Pumpkin Lentil Pasta Recipe
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Jump to RecipeThis pumpkin lentil pasta recipe is full of fall flavor and is ready in 30 minutes! Creamy, delicious, & high-protein, this tasty pasta makes the perfect side dish.
Great as a lunch, side dish, or dinner (with your favorite cooked protein added in). This easy lentil pasta is mostly made with pantry staples so you have a quick and easy meal you can make with many ingredients you may have on hand.
Want more great pumpkin recipes? Try our cheesy pumpkin orzo, pumpkin seed pesto pasta, or our gnocchi with pumpkin sauce recipe!
Fall means pumpkin season, and this creamy & dreamy pumpkin lentil pasta recipe will bring the fall flavors to your table! I love pumpkin year round, but I find myself cooking with pumpkin in autumn (probably because its easier to find canned pumpkin at the stores).
This pasta is hearty and satisfying, and makes a great meal prep lunch or dinner! Blend cooked red lentils with pumpkin, spices, and vegetables for a creamy and tasty pasta sauce.
This Pumpkin Lentil Pasta Recipe Is:
- Bright
- Creamy
- Satisfying
- Comforting
- Made with lots of pantry staples and cupboard ingredients
- Vegan, gluten free, dairy free, vegetarian, and SO yummy!
- Great to meal prep for the week
- A great vegan holiday side dish!
Meal Prep Pasta Recipes For the Win!
This Pumpkin Pasta recipe is the perfect recipe for homemade meal prep. I am a huge fan of meal prepping, batch cooking, and making recipes ahead. I love the convenience of cooking once and being able to enjoy homemade meals during the week when I don’t have time. Browse our tried & true meal prep recipes.
With just a little planning and prep, you can have a week’s worth of recipes ready in the time it would take to make one portion. Just batch cook, divide into individual containers, and place in the fridge or freezer for later!
Ingredients You’ll Need
- Red Lentil Pasta: I used red lentil rotini because it a fun shape, and only has ONE ingredient: red lentils!
- Onion
- Garlic
- Carrots
- Extra virgin olive oil
- Sea salt & black pepper
- Mustard Powder: this mustard powder is the perfect addition to this recipe for flavor!
- Thyme: in the summer and fall I grab some fresh thyme from the yard, but I like to use this organic thyme when I can’t get fresh from the garden!
- Canned Pumpkin: I love canned pumpkin so much I usually stock up during fall.
- Red Lentils: a great way to get some extra plant-protein in this dish! I like these red lentils, and always keep some on hand. They are an inexpensive protein to add to your pantry.
- Low sodium vegetable stock
- Coconut Milk: this full-fat unsweetened kind is perfect to give the dish creaminess and a light flavor.
Be sure to visit the recipe card below for full ingredient amounts and recipe instructions!
How To Make This Recipe
- Cook red lentil pasta according to package instructions. Drain and set aside.
- While cooking the pasta, in another large pot, heat the olive oil and sauté onion, garlic, and carrots for 4 or 5 minutes on low heat. Add the rest of the ingredients and bring to a boil. Reduce to a simmer and cook for 30 minutes until the red lentils are cooked all the way through.
- Blend sauce with an immersion blender (or transfer in small batches to a standalone blender). Once blended, add the pasta to the blended sauce. Heat on low until pasta and sauce are hot and enjoy!
Recipe FAQs
Yes, canned pumpkin puree works perfectly for this recipe. Just be sure to buy plain pumpkin puree, not pumpkin pie filling, which has added sugar and spices.
You can use a red lentil pasta, many of which are gluten-free.
Yes, you can make the pumpkin lentil sauce in advance. Just store it in an airtight container in the the refrigerator for up to 3 days. Reheat it gently on the stovetop, adding a extra splash of vegetable broth or plant-based milk to thin it out if needed.
More Easy Plant Based Pasta Recipes You’ll Love!
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Pumpkin Lentil Pasta
Ingredients
- 8 ounces red lentil pasta *see notes below for my favorite kind
- 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
- 1 sweet onion
- 3 cloves garlic
- 2 carrots diced
- 1 teaspoon Sea Salt
- 1 teaspoon mustard powder
- 1/2 teaspoon thyme
- 1/4 teaspoon Black Pepper
- 1 13 ounce can pumpkin puree not pumpkin pie mix
- 1 cup red lentils
- 3 cups Vegetable Stock
- 1 cup Coconut milk
Instructions
- Cook red lentil pasta according to package instructions. Drain and set aside.
- Whle cooking the pasta, in another large pot, heat the olive oil and saute onion, garlic, and carrots for 4 or 5 minutes on low heat. Add the rest of the ingredients and bring to a boil. Reduce to a simmer and cook for 30 minutes until lentils are cooked.
- Blend sauce with an immersion blender (or transfer in small batches to a standalone blender). Once blended, add the pasta to the blended sauce. Heat on low until pasta and sauce are hot and enjoy!
Notes
is great if you avoid wheat products.Nutrition
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I love pasta anyway, shape, or form