Description
Spaghetti and meatballs with a smooth pumpkin-tomato sauce blended with a touch of heavy cream — a natural fit for autumn and the holiday months, when a familiar dinner deserves a considered twist.
Ingredients
Units
- 1 can pumpkin puree
- 1 (28-ounce) can of Colativa Crushed Tomatoes
- 1 tablespoon heavy cream
- 1 package Colativa Whole Wheat Capellini
- 2 tablespoons Colativa Roasted Garlic Extra Virgin Olive Oil
- 1 white onion, chopped
- 1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
- 1/2 teaspoon dry Italian seasoning
- 1 pound raw Italian sausage meatballs
- Parmesan cheese, for topping
- Mozzarella cheese, shredded, for topping
Instructions
- In a blender, puree pumpkin, crushed tomatoes and heavy cream until smooth.
- Boil the capellini in a large pot until cooked to your liking (al dente or well done). Drain.
- Meanwhile, heat the olive oil in a high-rimmed skillet over medium heat. Add the onion, crushed red pepper and Italian seasoning and cook, stirring, for 5-7 minutes or until onion is translucent.
- Add the meatballs to the skillet and cook to sear the outsides, turning often, for 3 minutes or until outsides are browned.
- Pour pumpkin tomato puree into the skillet and increase the heat to medium-high to bring the mixture to a boil. Cook until meatballs are cooked through.
- Spoon meatball mixture over the pasta. Serve with parmesan and mozzarella on top.
Notes
- Blend the pumpkin, tomatoes, and cream together before cooking — this keeps the sauce fully smooth with no simmering or tending needed.
- Sear the meatballs in a high-rimmed skillet so the sauce doesn’t splash over the sides once it starts to bubble.
- Capellini cooks in just a few minutes — start it once the meatballs are searing so both finish together.
- Pumpkin pie filling is not a substitute for pumpkin puree; the added sugar and spices throw off the balance of the sauce.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 20 minutes
- Category: Main Course
- Cuisine: Italian-Inspired
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 serving
- Calories: 600
- Sugar: 10
- Sodium: 1200
- Fat: 25
- Carbohydrates: 70
- Fiber: 8
- Protein: 25