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This easy vegan pumpkin pasta bake tosses tender pasta in a creamy pumpkin sage sauce, then tops it with buttery panko and bakes it until golden and crispy. It takes about 20 minutes to prep, and the oven does the rest. It’s a budget-friendly fall dinner the whole family will love!
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The sauce starts with a simple vegan butter and flour roux, then gets plenty of flavor from garlic, sage, and canned pumpkin puree. It’s delicious all year round, but it’s especially good when the weather starts to cool down.
Love cooking with pumpkin? Find even more ideas in my vegan canned pumpkin recipes.
Quick Glance
- Recipe Name: Vegan Pumpkin Pasta Bake
- Why You’ll Love It: Creamy pumpkin sage sauce, a crunchy buttery topping, and simple pantry ingredients.
- Time and Difficulty: 20 minutes of prep and 20 to 25 minutes in the oven, easy.
- Main Ingredients: Pasta, pumpkin puree, vegan butter, flour, vegetable broth, garlic, sage, and panko bread crumbs.
- Method: Make a quick pumpkin sage sauce on the stove, toss it with pasta, top with panko, and bake.
- Texture and Flavor: Creamy and savory inside, with a golden, crispy top and warm sage flavor.
- Quick Tip: Cook the pasta until just al dente, since it keeps cooking in the oven.
Table of Contents
What Makes This Pumpkin Pasta Bake So Good
This baked pasta is so creamy and delicious, the family will be begging you to make it again. Delicately sweet pumpkin puree, garlic, and sage make a velvety sauce, and a buttery bread crumb topping gives every bite some crunch.
- Ready for the oven in 20 minutes: The rest of the time, the oven does the work.
- Make ahead: Assemble it, keep it in the fridge overnight, and bake it whenever you are ready.
- Even better as leftovers: It reheats beautifully, so it is great for meal prep.
- Pantry ingredients: Canned pumpkin, broth, flour, and pasta are easy to keep on hand.
- Family-approved: It has a 4.98 star rating from 47 readers, and one reader said even her picky teens went back for seconds.
Pumpkin Pasta Bake Ingredients
You only need a handful of simple, budget-friendly ingredients. You’ll find the full amounts in the recipe card below.
- Pasta: Campanelle is my favorite for this recipe, but penne, rotini, ziti, or any medium-sized pasta works. Curly shapes help the sauce cling to every nook.
- Vegan butter and flour: They make a roux, which is the base for a thick, creamy sauce.
- Garlic: Gives the sauce a savory flavor.
- Sage: Fresh or dried both work, and it adds so much flavor to the sauce.
- Vegetable broth: Thins the pumpkin to the right consistency. Adjust the amount to your liking.
- Pumpkin puree: Use plain canned pumpkin, not pumpkin pie filling, or make your own. Canned pumpkin is handy and well priced in the fall.
- Panko bread crumbs: Tossed with melted vegan butter for a crispy, golden topping.
- Salt and pepper: To taste.
Pumpkin Pasta Bake Add-Ons and Variations
- Vegan cheese: Sprinkle some on top and broil for the last few minutes to melt it.
- Greens: Stir in spinach, kale, collard greens, or arugula for extra color and flavor.
- Spice: Sprinkle with red pepper flakes before serving for a kick.
- Herbs and seasonings: Add rosemary, thyme, or basil, or a pinch of smoked paprika.
- Extra creamy: Stir a splash of unsweetened plant-based milk into the sauce.
- Cheesy flavor: Add a spoonful or two of nutritional yeast to the sauce.
- Butternut squash: Swap the pumpkin for butternut squash puree.
- Gluten-free: I haven’t tested this gluten-free yet, but gluten-free pasta, gluten-free panko, and a 1:1 gluten-free flour blend for the sauce are your best bet.
How to Make Baked Pumpkin Pasta
Step 1: Cook the pasta. Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C). Cook the pasta in salted water until al dente, then drain it and set it aside.
