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Pumpkin Feta Pasta

Pumpkin feta pasta with oven-roasted pumpkin and golden feta tossed through rigatoni or penne for a creamy, tangy sauce. Roasting at 400°F softens the feta into a blendable sauce texture without heavy cream.
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Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 40 minutes
Total Time 50 minutes
Servings: 4 servings
Course: Main Dish
Cuisine: Mediterranean-American
Calories: 650
Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients
  

Pasta (rigatoni or penne)
  • 12 oz pasta (rigatoni or penne)
Pumpkin
  • 2 cup pumpkin puree or fresh pumpkin, cubed
Feta cheese
  • 8 oz block of feta cheese
Garlic
  • 4 cloves garlic, smashed
Olive oil
  • 1 tbsp olive oil Use for drizzling.
  • 5 tbsp olive oil Use for drizzling.
Red pepper flakes
  • 1 tbsp red pepper flakes For roasting and serving.
Dried thyme
  • 1 tsp dried thyme
Black pepper
  • 1 tsp black pepper For roasting.
Pasta cooking water
  • 1 cup pasta cooking water Reserve 1/2 cup after boiling.
Fresh basil
  • 1 fresh basil and extra red pepper flakes for serving
Salt
  • 1 salt to taste

Equipment

  • 1 sheet pan

Method
 

Roast pumpkin and feta
  1. Preheat the oven to 400°F. Place the pumpkin puree or cubed pumpkin in a baking dish and set the feta block in the center.
  2. Scatter the smashed garlic around the pumpkin. Drizzle olive oil over the pumpkin, feta, and garlic.
  3. Sprinkle red pepper flakes, dried thyme, and black pepper over everything. Roast for 35-40 minutes until the feta is golden and the pumpkin is soft, with a visible caramelized top on the feta.
Cook pasta and finish sauce
  1. Cook the pasta in salted water until al dente. Reserve 1/2 cup pasta cooking water before draining.
  2. Smash the roasted pumpkin and feta in the baking dish to form a creamy sauce. Add reserved pasta cooking water a splash at a time until it reaches your desired consistency.
  3. Toss the drained pasta into the sauce until well coated. Season with salt and mix until glossy and evenly combined.
  4. Top the pasta with fresh basil and extra red pepper flakes to serve. Finish with an even scatter so the surface looks speckled and fragrant.

Notes

For the creamiest texture, smash the roasted pumpkin while it’s hot and add pasta water gradually so the sauce turns smooth instead of grainy. Store leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days; reheat gently with a splash of water. Freezing is not recommended because feta can separate after thawing. If you want it lighter, use part-skim feta (or reduce the feta to 6 oz) and add an extra 2-3 tbsp pasta water to keep the sauce creamy.