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Pumpkin alfredo pasta is a creamy, rich, and velvety pasta dish that perfectly marries the flavors of Fall and indulgence of a classic Italian favorite. This dish seamlessly blends the creamy decadence a cream sauce with the earthy and sweet undertones of pumpkin. Gather your ingredients and make way for this pumpkin alfredo pasta to be your new Fall favorite!

pumpkin alfredo pasta topped with fresh parsley in a red cast iron skillet next to a green glass and linen towel
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Ingredients for Creamy Pumpkin Alfredo Pasta

  • Long pasta – any favorite of yours such as fettuccine (as used here), spaghetti, bucatini, linguine, or tagliatelle.
  • Butter
  • Shallot or onion
  • Garlic – fresh garlic gives the best flavor.
  • Half and half – you can use heavy cream if you want but half and half is a great balance.
  • Pumpkin puree – make sure this is plain and nothing else added to it.
  • Maple syrup – this is optional but it adds a little bit more sweetness to the overall sauce which compliments it really well!
  • Salt and pepper
  • Ground cinnamon
  • Ground nutmeg
  • Grated parmesan cheese – this can be fresh or you can use pre-grated.

Pumpkin Alfredo Pasta Variations

Not in the mood for pumpkin? Sweet Potato Alfredo is another take on the rich, creamy classic, along with my Cajun Chicken Alfredo, and Chicken Alfredo Pot Pie.

a fork twirling pumpkin alfredo pasta in an orange ceramic bowl

FAQs

Can I add more herbs to this?

Adding more earthy herbs like fresh thyme and fresh sage would definitely make this dish have even more flavors of Fall!

My pasta sauce is too thick.

The pasta water that you reserve will help with this! If you are finding that the sauce is too thick for the amount of pasta, thin it out with the pasta water.

Help! I forgot to save the pasta water. What do I do?

It’s okay, you can use vegetable stock or water to thin it out. The pasta water just has nice starch to it.

Can I add a protein to this?

Absolutely! Chicken or shrimp would be excellent in this pumpkin alfredo.

Storage Instructions

Allow pasta to cool then store in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.

To reheat: we suggest adding in a splash of vegetable broth or milk to loosen it back up since being in the cold will cause the entire sauce to thicken and seize up. You can reheat it in the microwave or on the stovetop until loosened up and to your desired consistency.

pumpkin alfredo pasta plated in an orange bowl with fresh parmesan cheese and parsley sprinkled on top

Serving Suggestions

This creamy and mild flavored pasta dish can be served with many dinnertime favorites such as Air Fryer Chicken Nuggets and Lemon Pepper Shrimp.

Or serve the pasta as the main dish and have Easy Garlic Knots on the side or some Extra Garlicky and Cheesy Bread. A Harvest Chopped Salad Bowl would tie all the Fall flavors together!

5 from 2 votes

Creamy Pumpkin Alfredo Pasta

A creamy, rich, and velvety pasta dish that perfectly marries the flavors of Fall and indulgence of a classic Italian favorite.
Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cook Time: 15 minutes
Total Time: 25 minutes
Servings: 4

Ingredients 

  • 1 pound (454 g) pasta of choice, cooked according to package directions (fettuccine, linguine, spaghetti, bucatini)
  • 1 ½ cups (355 ml) half and half or heavy cream
  • 1 cup (245 g) pumpkin puree
  • 1 ½ teaspoons maple syrup, optional
  • 1 teaspoon salt, plus more, to taste
  • ¼ teaspoon ground black pepper, plus more, to taste
  • ¼ teaspoon ground cinnamon
  • teaspoon ground nutmeg
  • ¼ cup (57 g) salted butter
  • ½ cup (80 g) finely diced shallot or yellow onion
  • 2 teaspoons finely minced fresh garlic
  • ¾ cup (75 g) grated parmesan, plus more to top
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Instructions 

  • Cook pasta according to package directions in salted water until al dente. Reserve 1/21 cup of pasta water for the sauce.
  • In a large bowl, whisk together the half and half, pumpkin, maple syrup, salt, pepper, cinnamon and nutmeg.
    pumpkin alfredo pasta mixture in a white bowl with a whisk
  • Add butter to a large skillet over medium heat. Add in shallot or onion and sauté for 5 minutes. Add garlic and continue cooking for 1 minute.
    onion and garlic being cooked in a red cast iron skillet
  • Add in the pumpkin cream mixture and stir. Bring to a simmer. Add in the cooked pasta and parmesan and use tongs to coat the pasta in sauce.
    cooked fettuccine pasta placed on top of pumpkin alfredo mixture in the red cast iron skillet
  • If needed, add in reserved pasta to loosen up the sauce.
  • Serve warm topped with more parmesan and fresh parsley (for garnish, optional).

Nutrition

Serving: 1serving (4 ounces), Calories: 773kcal, Carbohydrates: 103g, Protein: 25g, Fat: 29g, Saturated Fat: 17g, Polyunsaturated Fat: 2g, Monounsaturated Fat: 7g, Trans Fat: 0.5g, Cholesterol: 79mg, Sodium: 1070mg, Potassium: 650mg, Fiber: 6g, Sugar: 13g

This website provides approximate nutrition information for convenience and as a courtesy only. Nutrition information can vary for a variety of reasons. For the most precise nutritional data use your preferred nutrition calculator based on the actual ingredients you used in the recipe.

The default measuring system for this website is US Customary. Unit conversions are provided for convenience and as a courtesy only. While we strive to provide accurate unit conversions, please be aware that there may be some discrepancies.

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1 Comment

  1. Anthony Grasso says:

    Goodbye jarred pumpkin pasta sauce! This went over well for a large gathering. I tripled the recipe!