Vegan Roasted Pumpkin Pasta with Mushrooms and Lentils

Vegan Roasted Pumpkin Pasta Sauce

Whatever kind of vegetarian diet you follow, this vegan pumpkin sauce recipe uses very simple ingredients that anyone can make. All you need is a blender or food processor. I keep the ingredients simple because I follow the principle that the closer food is to its whole form, the more nourishing the dish, and it avoids unnecessary calories. It’s perfect if you want to stay in shape without sacrificing good food. Since the sauce is vegan, there’s no butter or cheese, yet the pumpkin itself creates a rich, velvety sauce that isn’t heavy. Paired with pasta, it’s light and sweet, rich but never cloying. It’s just so delicious.

Healthy, delicious ingredients

This vegan pumpkin sauce recipe is designed for the whole family, with no hard-to-find ingredients. As long as you find the perfect pumpkin, like the fairy godmother in Cinderella, that pumpkin will work its magic in the sauce! This roasted pumpkin sauce has just two ingredients: pumpkin & water

How to choose a delicious pumpkin

You’re probably wondering, that’s it? Can pumpkin sauce really taste good? As I said above, pumpkin is the star of the sauce, so if you find a good pumpkin, the sauce will be super delicious! How do you choose a tasty pumpkin? Here’s an article you can refer to: The older, the sweeter? Check these 4 spots to pick a fluffy, delicious pumpkin! Although pumpkin’s growing season runs roughly from October to February, in Taiwan you can basically buy pumpkin all year round. As long as the pumpkin is ripe enough, it’ll be delicious. The pumpkin I got was a traceability-certified pumpkin from Yumei. Super sweet! The texture was creamy and smooth, the best pumpkin I’ve ever had. You can check out my post about the Family Mart and Yumei veggie box ▻ Unboxing Family Mart Veg Box & 3 Vegan Meal Ideas

The Secret to Sweet, Fragrant Pumpkin Sauce

How to make sweet homemade pumpkin sauce

I’ve tried boiled, steamed, and roasted pumpkin, and each has its advantages. Boiling is fast and convenient; steamed pumpkin holds moisture, so you can use a bit less water, and it’s very nutritious. But if you want the most delicious pumpkin sauce, you have to roast it! Roasting pumpkin takes longer (about 45 minutes), but trust me! The result is 120% worth it. When pumpkin roasts in the oven, it starts to caramelize, the flesh softens, and the skin darkens slightly. That’s when all of the pumpkin’s natural sugars get drawn out, and that’s the secret to a delicious vegan pumpkin pasta sauce! And roasting pumpkin is super easy. After washing it, cut it straight down the middle, brush the cut side with a little oil, and place it cut side down on the baking sheet. Into the (preheated) oven it goes, and the oven and time do the rest. You don’t even need to peel it or cut it into chunks. I didn’t even remove the seeds. Isn’t that convenient? There are many kinds of pumpkin. The one shown in the video is a golden pumpkin, but if you use a different kind, you prepare and roast it the same way. Pumpkins also vary in size. To test whether yours is done: on the outside it will shrink and the surface may even caramelize a bit. Then test it with a knife or fork; if it slides through the pumpkin easily (completely effortlessly), it’s ready.

Let the roasted pumpkin cool until you can touch it without burning yourself. If you didn’t peel it, scoop out the flesh with a spoon. As I mentioned, I didn’t remove the seeds beforehand, because I blend them right into the puree along with everything else, but you can remove them before putting the pumpkin on the baking sheet.

Pumpkin sauce without an oven

If you don’t have an oven, you can steam the pumpkin in an electric rice cooker (like a Tatung) or boil it. If you’re steaming the pumpkin in a rice cooker, check out this article ➢ Steaming pumpkin in a rice cooker in 3 steps. Quick boiled pumpkin: bring a large pot of water to a boil. While the water heats, wash and peel the pumpkin, cut it in half, scoop out the seeds with a spoon, and cut it into chunks of about the same size (same size so they cook evenly). Then boil the pumpkin. The time depends on the size of your chunks; the smaller you cut them, the faster they cook, about 15 minutes. If you’re not sure, take a fork; if it slides through the pumpkin effortlessly, turn off the heat and drain.

