5-Ingredient Pumpkin Alfredo Without Heavy Cream
This 5-ingredient pumpkin Alfredo is quick, easy, and made without heavy cream! It’s the perfect cozy fall dinner when you’re craving comfort food without the guilt.
⏰ TIME: 25 mins
🤑TOTAL COST: $5.39 ($1.35/serving)
🎃 5 INGREDIENTS
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Fall is all about comfort food, and there’s nothing more comforting than a bowl of creamy alfredo pasta on a cold fall night.
…BUT with a fall spin because we gotta have pumpkin flavored everything in October!
Today, I’m sharing this quick & easy pumpkin alfredo I whipped up the other night. It’s cheesy, creamy, and made with just 5 ingredients! It also makes pretty great leftovers for lunch the next day.
🍁 Looking for more easy fall dinner recipes? Here are 27 more easy 5-ingredient fall dinners!
My favorite part is that it’s made without heavy cream, so it’s healthier and lighter than the traditional alfredo. I also used high protein pasta for this recipe to amp up the protein without adding any meat.
Since this recipe uses a lot of pantry staples, it’s a very budget-friendly recipe that costs just $1.35 per serving!
If you’re looking for another 30-minute fall pasta, check out this 5-ingredient butternut squash ravioli with cream sauce. It’s super duper easy too!
🍂🍁 More 5-Ingredient Fall Recipes
- Butternut Squash Ravioli With Cream Sauce
- Creamy Soup Recipes
- Crockpot Dinners
- Crockpot Soups
- Fall Desserts
- Game Day Recipes
- Halloween Party Food Ideas
- Halloween Desserts
- High Protein Fall Dinners
- Thanksgiving & Holiday Side Dishes
- White Chicken Chili with Salsa Verde
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
🎃 This pumpkin alfredo pasta is:
- Made with just 5 ingredients
- Vegetarian
- Made without heavy cream
- Ready in under 30 minutes
- Meal prep-friendly
- Great for leftovers
Ingredients & Substitutions
- Pasta: I used my favorite Barilla Plus protein pasta, but you can really use any pasta you prefer. Long or short cut pasta both work in this recipe. I wouldn’t recommend whole wheat pasta since it can throw the flavor off.
- Pumpkin puree: Make sure to use 100% pumpkin puree, not pumpkin pie filling.
- Whole or 2% milk: I used 2% milk and it still turned out delicious, but you can use whole milk if you want the sauce to be little richer.
- Garlic: I used 4 cloves but you can use more or less, depending on your preference.
- Parmesan cheese: Freshly shredded or grated Parmesan cheese is always the best!
📌 OPTIONAL INGREDIENTS: If you want a little more flavor, you can add a pinch of nutmeg, red pepper flakes, or fresh parsley on top. You can also pair this pasta with meatballs or grilled chicken for extra protein.
Equipment You’ll Need
The following text may contain Amazon affiliate links. As an Amazon Associate, I earn a small commission from qualifying purchases made through links on this post at no additional cost to you.
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- Large pot – for boiling pasta. This large pasta pot with a built-in strainer makes cooking pasta super easy!
- Large deep skillet – you’ll make your sauce in this skillet, then add the pasta once the sauce is ready. You want to make sure your skillet is deep enough to hold everything. I love my T-fal saute pan for recipes like this.
How To Make the Pumpkin Alfredo
Storage Instructions
- Fridge: Store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.
- Freezer: I don’t recommend freezing since the sauce may separate and become grainy when thawed.
- Reheating: Add a splash of water or milk first, then microwave in 30-second intervals, stirring in between each interval. You can also reheat the pasta over the skillet if you have some extra time!
The Printable Recipe Card
5-Ingredient Easy Pumpkin Alfredo Without Heavy Cream
Equipment
- Large pot or saucepan
- Large deep skillet
Ingredients
- 8 oz pasta
- ¾ cup milk (whole milk or 2%)
- ½ cup pumpkin puree
- 4 garlic cloves (minced)
- ½ cup shredded Parmesan cheese
- 1 tbsp olive oil
- ⅛ tsp salt
- ⅛ tsp black pepper
Instructions
- Cook pasta according to the package directions. Reserve ½ cup of pasta water before draining.
- Heat the olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the minced garlic and cook for about 1-2 minutes until it's fragrant and light golden.
- Turn the heat to low and allow the skillet to cool a bit. (see notes)
- Add the milk to the skillet, then stir in the pumpkin puree. Cook over low heat for 2–3 minutes, stirring frequently, until the sauce is warmed through. Do not let it come to a boil.
- Add Parmesan cheese to the skillet, stirring constantly until it's melted. Season with salt and black pepper (I used ⅛ teaspoon of each).
- Add the drained pasta to the skillet and toss until evenly coated. (see notes for how to adjust the sauce if it's too thick or thin.)
- Serve and enjoy!
Notes
- Keep the skillet on low: After sauteing the garlic, make sure to turn down the heat to low and let the skillet cool down a bit. Adding milk to a very hot skillet can cause it to heat too fast and increase the risk of the sauce separating, especially when using 2% milk.
- Don’t let the sauce boil: Keep the heat on low and stir frequently while making the alfredo sauce in steps 4-6. Avoid bringing the sauce to a boil, since high heat can cause the sauce to separate.
- Forgot to reserve some pasta water? No worries! Just add some extra milk if needed to thin out the sauce.
- Sauce too thick? Stir in 1 tablespoon of reserved pasta water or milk at a time until you reach your desired consistency.
- Sauce too thin? Stir in more Parmesan cheese until you reach your desired consistency. If you’re making this pasta for meal prep or plan to have leftovers, keep in mind that the sauce will thicken as it cools.
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