for 5 minutes, then transfer to a bowl.
  • Sauté mushrooms and onion in olive oil until soft, then add tomato paste, garlic, and red pepper flakes; cook 2-3 minutes.
  • Stir in spinach, oregano, salt, pepper, and nutmeg; add broth, pumpkin, Parmesan, and half the fontina, stirring until smooth. Mix with pasta.
  • Transfer to a greased baking dish, top with remaining fontina and walnut-sage mixture, then bake at 375ºF for 25-30 minutes until golden.

Notes

For extra flavor, toast the walnuts longer or add a pinch of red pepper flakes to the sauce.
Calories: 650kcal
Cost: $15
Course: Main Course
Cuisine: American
Keyword: Pasta, pumpkin, tomato