12 Savory Pumpkin Dinner Recipes

Pumpkin isn't just for pie. These savory pumpkin dinners — creamy pastas, hearty chilis, cozy curries — bring fall flavor to the dinner table all season long.

Below you’ll find 12 reader-favorite recipes, each with a photo, ingredients, and step-by-step instructions. Save your favorites and enjoy!

1. Creamy Pumpkin Alfredo Pasta

Silky pumpkin alfredo clings to fettuccine with parmesan, sage, and a whisper of nutmeg.

Ingredients

• 12 oz fettuccine
• 2 tbsp butter
• 3 garlic cloves, minced
• 1 cup pumpkin puree
• 1 1/2 cups heavy cream
• 1 cup grated parmesan
• 1/2 tsp ground nutmeg
• 8 fresh sage leaves, crisped

Instructions

1. Cook the fettuccine in salted water until al dente; reserve 1 cup pasta water.
2. Melt butter and sauté garlic 1 minute until fragrant.
3. Whisk in pumpkin puree and heavy cream; simmer 3 minutes.
4. Stir in parmesan and nutmeg until smooth, thinning with pasta water as needed.
5. Toss with the fettuccine and top with crisped sage leaves.
6. Serve immediately with extra parmesan.

2. Pumpkin Chili with Ground Turkey

Hearty turkey chili with pumpkin puree for body, smoky chipotle, and black beans.

Ingredients

• 1 lb ground turkey
• 1 onion, diced
• 1 cup pumpkin puree
• 2 cans (15 oz) black beans, drained
• 1 can (14 oz) diced tomatoes
• 2 tbsp chili powder
• 1 tsp smoked paprika
• 1 chipotle in adobo, minced

Instructions

1. Brown the turkey with the onion in a large pot, breaking it up.
2. Stir in chili powder, paprika, and chipotle; cook 1 minute.
3. Add pumpkin, beans, and tomatoes with their juices.
4. Simmer 25 minutes, stirring occasionally.
5. Season with salt and serve with sour cream and cilantro.

3. Savory Pumpkin Risotto

Creamy arborio rice folded with roasted pumpkin, parmesan, and crispy sage.

Ingredients

• 1 1/2 cups arborio rice
• 2 cups roasted pumpkin cubes
• 1 shallot, minced
• 1/2 cup dry white wine
• 5 cups warm chicken broth
• 1/2 cup grated parmesan
• 3 tbsp butter
• Fresh sage, for topping

Instructions

1. Sauté the shallot in butter until soft; add rice and toast 2 minutes.
2. Pour in the wine and stir until absorbed.
3. Add warm broth one ladle at a time, stirring, until the rice is creamy and tender, about 22 minutes.
4. Fold in the roasted pumpkin and parmesan.
5. Rest 2 minutes; top with crispy sage and serve.

4. Pumpkin Mac and Cheese

The creamiest mac and cheese with pumpkin folded into the cheddar sauce — kid-approved comfort.

Ingredients

• 12 oz elbow macaroni
• 3 tbsp butter
• 3 tbsp flour
• 2 cups milk
• 1 cup pumpkin puree
• 3 cups shredded sharp cheddar
• 1/2 tsp mustard powder
• 1/2 cup panko breadcrumbs

Instructions

1. Cook the macaroni; drain.
2. Melt butter, whisk in flour, and cook 1 minute.
3. Whisk in milk and simmer until thickened.
4. Stir in pumpkin, cheddar, and mustard powder until melted.
5. Fold in the macaroni and top with panko.
6. Broil 2–3 minutes until golden and serve.

5. Pumpkin Curry with Chickpeas

Coconut pumpkin curry with chickpeas and spinach — weeknight-fast and deeply warming.

Ingredients

• 1 tbsp coconut oil
• 1 onion, diced
• 2 tbsp red curry paste
• 1 can (15 oz) pumpkin puree
• 1 can (13.5 oz) coconut milk
• 2 cans (15 oz) chickpeas, drained
• 3 cups baby spinach
• Cooked jasmine rice

Instructions

1. Sauté the onion in coconut oil until soft.
2. Stir in the curry paste and cook 1 minute.
3. Add pumpkin and coconut milk; whisk smooth.
4. Stir in the chickpeas and simmer 12 minutes.
5. Wilt in the spinach and serve over jasmine rice.

6. Pumpkin Lasagna Roll-Ups

Lasagna noodles rolled around ricotta-pumpkin filling and baked under marinara and mozzarella.

