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Home » Recipes » Pasta

Pumpkin Pasta Sauce without Cream

Published: Oct 7, 2021 · Modified: Sep 14, 2023 by Claire · This post may contain affiliate links. As an Amazon associate I earn from qualifying purchases · 8 Comments

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It's the fall season, so that means one thing - it's the perfect time to cozy up with this delicious pumpkin pasta sauce without cream or tomatoes with all the family! Super easy to make, we use seasonal pumpkin puree, herbs and spice to cook up a vegan pumpkin pasta in about 30 minutes.

Love a pasta dinner but can't do tomatoes? Do have a peek at my pasta sauce recipes without tomatoes for so many flavorful ideas!

woman in a blue jumper with a fork in a white bowl of vegan pumpkin pasta sauce next to sage leaves.

Much like my gnocchi with butternut squash sauce and my vegetarian baked butternut squash pasta, this no cream pumpkin pasta sauce feels quite indulgent and special, but is very easy to make. No hard to find ingredients? Check. No tricky recipe steps? Check. Both kid and adult friendly? Check!

We simply soak some nuts to make a vegan 'cream' so we have a creamy pumpkin pasta sauce without cream (well, dairy cream!). And then add lots of flavorful herbs and a touch of spice to make it extra delicious.

If you love pumpkin recipes come fall (or out of season too!), then you may like to see my pumpkin pesto soup for a cozy lunch and my pumpkin spice oatmeal cookies for a sweet treat!

Jump to:
  • ⭐ Why this recipe is so good
  • 🍝 Ingredients
  • 📖 Swaps and variations
  • 🔪 Step by step instructions
  • 💭 Recipe tips and notes
  • 📋 Frequently asked questions
  • 📝 A note for my low histamine readers
  • 🍲 More pasta recipes
  • 📖 Recipe
  • 💬 Comments

⭐ Why this recipe is so good

Fall flavors. We all look forward to fall in my home, and all the pumpkin recipes we can enjoy! This pasta in pumpkin sauce is a lovely savory meal making the most of seasonal produce.

Vegan recipe. As we don't use any dairy, eggs or honey, it is suitable for a vegan diet and can be gluten free if you use alternative pasta.

Easy recipe. After the nuts are soaked, there are just a few quick steps to make your pumpkin pasta sauce in your skillet for a tasty fall dinner!

🍝 Ingredients

For this vegan pumpkin pasta sauce without cream recipe you will need:

  • Fettucine or other pasta - I suggest to use fettucine or spaghetti, but most forms of pasta will work great!
  • Pumpkin puree - personally I prefer to make fresh pumpkin puree as I think it tastes so much better, but you can easily use canned pumpkin also. I suggest my low histamine readers may wish to make fresh puree.
  • Pistachios - these thicken the sauce and provide a plant-based source of protein. Be sure to use unsalted nuts!
  • Garlic - use fresh if you can. Adapt the number of cloves used to preference.
  • Sage - the perfect herb to complement pumpkin. Decide how herby you like your sauce!
  • Ground ginger and sweet paprika - to add flavor, and give a hint of 'pumpkin spice' to the sauce.

📖 Swaps and variations

Swap pistachios for cashews. It is more traditional to use soaked cashew nuts to make vegan pasta sauces, but these are likely not suitable for those looking for low histamine diet recipes given their higher histamine level.

Swap fresh pumpkin puree for canned pumpkin puree. Both can be used for this recipe. Canned pumpkin puree tends to be slightly thicker, so adjust with a little added water if needed.

Swap sweet paprika for ground nutmeg. Using ground nutmeg will give a lovely warming flavor to the pumpkin alfredo sauce!

🔪 Step by step instructions

This pumpkin pasta sauce without cream recipe may seem to have a lot of steps, but they are all very easy and quick to do! The only real time spent is soaking the pistachio nuts in water for the base of the pumpkin sauce.

process shots for making pumpkin pasta sauce without cream, including soaking nuts, making nut cream and cooking onion and garlic in a skillet.

Step 1

Add the pistachio nuts (or cashews) to warm water in a container that can be sealed and set aside to soak for at least two hours. Then rinse the nuts in fresh water in a sieve.

