I felt like a creamy pasta dish for dinner recently but still wanted it to be at least somewhat healthy. The result was this creamy pumpkin spinach pasta which funnily enough doesn’t use cream at all! It’s simple, delicious and vegan friendly too!
Ingredients List
- 2tbs olive oil
- 2tbs fresh sage
- Brown onion
- Half a pumpkin
- 3 cloves garlic
- 1tsp nutmeg
- Pinch red pepper flakes (to taste)
- 2 cups vegetable stock
- Pasta of your choice
- Salt
- Pepper
- 3 cups spinach
- 1/4 cup walnuts
Steps
- Heat the oil in a large, deep pan
- Chop the sage then add to the pan and cook until crispy, remove and set aside in a bowl
- Meanwhile, dice the onion and cut the pumpkin into cubes, setting both aside
- Cook the onion until soften and translucent
- Add the minced garlic, nutmeg and red pepper flakes and cook for 1 minute
- Add the pumpkin and toss to coat in the onion mixture
- Pour in the stock, stir to combine then simmer for 15-20 minutes until softened and the liquid has reduced by half
- Meanwhile, cook your pasta until al dente, reserving a cup of the pasta water
- When the pumpkin is ready, blitz until smooth then season well with salt and pepper
- Return to the pan with the pasta and some of the pasta water over medium heat, and toss to combine
- Add the spinach and stir through, adding more pasta water as needed until the pasta is well coated in the sauce, and the spinach is wilted
- Top with the crispy sage, walnuts more red pepper flakes and season with salt and pepper to serve
That’s all there is to this creamy pumpkin spinach pasta! It’s amazing how creamy it is given it is completely dairy free! I tend to just blitz it in the pan with my stick blender to save creating more dishes, but a food processor or blender will obviously do the job as well. Just make sure you let it cool a bit and release the steam if you’re using either of those options. No one wants to be cleaning pumpkin sauce off the kitchen ceiling!
This creamy pumpkin spinach pasta is certainly not short on flavour either, despite how easy it is to make. I like to go pretty free hand with my addition of red pepper flakes, but you’ll know the spice tolerance that works for you. The crispy sage helps to make this feel that little bit fancier too – if that’s what you need for your mid-week dinner!
Who wants to give this creamy pumpkin spinach pasta a try?
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I Spy Plum Pie is Liz, an early 30s kiwi-born, Melbourne raised girl who is passionate about the environment and sustainability, food, exploring and learning new things. Join me on my journey to a happy, sustainable life!