Name: Easy Pumpkin Tomato Sauce
Prep time: 5 min
Cook time: 20 min
Total time: 25 min
Ingredients: 2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil; 2 tbsp diced shallot; 28 oz canned crushed tomatoes; 1 cup pumpkin puree; 1 tsp dried parsley; 1/2 tsp dried oregano; 1/4 tsp nutmeg; 1/4 tsp fine sea salt plus more to taste, if desired

This pumpkin tomato sauce is easy to make in under 30 minutes using pantry ingredients. It's also vegan-friendly, gluten-free and has no added sugar. Perfect over pasta, zucchini noodles or even on pizza!

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mixing pumpkin tomato sauce and rotini pasta together in a pot with a wooden spoon

♪ Start spreading the news...it's pumpkin season.

I want to be a part of it...pumpkin, pumpkin ♫

Corny?

~~Maybe. Probably.~~ Yes!

But in my defense, I'm going pumpkin crazy over here! 😉

I don't know about you, but what I love most about fall is that it's perfectly acceptable to add pumpkin to everything, including song lyrics!

Um, I mean...tomato sauce! 🙂

two bowls of pasta with sauce and two forks on a wooden board

For this recipe, I decided I wanted to make a savory pumpkin pasta dish, but with a tomato-based sauce rather than a creamy one.

The result? A thick and flavorful sauce that has just enough pumpkin without overpowering the tomato-y flavor.

It also happens to be vegan-friendly, gluten-free, grain-free and contains no added sugar.

How to make pumpkin tomato pasta sauce - step by step

Start by heating olive oil over medium heat.

Add shallot and cook until shallot becomes translucent, stirring occasionally (approximately 2-3 minutes).

Next add crushed tomatoes, pumpkin puree, parsley, oregano, nutmeg and salt.

ingredients for making the sauce in a pot before being mixed together

Stir to combine.

sauce ingredients mixed together in a pot before cooking

Cover and cook on medium for 20 minutes.

Turn off the heat and let stand for 2-3 minutes before removing the cover, as the sauce will splatter as it cooks since it is very thick.

Stir well before serving.

What pairs well with this sauce?

This sauce pairs perfectly with your favorite gluten-free pasta. Here I used a 12-ounce box of Jovial's brown rice fusilli and mixed the sauce right in with it.

gathering some pasta and sauce with a wooden spoon

I also really love this sauce paired with lentil pasta or zucchini noodles.

And, it's super tasty with a side of our vegan and gluten-free garlic bread.

Top it off with some grated Parmesan, vegan grated Parmesan, our our homemade vegan pumpkin seed Parmesan.

This sauce is also great for adding a fall-inspired twist to pizza night. 🙂

red lentil penne pasta in pasta bowl with pumpkin tomato sauce garnished with grated cheese and parsley

How to store leftovers

Leftover sauce can be stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 5 days.

Can the sauce be frozen?

Yes, this sauce can be frozen for up to 6 months. Be sure to store it in an airtight container and fully thaw it in the refrigerator before reheating.

Reheating the sauce

The sauce is best reheated on the stovetop in a covered pot over medium heat, stirring occasionally.

overhead of pasta in a pasta bowl with sauce and garnished with grated cheese and parsley

stirring pasta and pumpkin tomato sauce together in a pot with a wooden spoon

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5 from 18 votes

Easy Pumpkin Tomato Sauce

Course Dinner

Cuisine Italian

Keyword dairy-free, gluten free, grain-free, pumpkin, tomato sauce, vegan, vegetarian

Prep Time 5

Cook Time 20

Total Time 25

Servings

Calories 101kcal

Author Sherri Hall

Ingredients

2 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
2 tablespoon diced shallot
28 oz canned crushed tomatoes
1 cup pumpkin puree
1 teaspoon dried parsley
½ teaspoon dried oregano
¼ teaspoon nutmeg
¼ teaspoon fine sea salt plus more to taste, if desired

Instructions

Start by heating olive oil over medium heat in a 3- or 4-quart saucepan.
Add diced shallot and cook for approximately 2-3 minutes, stirring occasionally, until shallot becomes translucent.
Add crushed tomatoes, pumpkin puree, parsley, oregano, nutmeg and kosher salt. Stir to combine.
Cover and cook on medium for 20 minutes.
Turn off the heat and let stand for 2-3 minutes before removing the cover as the sauce will splatter as it cooks due to the thickness. Add more salt to taste, if desired. Stir well before serving.

(Please refer to the post above for instructional photographs and other helpful information for this recipe)

Notes

To pair with pasta: Use 12-16 ounces of traditional or gluten-free pasta, depending on how much sauce to pasta you prefer.

The nutrition information shown is an estimate provided by an online nutrition calculator. Accuracy is not guaranteed. Information shown should not be considered a substitute for a professional nutritionist’s advice.

Nutrition calculation is for the sauce alone. It does not include any pasta or toppings.

Nutrition

This post originally appeared on Watch Learn Eat on October 30, 2018. It has been republished to reflect both recipe and photo revisions. Changes to the story were also made.

©Watch Learn Eat. All content and images are copyright protected. Recipes and images are not to be used or republished without prior permission. If you adapt this recipe, please re-write the recipe in your own words, and link back to this post for the original recipe.