This is a creamy, one-pot, vegan pumpkin sauce pasta casserole. The beautiful orange colour of the pasta blends perfectly with the pumpkin season making it my favourite fall recipe.
This is the easiest pumpkin sauce pasta recipe. It requires only a handful of staple ingredients, an instant pot, and 20 minutes of your time.
The mundane pumpkin puree transforms into a bowl of fulfilling deliciousness with a drizzle of olive oil and a dash of coconut milk.
Reasons to LOVE Pumpkin Pasta Recipe
- vegan and vegetarian
- cheese and nut-free
- possible gluten-free (use GF pasta)
- easy to cook, one-pot pasta casserole
- requires only 10 minutes of cooking time
Ingredients Required
Pumpkin Puree: Follow my tips to make pumpkin puree at home from scratch or use a canned one. Do not use pumpkin pie filling instead of puree.
Tomato Sauce: I use my homemade marinara style sauce .
Coconut Milk: Use coconut cream or milk instead of regular dairy-based products to make a luscious pumpkin sauce.
Vegetable Stock: It gives flavour to the sauce. Or use 1 stock cube dissolved in 1 cup of warm water.
Fresh Herbs: From sage, thyme, and rosemary, to fresh basil, you can pick either of these herbs to add to the pumpkin sauce.
Other Ingredients: Onion, Garlic, Salt, Olive Oil
Pumpkin Puree
Homemade Pumpkin Puree
It is easy to make pumpkin puree at home. The same puree you can use to make pumpkin soup or spiced cake .
Follow the oven method or stovetop one to make smooth, luscious, flavoursome, and gluten-free pumpkin puree at home.
Oven Method: Preheat the oven to 180 degrees Celcius. Place the pumpkin slices in a baking tray. Place 2 – 3 sprigs of rosemary along with a whole garlic pod between pumpkin slices. Sprinkle salt and drizzle 2 – 3 tablespoons of extra virgin olive oil over the pumpkin slices.
Bake pumpkin for 20 minutes on each side. Check using a fork if the pumpkin flesh is tender. You can also roast them in an air fryer, as I do for my roasted pumpkin salad . Baking time may vary, depending upon the size and variety of the pumpkin. So check after the first 20 minutes.
Once roasted, scoop out the flesh of the pumpkin. Discard the skin. Grind the roasted pumpkin pulp along with garlic cloves to a smooth puree.
Stovetop Method: Drizzle oil in a cast-iron skillet or a pan. Add pumpkin slices and season with salt and crushed garlic. Cook on each side till fork tender. Discard skin, allow to cool, and blend to a smooth puree.
The Perfect Pasta Choice
My favourite ones are the penne and shell pasta. The sauce fills inside their shape, making each bite of pasta so juicy.
Or the long thread-like pasta such as spaghetti, tagliatelle, or fettuccine holds this rich pumpkin sauce perfectly.
Additional Vegetables
Here are a few vegetables that can make your pumpkin pasta more wholesome, colourful, and fulfilling:
Spinach Leaves, Kale
Sauteed wild mushrooms
Cherry Tomato or sun-dried tomato
Roasted and diced butternut squash, zucchini
How To Make
Making pumpkin pasta in an instant pot is a simple two-step process – Saute and Pressure Cook .
Saute Mode: Set the SAUTE Mode of IP for 5 minutes. Once the pot sets the timer, add olive oil, finely chopped garlic, and onion. Saute for 10 – 20 seconds. Next, add pumpkin puree, tomato sauce, salt, and seasoning, and stir to mix.
Add coconut milk, vegetable stock, and uncooked pasta. Stir to combine. Taste the liquid and add more seasoning if required.
Pressure Cook: Close the lid of the IP. Set the pressure valve to the sealing position. Set PRESSURE Cook mode for 5 minutes. After the set time, release the steam manually, and open the lid. Add fresh herbs, and the pumpkin pasta is ready to serve.
Serving Suggestion
The best way to enjoy a creamy bowl of pumpkin pasta is with homemade focaccia bread and a light, leafy salad on the side.
You can pack this creamy pasta for school or office lunchbox. It is so easy to reheat and carry around.
This pumpkin sauce pasta also makes a great potluck casserole for the fall season.
More Instant Pot Pasta Recipes
Chicken Burrito Bowl
Chicken Broccoli Pasta
Chicken Noodle Soup
Minestrone Soup
Spaghetti Alio Olio
If you try this recipe and love it, please leave a comment and a rating. This helps us grow and reach other food lovers like you.
Ingredients
- ▢ 200- gram penne pasta
- ▢ 4 tablespoon olive oil
- ▢ 1 Cup pumpkin puree
- ▢ ½ Cup finely chopped onion
- ▢ 1 tablespoon finely chopped garlic
- ▢ ¼ Cup pizza/pasta sauce ( see recipe her e )
- ▢ 1 Cup coconut milk
- ▢ 1 Cup vegetable stock
- ▢ Salt to taste
- ▢ 1 teaspoon oregano or thyme
Instructions
- Set the SAUTE Mode of IP for 5 minutes. Once the pot sets the timer, add olive oil, finely chopped garlic, and onion. Saute for 10 – 20 seconds to release the aroma of garlic.
