Pumpkin pasta sauce made with leftover canned pumpkin puree, marinara sauce and seasonings makes a super easy, simple and delicious pumpkin pasta sauce which is served with rigatoni pasta or penne pasta for a simple, tasty homemade dinner, lunch or any meal! This rigatoni pasta with pumpkin pasta sauce also makes a great side dish for holidays like Thanksgiving dinner or Christmas dinner as this is very easy to make using any leftover canned pumpkin puree you may have! It is also a great pasta recipe to use any leftover pumpkin puree from the holidays!
More easy, delicious recipes using leftover canned pumpkin puree includes moist pumpkin banana bread, 3 ingredient pumpkin muffins, instant pumpkin spice coffee latte and more!
You can also make instant pot pumpkin mac and cheese using leftover pumpkin puree which is yet another delicious pumpkin pasta using sour cream and cheese!
Substitute for rigatoni pasta in easy pumpkin pasta:
If you do not have rigatoni pasta, you may use similar shaped pasta shells like penne pasta.
Other substitute ideas for rigatoni pasta include ziti noodles, cellentani pasta or cavatappi pasta, conch pasta or shell pasta, elbow pasta (the one used to make mac and cheese) etc.
However, you may replace riagtoni in this recipe with any other types of pasta as well, since the pumpkin pasta sauce goes great with most types of pasta including noodles, spaghetti etc as well!
So here is how you can make pumpkin pasta at home using pumpkin pasta sauce and rigatoni pasta shells.
How To Make Pumpkin Pasta Sauce For Rigatoni Pasta?
To make easy, delicious pumpkin pasta to serve with rigatoni pasta or any pasta of your choice, we use the following ingredients.
Ingredients to make pumpkin rigatoni pasta
for the pumpkin pasta sauce:
pumpkin puree 1 cup (I used leftover canned pumpkin puree)
marinara sauce 2 cups
butter 1 tablespoon
olive oil 1 tablespoon
sage 1 teaspoon
italian seasoning 1 teaspoon
dried oregano ½ teaspoon
dried basil ½ teaspoon
salt adjust to taste
for the pasta:
rigatoni pasta or penne pasta 16 oz (cooked al dente following package instructions, you may use another kind of pasta if you wish)
salt adjust to taste
olive oil 1 tablespoon
butter 4 tablespoons
shredded cheddar cheese 2 cups (optional)
Step by step instructions
to make the pasta:
As mentioned, cook the pasta in enough water and salt following package instructions to make al dente pasta (not too soft but cooked just enough). Drain water and keep the cooked pasta aside.
Add one tablespoon olive oil and mix with cooked pasta, this will help with the pasta shells not sticking together.
Also add the butter to the hot pasta, stir in gently to combine, keep this aside.
to make pumpkin pasta sauce:
In a pan, add the marinara sauce (you can use any of your favorite tomato based pasta sauce as well).
Also add the pumpkin puree and olive oil, mix well.
Turn on heat and cook in low heat (while stirring the sauce to avoid burning at the bottom of the pan) for 2 to 3 minutes.
Also add butter, seasonings (sage, oregano, italian seasoning, basil) and enough salt, mix well and simmer for another 2 minutes until the flavors are all well blended with the sauce.
Turn off the heat and keep the preapred pumpkin pasta sauce aside!
To make pumpkin pasta:
Based on your preference, you may either top the cooked pasta with prepared pumpkin pasta sauce.
Or you may mix the pasta with pumpkin pasta sauce.
It tastes delicious even when just served on top of al dente cooked pasta, which makes a simple, yummy pasta side dish.
Also, to make it more rich and cheesy, add the shredded cheddar cheese (or use Mexican blend cheese or any of your favorite go to cheese for pasta), mix well to combine with pasta and pumpkin sauce to make a delicious meal!
Below you can get the detailed recipe for easy pumpkin pasta!
Pumpkin Pasta Sauce With Rigatoni Pasta
Ingredients
for the pumpkin pasta sauce:
Instructions
to make the pasta:
- As mentioned, cook the pasta in enough water and salt following package instructions to make al dente pasta (not too soft but cooked just enough). Drain water and keep the cooked pasta aside.
- Add one tablespoon olive oil and mix with cooked pasta, this will help with the pasta shells not sticking together.Also add the butter to the hot pasta, stir in gently to combine, keep this aside.
to make pumpkin pasta sauce:
- In a pan, add the marinara sauce (you can use any of your favorite tomato based pasta sauce as well).
- Also add the pumpkin puree and olive oil, mix well.
- Turn on heat and cook in low heat (while stirring the sauce to avoid burning at the bottom of the pan) for 2 to 3 minutes.
- Also add butter, seasonings (sage, oregano, italian seasoning, basil) and enough salt, mix well and simmer for another 2 minutes until the flavors are all well blended with the sauce.
- Turn off the heat and keep the preapred pumpkin pasta sauce aside!
To make pumpkin pasta:
- Based on your preference, you may either top the cooked pasta with prepared pumpkin pasta sauce or you may mix the pasta with pumpkin pasta sauce.
- It tastes delicious even when just served on top of al dente cooked pasta, which makes a simple, yummy pasta side dish.
- Also, to make it more rich and cheesy, add the shredded cheddar cheese (or use Mexican blend cheese or any of your favorite go to cheese for pasta), mix well to combine with pasta and pumpkin sauce to make a delicious meal!
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