One Pot Cheesy Pumpkin Rigatoni

Cozy One-Pot Cheesy Pumpkin Rigatoni to warm up those cold autumn nights! Perfectly al dente rigatoni, nestled in a creamy, cheesy pumpkin sauce that's infused with warm spices and topped with crispy sage. It comes together in under 30 minutes and will surely be your new favorite fall pasta recipe!

Why You Will Love This Pumpkin Pasta

• Made in one-pot. You literally throw everything in a pot and let the magic happen. You'll just need to stir occasionally to prevent the pasta from sticking to the bottom of the pot.
• Ready in under 30 minutes. Making it the perfect weeknight meal!
• SO saucy and cheesy. Perfect for sopping up with crusty bread or these Brown Butter Sage Rolls!
• The perfect main or side dish. Great as a Thanksgiving side, for potlucks, a quick lunch or as a main dinner!

Jump to:

• Why You Will Love This Pumpkin Pasta
• Ingredient Notes
• Step By Step Instructions
• 💡Tip
• 💡Tip
• Substitutions
• Variations
• Storage
• Expert Tips
• FAQ
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Ingredient Notes

Here are some notes about all the ingredients used in this One-Pot Cheesy Pumpkin Rigatoni. Quantities and full instructions are in the recipe card below!

• Extra-Virgin Olive Oil - I'm using Colavita's Extra Virgin Olive Oil.
• Shallot - Finely chop shallot for flavor.
• Garlic - You can either grate or finely chop the garlic.
• Fresh Thyme - I'm using fresh thyme as it's usually readily available year round. If you are in a pinch, you can substitute with dried thyme.
• Fresh Sage (optional garnish) - This is completely optional, but sage leaves are fried till crispy and will be used as a garnish.
• Spices - Onion Powder, Smoked Paprika, Nutmeg, Cayenne Pepper, Cinnamon, Salt and Pepper
• Rigatoni - I'm using Colavita's rigatoni pasta, but any short pasta will work!
• Can Pumpkin Puree - I alway use Libby's can pumpkin, but you can also use homemade pumpkin puree.
• Stock - I'm using chicken stock, but you can use beef or vegetable stock as well.
• Cream - Heavy cream or whipping cream.
• Shredded Gouda Cheese - You can use smoked gouda or regular gouda. It's the perfect melty cheese that compliments pumpkin and warm spices. I always prefer shredding cheese by hand, but you can also use pre-shredded if that's all you can find.
• Grated Parmesan Cheese - Parmesan also works well with pumpkin as well.

*See recipe card for quantities.

Step By Step Instructions

Here are step-by-step photos and instructions on how to make this One-Pot Cheesy Pumpkin Rigatoni! Please find detailed instructions in the recipe card at the end of this post.

Step 1. Fry sage leaves in olive oil until crispy. Set aside until needed.

Step 2. Immediately add thyme, shallot, garlic, spices, dry rigatoni, pumpkin puree and broth.

Step 3. Cook until the pasta is al dente.

Step 4. When the pasta is cooked, add heavy cream, grated parmesan, shredded gouda and mix until combined. It will be very saucy, but will thicken as it cools. Taste and add salt and pepper if needed.

Step 5 - Serve with crispy sage leaves, extra parmesan and nutmeg! Dig in and enjoy!!

Substitutions

• Pumpkin Puree - Store bought or homemade will work. You can also substitute with sweet potato or butternut squash puree.
• Fresh Thyme - I love using fresh thyme, but you can easily substitute for dried thyme. You'll want to use 1 ¼ teaspoon of dried thyme.
• Cayenne Pepper - You can sub for red pepper flakes.
• Stock - You can use store-bought or homemade vegetable, chicken or beef stock.
• Rigatoni - Any tube pasta will work such as, ziti, penne, large macaroni or even large shell (not jumbo).
• Cream - You can also use half and half. The sauce won't be as thick or rich.
• Garnishes - Additional garnishes include, fresh basil, fresh thyme, roasted pumpkin seeds, toasted bread crumbs, walnuts, pecans, crushed red pepper flakes, cracked black pepper, light drizzle of brown butter, olive oil or maple syrup! The possibilities are endless!

Variations

You can easily change up this recipe by adding a few things!

• Sausage - Brown up some sweet or hot Italian sausage and add it to the pasta.
• Bacon - Cook up some chopped bacon and use the bacon fat in place of the olive oil. Save the bacon pieces to use as a garnish. You can even use pancetta!
• Chicken - Thrown in some grilled chicken or leftover rotisserie chicken for some added protein.
• Other Cheeses - Any melting cheese such as, sharp cheddar, muenster, provolone, jack or fontina will work!
• Brown Butter - You can use brown butter in place of olive oil if you like.
• Spinach - After stirring in the cream and cheeses, add fresh spinach leaves and serve when wilted.

Storage

• Fridge: Store leftovers in an airtight container, in the fridge for up to 4 days.

FAQ

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