Ingredients

• 12 lasagna noodles
• 15 oz ricotta
• 1 cup pumpkin puree
• 1 egg
• 1 tsp Italian seasoning
• 2 cups marinara sauce
• 1 1/2 cups shredded mozzarella

Instructions

1. Cook the noodles; lay flat on parchment.
2. Mix ricotta, pumpkin, egg, and Italian seasoning.
3. Spread filling on each noodle and roll up.
4. Spread 1 cup marinara in a baking dish; arrange roll-ups seam-down.
5. Top with remaining marinara and mozzarella.
6. Bake at 375°F for 25 minutes until bubbly.

7. Pumpkin Shepherd's Pie

Savory beef and vegetable filling crowned with fluffy pumpkin mashed potatoes.

Ingredients

• 1 1/2 lb ground beef
• 1 onion, diced
• 2 carrots, diced
• 1 cup frozen peas
• 2 tbsp tomato paste
• 1 cup beef broth
• 2 lb russet potatoes
• 1 cup pumpkin puree
• 3 tbsp butter

Instructions

1. Brown the beef with onion and carrots; stir in tomato paste.
2. Add broth and peas; simmer 10 minutes until thickened.
3. Boil the potatoes until tender; mash with butter and pumpkin.
4. Spread the beef mixture in a baking dish; top with pumpkin mash.
5. Bake at 400°F for 20 minutes until the top is golden.
6. Rest 10 minutes before serving.

8. Pumpkin Enchiladas

Black bean and pumpkin enchiladas smothered in smoky red sauce and melted cheese.

Ingredients

• 8 flour tortillas
• 1 can (15 oz) pumpkin puree
• 1 can (15 oz) black beans, drained
• 1 tsp cumin
• 2 cups enchilada sauce
• 2 cups shredded Monterey Jack
• 1/4 cup chopped cilantro

Instructions

1. Preheat the oven to 375°F.
2. Mix pumpkin, beans, cumin, and 1 cup of the cheese.
3. Fill each tortilla, roll, and place seam-down in a baking dish.
4. Cover with enchilada sauce and remaining cheese.
5. Bake 22 minutes until bubbly.
6. Top with cilantro and serve.

9. Garlic Pumpkin Soup with Sausage

Roasted garlic pumpkin soup with crumbled Italian sausage — rustic and soul-warming.

Ingredients

• 1 head garlic, roasted
• 4 cups cubed pumpkin
• 1 lb Italian sausage
• 1 onion, chopped
• 4 cups chicken broth
• 1/2 cup heavy cream
• 1 tsp smoked paprika

Instructions

1. Brown the sausage in a pot; remove and set aside.
2. Sauté the onion and pumpkin in the drippings 8 minutes.
3. Add broth and simmer 20 minutes until the pumpkin is soft.
4. Blend with the roasted garlic until smooth.
5. Stir in cream, paprika, and sausage; heat through and serve.

10. Pumpkin Gnocchi with Brown Butter

Pillowy pumpkin gnocchi tossed in nutty brown butter with sage and parmesan.

Ingredients

• 1 lb potato gnocchi
• 1 cup pumpkin puree
• 6 tbsp butter
• 10 fresh sage leaves
• 1/2 cup grated parmesan
• 1/4 tsp nutmeg
• Salt and pepper

Instructions

1. Cook the gnocchi until they float; reserve 1/2 cup cooking water.
2. Melt butter until foamy and browned; add sage leaves and crisp 1 minute.
3. Whisk in pumpkin and nutmeg.
4. Toss in the gnocchi with a splash of cooking water.
5. Top with parmesan and serve immediately.

11. Pumpkin Quesadillas with Black Beans

Crispy quesadillas stuffed with spiced pumpkin, black beans, and gooey pepper jack.

Ingredients

• 4 large flour tortillas
• 1 cup pumpkin puree
• 1 can (15 oz) black beans, drained
• 2 cups shredded pepper jack
• 1 tsp chili powder
• 2 tbsp butter

Instructions

1. Mix pumpkin, beans, and chili powder.
2. Spread over half of each tortilla; top with cheese and fold.
3. Melt butter in a skillet over medium heat.
4. Cook each quesadilla 3 minutes per side until crisp and melted.
5. Cut into wedges and serve with salsa.

12. Pumpkin Stuffed Shells

Jumbo shells filled with pumpkin-ricotta mixture, baked in marinara under mozzarella.

Ingredients

• 20 jumbo pasta shells
• 15 oz ricotta
• 1 cup pumpkin puree
• 1/2 cup grated parmesan
• 1 egg
• 2 cups marinara sauce
• 1 cup shredded mozzarella

Instructions

1. Cook the shells; drain and cool slightly.
2. Mix ricotta, pumpkin, parmesan, and egg.
3. Spread 1 cup marinara in a baking dish.
4. Fill each shell and arrange in the dish.
5. Top with remaining marinara and mozzarella.
6. Bake at 375°F for 25 minutes until bubbly.