Pasta Bake with Pumpkin Tomato (Print-Friendly Format)
Creamy pumpkin-tomato pasta baked with mushrooms, spinach, and a toasted walnut-sage topping.
# Ingredients You’ll Need:
→ Pasta Base
01 -
450 g dry tubular or short pasta (such as mezzi rigatoni, ziti, shells, fusilli, or farfalle)
→ Sauce and Vegetables
02 -
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
03 -
225 g cremini mushrooms, sliced
04 -
1 yellow onion, finely chopped
05 -
60 g tomato paste
06 -
4 garlic cloves, minced
07 -
0.5 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
08 -
3 to 4 large handfuls fresh baby spinach
09 -
1 teaspoon dried oregano
10 -
1 teaspoon kosher salt
11 -
0.5 teaspoon black pepper
12 -
0.25 teaspoon ground nutmeg
13 -
720 ml vegetable broth
14 -
425 g canned pumpkin purée
15 -
50 g grated Parmesan cheese
16 -
180 g grated fontina cheese, divided
→ Walnut-Sage Topping
17 -
2 tablespoons butter
18 -
60 g finely chopped walnuts
19 -
2 tablespoons finely chopped fresh sage leaves
# How to Make It:
01 -
Set oven to 190°C (375°F) and lightly grease a 33x23 cm baking dish.
02 -
Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add pasta and cook until 2 minutes shy of al dente. Drain and set aside.
03 -
Melt butter in a large sauté pan over medium heat. Add walnuts and fresh sage, cooking for 5 minutes until walnuts are golden and aromatic. Season with a pinch of salt and transfer mixture to a bowl.
04 -
Return pan to medium heat. Add olive oil, sliced mushrooms, and chopped onion. Cook for 7 to 8 minutes, stirring occasionally, until softened.
05 -
Stir in tomato paste, minced garlic, and crushed red pepper flakes. Cook for 2 to 3 minutes until paste darkens and turns brick red. Gradually add spinach, stirring until wilted. Add dried oregano, salt, black pepper, and ground nutmeg.
06 -
Pour in vegetable broth, scraping up any browned bits. Stir in pumpkin purée, Parmesan cheese, and 60 g fontina cheese. Continue stirring until cheese melts and sauce is smooth.
07 -
Add drained pasta to the pan, mixing until all noodles are evenly coated with sauce.
08 -
Transfer pasta mixture to prepared baking dish. Sprinkle remaining fontina cheese and distribute walnut-sage topping evenly over surface.
09 -
Cover dish loosely with foil and bake for 15 minutes. Remove foil and bake an additional 10 to 15 minutes until cheese is bubbling and golden.
# Extra Tips:
01 -
Store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 5 days. For freezing, cool completely before transferring to a freezer-safe container for up to 3 months.
02 -
When reheating from frozen, thaw overnight in the refrigerator. Reheat in the microwave with a splash of broth or in the oven at 175°C (350°F) until warmed through.