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overhead view of a plate with bright yellow hokkaido pumpkin sauce on pasta.
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5 from 2 votes

Hokkaido Pumpkin Pasta Sauce

The best creamy pumpkin pasta sauce with Hokkaido pumpkin and Parmesan! Follow this easy recipe for any type of tasty pumpkin.
Prep Time15 minutes
Cook Time25 minutes
Total Time40 minutes
Course: Pasta and Rice
Cuisine: American
Servings: 4 people
Calories: 134kcal
Author: Adina

Equipment

  • Large saucepan or Dutch oven
  • Immersion blender or food processor

Ingredients

  • 1 lb Hokkaido pumpkin or butternut squash, 450 g, Note 1
  • 1 medium onion
  • 2 garlic cloves
  • a small bunch of parsley
  • 1 tablespoon olive oil
  • 1 tablespoon butter
  • ¼ teaspoon turmeric
  • 1 cup vegetable stock 230 ml, Note 2
  • cup evaporated milk 4% or 7.5 % fat content + 2-3 tablespoons more to thin the sauce, 150 ml, Note 3
  • 3 tablespoons orange juice freshly squeezed
  • 2 tablespoons Parmesan freshly grated
  • fine sea salt and black pepper
  • gnocchi or pasta to serve
  • more Parmesan to serve

Instructions

  • Prepare Hokkaido: Wash and dry it; you don't have to peel it. If using butternut squash, you will have to peel it. Remove the seeds and cut the flesh into small cubes.
    1 lb Hokkaido pumpkin
  • Chop onion, garlic cloves, and parsley.
    1 medium onion + 2 garlic cloves + a small bunch of parsley
  • Saute: Heat the butter and the olive oil. Add onion, garlic, and pumpkin cubes, stir well, and cook until the onions are translucent and the pumpkin glossy.
    1 tablespoon olive oil + 1 tablespoon butter
  • Add turmeric and stir well for about 30 seconds. Add half of the parsley and stir.
    ¼ teaspoon turmeric +½ of the parsley
  • Simmer: Slowly pour in the broth and the condensed milk. Cook on high heat, uncovered, until the sauce thickens. Blend the sauce. Add the orange juice and salt and pepper to taste.
    1 cup vegetable stock /230 ml + ⅔ cup evaporated milk / 150 ml +3 tablespoons orange juice + fine sea salt and black pepper
  • Adjust consistency: If the sauce is too thick, add 2-3 tablespoons of evaporated milk. Stir in the rest of the parsley and Parmesan.
    ½ of the parsley + 2 tablespoons Parmesan
  • Serve with pasta or gnocchi and more grated Parmesan on top.

Notes

  1. Pumpkin: Choose a variety known for its rich flavor and creamy texture, like Hokkaido, butternut squash, or sugar pie pumpkins. You don’t have to peel Hokkaido but peel any other sort.
  2. Vegetable broth made using stock cubes is perfectly fine. Evaporated milk makes the sauce lighter. However, you can replace it with a single or heavy cream.
  3. Vegetarian sauce: Use vegetarian hard cheese (Parmesan is not vegetarian as it is made with animal rennet).
  4. Vegan sauce: Replace the milk with canned coconut milk or other plant-based milk (soy, oat, or almond milk, for instance). Replace the cheese with nutritional yeast to taste.

Nutrition

Serving: 1/4 of the dish | Calories: 134kcal | Carbohydrates: 13g | Protein: 4g | Fat: 8g | Saturated Fat: 3g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 4g | Cholesterol: 13mg | Sodium: 406mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 5g