Vegan Pumpkin Pasta Sauce Recipe

Noodles tossed with vegan pumpkin pasta sauce and sprinkled with chives.

5 from 1 vote

This creamy vegan pumpkin pasta sauce is an easy and delicious dinner or lunch recipe that’s perfect for fall. It makes a great main course (or substantial side dish) for Thanksgiving, Christmas, or New Year’s Eve.

Prep Time8

Cook Time3

Total Time11

Course: Dinner

Cuisine: American

Diet: Vegan

Servings:

Calories: 261.3kcal

Author: Jennifer Bell

Equipment

Blender

Ingredients

1 cup hemp hearts (also called shelled hemp seeds, or see notes below for substitute options)
1 cup pumpkin purée (I used canned)
1 cup water (I like it thick. You can add an extra tablespoon or two of water if you prefer a thinner consistency)
1/3 cup nutritional yeast
1 garlic clove (or substitute 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder)
3/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon onion powder
1/4 teaspoon dried sage (or substitute 1 teaspoon finely chopped fresh sage leaves)
1/8 teaspoon ground nutmeg
Optional garnishes: black pepper and finely chopped chives

Instructions

Add 1 cup hemp hearts, 1 cup pumpkin purée, 1 cup water, 1/3 cup nutritional yeast, 1 garlic clove, 3/4 teaspoon salt, 1/2 teaspoon onion powder, 1/4 teaspoon dried sage, and 1/8 teaspoon ground nutmeg to a blender.
Blend until smooth and creamy.
Heat on the stove or in the microwave to your desired temperature, then toss with 5 servings of hot cooked pasta (approximately 12 oz or 340 g dry pasta), or store the sauce in an airtight container in the fridge for up to three days or in the freezer for up to three months.
Garnish with finely chopped chives and black pepper before serving, if desired.

Notes

You can substitute cashews instead of the hemp hearts, if you prefer. If you have a high-powered blender then you can add them directly to the blender. If your blender is less powerful, I recommend soaking the cashews in boiling water for 1 hour, then drain and discard the soaking liquid before adding them to the blender. You can also substitute silken tofu.

Nutrition