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Pasta Bake with Pumpkin Tomato Sauce

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A comforting pasta bake featuring creamy pumpkin and tomato sauce, topped with golden cheese and toasted walnuts.

Ingredients

Scale
  • 1 lb. dry pasta of choice (like mezzi rigatoni, shells, or ziti)
  • 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

  1. Preheat your oven to 375ºF.
  2. Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Cook the pasta for 2 minutes less than package instructions; drain and set aside.
  3. Melt the butter in a large sauté pan over medium heat. Add the walnuts and sage; sauté for about 5 minutes until golden.
  4. Return the pan to medium heat, add olive oil, and sauté the mushrooms and onion for 7 to 8 minutes until softened.
  5. Stir in the tomato paste, garlic, and crushed red pepper flakes; cook for 2 to 3 minutes.
  6. Add the fresh spinach, stirring until wilted. Mix in the oregano, salt, black pepper, and nutmeg.
  7. Pour in the vegetable broth, add pumpkin purée, Parmesan, and 1/2 cup fontina, stirring until smooth.
  8. Fold in the cooked pasta until coated in sauce.
  9. Transfer to a greased 13×9-inch baking dish. Top with remaining fontina and the walnut-sage mixture.
  10. Bake for 15 minutes; remove foil and bake an additional 10 to 15 minutes until cheese is golden and bubbly.

Notes

Make-ahead: Prepare the sauce 1-2 days in advance and store covered in the refrigerator. Adjust cooking times if using a pressure cooker.

Nutrition

Keywords: pasta bake, pumpkin tomato sauce, vegetarian pasta

Find it online: https://oliviatable.com/pasta-bake-pumpkin-tomato-sauce/