Introduction

This pasta bake with pumpkin tomato sauce is a comforting and flavorful dish that combines creamy pumpkin purée with savory tomato and cheese. Perfect for cozy dinners, it features tender pasta baked with a rich sauce enhanced by walnuts, sage, and mushrooms.

A black rectangular baking dish filled with a baked pasta dish is shown on a white marbled surface. The pasta has one main layer of rigatoni tubes mixed with visible pieces of sautéed mushrooms and wilted green herbs. The rigatoni is covered in a rich orange-red tomato sauce with melted white cheese patches layered on top. Crushed walnuts are scattered all over the dish along with some small green leaves as garnish. A silver spoon rests inside the baking dish on the left side. Nearby, there is a small white bowl with crushed red pepper flakes and a small brown bowl filled with grated cheese. photo taken with an iphone --ar 4:5 --v 7

Ingredients

1 lb. dry pasta of choice (such as mezzi rigatoni, shells, ziti, fusilli, or farfalle)
2 Tbsp. butter
1/2 cup finely chopped walnuts
2 Tbsp. finely chopped fresh sage leaves
2 Tbsp. extra-virgin olive oil
8 oz. cremini (baby bella) mushrooms, sliced
1 yellow onion, finely chopped
1/4 cup tomato paste
4 garlic cloves, minced
1/2 tsp. crushed red pepper flakes
3 to 4 handfuls fresh baby spinach
1 tsp. dried oregano
1 tsp. kosher salt
1/2 tsp. black pepper
1/4 tsp. ground nutmeg
3 cups vegetable broth
1 (15-oz.) can pumpkin purée
1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese
1 1/2 cups grated fontina cheese, divided

Instructions

Step 1: Preheat oven to 375ºF (190ºC). Bring a large pot of generously salted water to a boil. Add pasta and cook until 2 minutes shy of al dente; the pasta should be firm but tender enough to bite through. Drain and set aside.
Step 2: Melt butter in a large sauté pan over medium heat. Add walnuts and fresh sage; cook for 5 minutes until walnuts are toasted and aromatic. Season with a pinch of salt, then transfer to a bowl.
Step 3: Return the pan to medium heat. Add olive oil, mushrooms, and onion. Cook until soft, about 7 to 8 minutes.
Step 4: Stir in tomato paste, garlic, and red pepper flakes. Cook 2 to 3 minutes until the tomato paste caramelizes and turns a brick red color.
Step 5: Gradually add the spinach, stirring continuously until wilted. Stir in oregano, salt, pepper, and nutmeg.
Step 6: Pour in the vegetable broth, stirring to release any browned bits from the bottom of the pan. Add pumpkin purée, Parmesan cheese, and 1/2 cup fontina cheese; stir until the fontina melts and sauce is smooth.
Step 7: Add the cooked pasta and stir until all noodles are well-coated in the sauce.
Step 8: Transfer the mixture to a greased 13×9-inch baking dish. Sprinkle the remaining fontina cheese on top along with the walnut-sage mixture. Cover loosely with foil and bake for 15 minutes at 375ºF.
Step 9: Remove the foil and continue baking for 10 to 15 more minutes, until the cheese is melted and golden on top. Serve warm.

Tips & Variations

Use any tubular or shaped pasta you prefer; short shapes hold the sauce well.
For extra creaminess, stir in a splash of cream or a dollop of ricotta before baking.
Swap walnuts for pecans or toasted pine nuts for a different nutty flavor.
Add cooked sausage or crispy pancetta for a meaty variation.
Fresh sage can be substituted with thyme or rosemary if you prefer.

Storage

Store cooked leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 5 days. To freeze, place cooled pasta bake in a freezer-safe container for up to 3 months. When reheating from frozen, thaw overnight in the refrigerator. Reheat single servings in the microwave with a splash of vegetable broth to prevent drying out, or warm the entire dish in a 350ºF oven until heated through.

How to Serve

The image shows a black rectangular baking dish filled with baked rigatoni pasta. The pasta is layered with a rich tomato sauce giving a bright orange-red color, interspersed with melted white cheese that is bubbly and slightly browned on top. Scattered throughout the dish are sautéed mushrooms and visible pieces of herbs with dark green leaves. On the top, there are chopped walnuts adding a rough texture and small, bright green sage leaves dotting the surface. The dish rests on a white marbled surface, with a small white bowl filled with grated cheese on the side and some crushed red pepper flakes scattered around. A spoon is partly embedded in the pasta inside the dish. Photo taken with an iphone --ar 4:5 --v 7

Serve this delicious recipe with your favorite sides.

FAQs

Can I use canned pumpkin pie filling instead of pumpkin purée?

No, canned pumpkin pie filling contains added spices and sugar which will alter the flavor. Use plain pumpkin purée for the best results.

What if I don’t have fontina cheese?

You can substitute fontina with mozzarella, provolone, or a mild cheddar cheese. These will still melt well and complement the dish’s flavors.