Cheesy Pumpkin Ricotta Pasta Bake

Pumpkin ricotta pasta on white plate with side salad and fork.

4.81 from 21 votes

Cheesy Pumpkin Ricotta Pasta Bake

This rich and creamy Pumpkin Ricotta Pasta Bake is a cozy baked dish with pumpkin, ricotta, spinach and rounded out with a touch of oregano. Takes minutes to prep and can easily be prepped ahead of time. Great comfort food for a warm, fall family dinner.

Prep Time10

Cook Time30

Total Time40

Course: Main Course

Cuisine: American

Servings:

Calories: 447kcal

Author: Lorie Yarro

Ingredients

8 oz. rigatoni or short pasta
2 c fresh baby spinach
1 egg, beaten
1 c pumpkin purée
1 c ricotta cheese
1 ½ c shredded mozzarella
½ c parmesan cheese
½ c heavy cream half and half or milk will work
⅓ c vegetable broth
1 shallot, diced very small
2 - 3 garlic cloves, minced
1 tsp oregano
¼ teaspoon crushed red pepper
½ teaspoon black pepper
½ teaspoon sea salt
Pinch of nutmeg

Instructions

Preheat oven to 375°F.
Cook pasta according to box directions.
While pasta is cooking, add ricotta, egg, 1 cup of the mozzarella, parmesan, broth, cream and pumpkin to a medium bowl and stir until smooth and creamy. If it is thicker than desired, you can thin it out slightly with more cream or broth.
Add in shallot, garlic and spices and stir to combine.
When pasta is cooked, drain and then toss with the spinach to wilt.
Add pasta to the pumpkin ricotta mixture and stir well to coat all of the rotini. Pour into a small to medium greased casserole dish or a 9x9 greased pan and bake for about 15 minutes or until slight bubbling.
Sprinkle with the rest of the mozzarella and bake another 5-10 minutes or until cheese is melted.
Cool for several minutes before serving. Store in the refrigerator in an airtight container for about 5 days.

Notes

You can prepare this entire dish a day in advanced and bake just prior to serving. The flavors will be even stronger from sitting for 24 hours. I recommend tossing the pasta once before placing in the oven.
For extra browned cheese on top, broil the last few minutes. Shift the oven to broil in high for several minutes to melt the cheese and add a level of crispiness to it.
Feel free to add some Italian sausage or another meat into the pasta as well. We love adding it, but only do from time to time because this pumpkin ricotta pasta bake is already really hearty.

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