5-Ingredient Easy 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.
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.