Fall is in the air which means all things pumpkin, and I have the perfect recipe for you. This roasted red pepper and pumpkin pasta with toasted walnuts has become a staple for when I need a quick and nourishing meal.

I used @BarillaUS Protein+ Spaghetti for a boost of protein from lentils, chickpeas, and peas! Protein+ pasta provides the classic taste of pasta powered by protein from 100% plant-based ingredients your whole family will love.

Creamy, Dreamy, Delicious

The thick and creamy texture of the pasta sauce comes from soaking cashews in water and blending to create a cashew cream! I love using cashew cream to thicken soups, sauces, and stews. In this recipe, I used 2 tbsp of Greek yogurt to thicken it even more, but if you’re looking to make this dish vegan, feel free to use a vegan yogurt alternative!

I’m a huge fan of roasted red peppers and use them all the time in sauces and dishes to give them a little smoky flavor and creamy consistency.

With pumpkin season in full swing and 3 cans of pumpkin puree staring at me on my pantry shelf, I thought I would give it a shot and make a sauce that combines roasted red peppers and pumpkin puree as the main ingredients.

Fall may just be my favorite season so I am taking every opportunity to cook my favorite fall foods, and red pepper pumpkin pasta might be my best fall dinner recipe yet!

The key to the creamy and silky consistency of this pasta sauce is in 5 important ingredients:

Pumpkin Puree
Soaked Cashews
Greek Yogurt
Roasted Red Pepper
Nutritional Yeast

These ingredients work together to give this sauce a boost of nutrients and protein while giving it a thick consistency and vibrant appearance.

Healthy, Wholesome Ingredients

Pasta is the perfect canvas for nutrient-rich vegetables, lean proteins and healthy fats – foods that help promote overall health and wellbeing. The protein+ pasta paired with fiber-rich vegetables like pumpkin and red pepper is the perfect combination for a satiating dish that will give you long-lasting energy.

This roasted red pepper pumpkin sauce is packed with powerful antioxidants and vitamins, supporting a range of health benefits from reduced risk of heart disease to strengthened immunity!

Did you know red peppers contain far more vitamin C than oranges?

Red peppers are one of the best sources of vitamin C out there with one cup containing up to 209 mg of vitamin C, providing 169% of the recommended daily intake for Vitamin C! That’s nearly three times more vitamin C than in an orange!

Vitamin C helps to maintain eye health, decrease the risk of heart disease, and strengthen our immune systems!

Our other key ingredient in this recipe, Pumpkin puree, is an amazing source of vitamins A, B6, and C. Pumpkin is a great source of the powerful antioxidant beta carotene which is a precursor of Vitamin A, aiding in cellular maturation and healthy vision.

So the verdict is EAT ALL THE PUMPKIN this fall, because it really is a healthy and delicious ingredient you can rely on!

The Process

To make this recipe, we start by soaking about 1 cup of cashews in enough water to cover for at least 4 hours before cooking.

Next, we roast the red peppers.

Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F.

Cut 2 bell peppers each into 4 wide strips (lengthwise) and remove the seeds. Place the pieces on a baking sheet, drizzle with olive oil and add a dash of salt and pepper. Bake for 25-30 minutes or until the red peppers begin to char.

In the meantime, dice up 2 shallots and mince 4 cloves of garlic. Drizzle 1 tbsp of olive oil over medium heat and add the shallot and garlic cloves, stirring occasionally and cooking until the shallot begins to appear translucent. Add the garlic powder, salt, and pepper, and 2 tbsp of tomato paste. Let cook for 2 minutes, then and 1/4 cup + 2 tbsp of pumpkin puree.

Cook this for 5 more minutes on low heat.

Once the red peppers are out of the oven, add them directly to a blender (if the blender is powerful you shouldn’t have to cut the pieces any smaller).

Blend it all up!

To the blender add the roasted red peppers, shallot and garlic pumpkin sauce that you sauteed, 1 cup soaked cashews (save the water), 2 tbsp of greek yogurt or yogurt alternative, 2 tbsp of nutritional yeast, 2 tbsp “cashew water”, and 1/2 cup of filtered water.

To spice it up, add a sprinkle of red pepper flakes!

Blend it all up until smooth and creamy and you’ve got yourself a sauce!