- Next, add pumpkin puree, tomato sauce, salt, seasoning, and stir to mix.
- Add coconut milk, vegetable stock, and uncooked pasta. Stir to combine. Taste, the liquid and add more seasoning or salt if required.
- Close the lid of IP. Set pressure valve to sealing position. Set PRESSURE Cook mode for 5 minutes. After the set time, release the steam manually, and open the lid. Check pasta for doneness.
- Add fresh herbs, stir to combine, and pumpkin pasta is ready to serve.
- Serve instant pot pumpkin pasta with toasted bread slices and a salad.
Recipe Notes:
- Taste the canned pumpkin puree and then add salt in the pasta accordingly. Don’t forget to check the label of canned puree to make sure it’s vegan and gluten-free
- Do not use pumpkin pie filling instead of puree.
- In 5 minutes Pressure Cook mode you will get the al dente pasta. If you like to cook it slightly more, set the time 6 – 8 minutes.
- If the pasta is less saucy/creamy for your liking add ¼ Cup thick coconut cream in the end.
- In place of coconut milk, you can use almond milk or cashew milk as well.
Nutrition
We follow a strict NO SPAM Policy
Instant Pot Pumpkin Pasta Recipe
Equipment
- Instant Pot
Ingredients
- 200- gram penne pasta
- 4 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 Cup pumpkin puree
- ½ Cup finely chopped onion
- 1 tablespoon finely chopped garlic
- ¼ Cup pizza/pasta sauce ( see recipe her e )
- 1 Cup coconut milk
- 1 Cup vegetable stock
- Salt to taste
- 1 teaspoon oregano or thyme
Instructions
- Set the SAUTE Mode of IP for 5 minutes. Once the pot sets the timer, add olive oil, finely chopped garlic, and onion. Saute for 10 – 20 seconds to release the aroma of garlic.
- Next, add pumpkin puree, tomato sauce, salt, seasoning, and stir to mix.
- Add coconut milk, vegetable stock, and uncooked pasta. Stir to combine. Taste, the liquid and add more seasoning or salt if required.
- Close the lid of IP. Set pressure valve to sealing position. Set PRESSURE Cook mode for 5 minutes. After the set time, release the steam manually, and open the lid. Check pasta for doneness.
- Add fresh herbs, stir to combine, and pumpkin pasta is ready to serve.
- Serve instant pot pumpkin pasta with toasted bread slices and a salad.
Notes
- Taste the canned pumpkin puree and then add salt in the pasta accordingly. Don’t forget to check the label of canned puree to make sure it’s vegan and gluten-free
- Do not use pumpkin pie filling instead of puree.
- In 5 minutes Pressure Cook mode you will get the al dente pasta. If you like to cook it slightly more, set the time 6 - 8 minutes.
- If the pasta is less saucy/creamy for your liking add ¼ Cup thick coconut cream in the end.
- In place of coconut milk, you can use almond milk or cashew milk as well.
Nutrition
A spiritual getaway to Jageshwar Dham in Uttarakhand is one of the best experiences far from the hustle of a busy metropolitan lifestyle. It is one of the Kumaon region’s hidden and most underrated nature paradises.
Location of Jageshwar
Let me begin with the geographic introduction of the Jageshwar Dham. It is located at an altitude of 1870 meters. The village is part of the Almora District in Uttarakhand, placed amid the dense deodar and pine trees forest.
The distance between the town of Almora and the Jageshwar is approximately 35 km and around 101 km from the lake city of Nainital. The drive to the temple town is a blissful experience. Each frame is a treat for a nature lover.
The nearest railway station is Kathgodam or Haldwani, and the nearest domestic airport is Bareilly airport. There are direct buses from Delhi to Almora or from Dehradun to Almora.
About Jageshwar
The temple town of Jageshwar comprises a cluster of 124 large and small stone temples dating 9th to the 13th century AD, with many preserved by the Archaeological Survey of India (ASI).
Apart from the temples, the place has a small number of houses, shops, hotels, guest houses, a few eateries, and a lush green deodar forest.
I was introduced to this place at the age of 15. Since then, yearly family visits to the temple instilled an unusual fondness for the place. My quiet persona always strikes a chord of harmony with the peaceful surroundings of the town.
Something transcendent in the town takes you far away from the mundane despairs.
History Of Jageshwar Dham
The history of Jageshwar is full of intriguing facts.
Jageshwar is one of the oldest shiva temples in India. No definite records are available leading to the accurate construction period of the Jageshwar temple . But according to the ASI (Archaeological Survey of India), they belong to the post-Gupta and pre-medieval eras. And estimated to be about 2500 years old.
