Description
This comforting Pasta Bake with Pumpkin Tomato Sauce combines hearty pasta with a rich pumpkin and tomato sauce, topped with a crunchy walnut-sage mixture and melty cheese. It’s perfect for family dinners and is sure to impress with its unique flavors!
Ingredients
Scale
- 1 lb dry pasta (mezzi rigatoni, shells, ziti, fusilli, or farfalle)
- 2 tablespoons butter
- ½ cup finely chopped walnuts
- 1 tablespoon + 2 teaspoons fresh sage, finely chopped, divided
- 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
- 8 oz cremini (baby bella) mushrooms, sliced
- 1 yellow onion, finely chopped
- ¼ cup tomato paste
- 4 garlic cloves, minced
- ½ teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
- 3–4 handfuls fresh baby spinach
- 1 teaspoon dried oregano
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- ½ teaspoon black pepper
- ¼ teaspoon ground nutmeg
- 3 cups vegetable broth
- 1 (15 oz) can pumpkin purée
- ½ cup grated Parmesan cheese
- 1½ cups grated fontina cheese, divided
Instructions
- Prepare Pasta: Preheat your oven to 375°F (190°C). In a large pot of salted boiling water, cook the pasta until 2 minutes shy of al dente. Drain and set aside.
- Make Walnut-Sage Topping: In a large sauté pan over medium heat, melt the butter. Add the walnuts and 1 tablespoon of fresh sage, cooking for 5 minutes until toasted. Season with salt, then transfer to a bowl.
- Sauté Veggies: In the same pan, add the olive oil, mushrooms, and onion. Cook over medium heat until softened, about 8 minutes.
- Build the Sauce: Stir in the tomato paste, minced garlic, and crushed red pepper flakes. Cook for 3-4 minutes until the tomato paste darkens. Gradually add the spinach, stirring until wilted. Add the oregano, salt, pepper, and nutmeg.
- Finish Sauce: Pour in the vegetable broth, scraping any browned bits from the pan. Add the pumpkin purée, grated Parmesan, and ½ cup of fontina cheese, stirring until the cheese melts and the sauce is smooth. Add the cooked pasta, stirring to coat evenly.
- Assemble and Bake: Transfer the pasta mixture to a greased 13×9-inch baking dish. Top with the remaining fontina and the walnut-sage mixture. Cover with foil and bake for 15 minutes. Remove the foil and bake an additional 10 minutes until the cheese is golden.
- To Store: Keep any leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 5 days.
Notes
- For a creamier sauce, consider adding a splash of heavy cream.
- Feel free to substitute other types of pasta according to your preference.
- Prep Time: 15 mins
- Cook Time: 35 minutes
- Category: main course
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: Italian-American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 serving
- Calories: 420
- Sugar: 4g
- Sodium: 750mg
- Fat: 18g
- Saturated Fat: 8g
- Unsaturated Fat: 9g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 53g
- Fiber: 5g
- Protein: 15g
- Cholesterol: 30mg