Savory Pumpkin Pasta Sauce

Vegan, Paleo, Whole30, and really simple to make:

Pumpkin and herbs and pasta? Oh, my. This combination will blow your mind and I’m pretty sure you’ll want to eat my Savory Pumpkin Pasta Sauce any season of the year. You can make this recipe to suit a wide variety of needs—I used Capello’s grain-free pasta to make it Paleo, you could easily use your favorite pasta of choice or even zucchini noodles.

If I haven’t mentioned it yet, I totally love fall. It’s just such a beautiful time of year—colorful leaves, late-morning sunrises—with amazing smells, cozy clothes, and delicious flavors that we’ve been deprived of for far too many months. I mean, drinking hot apple cider under a cozy blanket by a fire is, like, one of life’s little but extremely delightful experiences. I dare you to try it and not feel all warm and fuzzy on the inside. We’ve already had some snow at our house (in the mountains of Colorado) and usually the Aspens don’t stay golden for very long, so I try to cherish every moment of our Rocky Mountain fall.

The cold weather instantly pushes me into warm, comforting food mode. What’s more comforting than a big bowl of pasta? Not much. This creamy Savory Pumpkin Pasta Sauce is a delectable balance of fire-roasted tomatoes, pumpkin puree, sautéed onions and garlic, some creamy coconut milk, and fragrant oregano and basil. The secret ingredient is a tiny little bit of cinnamon, you don’t really taste it but it elevates the other flavors to a whole different realm. Honestly, this sauce is so good you’ll want to eat it by itself, and you totally can! I took leftovers from this shoot to work and ate it like a soup. Don’t judge! It was awesome.

Why You Should Eat This Savory Pumpkin Pasta Sauce

Pumpkin is one of nature’s gorgeous, nutrient dense gifts. It’s a great source of vitamin A precursors, called carotenoids, which cause that orange glow and act as powerful antioxidants in your body. These are great compounds to eat more of this time of year, as cold and flu season sneaks up on us. Vitamin A plays an important role in immunity and specifically supports healthy mucous membranes, which help to keep bad bacteria and viruses out of your nose, eyes, and mouth. Plus, it’s great for keeping skin clear and supple.

Pumpkin is also really high in fiber, something that many people eating a Western diet need more of. Many of our common ailments are linked to issues in the gut. Not only does fiber help to keep our food moving through the digestive tract at a good pace so that we can eliminate toxins, it also helps feed the bacteria we need to extract nutrients from that food.

Oregano is a classic herb in most pasta sauce recipes. The smell alone is just so uplifting, but combine it with everything else in this Savory Pumpkin Pasta Sauce and you’re in sauce heaven. It’s naturally antibacterial, antiviral, and antifungal, so eating oregano is another powerful food-based way to stay healthy as winter approaches.

Many people forget to embrace their sense of smell when sitting down to a meal. This is a great way to be more mindful and present when you’re eating, to more fully savor the flavors of your meal, which helps you to feel more satisfied at the end of it. Getting a whiff of the herbs, garlic, and onions in this dish will (oddly) make you want to bathe in it.

How To Make This Savory Pumpkin Pasta

I don’t think any pasta sauce has ever been this easy to make. Start out by melting your coconut oil over medium heat in a medium saucepan. Add your chopped garlic and onions and sauté for 5-7 minutes, stirring with a spatula.

Now, pour your coconut milk, fire-roasted tomatoes, pumpkin puree, and a little water into a blender. Blend on high for about 2 minutes until totally smooth and fully combined.

Once the onions are a bit translucent, pour the pumpkin mix into the saucepan and stir well with the onions and garlic. Add the sea salt, pepper, basil, oregano, and cinnamon and stir once again. Turn the heat to low and allow the sauce to simmer for about 20 minutes, stirring occasionally. The color will darken a little bit and the smell will keep getting better and better.

While your sauce is gettin’ all saucy, cook your pasta according to the directions on whatever kind you end up buying. I’m always surprised that the Capello’s grain-free fettuccini takes all of 90 seconds to create the best pasta I’ve ever had.

If you’d like to order some for yourself, check it out at Thrive Market. It’s an online natural foods marketplace that delivers really affordable foods right to your doorstep. Click the image below to browse their amazing selection, then you can search for Capello’s pasta!

Okay, your noodles are ready and you’ve drained them well in a colander. Your sauce is good and simmered. It’s go time people. Just layer up a big fat bowl of pasta and scoop a whole bunch of Savory Pumpkin Pasta Sauce All.Up.On.It. Sprinkle with some fresh oregano and curl up for a deliciously cozy night in. If you wanna take this meal to the next level, make my Basil Rainbow Kale Salad to serve alongside it, the flavors in it go together really nicely with the herbs in this sauce. This recipe makes extra sauce (since it’s too damn good not to) so store your extra in a jar and keep in the fridge for a few days or stash away in the freezer for an easy weeknight dinner.  Happy eating!

 

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