This pumpkin pesto pasta is a fun comfort food dinner that is perfect for the fall season. It combines fresh pumpkin and pesto for a flavourful dish that kids and adults alike will love.
Fall always means comfort food dishes to me, and pumpkin of course! I have you covered for lunch or a light dinner with my pumpkin quinoa salad, and a sweet treat with my pumpkin spice oatmeal cookies. Easy to make and full of flavour!
This pumpkin and pesto pasta is a very simple recipe, and one the whole family will love! Simply roast the pumpkin and then combine with your favourite pesto (some ideas below!) for an easy fall recipe.
This recipe was updated on 6 September 2022 with an amended recipe, new photos and tips.
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⭐ Why you'll love this recipe
- Fall flavours - pumpkin is 'the' food of the fall season and this makes for a comfort food dinner to enjoy it with!
- Family friendly - I always find that pasta works for everyone at the table!
- Easy to make - we make a simple tomato-free pesto sauce that is easy to prepare and goes so well with the roasted pumpkin.
🥘 Ingredients
Make sure to see the recipe card below for the full ingredients and their quantities!
Some pointers on a few of the ingredients:
- Pumpkin - we roast fresh pumpkin for this recipe, so choose an unbruised fruit without any wrinkles.
- Pesto - use the type you love most, or I have some options linked below!
- Pasta - this is a really versatile dish, so you can use fresine (as in the photos), penne, fusilli or even spaghetti!
🥬 Pesto ideas
Pesto is really simple to make, and there are so many options now. For those who like a nut free pesto, my pumpkin seed pesto works really well, and for something a little different my Thai basil pesto is full of flavour!
🔪 Step by step instructions
Just a few simple steps to make this pumpkin pesto pasta:
Step 1
Roast the pumpkin. Dice the pumpkin into small bite-size pieces and place on a baking tray lined with parchment paper. Drizzle with olive oil and, if you like, sprinkle with a little sweet paprika, salt and black pepper (image 1).
Step 2
Make your pesto (optional). If you are making your own pesto, combine the ingredients either in a blender or pestle and mortar (image 2).
Step 3
Cook your pasta. Cook the pasta according to packet instructions (image 3). Drain in a colander.
Step 4
Toss the pasta in the pesto. Spoon the pesto into your pot and use tongs to toss the pasta in the sauce (image 4). Plate up, and add the roast pumpkin, some fresh basil leaves and pumpkin seeds, and season with salt and black pepper to taste.
💭 Recipe tips and notes
- Peel and dice the pumpkin into bite-size pieces. It doesn't change shape too much during the cooking process.
- Pick a pesto recipe from above, or use a favourite one!
- Cook the pasta to al dente.
- Love a lot of sauce? Add another spoonful of pesto (or two!).
📋 Frequently asked questions
Personally I think pumpkin is better and more tender if you peel it first.
Any form of pasta should work well for this recipe, so use your favourite or the one in your pantry!
Definitely! Squash works just as well. So if you have butternut squash or another type it can easily be used in this pesto pasta.
🍽 More cosy fall recipes
Lots of ideas for sweet and savoury pumpkin and fall recipes, including my popular vegan pumpkin alfredo! Some recent recipes to try out:
I’m always in the kitchen, so come join me on Instagram, Facebook and Pinterest to be the first to hear of new recipes. And please do leave a star rating if you tried the recipe!
📖 Recipe
Pumpkin Pesto Pasta
Equipment
Ingredients
- 2 cups pumpkin peeled and diced
- 4 oz pasta
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 2 tablespoon pesto
- 1 teaspoon sweet paprika optional
- 1 tablespoon pumpkin seeds
- pinch salt
- pinch black pepper
- fresh basil leaves to garnish
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 200C / 390F and line a baking tray with parchment paper. Once at temperature scatter the pumpkin pieces on the tray and drizzle with olive oil. Sprinkle over sweet paprika (if using), as well as salt and black pepper. Roast for 30 minutes or until they are fork tender.
- If making your own pesto, combine the ingredients and make the sauce in a blender or pestle and mortar.
- Cook the pasta according to packet instructions. Drain the pasta in a colander.
- Return the pasta to your pot and spoon in the pesto. Use tongs to toss the pasta in the sauce.
- Transfer the pasta to your serving bowl and add the roast pumpkin. Garnish with a few basil leaves and pumpkin seeds, and season with more salt and black pepper to taste.
Notes
- Peel and dice the pumpkin into bite-size pieces as it doesn't change size too much during the cooking process.
- Cook the pasta to al dente.
- Love more sauce? Add another spoonful of pesto!
- Please note that nutritional information is offered as a courtesy. It is auto-generated and should be understood to be an estimate.
- pasta, for the wheat which scores 1 and has a ? as a liberator
- black pepper, which scores 2 although it is stated that small amounts are tolerated.
- pesto will depend upon ingredients used. There are a few options linked above in the post.
Sheryl Chan says
Interesting mix! I must say I've never thought of this one, need to try!
throughthefibrofog says
Perfect for the fall months when pumpkin is everywhere! Hope you like it 🙂
Shruti Chopra says
It's pumpkin season and this looks so yum and comforting for this upcoming season. You always create these perfect combinations Claire! How?! 😀
throughthefibrofog says
Aw, thanks Shruti! I love pumpkin season so hope you like this comfort food version (you can use gf pasta of course!).