Adding water for a rich, creamy sauce

To make pumpkin sauce you need to add some water to get a sauce-like texture. It’s made differently from tomato sauce, cream sauce, or pesto. Pumpkin blended with water is already very rich on its own. Some store-bought pumpkin sauces add butter or cream to make them thicker and richer, but if your pumpkin is tasty to begin with, you’ll find you don’t need butter at all. Add water to reach whatever consistency you like. And because it’s blended at high speed in a blender or food processor, it picks up air and gets light and velvety, melting in your mouth. Low in calories and nourishing!

Tips for pumpkin sauce that’s better than a restaurant’s:

*Tip 1: If you want even better flavor, or if your pumpkin doesn’t have much flavor, consider using a mild plant milk or vegetable stock instead of water. It’s an easy way to boost the flavor. *Tip 2: Roasted garlic! Roast 4-5 garlic cloves alongside the pumpkin, then peel the roasted garlic and blend it into the sauce with the pumpkin. *Tip 3: Make good use of herbs. You can add a little dried herb, like rosemary, thyme, or nutmeg. Dried herbs are strong, so just a little goes a long way toward boosting the aroma. (In this recipe I chose to add the herbs at the end, when tossing the pasta with everything else, so either way works.) *Tip 4: Nutritional yeast. Nutritional yeast has a slightly cheesy flavor and is packed with nutrients, so adding it lets vegans enjoy a flavor much like Parmesan.

Ways to Use Pumpkin Sauce

When I made this pumpkin sauce, the golden pumpkin I used was especially, especially sweet. After blending it, I even felt it was a shame not to just turn such a sweet pumpkin into pumpkin soup. This pumpkin sauce has lots of uses. Besides pasta, you can use it for risotto, ravioli, or gnocchi, and if you make it with plant milk or vegetable stock, it can truly become a delicious pumpkin soup.

How to Store Pumpkin Sauce

Refrigerator: make sure the pumpkin sauce has cooled, then put it in a fully airtight container. It keeps in the fridge for 3 days. Freezer: make sure the pumpkin sauce has cooled, then put it in a fully airtight container. It keeps in the freezer for 3 months.

How to Make Pumpkin Sauce Pasta with Mushrooms and Lentils

Nourishing vegetables and ingredients

• Pumpkin - Whether it’s red kuri, kabocha, American pumpkin, or golden pumpkin, you can prepare it the same way.
• Water - You can also use vegetable stock or plant milk for more flavor.
• Whole wheat pasta - We love the hearty texture of whole wheat pasta, but regular pasta is of course perfect too!
• Mushrooms - Pumpkin sauce goes especially well with mushrooms! You can use any mushrooms you love, or even mix them for a richer mushroom flavor.
• Yu choy - I like to add some dark leafy greens to this pumpkin mushroom pasta. Spinach is my favorite, but if it’s not spinach season, you can use kale or, like I did here, yu choy.
• Lentils - Beans are a great source of protein, and canned beans are my favorite. They’re quick and convenient, keep well, and are a pantry must-have. To go with the pumpkin sauce and mushrooms, I chose lentils, because little lentils go especially well with this pasta. Don’t believe me? Try it and see.

Steps for pumpkin mushroom lentil pasta

Roast the pumpkin first: Preheat the oven to 200C/400F and line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Wash the pumpkin and cut it in half. You don’t need to peel it or remove the seeds. Brush the pumpkin all over with a little oil, place it cut side down on the baking sheet, and roast for about 45 minutes, until the pumpkin is very soft.

Cook the pasta: Bring a large pot of about 2-3 liters of water to a boil and add 2 tsp of salt. Once boiling, add the pasta and cook it for 2 minutes less than the “suggested cooking time” on the package, so the noodles don’t overcook and turn mushy when you toss them with everything else later.

Saute the vegetables: Heat a deep skillet over medium-high heat and add the olive oil. Once hot, add the diced onion and minced garlic and saute for about 3 minutes until fragrant. Add the mushrooms and cook for 2-3 minutes, then add the lentils and greens and give it a quick stir. Add the pasta, pour in the pumpkin sauce, season with the herbs, sea salt, and black pepper, and it’s done.

More vegan recipes

▻ Air-fried crispy enoki mushrooms with miso lime sauce ▻ 12-minute vegan cold soba noodles ▻ Mexican-style corn & chickpea salad

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