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    Home Β» Recipes Β» Dressings, Gravies and Sauces

    Easy Pumpkin Tomato Sauce

    Published: Oct 21, 2020 by Sherri Hall Β· This post may contain affiliate links.

    pin showing pot of sauce with pasta mixed in

    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!

    Jump to Recipe
    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).

    sauteing shallots in olive oil

    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.

    sauce in pot after being cooked

    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

    Related Recipes

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    • Lentil Pasta with with Roasted Garlic, Broccoli and Creamy Red Pepper Sauce
    • Vegan Pumpkin Mac and Cheese
    • Vegan Pumpkin Risotto
    stirring pasta and pumpkin tomato sauce together in a pot with a wooden spoon
    Print Recipe Save RecipeSaved!
    5 from 18 votes

    Easy Pumpkin Tomato Sauce

    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!
    Course Dinner
    Cuisine Italian
    Keyword dairy-free, gluten free, grain-free, pumpkin, tomato sauce, vegan, vegetarian
    Prep Time 5 minutes
    Cook Time 20 minutes
    Total Time 25 minutes
    Servings 6
    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
    • Β½ teaspoon dried oregano
    • ΒΌ teaspoon nutmeg
    • ΒΌ 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

    Calories: 101kcal | Carbohydrates: 14g | Protein: 3g | Fat: 5g | Saturated Fat: 1g | Fiber: 4g

    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.

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    Reader Interactions

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    1. Christie

      December 11, 2020 at 4:26 pm

      5 stars
      MMMMM I would love me a pot of this pasta goodness! I love that you added some pumpkin to this tomato sauce! A great way to add more fiber.

      Reply
      • Sherri Hall

        December 21, 2020 at 2:24 pm

        Thanks Christie! πŸ™‚

        Reply
    2. Jacque Hastert

      November 05, 2018 at 10:28 am

      5 stars
      Adding this to my list of must make recipes. It would be perfect for any night of the week.

      Reply
      • Sherri Hall

        November 06, 2018 at 11:42 am

        Thank you Jacque! Enjoy! πŸ™‚

        Reply
    3. Holly

      November 04, 2018 at 11:09 pm

      5 stars
      I don't use pumpkin so much in savory dishes but this combination seems really well balanced and delicious! I will be trying for sure!

      Reply
      • Sherri Hall

        November 06, 2018 at 11:42 am

        Thanks so much, Holly! Hope you enjoy it!

        Reply
    4. Vanessa Vickery

      November 04, 2018 at 8:10 pm

      5 stars
      Such a great idea adding the pumpkin to the tomato sauce. Must give that a try!

      Reply
      • Sherri Hall

        November 06, 2018 at 11:42 am

        Thanks Vanessa! Hope you enjoy! πŸ™‚

        Reply
    5. Sri Mallya

      November 04, 2018 at 8:06 pm

      5 stars
      Drooling. This sauce looks so delicious. Can't wait to try your recipe.

      Reply
      • Sherri Hall

        November 06, 2018 at 11:42 am

        Thanks Sri! Hope you enjoy it!

        Reply
    6. Anne Lawton

      November 04, 2018 at 4:08 pm

      5 stars
      I love this sauce! I would have never thought to put pumpkin and tomato together, but I bet it tastes delicious!

      Reply
      • Sherri Hall

        November 06, 2018 at 11:46 am

        Yes, it works so well together! Thank you Anne! πŸ™‚

        Reply
    7. Jenni LeBaron

      November 04, 2018 at 1:44 pm

      5 stars
      This pumpkin tomato sauce sounds absolutely delicious on top of the red lentil pasta. I think pumpkin always makes the creamiest addition to sauce and provides a fantastic flavor balance with the acidity of the tomatoes.

      Reply
      • Sherri Hall

        November 06, 2018 at 11:45 am

        Thank you Jenni! Yay for pumpkin power! πŸ™‚

        Reply
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    About Sherri

    Founder, Author, Recipe Developer, & Photographer

    With a lifelong passion for cooking, I specialize in creating easy meatless meals that are omnivore-approved!

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