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Creamy Pumpkin Sauce

October 29, 2015

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Enjoy pumpkin beyond dessert with this creamy, yogurt-based pumpkin sauce, a delicious coating for ravioli or your favorite pasta.

creamy yogurt-based pumpkin sauce

This post was originally sponsored by Chobani as part of an ongoing partnership. I was compensated for my time, but as always all opinions are my own. This page contains affiliate links. See below for full disclosure statement.

Pumpkin is everywhere in the fall. Pumpkin bread, pumpkin pie, pumpkin pancakes, pumpkin spice lattes, even pumpkin oatmeal has become popular. But what about using pumpkin in savory dishes? After all, pumpkin is a vegetable, so why should it be relegated to dessert?

I have seen some savory pumpkin dishes like pumpkin soup and roasted pumpkin, but I decided to put pumpkin to the test in another way – pumpkin sauce.

This recipe originally came about a few years ago when I was doing some recipe development for Chobani. I used their pumpkin spice yogurt to make this pumpkin sauce, but as I mention in the recipe notes below, if you can’t find that flavor yogurt, you can easily make this recipe without it. You’ll just need to make sure you have nutmeg, cinnamon, cloves, and ginger on hand. Those warming fall spices add so much flavor to this sauce.

Yogurt, pumpkin, and spices come together in this creamy fall-friendly sauce.

Fresh vs Canned Pumpkin

If you search Google for pumpkin recipes you will find some made with fresh pumpkin, but most people, myself included, use canned pumpkin when making anything pumpkin related. Canned pumpkin is just so much easier than working with a whole giant fresh pumpkin. Plus, generally speaking, the majority of recipes that use pumpkin call for pumpkin puree, so why go to all that extra work of roasting, scooping, and pureeing, when it’s already done for you?!

One thing to be careful of when buying canned pumpkin, is to make sure you are getting 100% pure pumpkin, NOT pumpkin pie filling. The former should only have pumpkin listed in the ingredients, whereas the latter will have sugar and spices as well. This is especially important when making savory pumpkin recipes like this pumpkin sauce.

Making Creamy Pumpkin Sauce

This pumpkin sauce recipe comes together really quickly and easily, making it a perfect weeknight dinner (especially pre-trick or treating on Halloween!). You simply sauté shallots and garlic, add your herbs and spices, and then whisk in yogurt and canned pumpkin puree. I served this creamy yogurt-based pumpkin sauce with frozen ravioli (Trader Joe’s has some fun flavor varieties like ricotta & lemon zest, porcini mushroom & truffle, and of course the traditional spinach & ricotta ravioli), but you can serve it with whatever pasta you prefer. Personally I would recommend choosing a whole wheat or bean-based pasta to get a fiber and protein boost, but one nice thing about this sauce being made with yogurt is that it is a good source of vegetarian protein.

Now here’s the recipe!

creamy gluten-free vegetarian pumpkin sauce is delicious on pasta or ravioli

Enjoy pumpkin beyond dessert with this creamy, yogurt-based pumpkin sauce, a delicious coating for ravioli or your favorite pasta.

Creamy Pumpkin Sauce

Yield: 6
Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cook Time: 15 minutes
Total Time: 25 minutes

Yogurt, pumpkin, and spices come together in this creamy, protein-rich, fall-friendly pumpkin sauce. Top your favorite packaged ravioli or pasta with this easy to make sauce.

Ingredients

  • 1/2 tablespoon olive oil
  • 1/2 cup minced shallot
  • 2 cloves garlic,, minced
  • 4 teaspoons chopped sage, , & more for garnish
  • 1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
  • 1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
  • 1/4 teaspoon ground ginger
  • 1 5.3-ounce container Chobani® Pumpkin & Spice Greek Yogurt*, (see notes)
  • 1 5.3-ounce container Chobani® Non-Fat Plain Greek Yogurt
  • 1 1/4 cup canned 100% pure pumpkin, (not pumpkin pie filling)
  • 3/4 teaspoon Kosher salt
  • Freshly ground pepper, , to taste

Instructions

  1. Heat olive oil in a large sauté pan. Add shallots and garlic; sauté 2 minutes. Add sage, nutmeg, cinnamon, and ginger; stir to combine with shallots and garlic, about 30 seconds until fragrant.
  2. Reduce heat to medium-low. Whisk in yogurts and canned pumpkin. Season with salt and pepper and continue to whisk until smooth and heated through.
  3. Serve over your favorite pasta or ravioli and garnish with freshly chopped sage.

Notes

Nutrition Facts (4 oz serving of sauce):
76 calories, 6 g protein, 10 g carbohydrate, 3 g fiber, 6 g sugar, 2 g total fat, 0.5 g saturated fat, 2.5 mg cholesterol, 266 mg sodium

* If you can't find Pumpkin & Spice yogurt, use plain Greek yogurt and add a combination of ground cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger, and cloves, to your taste.

Nutrition Information:
Yield: 6 Serving Size: 6 Servings
Amount Per Serving: Calories: 76

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gluten-free, vegetarian creamy yogurt-based pumpkin sauce is delicious on ravioli and pasta. An easy weeknight meal.

Have you ever made savory recipes with pumpkin?

Share with me in the comments below and let me know if you try this pumpkin sauce!
Disclosure: This page contains affiliate links. If you purchase products through these links, your cost will be the same but I will receive a small commission to help with operating costs of this blog.

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    1. Thanks Natalie! The lack of protein in pasta dishes is what usually keeps me from making them for dinner too – i never feel satisfied enough. Definitely not the case with this one!

  1. Yum! What a creative recipe using yogurt, I love this Jessica! Second, I have to agree I believe me and your little one who bites the lollipops would be a terrible duo, I do the same thing! I totally think when I have kids I will be the same way in my thinking, but until then, I can make this for Mr.CEO and give him a yogurt to much on before the festivities begin, right?!

    1. Thanks so much Liz! Haha about the lollipops – drives me crazy! She eats everything so fast. Hope you and Mr. CEO have a fun – and yogurt-filled 😉 – Halloween!

    1. Thanks Emily! One of my favorite treats when I was little were blow pops, so that’s what I often buy to hand out and I came to realize as an RD that it served an extra purpose 😉

  2. Those spices and sage paired with pumpkin — classically delicious! Can’t wait to pair them all with yogurt for a hearty autumn pasta meal. Thanks, Jessica!

  3. I made the mistake of not only buying candy earlier this week but also putting it in the bowl for the trick-or-treaters already. Needless to say, I need to head back to the store to supplement what my husband and I “sampled.” 😉 I love these tips and am excited to try this recipe!

    1. oh no! I’ve done that so many times and have finally had the willpower not to do it! Hope you give the recipe a try and love it! Happy Halloween!

    1. Thanks Liv! This year I bought fun size Crunch bars. We don’t get a lot of trick or treaters in my neighborhood, so i cut back. Usually i get some sort of chocolate fun size and Blow pops!

  4. I love how simple and festive this recipe is Jessica! I also love the lollipop trick. Except Joey seems to drool all over my hardwood floor when he eats one lol. Hope you and your family had a happy, healthy halloween!

    1. Thanks so much Katie! I hope you give it a try! If it makes you feel better I didn’t really let the girls have lollipops until they were 3 or close to it – too much of a mess and sticky hair is the worst! Hope you had a great Halloween!

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