Baked Rigatoni with Pumpkin Cream Sauce

Is there anything better than baked cheesy pasta with a fantastic gooey, melty cheese pull? Yes, there is. Enter this luscious, creamy, decadent Baked Rigatoni with Pumpkin Cream Sauce. This spectacular Baked Rigatoni with the most delicious savory Pumpkin Cream Sauce is made of pumpkin puree, cream, freshly grated parmesan cheese, butter, and fresh rosemary. It has a touch of garlic to bring it all in.  This is perfect for a comforting weeknight dinner and special enough for Sunday guests! And let me tell you, your guests will absolutely love it!

For me, pumpkin puree used in savory dishes is an unsung hero. Not only is it readily available, but it’s also available all year round.  But it does take some creativity to find that perfect match. It took me several tries of tweaking this sauce to it’s perfection, and as a added bonus it’s the base for my Pumpkin Pizza with Proscuitto and Sage. So make an extra batch and get ready for pizza time!

How to buy or make pumpkin puree

I have made pumpkin puree many times, and like a good melon, pumpkins vary in sweetness and flavor. For consistency, I highly recommend using pure canned, pureed pumpkin. No shame in my game. Zero. You can get excellent quality canned pumpkin. It is said that canned pumpkin sometimes has butternut squash or other flavors to balance out the puree. I’m okay with that; the touch of sweetness balances out the sauce perfectly.  But if you would like to make your pumpkin puree, check out my post here.

Ingredients 

• 8 ounces dry rigatoni pasta (you can also use Mezzi Rigatoni, Tortiglioni, or Paccheri that are large tubular pasta.)
• 2 tablespoons salted butter
• 1 tablespoon all-purpose flour
• 1 1/4 cup of half and half, warmed through
• 1 cup of freshly grated parmesan cheese (see note*)
• 1 cup of pure pumpkin puree, organic
• 1 cup of pasta water
• 1 teaspoon of fresh chopped rosemary
• 1/8-1/4 teaspoon ground white pepper
• 1/8 teaspoon granulated garlic powder
• 1/8 teaspoon ground nutmeg
• 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
• 4 ounces of fresh mozzarella cheese, torn into 1-inch-sized pieces (see note**)
• 3 ounces of shredded fontina cheese
• Freshly grated Parmesan cheese for baking and serving.
• 2-4 fresh sprigs of fresh Rosemary for garnish

NOTES: *I highly recommend freshly grated parmesan cheese. Why? Freshly grated cheese has more flavor and will elevate the taste of the sauce. Like all pre-grated cheeses, they lose some of their flavor when it’s pre-grated.

**Use fresh Mozzarella for this recipe. It’s creamier and adds the perfect texture and flavor to this Baked Rigatoni. Fresh Mozzarella is available at most grocery stores in the deli section of your favorite grocer.

Equipment

To use one less pan, I recommend using a stove-to-oven pan, either stainless steel or a shallow, enameled cast iron pan. If you don’t have this type of pan, make the sauce in a regular pan and bake the Rigatoni with Pumpkin Cream Sauce in an oven-safe 3 quart or 11×8 inch casserole dish.

How to make the pumpkin cream sauce

Preheat oven to 400F.

Cook rigatoni pasta according to the package directions, and ensure you cook it for the minimum time. Every brand has different cooking times. For example, if the package directions say 8-12 minutes, cook it for 8 minutes.

Reserve 1 cup of pasta water and drain the pasta. Set aside. 

Melt the butter in a shallow pan over medium heat. Add the flour to create a roux. Continue to stir for 1 minute, or until the flour is golden. Add warmed half and half, and stir until thickened.

Whisk in grated parmesan cheese into the sauce, a quarter cup at a time, until melted and smooth. Whisk in the pumpkin puree and 1/2 cup of pasta water. Finally, add fresh, finely chopped rosemary, granulated garlic powder, salt, pepper, and nutmeg powder and ensure it’s completely blended into the sauce. 

The consistency of the sauce should be similar to an Alfredo sauce. If the pumpkin parmesan sauce is too thick, add a tablespoon at a time of the remaining pasta water until it reaches the right consistency.

How to assemble the rigatoni in an oven safe pan

If you have made the pumpkin cream sauce in an oven-safe pan, add the drained, cooked pasta to the sauce. Mix in the torn pieces of fresh mozzarella cheese. Stir everything gently until combined. Top with shredded Fontina cheese and a sprinkle of grated Parmesan cheese. Garnish with fresh Rosemary sprigs.

How to assemble the rigatoni in a casserole dish

Add the drained, cooked pasta to the casserole dish. Next, add the pumpkin cream sauce. Mix in the torn pieces of fresh mozzarella cheese. Stir everything gently until combined. Top with shredded Fontina cheese and a sprinkle of grated Parmesan cheese. Garnish with fresh Rosemary sprigs.

Bake for 25 minutes uncovered until cheese is bubbly and slightly golden on top. This recipe yields four generous servings as a main course.

