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Pumpkin pasta served in a bowl with chili flakes, parsley, and decorative pumpkin on the side.
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Creamy Pumpkin Pasta (with Indian Cottage Cheese)

This creamy pumpkin pasta, made without cream or cheese, is the perfect fall comfort meal. It's high in protein and packed with fiber, with a rich texture from pumpkin, tomatoes, paneer, and garlic.
Course Main Course
Cuisine American, Indian
Keyword creamy pumpkin pasta, pumpkin pasta with no cheese no cream, pumpkin pasta with paneer
Diet Vegetarian
Method Stovetop
Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 10 minutes
Total Time 25 minutes
Servings 1
Calories 735kcal
Author Bhavana Patil

Ingredients

To Cook Pasta in Pressure Cooker

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.
    Step to boil the pasta in a pressure cooker collage
  • 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.
    Step to saute veggies like pumpkin, garlic and tomatoes collage.
  • Add ½ cup of water (or vegetable broth), cover, and cook for 7-8 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the pumpkin is soft and mushy.
    Step to add water and cook covered the veggies till they turn mushy collage
  • 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.
    Step to blend the cooked veggies to smooth paste collage.
  • 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.
    Step to add the pumpkin pasta sauce to the pan, add spices and add boiled pasta collage

Video

Nutrition

Calories: 735kcal | Carbohydrates: 101g | Protein: 28g | Fat: 25g | Saturated Fat: 10g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 4g | Monounsaturated Fat: 4g | Trans Fat: 0.03g | Cholesterol: 37mg | Sodium: 74mg | Potassium: 968mg | Fiber: 7g | Sugar: 8g | Vitamin A: 9171IU | Vitamin C: 34mg | Calcium: 402mg | Iron: 5mg