Find out how the unexpected addition of pumpkin to your next batch of tomato sauce will make it the best sauce you made yet!
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Several years ago I developed a pumpkin pasta sauce recipe for this blog. It's a wonderful sauce with fresh pumpkin, chicken stock, milk, Parmesan, and sage.
But then I had people asking for a pumpkin spaghetti sauce.
Well you certainly could put that sauce onto spaghetti, it wouldn't have been my top choice of pasta for it.
However what I think people were asking for is a tomato based sauce, maybe containing ground meat, with pumpkin added to it.
Sounds like a great idea. And being the last of my fresh tomatoes are ripening up at the same time pumpkins are coming into season, the timing couldn't be better.
β Why Add Pumpkin?
Here are some reasons why you need to try it in your sauce
- Adds fiber
- Adds sweetness
- Produces a creamier tasting sauce
Tomatoes themselves contain fiber but why not a little more?
What I really like about adding the pumpkin is that it's sweet. It helps to balance out the acidity of the tomatoes, especially if the tomatoes being used are highly acidic.
Something I had not though of before I tried it is that the pumpkin actually makes the sauce taste creamier without adding any type of dairy. A huge victory in my mind - not that I don't like dairy, but it's great for those that don't eat any.
? Roasting Pumpkin
I have talked about roasting pumpkins before on this blog. but I though why not give a refresher (and if case you haven't hard me talk about it).
I start out by choosing a pie pumpkin from the store or better yet farmer's market. In September and especially October they are easy to find. My favorite pumpkin for roasting is the Long Island Cheese.
Slice open the pumpkin carefully as not to cut yourself. Make sure it's stable. Cut into 4 equal as you can get them pieces.
? PRO TIP - If the pumpkin is not stable on the board, cut a little bit off the bottom so it doesn't move around too much.
Scoop out the seeds. You can save them and roast them later.
A good ice cream scoop is actually a great tool for removing pumpkin seeds.
Place your quartered pumpkins on a sheet pan.
Temperature - Roast at 400 degrees for 30-40 minutes or until a fork goes through the pumpkin easily. It's kind of like checking if a baked potato is done.
Once removed carefully pierce with a fork to allow steam to escape. Cool, then puree with an immersion blender, a regular blender, a food processor, or smash with a potato masher. You want to try and get it as smooth as you can that's why it's been if you use a small machine instead of the potato masher - unless you have really strong hands!
β How Much to Use?
The great thing about this recipe is that it's tailored made for whatever amount of tomato or pumpkin you have.
Use a 4:1 ration of tomato to pumpkin
You can use a kitchen scale to weight out how much tomato you have, then weigh out the appropriate amount of pumpkin or vice versa.
? Tomato Sauce
I made this with my homemade tomato sauce that I made from tomatoes that I grew in my garden. Here is how I did it.
- Cut them in half
- Place in a stock pot with a little bit of water
- Put over medium heat
- Stir every so often, making sure you hit the bottom
- When it appeared to be thicken, removed from the heat
- Blended it smooth with an immersion blender
- Season to taste
The time the sauce takes depends so much on the type of tomato. I really encourage you to make your own sauce for this recipe, even if it comes from canned tomatoes - which I think are a better option in the winter, especially if they are San Marzano.
? PRO TIP - Use a Roma or San Marzano type of tomato. Beef steak tomatoes are more watery which means they will take longer to cook and will yield last sauce.
? More Savory Pumpkin Recipes
Pumpkin Spaghetti Sauce
Ingredients
- 4 cups tomato sauce homemade if you can
- 1 cup fresh pumpkin puree
- 1 lb ground beef and/or pork optional if you want meat
- kosher salt to taste
- dried herbs to taste
- freshly ground black pepper to taste
Instructions
How to roast a pumpkin
- Preheat your oven to 400 degrees
- If you can first remove the step of the pumpkin. Then cut it into quarters.
- Season the flesh with kosher salt to taste.
- Place your pumpkin on a sheet pan with the flesh side down.
- Roast for 30-40 minutes or until you can pierce through the skin with a fork (just like with a potato)
Making the sauce
- Combine 4 cups of tomato sauce with 1 cup of pumpkin puree into a pan.
- Bring to a boil, remove from the heat.
- Season with salt, pepper, and dried herbs to taste.
- Serve with your favorite spaghetti or other pasta.
- Add cooked ground meat if you want.
Notes
Keep the Ratio
You can increase or decrease the amount of sauce this recipe makes by keeping the 4:1 ratio - 4 parts tomato sauce to 1 part pumpkinMake Your Own Tomato Sauce
If you are going to make this recipe with homemade tomato sauce here is how I do it:- Cut the tomatoes in half
- Place in a stock pot with a little bit of water, so they don't burn on the bottom
- Put over medium heat, reduce to a gentle boil
- Stir every so often
- When it appeared to be thicken, removed from the heat
- Blended it smooth with an immersion blender
- Season to taste
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