This Vegan Creamy Pumpkin Pasta with Maple Sage & Pecan Crumb recipe is an exclusive from Rebecca Hincke’s new cookbook The Vegan Pasta Cookbook. Click here to find out where you can order it.
You can’t get much more autumnal than pumpkins, and this pasta has all the cozy flavors of fall to warm your heart and your belly. This dish is somewhere between a cheesy mac & cheese and a garlicky Alfredo—a recipe I originally created a few years ago—but this upgraded version includes a maple sage & pecan crumb topping, and let me tell you, it makes ALL the difference! The sweet and savory crumb pairs marvelously well with the creamy richness of the cheesy, garlicky pumpkin sauce.
Creamy Pumpkin Pasta with Maple Sage & Pecan Crumb
Ingredients
For the Crumb Topping
- 1 tbsp 14 g vegan butter
- 4 tbsp 60 ml maple syrup
- 2 –3 tbsp - 10–14 g fresh sage leaves, chopped
- ½ cup 55 g pecans, chopped
- Generous pinch of flaked sea salt
- Pepper - to taste
For the Pasta
- 8 oz 226 g dried pasta of your choice
- 2 tbsp 28 g vegan butter
- 5 large cloves garlic - minced
- 1 tbsp 5 g fresh sage, finely chopped
- ¾ cup 180 g canned pumpkin puree (100% pure)
- ½ cup 116 g vegan cream cheese
- ½ cup 50 g grated vegan Parmesan
- 1 cup 240 ml unsweetened nondairy milk (oat, soy, or almond)
- Salt - to taste
- Pepper - to taste
- 1 cup 240 ml pasta cooking water (as needed)
To Serve
- Pepper - to taste
- Almond Parm - optional
Instructions
- For the crumb topping, in a medium nonstick pan, melt the butter over medium-low heat. Stir in the maple syrup, then add the sage, pecans, sea salt, and pepper, and cook for 3 to 3½ minutes, stirring frequently. Remove from the heat and spread evenly across a plate. Let rest until cool, then break apart into pieces.
- Put the pasta on to cook in a pot of boiling, salted water and cook to al dente.
- Meanwhile, in a large nonstick pan, melt the butter over medium heat and sauté the garlic for 1 to 2 minutes. Add the sage and fry for another minute or 2, until fragrant but not browned.
- To the pan, add the pumpkin puree, cream cheese, and Parmesan. Stir together until smooth, then whisk in the milk until fully incorporated. Continue cooking until the Parmesan has melted, stirring occasionally. Season the sauce with salt and pepper.
- Once the pasta is cooked, drain and reserve 1 cup (240 ml) of pasta cooking water, then add the pasta to the sauce and stir to fully coat the noodles. Add pasta cooking water as needed to loosen up the sauce if it’s too thick.
- Serve topped with crumb topping, pepper, and a sprinkle of Almond Parm, if you like.
Notes
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Excerpted from The Vegan Pasta Cookbook by Rebecca Hincke. Page Street Publishing Co. 2022. Click here to order your copy.
About the author
Rebecca Hincke is the founder of The Zesty Lime, a popular food blog devoted to sharing comforting yet nutritious plant-based recipes. She lives in Edinburgh.
About the book
Whether you seek simple yet delicious dinner ideas, vegan versions of your favorite noodle dishes or easy meals that increase your veggie intake, blogger Rebecca Hincke has a pasta for you. In this comprehensive collection, she shares 60 irresistible recipes―from time-honored Italian fare and Asian-inspired stir-fries to nourishing noodle soups, plant-powered pasta salads and more. Armed with this creative cookbook, you’ll be ready to make every night pasta night!
Disclaimer: the cookbooks we feature are independently selected by our Best of Vegan editors and are in no way sponsored by the author and/or the publisher. All content is used with permission.
