Pumpkin puree is combined with savory ingredients to create a creamy autumn-inspired sauce. Served with cheese tortellini and Italian meatballs, this dish is warm, delicious, and the perfect addition to your fall menu.
Looking for a new way to use that extra half-can of pumpkin puree? Want to incorporate a seasonal element to your menu without more dessert? Well I’ve got you covered with this recipe! This Pumpkin Crème Tortellini is warm, hearty, a little spicy, and the perfect addition to your weeknight menu.
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Feel the Fall Warmth With This Autumn-Inspired Dish
Since we’re well into the ‘-ber’ months, it seems like everything is pumpkin-spice centric. And while I do love the pumpkin rolls, pumpkin spice lattes, pumpkin muffins, pumpkin cookies, pumpkin anything- I just can’t spend the entire last quarter of the year eating desserts all day.
This pasta dish incorporates those delicious fall flavors without all the added sugar or the stomach ache that follows.
Key Ingredients in this Pumpkin-Centric Dish
- Pumpkin Puree– This one seems like a no-brainer, I know. The pumpkin in this dish is light in flavor and enhanced by the spices well. It’s also full of fiber and other micronutrients, and I can’t think of a better way to enjoy them.
- Yellow Onion & Garlic– These ingredients do a lot for the sauce, adding lots of savory flavor often found in similar dishes. The moisture found in the onion is also helpful for deglazing your pan after cooking the meatballs.
- Heavy Whipping Cream– This is the ingredient that pulls everything together. The creamy element to the sauce is absolutely imperative for the rich flavors to really shine.
- Cheese Tortellini– You can absolutely use different flavors of Tortellini, but additional flavors may take away from the star of the show- the sauce.
- Italian Meatballs– I buy mine at Aldi, but you can absolutely make your own. If I were to make my own, I would definitely make sure to include traditional Italian seasonings, as they play a big role in the flavor profile of this dish.
How To Make Tortellini and Meatballs in Pumpkin Crème Sauce
If you’ve ever made a vodka sauce, the process for this recipe is very similar. If you haven’t that okay. It’s unbelievably simple.
To start this recipe, you’ll need to cook your tortellini to the package instructions. I recommend cooking them a little al dente, as they tend to fall apart a bit if you overcook them. Reserve some pasta water, but you can go ahead and drain them.
In a large pan over medium heat, warm your avocado oil and place your meatballs in the hot pan to begin browning. Once they’ve started to brown on one side, flip them in the pan and cover while they cook a bit longer. We aren’t looking for thorough doneness, but you want them ‘almost-done’. This should take about 10 minutes.
Once your meatballs are almost ready, remove them from the pan and set them aside. Don’t worry about any brown bits left in the pan. They’ll be used.
To your hot pan, add the butter, grated onion, and garlic. Cook these until they’re fragrant and soft. You can scrape and brown bits from the pan as you sauté the onions. the added moisture will loosen them.
Next, add your broth and pumpkin puree. Give it a good whisk to combine and add seasonings and cream to the mixture. Whisk in the reserved pasta water before allowing to simmer for 10 minutes. This will finish cooking the meatballs and allow the sauce to thicken.
If you have a larger pan than me, you can add your tortellini to the sauce and give it a good toss. I had to do mine the opposite way, but either works just fine.
Plate up your pasta and top with 2-3 meatballs per person. Grate some fresh parmesan on top, and enjoy!
I personally like a smaller portion of pasta alongside a large spring mix salad with homemade dressing.
If you love this recipe as much as we do, be sure to leave a review here and pin the recipe to your favorite Pinterest board! Let me know what you think in the comments. I’d love to know what you think.
Autumn-Inspired Tortellini and Meatballs
Ingredients
- 20 oz Cheese Tortellini Cooked to package directions
- 12 Italian Meatballs store-bought or homemade
- 2 Tbsp Avocado Oil
- 2 Tbsp Salted Butter
- 3 Cloves Garlic Minced
- 1 Small Yellow Onion Grated or finely diced
- 1 Cup Pumpkin Puree
- 1 Cup Vegetable Broth
- ½ tsp Ground Cinnamon
- ½ tsp Red Pepper Flakes
- Salt & Pepper to taste
- ½ Cup Heavy Whipping Cream
- Grated Parmesan Cheese for topping
Instructions
- Begin by cooking your tortellini to package instructions- reserving 1/2 Cup of the pasta water.
- While the pasta cooks, heat the avocado oil over medium heat in a large pan and place the meatballs in the oil to brown, turning a few times to ensure even browning. When the meatballs are almost cooked through, remove them from the pan and set aside.
- Add the butter to the remaining oil and sauté the onion and garlic until fragrant. Add the broth, pumpkin puree, and seasonings; whisk to thoroughly combine.
- Whisk in the heavy cream and reserved pasta water and return the meatballs to the sauce. Allow to simmer 5 minutes covered and uncovered until desired sauce consistency.
- Combine the sauce and meatballs with the tortellini. Top each serving with grated parmesan cheese.
Notes
- I recommend cooking your pasta according to the ‘al dente’ time on your package instructions. This will help your tortellini hold up when mixed with the sauce.
- You can sub the heavy cream for Half ‘n’ half or a dairy-free alternative if needed.
- This dish really is best with meatballs, but you can sub it for ground Italian sausage if that’s what you have.
- Feel free to increase or decrease the amount of red pepper flakes to your spice-level preference. The Italian Meatballs I buy do have a bit of spice already, so adjust accordingly.
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