This baked pumpkin pasta is a stick-to-your-ribs fall comfort dish made with tender ziti tossed in a cheesy pumpkin sauce and baked until hot and bubbly. It’s a hearty way to bring savory pumpkin flavor to the dinner table when the weather turns cool.

Cheesy baked pumpkin pasta topped with ricotta dollops, rosemary, thyme, and smoked paprika.

Pumpkin, cheese, and pasta make a great bake

I like to add a new pumpkin dish to my kitchen recipe arsenal each fall, and this year I set my sights on a creamy pasta bake. Pumpkin is a natural fit for pasta sauce, giving it a rich fall flavor that you’ll look forward to making all season long.

Add four different cheeses to that creamy pumpkin sauce, and you have the kind of baked pasta that gets spooned onto the plate generously — and makes seconds awfully hard to resist. It’s hearty enough to serve as the main course on a chilly fall evening, but just as welcome on the table as a side dish.

If you want to bring a variety of pasta dishes to the table, try my mushroom mac and cheese from scratch, creamy mushroom pasta, and homemade chicken and noodles too.

Recipe ingredients

Ziti: Ziti is a classic choice for baked pasta and is a good size for serving in a casserole-style dish. Rigatoni, cavatappi, and penne are equally good choices, so use the pasta shape you prefer.
Pumpkin puree: Use 100% pure pumpkin puree, not pumpkin pie filling, which is already sweetened and spiced. Pumpkin forms the base of the sauce, giving it its creamy consistency, color, and distinctive savory pumpkin flavor.
Vegetable broth: Vegetable broth thins the pumpkin puree to the right consistency for coating the pasta while adding another layer of savory flavor. From scratch chicken broth can be substituted if you prefer its richer flavor.
Fresh rosemary: Fresh rosemary really makes this recipe, adding a fragrant, woodsy flavor that pairs particularly well with pumpkin. Fresh is worth using when you can get it, but you can substitute 1 teaspoon dried rosemary for every 1 tablespoon fresh rosemary.
Fresh thyme: Fresh thyme brings an earthy, slightly peppery flavor to the pumpkin sauce and works especially well alongside rosemary. If fresh thyme isn’t available, substitute 1 teaspoon dried thyme for every 1 tablespoon fresh.
Cheese: Asiago brings a salty, nutty flavor, Swiss adds a mild nuttiness, Monterey Jack melts smoothly, and ricotta gives the sauce creaminess and body. You can use your preferred combination of cheeses instead; for the best results, include a variety of flavorful cheeses that melt smoothly.

See the recipe card for full information on ingredients and quantities.

How to make baked pumpkin pasta

Step 1: Cook the ziti according to the package directions, then drain it well and set it aside. There’s no need to stop at al dente because the pasta spends only a short time in the oven and won’t cook significantly during baking. Avoid overcooking it, however, so the ziti keeps its shape when mixed with the sauce.

Step 2: Preheat the oven to 400°F (205°C). Grease a 9 x 13-inch baking dish and set it aside.

Step 3: Combine the pumpkin puree, heavy cream, vegetable broth, fresh rosemary, fresh thyme, pressed garlic, salt, black pepper, and crushed red pepper in a saucepan. Cook over medium heat, stirring frequently, until the mixture is hot and evenly combined. Keep the sauce below a boil so the cream heats gently.

Step 4: Reduce the heat to low. Add the Asiago, Swiss, and 3/4 cup of the Monterey Jack a handful at a time, stirring until each addition has melted into the pumpkin sauce before adding more. Adding the cheese gradually helps it melt smoothly into the sauce rather than clumping.

Step 5: Add the pumpkin cheese sauce to the cooked ziti and toss until the pasta is evenly coated. Transfer the mixture to the prepared baking dish and spread it into an even layer.

Would you like to save this post for later?

We'll email it to you, so you can come back to it whenever you like!

Step 6: Sprinkle the remaining Monterey Jack evenly over the pasta. Spoon the ricotta over the top in dollops, distributing it across the baking dish so there is some in each portion.

Step 7: If desired, scatter fresh rosemary and thyme over the top and finish with a light sprinkling of smoked paprika.

Step 8: Cover the baking dish and bake for 15 minutes, until the pasta and sauce are hot and the cheese is melted. Remove the cover. If the cheese needs a little more melting, place the dish under the broiler for 1–2 minutes, watching it continuously so the cheese doesn’t burn.

Step 9: Remove the baked pumpkin pasta from the oven and let it rest for 10 minutes before serving. This gives the hot cheese sauce a chance to settle and thicken slightly, making the pasta easier to serve.

Top tips

Shred the cheese from a block: Freshly shredded Asiago, Swiss, and Monterey Jack melt more smoothly than pre-shredded cheese, which often contains anti-caking agents that can affect the texture of the sauce.
Let the ricotta warm slightly: Take the ricotta out of the refrigerator while you prepare the pasta and sauce. Taking the chill off helps the dollops warm through more evenly during the short baking time.
Use a wide saucepan for the sauce: The extra surface area makes it easier to add and incorporate the cheese gradually without crowding the saucepan, giving you better control as the sauce comes together.
Don’t rinse the cooked pasta: Leave the thin coating of starch on the ziti after draining. It helps the pumpkin cheese sauce cling more evenly to the pasta when the two are combined.
Store leftovers: Transfer leftover baked pumpkin pasta to an airtight container and refrigerate for up to 4 days.
Reheat it gently: Reheat leftover pumpkin pasta in a covered baking dish at 350°F (175°C) until heated through. Covering the dish helps prevent the pasta and cheese sauce from drying out as they reheat.

Serve

This rich and cheesy baked pumpkin pasta can easily take center stage as a meatless main dish. Pair it with oven roasted honey balsamic carrots, slow simmered green beans, or a zucchini and tomato skillet side for vegetables that complement a hearty fall meal. For something cool and crisp alongside the warm pasta, traditional cabbage coleslaw is a great choice.

If you’re serving the pumpkin pasta as a side dish, pair it with oven baked chicken, crunchy almond coated chicken, or baked hot honey chicken thighs. Pork is another natural match for the pumpkin, rosemary, and thyme in the sauce, and baked pork tenderloin with apples makes this an especially good autumn dinner.

This pasta also fits right into a Thanksgiving menu. Serve it alongside turkey and classic turkey stuffing as a cheesy alternative to mushroom mac and cheese from scratch. For dessert, applesauce with homemade caramel keeps those warm fall flavors going with apples and caramel to finish the meal.