Fresh Pumpkin Pasta With Two Ingredients
This simple pumpkin pasta with just two ingredients is a quick and simple, but still delicious, fall dinner.
There is something incredibly decadent about taking the time to make your own fresh pasta. If you're a food-lover, its easily an act of self-care. The feeling of the dough in your hands as you kneed. The way the smooth, rolled out sheets of dough pass through your fingers. That first bite of tender, delectable pasta.
There is nothing inherently hard about fresh pasta-its just a bit time consuming. And our recipe here for fresh pumpkin pasta simplifies it even more. It only takes two ingredients (pumpkin puree and flour) to make this rustic fresh pasta. Let's get cooking!
What is pumpkin pasta made of?
If you've ever been afraid to make fresh pasta at home, this recipe is a great place to start. It literally has two ingredients-flour and pumpkin puree. If you want to get real wild and crazy, you could add a third ingredient-salt-but I cooked my pasta in salted water, so it wasn't necessary. But it's up to you.
Where are the eggs?
It just so happens that pumpkin is a wonderful substitute for animal products in many dishes. It adds moisture, sweetness, and flavor like cream or butter would. It's got the creamy texture of a lot of dairy products. And it binds a lot like an egg would.
The binding properties of squash are what I was really relying on for this pumpkin pasta. I've seen recipes out there where folks mix pumpkin puree into traditional fresh egg pasta, and that's great, but I had a hunch that you could maybe skip the egg entirely and just make a straight up pumpkin pasta. And I was right! Leave out the egg, just use pumpkin, and create yourself a big, glorious pile of beautiful vegan pasta!
Is there a difference between canned pumpkin and pumpkin puree?
Nope! Canned pumpkin and pumpkin puree are typically the same thing, just with different names. However, don't grab "pumpkin pie filling"-that's something entirely different. It is spiced with pumpkin pie spices and sweetened with sugar. Perfect for making a pie, not so perfect for making a savory pasta.
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How do I roll out the noodles?
Even better than the tiny number of ingredients in this fresh pasta? Making the noodles requires no special equipment!
If you have a pasta roller and cutter and want to use it, go right ahead, but don't be shy if you don't. Just roll the dough out thin with a rolling pin and cut rustic noodles using a sharp knife or pizza cutter. I promise it'll taste just as delicious.
Tell me how to cook pumpkin noodles!
The nice thing about homemade noodles is that while you do have to invest some time in rolling out the pasta, cooking the noodles happens in a snap. Bring salted water to a boil in a large pot, and add the pasta (you may want to do this in batches). After two minutes, the noodles should be floating in the pasta water-that's how you know they are done to al dente perfection! Drain, reserving a bit of the pasta water if you need it for the sauce, and toss with whatever sauce you'd like.
How should I use this pumpkin pasta?
This fresh pumpkin pasta recipe would be wonderful as a cheese ravioli, or even in a white-sauce lasagna, but I kept it simple and drizzled a browned butter and sage sauce over top with some Parmesan cheese.
The sauce takes all of about five minutes to make, and is the perfect complement to the sweetness of the pumpkin in the pasta. Of course, the butter and cheese kinda negate the whole vegan pasta concept. So if you want to keep your pasta dish dairy-free and vegan, you can replicate the sauce using one of the many vegan margarines out there and use our Vegan Cashew Parmesan.
How to store and reheat
This pasta is at its best when cooked and eaten fresh, but you can also store it uncooked in the fridge in an airtight container for up to a week. Just cook in boiling water like you would with freshly made pasta.
📖 Recipe
Fresh Pumpkin Pasta With Two Ingredients
Ingredients
- 3 cups all-purpose flour plus more for rolling
- 1 14- ounce pumpkin puree or about 1 ⅔ cups homemade puree
Instructions
- Pile the flour in the middle of a board or clean countertop. Make a well in the center, and add in the pumpkin puree.
- Using clean hands, mix together the puree and flour until it forms a stiff dough (adding more flour if needed to make it not sticky).
- Divide the dough in half, covering one half with a towel to keep it from drying out. Form remaining dough half into a disc.
- Flour a rolling pin and roll out the disc into a very thin sheet (you should almost be able to see through it in parts). Using a sharp knife or pizza cutter, cut into ¼" wide strips. Repeat with remaining dough disc.
