Pumpkin Mushroom Pasta

hello canned pumpkin that i found in the pet treat section at Trader Joe’s. lol. yeah, not sure about all that but i came out of the store with three cans of pumpkin purée, and i was quite pleased. immediately, i got to work on two more pumpkin recipes. no time was wasted, truly! Trader Joe’s has been the first placed i’ve found canned pumpkin purée since about 2 weeks ago (thanks Publix). all of the sweet pumpkin treats are amazing and all buuuuut there’s always savory goods too. if you have not tried pumpkin in a savory pasta sauce dish, you’re missing out! mushrooms seem to be the best vegetable pairing in my opinion and they add a “meaty” heartiness.

so what other plant-based goodies are in this sawceee? tahini!! the flavor of the tahini really comes through in Pumpkin Mushroom Pasta and is further elevated by tomato paste.

the tomato paste is also key for a little bit of sweetness and it does add more creaminess to the texture. all around, this pasta recipe is such an amazing texture and tastes sort of like Mac n Cheeze!

as far servings, this is definitely enough for 4 people as a main dish! i used one lb of brown rice pasta, but any kind will work. i wanted to keep this recipe gluten-free and my husband loves brown rice pasta the most.

ingredients + directions

ingredients

• 1 lb pasta of choice
• 2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
• 1 tbsp minced garlic
• 8 oz sliced mushrooms
• 1/4 cup vegetable stock
• 1/2 cup pumpkin purée
• 1/2 cup vegetable stock
• 2 tbsp tahini
• 3 tbsp tomato paste
• 1 tsp onion powder
• 1/2 tbsp garlic powder
• 1/2 tbsp chili powder
• 1/2 tsp cumin
• 1/2 tsp sea salt

directions

1. cook the pasta according to package directions until al dente.
2. in a separate pan, sauté the garlic in olive oil for one minute on medium-high heat and then turn down to medium heat + add the mushrooms.
3. sauté another 2 minutes and then add 1/4 cup veggie stock
4. cook another 7 minutes and then add to the rinsed and drained pasta.
5. whisk the pumpkin puree, 1/2 cup veggie stock, tahini, tomato paste and spices in a bowl until well-combined and add to the pasta.
6. mix well (the sauce is thick) and make sure all of the pasta is coated.
7. enjoy!!