Step 2: Make the roux. Melt the vegan butter in a large saucepan over medium-low heat, then sprinkle in the flour. Cook, stirring often, until it turns golden.
Step 3: Add the garlic and sage. Stir in the minced garlic and sage and cook for 1 more minute.
Step 4: Whisk in the broth. Whisking constantly, slowly pour in the vegetable broth. Raise the heat to medium-high and cook until the sauce boils and thickens.
PRO TIP: Pour the broth in slowly and keep whisking so the sauce stays smooth and lump-free.
Step 5: Add the pumpkin. Turn off the heat, add the pumpkin puree, and whisk until smooth. Season with salt and pepper.
Step 6: Toss and transfer. Toss the cooked pasta with the sauce and pour it into a 2 1/2-quart baking dish. If it looks dry, stir in a splash more broth or water.
Step 7: Add the topping. Melt the remaining vegan butter in a small pan, stir in the panko until coated, and sprinkle it over the pasta.
Step 8: Bake. Bake for 20 to 25 minutes, until the topping is golden brown. Let it rest for 5 to 10 minutes before serving.
Toni’s Recipe Tips
- Boil the pasta until al dente: If the package doesn’t list an al dente time, take 2 minutes off the total cook time.
- Check your seasoning: Salt the pasta water and taste the sauce before it goes into the oven.
- Keep it saucy: Stir in a splash of broth or water if the pasta looks dry before baking.
- Bake it uncovered: This keeps the pasta from steaming and gives you that crispy golden top.
- Let it rest before serving: Wait 5 to 10 minutes so the pasta firms up, making it easier to serve.
What to Serve with Pumpkin Pasta Bake
- Warm bread: Like vegan focaccia bread, homemade dinner rolls, or vegan garlic bread.
- Salad: A simple green salad, like vegan Caesar salad or pear salad.
- Cooked veggies: Such as sauteed asparagus, roasted parsnips, sauteed mushrooms, or rosemary potatoes.
- Protein: Make it even more filling with crispy baked tofu, lentil meatballs, or tofu steaks.
Make Ahead and Storage
- Make ahead: Assemble the pasta bake, cover it, and keep it in the fridge overnight. Add the panko topping right before baking so it stays crispy. Baked straight from the fridge, it may need 5 to 10 extra minutes, until hot in the center.
- Fridge: Store leftovers in an airtight container, or cover the dish with foil, for up to 5 days.
- Freezer: Freeze in a freezer-safe container for up to 3 months. Label it with the date so you know when to use it.
- Reheat: Thaw frozen pasta bake in the fridge overnight, then warm it in the oven for 5 to 10 minutes. Reheat single servings in the microwave with a splash of vegetable broth so they don’t dry out.
Pumpkin Pasta Bake FAQs
Absolutely! Use cooked butternut squash puree in place of the pumpkin. Frozen squash works too, as long as you cook and puree it first.
Yes. Cook and puree the fresh pumpkin first, then use it in place of the canned pumpkin.
No. Bake it uncovered so the pasta doesn’t steam and turn soggy, and so the panko gets crispy and golden.
Yes! Assemble it, cover it, and keep it in the fridge overnight, then add the topping and bake it when you are ready. Straight from the fridge, it may need 5 to 10 extra minutes, until hot in the center.
Yes. Freeze it in a freezer-safe container for up to 3 months. Thaw it in the fridge overnight and reheat it in the oven.
More Savory Pumpkin Recipes
Vegan Dinners
Easy Vegan Pumpkin Soup
Vegan Dinners
Pumpkin Stuffed Shells With Sage Cream
Vegan Lunches
Easy Roasted Pumpkin Salad
Soups
Pumpkin Curry
If you tried this vegan pumpkin pasta bake or any other recipe on my blog, please leave a 🌟 star rating and let me know how it went in the 📝 comments below. Thanks!