Step 2

Cook your fettucine pasta or other pasta according to packet instructions in salted water. Reserve a quarter cup of the pasta water.

Step 3

Blend the rinsed pistachios along with a cup of fresh water in a blender to get a thin cream consistency. This is how we make a creamy pumpkin pasta sauce without cream! It won't look too pretty at this point - but it will taste good once we cook up the sauce.

Step 4

In a large skillet sauté onion and garlic until softened. Then add the sage, sweet paprika and ginger. You can use fresh ginger if you have it, or ground ginger powder if not.

pumpkin sauce in a black skillet on a stove top.
vegan pumpkin pasta sauce and pasta in a black skillet on a stove top.

Step 5

Pour the pistachio cream and pumpkin puree into the skillet. Cook the pumpkin sauce for 4-5 minutes so that it slightly thickens in texture. It shouldn't be needed, but you can add a dash of reserved pasta water to help thicken also.

Step 6

Add the pasta and use tongs to toss in the pasta sauce. Make sure to coat it well!

💭 Recipe tips and notes

  • Don't skip soaking the pistachios! It is necessary to soak the nuts so they soften and can be blended into a pistachio cream.
  • If you are not following a low histamine diet, cashews can be swapped for pistachios if you like.
  • If you are using canned pumpkin puree you may need a little less and to add some water as it tends to be thicker than homemade pumpkin puree.
  • Adjust the amount of herbs and spice to taste preference.

📋 Frequently asked questions

Do I have to use fresh pumpkin puree to make pumpkin pasta sauce?

You can easily use canned pumpkin puree to make a pasta recipe if it works for you!

What can I use instead of cream in pasta sauce?

Soaking nuts and blending them with fresh water is a good way to add some creaminess to a pasta sauce and is a dairy free option.

What is the best pasta for a pumpkin pasta recipe?

The traditional pasta for alfredo is fettucine, but other dishes use all different types of pasta including spaghetti, penne and fusilli.

Do you add pasta water to alfredo sauce?

In this recipe we use pistachio cream which is quite thin in texture and contains water, so it isn't necessary to add pasta water.

📝 A note for my low histamine readers

Pumpkin scores 0 on the SIGHI list for histamine, which is the list I use in the recipes here. I have had a couple of readers mention that they were advised not to eat pumpkin. As always, follow the advice of your medical doctor or dietician. This post is for informational purposes and does not constitute medical or dietetic advice.

white bowl of vegan pumpkin alfredo with yellow and white pumpkins in the background.

🍲 More pasta recipes

Enjoy all the fall flavors with my roasted pumpkin cauliflower soup and my pumpkin quinoa salad, as well as so many ideas on my fall recipes page. And if you're looking for more pasta recipes, I have you covered!

  • chicken pesto pasta salad in a white bowl next to fresh basil leaves, radishes and salad servers.
    Chicken Pesto Pasta Salad
  • mascarpone pesto pasta on a white plate next to basil leaves.
    Mascarpone Pesto Pasta
  • creamy pesto gnocchi in a white bowl with a spoon next to fresh basil leaves.
    Creamy Pesto Gnocchi
  • chicken ricotta pasta in a white bowl next to a blue cloth and fresh herbs.
    Chicken Ricotta Pasta

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've tried the recipe!

📖 Recipe

vegan pumpkin pasta in a white dish with a fork lifting pasta out.

Pumpkin Pasta Sauce Without Cream

Claire
This vegan pumpkin pasta sauce with no cream is a fun fall recipe with so much flavor from pumpkin puree, sage and spices! A lovely comfort food dinner for all the family that's so easy to make in your skillet.
5 from 12 votes
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Print Recipe Pin Recipe
Prep Time 15 minutes mins
Cook Time 20 minutes mins
Total Time 35 minutes mins
Course Dinner, Lunch
Cuisine American, British, Italian
Servings 3 servings
Calories 350 kcal

Equipment

  • Blender
  • Tongs

Ingredients
 
 

