This creamy high protein pumpkin pasta is packed with savory fall flavor and comes together quickly for an easy, nourishing weeknight dinner!

This high protein pumpkin pasta wraps tender pasta in a silky pumpkin sauce loaded with garlic, Parmesan, sage, and blended cottage cheese, giving you all that rich fall flavor without requiring heavy cream or an evening spent washing every pan you own!

Ingredients

• 12 ounces protein-enriched short pasta
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 1 small shallot, finely chopped
• 3 large garlic cloves, finely minced
• 1 tablespoon finely chopped fresh sage
• 1 cup pure pumpkin puree
• 1½ cups 2% or 4% cottage cheese
• ¾ cup low-sodium vegetable or chicken broth
• ½ cup finely grated Parmesan cheese, plus more for serving
• ½ teaspoon smoked paprika
• ¼ teaspoon ground nutmeg
• ¼ teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
• ½ teaspoon kosher salt, plus more for pasta water
• ½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
• 1 teaspoon fresh lemon juice
• ¾ to 1 cup reserved pasta water

Optional garnish: Chopped parsley, toasted pumpkin seeds, extra Parmesan, sage leaves, or more red pepper flakes.

Servings: 4 generous servings

How to Make High Protein Pumpkin Pasta

Bring a large pot of water to a full rolling boil over high heat. Once bubbles are moving rapidly across its entire surface, stir in enough salt to make water taste pleasantly seasoned, usually about 1 tablespoon of kosher salt for 4 quarts of water.

Add pasta, stir immediately so pieces do not settle into one determined clump, and cook for one minute less than package instructions.

Pasta should be flexible and mostly tender but still have a small, firm center when you bite it, because it will finish cooking in sauce.

Before draining, carefully scoop out at least 1 cup of cloudy pasta water and place it beside your stove.

Do not rely on remembering at the last second, because pasta water has a remarkable talent for disappearing down a drain precisely when you need it!

Drain pasta without rinsing it.nRinsing removes surface starch that helps creamy pumpkin sauce cling properly.

While pasta cooks, heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add chopped shallot with a small pinch of salt and cook for 4 to 5 minutes, stirring occasionally, until pieces look soft and translucent with lightly golden edges.

If shallot begins browning quickly or making sharp sizzling noises, reduce heat to medium-low. You want gentle sweetness here, not crisp onion.

Add garlic and sage, then stir for 30 to 45 seconds. Stop as soon as garlic smells fragrant and loses its raw edge.

It should remain pale or only barely golden, since dark brown garlic will add bitterness that even Parmesan cannot politely hide.

Stir in pumpkin puree, smoked paprika, nutmeg, red pepper flakes, black pepper, and ½ teaspoon kosher salt. Cook over medium-low heat for 2 to 3 minutes, stirring frequently.

Pumpkin will darken slightly, become glossy, and begin leaving a thin film across skillet bottom. Don’t skip this step! Briefly cooking pumpkin removes its straight-from-the-can flavor and gives spices time to become fragrant.

Transfer pumpkin mixture to a blender, then add cottage cheese and broth. Blend for 45 to 60 seconds, pausing to scrape down sides if needed, until sauce looks completely smooth and no visible cottage cheese curds remain.

If your blender is not designed for hot ingredients, allow pumpkin mixture to cool for several minutes first, remove any vent cap according to manufacturer instructions, and cover opening loosely with a folded kitchen towel.

An immersion blender in a tall container also works.

Pour blended sauce back into skillet and set heat to low. Stir in Parmesan a little at a time, allowing each addition to melt before adding more.

Keep sauce warm and steaming, ideally around 160°F to 170°F, but do not let it reach a hard boil. Too much heat can make dairy separate or turn Parmesan grainy.

Add drained pasta and ½ cup reserved pasta water. Toss continuously over low heat for 2 to 3 minutes, making sure sauce reaches inside every tube, curl, and pocket.

At first, sauce may look slightly loose, but it will thicken as pasta absorbs moisture and starch brings everything together.

If it becomes thick enough to sit heavily in clumps, add more pasta water 2 tablespoons at a time.

Finished sauce should move slowly across skillet when tilted and leave every piece glossy rather than watery.

Remove skillet from heat and stir in lemon juice. Taste carefully, paying attention to salt, sharpness, and heat.

If flavor seems muted, add a pinch of salt before adding more Parmesan. If pumpkin tastes a little sweet, add another ½ teaspoon lemon juice or a few red pepper flakes.

If sauce is too thick, loosen it with one final splash of warm pasta water.

Let pasta rest for 2 minutes before serving. This short pause gives sauce time to settle around pasta instead of collecting at bowl bottom.

Spoon it into warm bowls and finish with Parmesan, black pepper, and any garnishes you enjoy. Serve immediately while sauce is glossy and creamy!

Serving Suggestions

Serve this pasta with something fresh, crisp, or green to balance its creamy texture.

• Add a simple arugula salad dressed with lemon juice and olive oil.
• Serve with roasted broccoli, Brussels sprouts, or green beans.
• Top each bowl with toasted pumpkin seeds for extra crunch.
• Add sautéed mushrooms for a more savory fall dinner.
• Stir baby spinach into sauce during its final minute of cooking.
• Pair it with garlic bread if you are less concerned about protein and more concerned about having an excellent evening.
• Add sliced grilled chicken if you want an even higher-protein meal.

Easy Ingredient Substitutions

• No cottage cheese: Use 1½ cups plain Greek yogurt, but remove skillet from heat before stirring it in to prevent curdling. Greek yogurt will taste tangier.
• No fresh sage: Substitute 1 teaspoon dried sage or 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning.
• No shallot: Use ⅓ cup finely chopped yellow onion.
• No Parmesan: Pecorino Romano works, but it is saltier, so reduce added salt.
• Gluten-free option: Use a gluten-free chickpea, lentil, or protein-enriched pasta and follow its package timing carefully.
• More heat: Increase red pepper flakes or finish each bowl with chili oil.
• Thinner sauce: Add extra broth or reserved pasta water, one spoonful at a time.
• Thicker sauce: Let pasta sit off heat for 2 to 3 minutes before serving.

Creamy, savory, garlicky, and speckled with herbs, this high protein pumpkin pasta proves that pumpkin deserves far more than a once-a-year appearance in pie!

Hungry for more feel-good meals? Explore these 21 Anti-Inflammatory Breakfast Recipes for a nourishing start and 10 Anti-Inflammatory Dinner Recipes for delicious evenings that make healthy eating easy!