Introduction

This creamy and comforting pasta bake combines tender tubular pasta with a rich pumpkin and mushroom sauce, enhanced by toasted walnuts and fresh sage. It’s a cozy dish perfect for cooler evenings or whenever you need a satisfying meal with a twist.

A rectangular black baking dish holds one layer of rigatoni pasta coated in red tomato sauce, mixed with sautéed mushrooms and green herbs spread evenly throughout. Melted white cheese is scattered on top, partially covering the pasta, followed by a generous sprinkle of light brown chopped walnuts and small green sage leaves placed on the surface. The dish sits on a white marbled texture, with a small white bowl of crushed red pepper flakes at the top right and a small rustic white bowl filled with grated cheese at the bottom left. A spoon rests inside the dish on the left side, ready to serve. Photo taken with an iphone --ar 4:5 --v 7

Ingredients

1 lb. dry pasta of choice (such as mezzi rigatoni, shells, ziti, fusilli, or farfalle)
2 Tbsp. butter
1/2 cup finely chopped walnuts
1 Tbsp. plus 2 tsp. finely chopped fresh sage leaves, divided
2 Tbsp. extra-virgin olive oil
8 oz. cremini (baby bella) mushrooms, sliced
1 yellow onion, finely chopped
1/4 cup tomato paste
4 garlic cloves, minced
1/2 tsp. crushed red pepper flakes
3 to 4 handfuls fresh baby spinach
1 tsp. dried oregano
1 tsp. kosher salt
1/2 tsp. black pepper
1/4 tsp. ground nutmeg
3 cups vegetable broth
1 (15-oz.) can pumpkin purée
1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese
1 1/2 cups grated fontina cheese, divided

Instructions

Step 1: Preheat the oven to 375ºF. Bring a large pot of generously salted water to a boil. Add the pasta and cook until about 2 minutes shy of al dente. Drain and set aside.
Step 2: Melt butter in a large sauté pan over medium heat. Add walnuts and 1 tablespoon of sage; cook for about 5 minutes until walnuts are toasted and aromatic. Season with a pinch of salt and transfer to a bowl.
Step 3: Return the pan to medium heat. Add olive oil, mushrooms, and onion. Cook until soft, approximately 8 minutes.
Step 4: Stir in tomato paste, garlic, and red pepper flakes. Cook 3 to 4 minutes until tomato paste caramelizes and deepens in color. Gradually add spinach, stirring until wilted. Mix in oregano, salt, pepper, nutmeg, and the remaining 2 teaspoons of fresh sage.
Step 5: Pour in vegetable broth, scraping the pan to loosen browned bits. Stir in pumpkin purée, Parmesan, and 1/2 cup fontina cheese; cook until the fontina melts and the sauce is smooth. Add the pasta and mix until well coated.
Step 6: Transfer the mixture to a greased 13×9-inch baking dish. Sprinkle with the remaining fontina cheese and the walnut-sage mixture. Cover with foil and bake for 15 minutes. Remove foil and bake an additional 10 minutes until cheese is golden and melted.

Tips & Variations

Use rigatoni or ziti for the best sauce-holding tubular pasta, but any medium tubular shape will work well.
For a nuttier flavor, toast the walnuts in a dry pan before chopping.
Swap fresh sage with rosemary or thyme if preferred.
Add a pinch of smoked paprika for a subtle smoky note.
For a creamier sauce, stir in a splash of heavy cream or coconut milk before baking.

Storage

Store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. Reheat in the oven at 350ºF covered with foil for about 15 minutes, or microwave until warmed through. Avoid freezing, as the texture of the sauce and pasta may change.

How to Serve

A close-up view of a white speckled shallow bowl filled with three main layers: large rigatoni pasta coated in rich orange-red sauce on the bottom, sautéed spinach and sliced brown mushrooms scattered evenly in the middle, and a sprinkling of grated white cheese with red pepper flakes on top. The cheese melts slightly over the veggies and pasta, adding a creamy texture. A silver fork rests on the right edge of the bowl, partially buried in the pasta. The bowl sits on a white marbled surface with a small bowl of grated cheese nearby, and a white cloth with a tied string is partly visible at the bottom right corner. photo taken with an iphone --ar 4:5 --v 7

Serve this delicious recipe with your favorite sides.

FAQs

Can I use fresh pumpkin instead of canned purée?

Yes, you can roast and purée fresh pumpkin, but make sure it’s strained of excess moisture to avoid a watery sauce. Canned pumpkin purée offers convenience and consistent flavor.

Is this dish suitable for vegetarians?

Absolutely. All ingredients are vegetarian-friendly, but if you want to make it vegan, substitute butter with a plant-based alternative and omit or replace the cheeses with vegan options.