If you’re loving my recipes and would like a more comprehensive resource, check out my cookbooks!
Pumpkin Pasta Bake
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Video
Ingredients
- 1 (1-pound / 454 g) package pasta like campanelle, penne, or rotini
- 1/4 cup (56 g) vegan butter for the sauce
- 1/4 cup (30 g) all-purpose flour
- 3 garlic cloves minced
- 5 fresh sage leaves minced, or 1 teaspoon dried sage
- 2 1/2 cups (600 ml) vegetable broth
- 1 cup (245 g) pumpkin puree not pumpkin pie filling
- 1 cup (60 g) panko bread crumbs
- 2 Tablespoons (28 g) vegan butter for the topping
- salt and pepper to taste
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C).
- Cook the pasta according to the package instructions until al dente, then drain it and set it aside.
- While the pasta cooks, melt the 1/4 cup of vegan butter in a large saucepan over medium-low heat. Once it melts, sprinkle in the flour.
- Cook the butter and flour mixture, stirring often with a wooden spoon, until it begins to turn golden. Add the garlic and sage and cook for 1 more minute, stirring.
- Whisking constantly, slowly add the vegetable broth. Raise the heat to medium-high and cook, whisking, until the sauce boils and thickens.
- Turn off the heat. Add the pumpkin puree and whisk until smooth. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
- Toss the cooked pasta with the sauce and pour it into a 2 1/2-quart baking dish. If the pasta looks dry, stir in another 1/4 to 1/2 cup (60 to 120 ml) of broth or water.
- In a small pan, melt the 2 Tablespoons of vegan butter. Stir in the panko until coated, then sprinkle it over the pasta.
- Bake uncovered for 20 to 25 minutes, until the topping is golden brown. Let it rest for 5 to 10 minutes before serving.
Notes
- Boil the pasta until al dente. If the package doesn’t list an al dente time, take 2 minutes off the total cook time.
- Taste the sauce and season it well before the pasta bake goes into the oven, and salt the pasta water.
- Let the pasta bake rest for 5 to 10 minutes after baking so it firms up and is easier to serve.
- To make it ahead, assemble it, cover it, and refrigerate it overnight. Add the panko topping right before baking. Straight from the fridge, it may need 5 to 10 extra minutes, until hot in the center.
- Store leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 5 days or in the freezer for up to 3 months.
This recipe is a keeper! It’s easy and absolutely delicious.
So glad you enjoyed this pumpkin pasta bake! It’s a delicious one!
So happy to find your content. How would you go about freezing this (and other pastas/casseroles)? How long would you store in a freezer/deep freezer? Thank you very much!
Hi there! Toni has the best recipes 🙂 For freezing, put it in a freezer-safe container and make sure to consume it within 3 months. Label the container with the storage date to make sure you know until when it should last. Enjoy!
This was incredibly delicious and easy to make! Both of my teen daughters loved it, as did their friend who ate with us. 2 out of the 3 teens are picky eaters and all of them scooped up 2nds! I will definitely make this again!
Thank you! 🙂 So glad everyone enjoyed it.
Do you think frozen squash would work? It’s not exactly the same as butternut squash puree but I have a really hard time cutting the butternut squash and pumpkins. Thanks! I love your blog. ♥
As long as you puree the squash it should work out just fine! Here’s a great hack for roasting and cutting butternut squash that might help! https://plantbasedonabudget.com/how-to-roast-a-butternut-squash/ 🙂
This pumpkin pasta bake is the perfect easy fall dinner recipe! It’s healthy and so delicious!
Gotta love the easy ones! I’m excited to add this one to the rotation this fall!
Loved your pumpkin pasta recipe. It was even better in the evening, yum! Thanks!
The flavor comes out so nicely! Perfect for a fall dinner 🙂
This recipe is so delish and perfect for fall!
Agreed! Such a fun pumpkin-flavored dish!