Per my normal programming, I’ve been sitting on this Creamy Pumpkin Marinara recipe for almost 3 years 😄
I was meal planning for the week, remembered it, had a craving for it, and so here we are…
Whatever you do, don’t doubt the cinnamon here! It’s my secret weapon for smoky chilis and it works equally well in this sauce. It’s all the cozy fall + Italian vibes you never knew you needed.
With options for chunky or smooth sauce, read through the instructions fully before beginning in order to adjust to your personal preference.
Creamy Pumpkin Marinara
Yields: 4 servings
- 8 oz. fresh cherry tomatoes
- ½ medium sweet onion, diced
- 5 cloves garlic, minced
- 10-20 sage leaves, minced
- 2 tbsp. tomato paste
- ¼ c. white wine
- 15 oz. canned tomato sauce or diced tomatoes
- 1 c. pumpkin puree
- ½ tsp. cinnamon
- ⅛ tsp. grated nutmeg
- 4 oz. creme fraiche, coconut cream, or cashew cream
- Sea salt & black pepper, to taste
- Fresh basil and extra virgin olive oil, for serving
- Pasta of choice
Directions:
- Place a large, deep skillet over medium heat. Add the cherry tomatoes and a light drizzle of high heating cook oil (I use avocado oil). Season with sea salt and black pepper. Cook until the tomatoes begin to blister, about 5 minutes.
- Add the diced onion and sauté until translucent, about 3 minutes.
- Add the garlic, sage, and tomato paste and cook until fragrant, about 1 minute.
- Add the white wine to deglaze the pan, scraping any bits off of the bottom.
- Add the tomato sauce (choose either sauce or diced, depending on whether you want a smooth or chunky sauce), pumpkin puree, cinnamon, and nutmeg. Stir well and bring the mixture to a low simmer.
- Turn the heat down to medium low, cover, and simmer for 5-10 minutes to allow the flavors to come together.
- Boil your pasta of choice to al dente and add the cooked pasta into the sauce with ¼ cup of the pasta water. The pasta will finish cooking in the sauce and soak up the flavor.
- Once the pasta is at a doneness you’re happy with and the pasta water has smoothed out into the sauce, turn the heat off and stir in the creme fraiche.
- Taste and season with sea salt & pepper, to taste. Serve with fresh chopped basil and a drizzle of high quality olive oil, as desired.
Note:
- If you prefer your pasta sauce very smooth, you can optionally move the sauce to a blender after step 6 in the directions (use caution with blending hot liquids). Then pour it back in the pan and continue with the rest of the instructions.