These temples range from the 8th century, early Katyuri Dynasty, to the 18th century Chand Dynasty. It is believed that Adi Shankaracharya visited Jageshwar Dham and re-established many temples before leaving for his journey to Kedarnath. During the early days, pilgrims would pass through Jageshwar en route to Kailash and Mansarovar.
The main temple is surrounded by tall, aged deodar trees and a calm river.
Tarun Jageshwar is one of the principal temples situated on the main premises. The temple has two door guardians: the armed Nandi and Skandi. Here, Shiva is worshipped in the form of Nagesh/Jageshwar.
The Mahamrityunjay temple is the largest and oldest temple in the Jageshwar temple complex. This temple of Shiva is eastern facing, and the Linga is worshipped as the saviour from death – Mahamrityunjay .
Various inscriptions from varied periods are inscribed on the walls and pillars of the Jageshwar temples. The dialect of inscriptions is mainly Sanskrit and Brahmi.
What To Do in Jageshwar
It seems the time stands still in this Instagram-worthy town. But it would be best if you were outdoor-loving to enjoy every bit of your time in this town.
You can choose to explore the beautiful forests , like we do, at your own pace, maybe carry a picnic hamper and make the most of the natural beauty around you. During our recent trips, I took a morning walk to the nearby village, admiring the traditional Kumaoni old houses.
Jageshwar is a great place for hiking and doing small jungle trail walks.
Bird watching is another outdoor activity that can keep you engaged for hours.
You can spend time meditating or doing yoga. There are a few yoga and spiritual retreats in the area.
Visit temple premises at the time of dawn and dusk. It is an enchanting experience, the sacred bells of aarti echoing in the mountains and touching one’s soul, bringing you close to that one almighty divine power. It is surely a relieving experience.
Explore different shrines and the museum.
Touring around Jageshwar village is a photography retreat. And you never know you might end up listening to an interesting mystifying folklore about the temple.
What do we prefer doing during our visits? Cut our ties with the outside world for a few days, praise the natural beauty, go on leisure walks, write a journal, meditate, follow a clean diet regime and get filled with tons and tons of positivity. What else does one desire from a spiritual getaway?
Where To Stay
There are many hotels, budget-friendly lodges, resorts, and guest houses in Jageshwar Dham. We picked Van Serai during one of our trips and, since then, have been loyal guests of the resort. It is located a kilometre ahead of the main temple premises.
Van Serai is perfect for a peaceful holiday. It is ideally located for those wanting to introspect, meditate or take a break from their stressful lives.
The food served at Van Serai is wholesome, delicious, strictly vegetarian, and mainly sattvic style without onion and garlic.
The kitchen team serves you the best local produce, cooked most simply and served with warmth.
Van Serai‘s in-house birding expert will be happy to initiate you into bird-watching, hiking, and jungle walking trails.
Van Serai
My Pro Travel Tips
How To Reach Jageshwar: The nearest railway station is Kathgodam (Haldwani), 125 km, with direct trains arriving from Delhi, Jaipur, Lucknow and other leading cities of India. Jageshwar has direct road links with Almora (35 km), Delhi (400 km) and Kathgodam. Buses and private taxis ply from these places for Jageshwar regularly.
Best Time to Visit Jageshwar is anytime before the winter. The winters are harsh, and the place is quite deserted. It might snow as well. The ‘Jageshwar Monsoon Festival ‘, held between 15 July to 15 August, takes place during the Hindu calendar month of Shravan, and the annual ‘Maha Shivratri Mela’ (Shivratri festival), which takes place during spring, has an important place in the calendar of the entire Kumaon region.
Around Jageshwar, one can explore Abbott Mount, Jhaltola, Binsar, Vridh Jageshwar, Pangot, Sat Tal, Nainital, Ranikhet , Chakori, Munsyari, and Mukteshwar.
Book your stay in advance. Being a secluded town, the hotel staff requires time to prepare the room and menu for the guests’ arrival.
Jageshwar is located in the middle of a dense forest. Nights are cold. Wearing layers is the smart way to cope with fluctuating day/night temperatures. It would be best if you packed a pair of sweatshirts or jackets to keep you warm.
You get to do a lot of walking in the wild surroundings. So pack your most comfortable and covered footwear for the trip.
I know you will not miss any mobile/laptop/iPod/kindle chargers. There is rarely any mobile network in Jageshwar, so don’t worry much about the mobile charger.
Do not forget to put in your prescription medicines. You will not get them anywhere around the area.
The food served in the Jageshwar, and the surrounding areas is strictly vegetarian (no eggs). If you have certain food allergies, it is better to tell the hotel kitchen team well in advance, so they have enough time to procure the desired ingredients from the nearby town.
It isn’t easy to source gourmet or various ingredients in the middle of the jungle. Enjoy the local cuisine served at most of the eateries around the temple.
Due to network issues and low connectivity, the digital mode of payment, including cards, doesn’t work well in Jageshwar. Hence, it is best to carry enough cash as there are no ATMs in the town.
We follow a strict NO SPAM Policy
