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Pasta Bake with Pumpkin Tomato Sauce Recipe

Pasta Bake with Pumpkin Tomato Sauce Recipe
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★★★★★

5.1 from 19 reviews

A comforting and flavorful pasta bake featuring a creamy pumpkin tomato sauce, sautéed mushrooms, spinach, and a blend of Parmesan and fontina cheeses. Toasted walnut and sage topping adds a delightful crunch and aromatic finish, making this dish perfect for autumn dinners or cozy family meals.

Ingredients

Scale

Pasta and Topping

  • 1 lb. dry pasta of choice (mezzi rigatoni, shells, ziti, fusilli, or farfalle)
  • 2 Tbsp. butter
  • 1/2 cup finely chopped walnuts
  • 1 Tbsp. plus 2 tsp. finely chopped fresh sage leaves, divided
  • 1 1/2 cups grated fontina cheese, divided

Sauté and Sauce

  • 2 Tbsp. extra-virgin olive oil
  • 8 oz. cremini (baby bella) mushrooms, sliced
  • 1 yellow onion, finely chopped
  • 1/4 cup tomato paste
  • 4 garlic cloves, minced
  • 1/2 tsp. crushed red pepper flakes
  • 3 to 4 handfuls fresh baby spinach
  • 1 tsp. dried oregano
  • 1 tsp. kosher salt
  • 1/2 tsp. black pepper
  • 1/4 tsp. ground nutmeg
  • 3 cups vegetable broth
  • 1 (15-oz.) can pumpkin purée
  • 1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese

Instructions

  1. Preheat and Cook Pasta: Preheat oven to 375ºF. Bring a large pot of generously salted water to a boil. Add pasta and cook until 2 minutes shy of al dente, ensuring it remains firm but tender. Drain and set aside.
  2. Toast Walnuts and Sage: Melt butter in a large sauté pan over medium heat. Add walnuts and 1 Tbsp. fresh sage; cook for 5 minutes until walnuts are toasted and aromatic. Season with a pinch of salt, then transfer to a bowl.
  3. Sauté Vegetables: Return pan to medium heat. Add olive oil, mushrooms, and onion. Cook about 8 minutes until vegetables are soft.
  4. Add Flavorings: Stir in tomato paste, garlic, and red pepper flakes. Cook 3 to 4 minutes until tomato paste caramelizes and deepens in color. Gradually add spinach, stirring until wilted, then mix in oregano, salt, pepper, nutmeg, and remaining 2 tsp. fresh sage.
  5. Make Sauce and Combine: Pour in vegetable broth, stirring to scrape up browned bits from the pan. Stir in pumpkin purée, Parmesan, and 1/2 cup fontina cheese until melted and smooth. Add pasta and toss to coat evenly.
  6. Bake the Pasta: Transfer mixture to a greased 13×9-inch baking dish. Sprinkle remaining fontina cheese and walnut-sage mixture on top. Cover with foil and bake for 15 minutes. Remove foil and bake an additional 10 minutes until cheese is golden and bubbly.

Notes

  • Pasta can be any tubular or shaped pasta like ziti, rigatoni, fusilli, or farfalle.
  • Be careful not to overcook the pasta before baking; it should remain slightly firm.
  • Feel free to substitute walnuts with pecans for a different flavor.
  • Use freshly grated cheeses for best melting and flavor.
  • Leftover pasta bake can be refrigerated for up to 3 days and reheated in the oven.

Nutrition

Keywords: pasta bake, pumpkin sauce, tomato sauce, vegetarian pasta, baked pasta, fall recipe, creamy pumpkin sauce, mushroom pasta bake

Find it online: https://thefoodrecipe.com/pasta-bake-with-pumpkin-tomato-sauce-recipe/