Serving suggestions

If you serve this for a crowd, start with The Ultimate Antipasto Platter to start out the dinner. This Baked Rigatoni with Pumpkin Cream Sauce is perfect with a Grilled Romaine and Radicchio Caesar Salad or Butter Lettuce Green Salad with a Balsamic Vinaigrette. Add some warm, crusty bread, and it’s a perfect dinner! (TIP: the recipe can be doubled or tripled on the recipe card for more servings)

Storing leftovers

If you have leftovers of this delicious pasta, place it in a container with an airtight lid. To warm the pasta, heat the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. Place the leftover pasta in an oven-safe baking dish and cover. Warm for about 30 minutes or so. Ensure the Baked Rigatoni with Pumpkin Cream Sauce is completely warmed through before enjoying it!

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All content and photographs ©Claudia’s Table and claudiastable.com

Baked Rigatoni with Pumpkin Cream Sauce

Ana Coronado | Claudia’s Table

October 9, 2024

Is there anything better than baked cheesy pasta with a fantastic gooey, melty cheese pull? Yes, there is. Enter this luscious, creamy, decadent Baked Rigatoni with Pumpkin Cream Sauce.

5 from 1 vote

Print Recipe Pin Recipe

Prep Time 25 minutes mins

Cook Time 25 minutes mins

Total Time 50 minutes mins

Course Dinner, Lunch

Cuisine American, Italian

Servings 4 servings

Calories 624 kcal

Equipment

• 1 oven-safe pan or enameled cast iron pan optional
• 1 pan 3 quart
• 1 baking casserole dish 3-4 quart
• 1 pot to boil pasta
• 1 grater cheese

Ingredients

  

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• 2 tablespoons butter salted
• 1 tablespoon all-purpose flour
• 1 cup freshly grated parmesan cheese see note*
• 1 1/4 cup half and half warmed through
• 1 cup pure pumpkin puree organic
• 1 teaspoon fresh chopped rosemary
• 1/8-1/4 teaspoon ground white pepper
• 1/8 teaspoon granulated garlic powder
• 1/8 teaspoon ground nutmeg
• 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
• 1 cup pasta water
• 8 ounces dry rigatoni pasta you can also use Mezzi Rigatoni, Tortiglioni, or Paccheri that are large tubular pasta.
• 4 ounces fresh mozzarella cheese torn into 1-inch-sized pieces (see note**)
• 3 ounces shredded fontina cheese
• 2-4 fresh sprigs of fresh Rosemary for garnish
• Freshly grated Parmesan cheese for baking and serving.

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Instructions

 

Baked Rigatoni with Pumpkin Cream Sauce

• Preheat oven to 400F.
• Cook rigatoni pasta according to the package directions, and ensure you cook it for the minimum time. Every brand has different cooking times. For example, if the package directions say 8-12 minutes, cook it for 8 minutes.
• Reserve 1 cup of pasta water and drain the pasta. Set aside.
• Using a shallow pan, over medium heat, melt the butter. Add the flour to create a roux. Continue to stir for 1-2 minutes or until the flour is golden. Add warmed half and half, and stir until thickened.
• Whisk in grated parmesan cheese into the sauce, a quarter cup at a time, until melted and smooth. Whisk in the pumpkin puree and 1/2 cup of pasta water. Finally, add fresh, finely chopped rosemary, granulated garlic powder, salt, pepper, and nutmeg powder and ensure it’s completely blended into the sauce.
• The consistency of the sauce should be similar to an Alfredo sauce. If the pumpkin parmesan sauce is too thick, add a tablespoon at a time of the remaining pasta water until it reaches the right consistency.

How to assemble the Rigatoni for baking

• How to assemble the rigatoni in an oven safe pan
• If you have made the pumpkin cream sauce in an oven-safe pan, add the drained, cooked pasta to the sauce. Mix in the torn pieces of fresh mozzarella cheese. Stir everything gently until combined. Top with shredded Fontina cheese and a sprinkle of grated Parmesan cheese. Garnish with fresh Rosemary sprigs.
• How to assemble the rigatoni in a casserole dish
• Add the drained, cooked pasta to the casserole dish. Next, add the pumpkin cream sauce. Mix in the torn pieces of fresh mozzarella cheese. Stir everything gently until combined. Top with shredded Fontina cheese and a sprinkle of grated Parmesan cheese. Garnish with fresh Rosemary sprigs.

Bake and serve

• Bake for 25 minutes uncovered until cheese is bubbly and slightly golden on top.
• This recipe yields four generous servings as a main course.

Notes

NOTES:

*I highly recommend freshly grating the parmesan cheese. Why? Freshly grated cheese has more flavor and will elevate the taste of the sauce. Like all cheeses, it loses its fullness of flavor when it’s already pre-grated.

**Use fresh Mozzarella for this recipe. It’s creamier and adds the perfect texture and flavor to this Baked Rigatoni.

Nutrition

Serving: 1.5cupsCalories: 624kcal

Nutritional information is calculated online and should be used as a guide.

Keyword Baked Rigatoni, pumpkin cream sauce, pumpkin sauce, rigatoni recipes, savory pumpkin recipes

All content and photographs ©Claudia’s Table and claudiastable.com

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