  • ⅓ cup pistachios or cashews*
  • 6 oz fettucine or other pasta quantity to preference
  • 1 tablespoon olive oil
  • ¼ white onion diced
  • 1 garlic clove finely diced or minced, plus more to taste
  • 2 tablespoon sage leaves diced
  • 1 cm ginger grated or finely diced
  • 1 teaspoon sweet paprika
  • 1 cup water
  • ¼ cup pumpkin puree
  • salt
  • pinch black pepper optional

Instructions
 

  • Add the pistachio nuts to warm water in a container that can be sealed and set aside to soak for at least two hours. Then rinse in fresh water in a sieve.
  • Cook the pasta according to packet instructions.
  • Fry the onion and garlic in olive oil until softened, about 4-5 minutes. Add the sage, ginger and sweet paprika.
  • Pour a cup of fresh water into a blender and add the pistachio nuts. Blend to a cream consistency (it will be fairly thin, rather than a thick cream).
  • Add the pistachio cream and pumpkin puree to the pan and stir well. Allow to cook for 4-5 minutes for the sauce to thicken. Then use tongs to add the pasta and stir so that it is well coated in the sauce. Add salt and black pepper (if using) to taste.

Notes

*It is possible to use unsalted cashews for this recipe, but I suggest that my low histamine readers will want to use unsalted pistachios.
  • Don't skip soaking the nuts as they need to soften to be blended into the nut cream.
  • Adjust the amount of sage, ginger and sweet paprika to taste preference. This recipe is quite subtle in terms of flavour so increase quantities if you prefer more herbs or spice. I suggest seasoning fairly well with salt.
  • Use gluten-free pasta if you prefer or are sensitive to gluten.
  • Please note that nutritional information is auto-generated and should be understood to be an estimate.
 
Swiss Interest Group Histamine Intolerance (SIGHI)
All ingredients score 0 on the SIGHI list, with the exception of:
  • garlic, ginger and pasta (wheat) which score 1.
  • black pepper, which scores 2.
  • pumpkin scores 0, but is rated higher on other lists.

Nutrition

Calories: 350kcalCarbohydrates: 50gProtein: 11gFat: 12gSaturated Fat: 2gPolyunsaturated Fat: 3gMonounsaturated Fat: 7gSodium: 11mgPotassium: 358mgFiber: 5gSugar: 4gVitamin A: 3541IUVitamin C: 2mgCalcium: 66mgIron: 2mg
Tried this recipe?Mention @lowhistaminekitchen or tag #lowhistaminekitchen!
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Comments

  1. Kimberly says

    March 07, 2023 at 3:46 am

    5 stars
    This is so good!! My family is vegan so it's perfect for all of us. We add some broccoli. For myself, I add chicken. It's one of our favorites.

    Reply
    • Claire says

      March 07, 2023 at 8:54 am

      So glad you like it Kimberly! It's always lovely to hear that all the family enjoys a meal together.

      Reply
  2. AC says

    January 12, 2023 at 2:08 am

    5 stars
    Yummm!! I used canned coconut milk instead of pistachio cream and it’s very good!

    Reply
    • Claire says

      January 12, 2023 at 9:30 am

      So glad you liked it! And I hadn't thought to do just coconut milk - glad it worked out.

      Reply
  3. Michael says

    December 18, 2022 at 1:53 am

    5 stars
    This works great for me when bringing a dish to a family gathering or similar event. I can make enough to share and it can be most of the meal for me. I adjust it by using a full 15oz can of pumpkin and adjusting the other ingredients. Also, when I use rotini pasta can put it all in a casserole dish and bake. It has great consistency. Super recipe!!

    Reply
    • Claire says

      December 18, 2022 at 9:46 am

      I hadn't thought to do it as a bake - great idea! So glad it works as a sharing dish too.

      Reply
  4. R says

    July 19, 2022 at 1:49 am

    Curious if you could sub pistachios for macadamia nuts as pistachios are high FODMAP

    Reply
    • Claire says

      July 19, 2022 at 7:58 am

      I haven't tried it, but I don't see why not. Macadamias should make the sauce quite creamy!

      Reply

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Hi, I’m Claire. After a diagnosis of MCAS I began to follow a low histamine diet, which has helped me manage my symptoms. Here I hope to show that a restrictive diet can still be full of flavourful meals, and help you enjoy being creative in the kitchen.

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