Name: Creamy Pumpkin Burrata Baked Ziti (The Spooky 40-Minute Halloween Pasta Bake)
Prep time: 15 min
Cook time: 25 min
Total time: 40 min
Yield: 6 servings
Cuisine: Italian
Ingredients: 12 oz (340 g) ziti pasta (about 3 1/2 cups dry); 1 can (15 oz / 425 g) pumpkin puree (NOT pumpkin pie filling); 1 cup (240 ml) heavy cream; 1 1/2 cups (170 g) whole-milk ricotta; 2 cups (200 g) shredded low-moisture mozzarella, divided; 1/2 cup (50 g) grated Parmesan, plus more for serving; 3 cloves garlic, minced; 2 tbsp olive oil; 6-8 fresh sage leaves; 1/2 tsp ground nutmeg; 1/2 tsp red pepper flakes; 1 tsp kosher salt, plus more for pasta water; 1/2 tsp freshly cracked black pepper; 2 balls (about 4 oz / 110 g each) fresh burrata

Home / Halloween Recipes / Creamy Pumpkin Burrata Baked Ziti

Prep: 15 min | Cook: 25 min | Total: 40 min | Serves: 6

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This creamy pumpkin burrata baked ziti is the ultimate Halloween pasta bake: tube pasta folded through a silky pumpkin-cream sauce, blanketed in molten mozzarella, and finished with whole burrata balls that melt into every bite. Ready in 40 minutes, it feeds 6 — and it tastes like fall decided to throw a dinner party.

Pumpkin season deserves better than another pie. This baked ziti takes the creamiest pumpkin sauce you’ve ever tasted — ricotta, heavy cream, a whisper of nutmeg and red pepper flakes — and bakes it until the mozzarella goes golden and bubbly. The burrata crowns it all: tear it over the hot pasta and watch it slump into the sauce like edible velvet. It’s the kind of October dinner that silences a table, then starts the “when are you making this again?” conversation. If baked-pasta nights are your love language, our creamy pumpkin mac and cheese is the cozy Halloween dinner that started it all — and the swamp-green pesto pasta broke our Halloween traffic record.

Creamy pumpkin burrata baked ziti with molten mozzarella

Ingredients for creamy pumpkin burrata baked ziti

What You Need

12 oz (340 g) ziti pasta (about 3 1/2 cups dry)
1 can (15 oz / 425 g) pumpkin puree (NOT pumpkin pie filling)
1 cup (240 ml) heavy cream
1 1/2 cups (170 g) whole-milk ricotta
2 cups (200 g) shredded low-moisture mozzarella, divided
1/2 cup (50 g) grated Parmesan, plus more for serving
3 cloves garlic, minced
2 tbsp olive oil
6-8 fresh sage leaves
1/2 tsp ground nutmeg
1/2 tsp red pepper flakes
1 tsp kosher salt, plus more for pasta water
1/2 tsp freshly cracked black pepper
2 balls (about 4 oz / 110 g each) fresh burrata

Cooking the silky pumpkin cream sauce for baked ziti

Recipe Steps

Heat the oven to 400°F (200°C). Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil and cook the ziti 1 minute shy of the package directions. Drain, reserving 1/2 cup of the starchy pasta water.
Meanwhile, warm the olive oil in a large oven-safe skillet or Dutch oven over medium heat. Fry the sage leaves until crisp, about 1 minute; lift them onto a paper towel. Add the garlic and cook 30 seconds until fragrant.
Stir in the pumpkin puree, heavy cream, nutmeg, red pepper flakes, salt, and black pepper. Simmer 3 minutes, stirring, until the sauce is silky and slightly thickened.
Off the heat, fold in the ricotta, 1 cup of the mozzarella, and the Parmesan. Splash in reserved pasta water a little at a time until the sauce coats a spoon like heavy cream.
Toss the drained ziti through the sauce until every tube is coated. Spread evenly in a 9×13-inch baking dish (or bake right in the skillet). Scatter the remaining 1 cup mozzarella over the top and bake 15-18 minutes, until bubbling and deeply golden at the edges.
Rest 5 minutes — this lets the sauce set so it slices instead of slides. Tear the burrata balls over the hot pasta, scatter the crispy sage, and shower with extra Parmesan. Serve immediately.

Baked pumpkin ziti with golden bubbly mozzarella

Tips & Variations

Make it ahead: assemble the whole dish (unbaked) up to 24 hours ahead, cover and refrigerate, then add 5-8 minutes to the bake time.
Pumpkin puree vs. pie filling: puree only. Pie filling is pre-sweetened and spiced — it will turn this savory bake into dessert.
Burrata timing matters: tear it over the pasta right before serving so it stays creamy, not rubbery. Cold burrata straight from the fridge dulls the flavor — let it sit 15 minutes at room temp first.
Swap it up: no ziti? Penne, rigatoni, or mezze maniche all work. For a spicier Halloween kick, double the red pepper flakes and add a pinch of smoked paprika.

Estimated nutrition per serving: ~560 cal | protein 24g | carbs 68g | fat 22g.

Serving creamy pumpkin burrata baked ziti

Frequently Asked Questions

How long does pumpkin burrata baked ziti take?

40 minutes total: 15 minutes of prep, 25 minutes in the oven. The sauce comes together while the pasta boils, so there’s almost no dead time.

Can I make this Halloween pasta bake ahead of time?

Yes. Assemble it fully (without the burrata), cover, and refrigerate up to 24 hours. Bake straight from the fridge, adding 5-8 minutes, then crown with fresh burrata.

Can I use pumpkin pie filling instead of pumpkin puree?

No — pie filling is sweetened and pre-spiced for dessert. You need plain 100% pumpkin puree for this savory bake.

What does burrata add to baked ziti?

Burrata melts into the hot pasta into pockets of pure creaminess that shredded mozzarella can’t match. It’s the luxury finish that makes this dish taste restaurant-made.