Cook the pasta according to the package instructions.

In the meantime, heat a small pan on medium to high heat and add the walnuts. Let cook for 4-5 minutes or until slightly toasted.

Once cooked, drain the water (saving some of the pasta water) and add the pasta back in the pot. Pour the red pepper pumpkin sauce all over!

Turn the heat to low and stir for about a minute so that all the pasta is coated in sauce. Feel free to add more ‘cashew water’ or pasta water to thin the sauce as needed.

Serve about 1 cup of the red pepper pumpkin pasta on each of the four plates and distribute the toasted walnuts evenly to garnish the pasta.

Enjoy warm :))

A Healthy Recipe Everyone will love.

No matter the occasion, this recipe is sure to please everyone!

This pasta dish is so creamy and delicious, you won’t even know that it’s packed with protein and lots of vegetables!

I hope you love this recipe as much as I do, and that it will become a favorite in your house:)

If you tried this recipe, I’d so appreciate it if you could comment and provide a rating on this post! It helps me to get a sense of what you like and how I can improve! And as always, tag @sipandscone on Instagram so that I can see your creations!

Liked this recipe? Try out some of my other healthy and delicious dinner recipes.

Print Pin

5 from 2 votes

Roasted Red Pepper Pumpkin Pasta

This healthy roasted red pepper pumpkin pasta is creamy and luscious, pairing wonderfully with Barilla's Protein+ Spaghetti for the ultimate fall comfort food! It's so decadent that you'll be shocked to find that it's packed with protein and vegetables!

Course dinner

Keyword pastasauce, pumpkin, redpeppersauce

Prep Time 15

Cook Time 35

Servings 4

Ingredients

8 oz (~1/2 box) Barilla Protein + Spaghetti
1 cup Raw, Unsalted cashews
2 Red Bell Peppers
2 tbsp Olive Oil
2 Shallots diced
4 cloves Garlic minced
1/4 tsp Garlic Powder
1 tsp Salt
1/2 tsp Black Pepper
2 tbsp Tomato Paste
1/4 cup + 2 tbsp Pure Pumpkin Purée
2 tbsp Non-fat, Plain Greek Yogurt optional
2 tbsp Nutritional Yeast
1/2 cup Filtered Water
1 Pinch of Red Pepper Flakes
1/4 cup Whole, Unsalted Walnuts

Instructions

Soak 1 cup of cashews in enough water to submerge the cashews. Cover, and let sit for at least 4 hours.
Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F. Cut each bell pepper into 4 wide strips (lengthwise) and remove the seeds. Spread the pieces on a baking sheet and drizzle with olive oil and a dash of salt and pepper. Bake for 25-30 minutes or until the red peppers begin to char.
In the meantime, heat a large skillet over medium heat and drizzle 1 tbsp of olive oil in the pan. Add the diced shallot and minced garlic cloves, stirring occasionally and cooking until the shallots begin to appear translucent.
Add garlic powder, salt, and pepper, and tomato paste. Let cook for 2 minutes, then add the pumpkin purée. Cook this for 5 more minutes on low heat.
Once the red peppers are out of the oven, let cool slightly, and add them directly to a large blender.
Drain the cashews (but save the cashew water!) and add 1 cup of the drained cashews to the blender. To the blender, add the shallot and garlic pumpkin sauce that you sautéed, Greek yogurt (optional), nutritional yeast, 2 tbsp of the reserved cashew water, and 1/2 cup of filtered water. Add a pinch of red pepper flakes. Blend on high until smooth and creamy.
Heat 4 quarts of water on high heat and add 2 tbsp of salt to the water. Once boiling, add the pasta and cook until the pasta is "al dente" according to the package instructions.
In the meantime, heat a small pan on medium to high heat and add the walnuts. Let cook for 4-5 minutes or until slightly toasted.
Once the pasta is cooked, drain the water and add the pasta back into the pot. Pour the red pepper pumpkin sauce over the pasta! Turn the heat to low and stir for about a minute so that all of the pasta is coated in the sauce. Add additional pasta water or 'cashew water' to thin as needed.
Serve about 1 cup of the red pepper pumpkin pasta on each of the four plates and distribute the toasted walnuts evenly to garnish the pasta. Enjoy!