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It’s no secret that the beginning of fall calls for pumpkin-flavored everything. Pumpkin spice lattes, creamers, and even pasta? Pumpkin is a versatile ingredient that can amplify any dish. What better way to celebrate the beginning of autumn than by eating a festive variant of a classic pasta meal? Here are some must-try pumpkin pasta recipes that are sure to spice up your fall palette. 

Spicy pumpkin tomato rigatoni

Blending the sweetness of pumpkin with the spice of chili flakes and cayenne pepper creates a unique combination that goes “surprisingly well together,” TikToker Yuan Qi said in the recipe’s caption. If you aren’t into spicy things, leave out the chili flakes and cayenne pepper to create a more mild version of the recipe. Your sweet and savory cravings will both be satisfied with this vibrant recipe that blends autumn with a classic tomato pasta dish. 

Pumpkin & garlic pasta sauce

When you have pasta of any kind waiting to be used up, this pumpkin and garlic pasta sauce is at the ready. With this recipe, you’ll make the most of pumpkin season by adding a taste of fall to any pasta you choose. I don’t know about you, but I’m going to use this recipe with every type of pasta I can find. 

Pumpkin cheese ravioli

@halfbakedharvest

🎃 cheese ravioli #hellofall #fallrecipes #pumpkin

♬ original sound – halfbakedharvest

Forget butternut squash ravioli. If you have any leftover pumpkin from other fall dishes, you can easily use it as a substitute for squash in a ravioli dish. TikToker Tieghan Gerard’s pumpkin cheese ravioli does exactly that, using blue cheese, gouda, parmesan, and ricotta combined with pumpkin and traditional pasta ingredients to make a pumpkin-inspired dish that still remains true to the classic cheesy ravioli we all know and love. 

Creamy pumpkin pasta

@tessbegg

CREAMY PUMPKIN PASTA👇🏼🥹 You need to try this one! It’s healthy yet super satisfying and delicious. Save this post for the recipe below 💛 Serves 4 Pumpkin sauce: 500g butternut pumpkin, peeled and diced 1 large carrot (roughly 130g), diced 5-6 garlic cloves, peeled 1 small brown onion, quartered 500ml soy milk 1 tsp vegetable stock powder Salt and pepper, to taste 1 tsp smoked paprika 1 tsp chilli flakes 1 tsp onion powder 1/3 cup nutritional yeast 1/2 lemon, juiced Olive oil Cheezy Walnut Topping: 1/4 cup walnuts 3 tbsp nutritional yeast Pinch of salt and pepper 1/4 tsp onion powder Other: 4 servings of pasta of choice, I used pappardelle Fried sage leaves 1. Preheat oven to 200°C and line a baking tray with baking paper. Add the pumpkin, carrot, garlic and onion on the tray, add a light drizzle of olive oil and a pinch of salt. Toss to combine. Place in oven to cook for 30-40 mins until golden/tender. 2. When the vegetables are nearly ready cook the pasta according to package instructions. Once vegetables are ready, allow to cool for 5 minutes. 3. Add the walnut topping ingredients to a small blender jug and pulse until fine. 4. Add the vegetables, soy milk, nutritional yeast, lemon, salt, pepper and seasonings to a high speed blender, blend on high until creamy. Note: I prefer to start with half the soy milk and add the remaining as I go (it’s forgiving this way especially if you’re using more or less pumpkin/carrot in it. Adjust salt to taste. 5. Pour the sauce into a pan over medium heat, add the pasta and combine. Serve with the walnut topping and sage leaves. #vegan #plantbased #asmrfood #fypシ #veganfood #easyrecipes #pasta

♬ L’amore dice ciao (From “La matriarca – The Libertine”) – Main Titles – Armando Trovajoli

When you think of pumpkin, I bet you don’t immediately think of walnuts as the perfect complement. I know I don’t. However, TikToker Tess Begg shared a “satisfying and delicious” recipe for creamy pumpkin pasta that features a walnut topping and sage leaves for extra flavor. 

Trader Joe’s pumpkin ravioli

Looking for an easy meal to prepare that still screams fall? Look no further than Trader Joe’s pumpkin ravioli. Spoon University prepared this classic item with “arugula, caramelized onions, and chicken thighs for a fancy-schmancy feeling fall dinner.” I might have to run over to Trader Joe’s very soon to do the same. 

Burnt butter and sage pumpkin pasta

@coconutandbliss

burnt butter & sage pumpkin pasta 750g pumpkin, skin on and cut into wedges Olive oil, to drizzle Salt, to taste 200ml milk 1/4 cup ricotta 1/4 cup nutritional yeast (optional) 1/2 cup parmesan, finely grated Juice 1/2 a lemon 1/4 cup fresh sage leaves 3 tbsp butter 2 tsp minced garlic 380g spaghetti 1/4 cup reserved pasta water Preheat oven to 230C. Place pumpkin on a tray lined with baking paper. Roast for ~30 mins or until soft. Peel skin off pumpkin and place in blender with milk, ricotta, nutritional yeast and salt. Blend until smooth. Set aside. Place butter in large pan over medium heat. Once melted, add in garlic and sauté for around 30 seconds. Then, add the sage leaves and cook until crisp and the butter has browned. Remove the sage leaves and set aside. Pour pumpkin mixture into pan and stir until slightly thickened. Add in parmesan followed by the lemon juice and mix well. Toss in spaghetti alongside all (or some) of the pasta water. Remove from heat, place into serving bowls and top with crispy sage. Serves 4. #dinnerideas #pasta #pumpkin #recipe

♬ original sound – coconutandbliss

This recipe is a simple pumpkin pasta seasoned with burnt butter and sage that is perfect for when you don’t know what to make for dinner, as it is an easy and quick option. One TikTok user commented that they “gave this recipe a try and it was delicious,” and that it was a “pretty quick recipe to make.” The recipe requires only roasting and blending the pumpkin mixture, browning the butter, and combining the two in a pan. 

Gluten-free pumpkin rigatoni

Dairy-free, gluten-free, vegan, oh my! This recipe features gluten-free rigatoni and an array of seasonings that craft a creamy pumpkin pasta dish without the typical ingredients you see in a pasta recipe. This dish also provides protein through ingredients such as cashews and shallots. What more could you ask for?

Amanda Sinofsky

Maryland '27

Amanda Sinofsky is a contributing writer for the Spoon University National Writers Program. She is a second year undergraduate student at the University of Maryland's Philip Merrill College of Journalism pursuing a double major in Journalism and English with a Media Studies focus. She is from a New Jersey suburb 25 minutes outside of Philadelphia. At UMD, she is a copy editor for The Diamondback, the university's student run newspaper, and is the music & arts editor for The Campus Trainer, an online lifestyle magazine at the university. In her free time, Amanda is a part of a student run dance company and enjoys reading, listening to music (anything Taylor Swift), and spending time with her friends. www.linkedin.com/in/amanda-sinofsky