- To cook pasta: bring to a boil two quarts of salted water. Drop noodles into the water a few at a time. Cook for two minutes, or until all the noodles float. Drain and top with sauce.
Video
Delicious!!! My husband loves fresh pasta but I hate the flavor of eggs and I can always taste them in fresh pasta. We made this tonight with leftover roasted butternut squash and it was soooooo good! We had it simple with just butter and a little parmesan. Will definitely be making this again and again! We did roll it using a pasta machine and it worked great.
Does this pasta need to dry before cooking?
Nope, you can use it fresh!
My noodles turned to mush in the water. What did I do wrong?
Oh no! It is very easy to accidentally overcook these - they should only be cooked for about 2 minutes. Is it possible that that's the problem?
I LOVE this recipe! In comparison to egg noodles, this pasta is more delicate and less tough. The color is wonderful as well. NExt time, I am going to try it with 100% whole-wheat flour or maybe brown rice flour for my gluten-free followers. Definitely will make again. I'm linking my post back here. Delicious!
Ooh, let us know how making it GF goes! We'd love to hear!
Thank you for the wonderful recipe! We made it with sweet potato puree instead of pumpkin and it will definitely be in our regular meal rotation.
Would this work with a whole grain flour such as whole wheat?
I make it with white whole wheat all the time! Just cut back a touch on the amount of flour (maybe a tablespoon or two), because whole grain flour is a bit denser.
You make it sound easy, pumpkin pasta, i'll try it, Thank you!!!!
Oops! Nevermind. I see you addressed that comment above. Thanks!
Do you think you can you still use a pasta maker with this? I'm guessing there's no reason not too, though I wondered since it doesn't have egg if maybe the binding wouldn't hold it as well. I actually like using my pasta maker!
I don't use eggs in my fresh pasta. Only water until now and I have no issues using pasta maker.
Hi! I have tried several of your recipes and came upon this one by accident. Is there a way to store this, do you think? Maybe make the pasta..cook some of it and store the rest? I'm open to suggestions.
Thanks!
Do you think you could dry the pasta and package as gifts? I realize it could not be too long as there are no preservatives..
This pasta is absolutely lifechanging. So easy to make and absolutely delicious. I served it with a red sauce and ricotta... The pumpkin taste wasn't strong. Thanks for posting!!
After having this pinned for a while I finally made this. I love it so much more than using egg which always goes everywhere!!! It's beautiful to work with, so silky and malleable. Gorgeous! I was wondering too how long it would last in the fridge or even freezer. One can makes 4 portions but I'm just one person! Also wondering if it might work in lasagne... only one delicious way to find out I suppose!
I'm just wondering how long it can be stored in the fridge uncooked and cooked?
Do you think that this recipe can be done well with a gluten free flour instead?
Thanks a lot!! Seems really delicious!
I don't do a lot of work with gluten-free flours, so I honestly don't know! Let me know if you try it. I'm curious!
I'm thinking of cooking this for my friends sometime but I don't cook or know enough about food to match other dishes to this... Could you please help me? What kind of flavor would go along with this pasta? Do you have any recommendations? Maybe something for dessert as well? Hahah, thanks!
I linked to a wonderful (and easy) sage butter sauce recipe in the post that would be great with it! Serve it with a Caesar salad, some crusty bread, and some wine, and you're good! Cheesecake is always a good dessert option. The ones you get in the frozen section of the bakery at the supermarket are actually really delicious!
This sounds like SO much fun to make with the kids. When we make pasta they use little cookies cutters and then we have the best time eating noodle soup for dinner. I can't wait to give these a go!
I absolutely LOVE this idea! I'm not vegan either but I do like to do without animal products when possible, particularly if the final product turns out to be even better than the original. Will be making this in the very near future!
Hi - I just roasted and pureed a pumpkin the other day. I'm so happy I found all these recipes to try! For the pasta, do you think I could use my food processor to mix it up? I recently found your blog thru Pinterest. I love it!
Thanks,
Betsy
I haven't done it that way (I love making pasta by hand!), but I don't see why it wouldn't work. Let me know if you try it!
Recipe sounds wonderful and I like the simplicity of it. But I am not a pumpkin fan, do you think this could work with butternut squash?
thanks,
I think it would work just fine!