This creamy pumpkin pasta, made without heavy cream or cheese, is the perfect fall comfort meal. It's high in protein and packed with fiber, with a rich texture from pumpkin squash, tomatoes, paneer, and garlic.
It's fall, and pumpkins are everywhere. I love making Indian pumpkin recipes at this time of year, whether it's an Indian pumpkin curry, or a Thai pumpkin soup.
Today, I am sharing another delicious, easy, and healthy pumpkin pasta recipe made with just a few ingredients. When I first made this dish for my daughter, she loved it and said, "Mom, it tastes just like Instant pot mac and cheese-it's so creamy and cheesy!" But guess what? There's no cheese and no cream in this recipe.
I've used paneer (Indian cottage cheese) to make the sauce rich, creamy, and velvety. You can also use leftover air fryer roasted pumpkin or canned pumpkin puree to make the sauce. If you dont have pumpkin handy, you can also make the same recipe with butternut squash. Also, check out my Instant pot butternut squash pasta recipe.
This pasta sauce can be easily stored in the fridge for 4-5 days, making it perfect for meal prep, busy weeknight dinners, or kids' lunch boxes.
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Ingredients
- Pasta: I used organic semolina penne pasta. But feel free to use your favorite pasta of your choice.
- Vegetables: I used Kabocha squash pumpkin, tomatoes, and garlic. You can also use onions and red bell peppers. Dice them into small cubes so that they cook faster. You can also use cherry tomatoes instead of Roma tomatoes.
- Paneer: Is added to boost protein content and make the sauce naturally creamy and rich without using cream or cheese. If you dont have paneer, you may also use tofu, or cottage cheese. You can also add soaked cashews or heavy cream.
- Herbs & Spices: Italian seasoning (or oregano), red chili flakes, freshly ground black pepper, salt, and parsley are used.
- Pumpkin Seeds: Optional - added for extra nutrition and a touch of creaminess.
How to Make Pumpkin Pasta With Paneer
Cook 1 cup of dried pasta al dente according to package instructions and reserve some pasta water (about ½ cup) for later use.
I cooked 1 cup of penne pasta with 1 cup of water and a pinch of salt for 1 whistle in a stovetop pressure cooker. Then, I let it rest for 5 minutes before quickly releasing the remaining pressure.
You can also use an Instant Pot to boil the pasta. Pressure Cook (high pressure) for 4 minutes for al dente pasta. When the instant pot beeps, wait for 5 minutes and Quick Release the remaining pressure manually.
Then, heat 1 teaspoon olive oil in a pan on medium flame and then add 3 garlic cloves along with 1 cup of thinly diced pumpkin, ½ cup diced tomatoes, 1 tablespoon pumpkin seeds (optional), and salt. Sauté for a minute.
Add ½ cup of water (or vegetable broth), cover, and cook for 7-8 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the pumpkin is soft and mushy.
Once it cools down, add it to the blender along with ¼ cup of paneer (or cottage cheese, or tofu), ½ cup of water (or coconut milk, dairy milk). Blend to a smooth paste. Keep it aside.
Heat the pan, add the pumpkin pasta sauce, ¼ cup of reserved pasta water (or as needed), seasonings like 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning (or oregano), ½ teaspoon of red chili flakes, salt, and pepper to taste. Mix everything well, then reduce the heat and let it simmer gently for a minute.
TIP: Adding reserved pasta water helps loosen the thick sauce and binds the sauce and pasta together.
Then add 1.5 cups of cooked penne pasta, toss everything well, and simmer for 1-2 minutes. Garnish with parsley or basil leaves.
Serve the pumpkin pasta hot.
Serving Suggestions
This creamy pumpkin squash pasta can be eaten on its own or paired with roasted vegetables like air fryer mushrooms, air fryer broccoli. You can also pair with salads like quinoa chickpea salad on the side.
Storage Suggestions
- Refrigerator: You can store this pasta in the refrigerator for up to 3-4 days. Reheat it in the microwave for a few seconds until warm.
- Freezer: Pumpkin pasta sauce freezes very well. Store it in a freezer-safe ziplock bag or container. When you want to make pasta, thaw it and add it to the cooked pasta.
Expert Tips
- If using store-bought paneer, soak it in hot water for 10 minutes.
- You can prepare the pumpkin sauce a day in advance as a make-ahead option, and cook the pasta when ready to serve.
- You can also add veggies like red bell peppers, zucchini, and carrots to the pasta.
- Make sure to cook the pasta until it's al dente, as it will soften further when combined with the sauce.
- Make sure to reserve some pasta water, before draining the cooked pasta. It contains starch, when added to the sauce, help to thicken them naturally without adding extra ingredients.
More Pasta Recipes
Creamy Pumpkin Pasta (with Indian Cottage Cheese)
Ingredients
To Cook Pasta in Pressure Cooker
- 1 cup penne pasta
- 1 cup water (or as needed)
- salt to taste
For the Sauce
- 1 teaspoon oil
- 3 garlic cloves
- ¾-1 cup pumpkin diced thinly
- 1 small tomato (about ½ cup), diced
- 1 tablespoon pumpkin seeds optional
- ¼ cup paneer (or tofu, cottage cheese)
- 1 cup water (divided)
- 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning
- ½ teaspoon red chili flakes
- salt, pepper to taste
- ¼ cup reserved pasta water
- 2 tablespoons parsley (or basil)
Instructions
- Cook 1 cup of dried pasta al dente according to package instructions and reserve some pasta water (about ½ cup) for later use.I cooked 1 cup of penne pasta with 1 cup of water and a pinch of salt for 1 whistle in a stovetop pressure cooker. Then, I let it rest for 5 minutes before quickly releasing the remaining pressure.You can also use an Instant Pot to boil the pasta. Pressure Cook (high pressure) for 4 minutes for al dente pasta. When the instant pot beeps, wait for 5 minutes and Quick Release the remaining pressure manually.
- Then, heat 1 teaspoon olive oil in a pan on medium flame and then add 3 garlic cloves along with 1 cup of thinly diced pumpkin, ½ cup diced tomatoes, 1 tablespoon pumpkin seeds, and salt. Sauté for a minute.
- Add ½ cup of water (or vegetable broth), cover, and cook for 7-8 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the pumpkin is soft and mushy.
- Once it cools down, add it to the blender along with ¼ cup of paneer (or cottage cheese, or tofu), ½ cup of water (or coconut milk, dairy milk). Blend to a smooth paste. Keep it aside.
- Heat the pan, add the pumpkin pasta sauce, ¼ cup of reserved pasta water (or as needed), seasonings like 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning (or oregano), ½ teaspoon of red chili flakes, salt, and pepper to taste. Mix everything well, then reduce the heat and let it simmer gently for a minute.
- Then add 1.5 cups of cooked penne pasta, toss everything well, and simmer for 1-2 minutes. Garnish with parsley or basil leaves. Serve the pumpkin pasta hot.
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