Pumpkin Pasta Bake

This lightened-up vegan pasta recipe is great to enjoy all year round but is especially good during the fall season.

Ingredients

– 1 package pasta 1lb – ¼ C vegan butter – ¼ C all-purpose flour – 3 cloves garlic minced – 5 pieces fresh sage leaves minced (1 tsp of dried leaves) – 2 ½ C vegetable broth – 1 C pumpkin puree – 1 C panko bread crumbs – 2 tbsp vegan butter – Salt and pepper to taste

Preheat oven to 375 degrees F. Cook pasta according to package instructions and set aside when finished. While pasta is cooking, vegan butter in a large saucepan, over medium-low heat. Once it is melted, sprinkle in flour.

Cook butter-flour mixture until it begins to turn gold, stirring often with a wooden spoon. Once it begins to change color, add minced garlic and sage and cook one minute more, while stirring. Whisking constantly and quickly, slowly add vegetable broth. Continue whisking, raise heat to medium-high and cook until mixture is boiling and thick.

Turn the heat off. Add pumpkin puree and whisk until smooth. Check for seasoning. Add salt and pepper to taste. Combine the cooked pasta and sauce and toss to coat. Pour the pasta into 2 ½ qt. baking dish. If pasta looks dry, pour another ¼ - ½ C. stock or water over the top and stir. Set aside.

In a medium pan, melt 2 T. butter. Add panko bread crumbs and stir until coated. Remove from heat and sprinkle over pasta. Bake pasta 20-25 minutes, or until panko topping is golden-brown.

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