Creamy Pumpkin Pasta gets a savory spin with Italian sausage, plenty of fresh sage and dry white wine. The sauce is rich and creamy without tasting sweet, with enough to generously coat every piece of pasta. It comes together in about 40 minutes and feels a little more special than your usual weeknight pasta.
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What Makes This Different
- Plenty of sage gives the sauce real fall flavor. A generous ⅓ cup means the fresh sage doesn't disappear behind the sausage and pumpkin.
- The pasta stays properly saucy. Twelve ounces of pasta gives you a generous sauce-to-pasta ratio, so every piece stays creamy and well coated.
- Pumpkin goes savory here. Italian sausage, dry white wine, sage and a little nutmeg balance the pumpkin without pushing it toward sweet.
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Ingredients & Substitutions
You don't need anything unusual to make this pumpkin pasta, but a few ingredients make a big difference in how the finished sauce tastes.
- Pasta: Use 12 ounces of a medium-shaped pasta. That amount keeps the sauce-to-pasta ratio nice and generous, so the finished pasta stays creamy.
- Italian sausage: Mild or hot both work. Use hot sausage if you want a little more kick, or mild for a more mellow version.
- Pumpkin puree: Be sure you're grabbing pure canned pumpkin, NOT pumpkin pie filling. Pumpkin pie filling is already sweetened and spiced. No pumpkin? You can seamlessly substitute butternut squash puree instead.
- Fresh sage: A full ⅓ cup may look like a lot, but that's what gives the sauce a noticeable sage flavor alongside the sausage and pumpkin.
- Dry white wine: Choose a dry wine rather than a sweet one. I've used Pinot Gris with good results. Prefer to cook without alcohol? Use the same amount of chicken stock instead.
- Chicken stock: It has a little richer flavor, but chicken broth can easily be subbed in for the stock.
- Heavy cream: Just ½ cup gives the pumpkin sauce its velvety texture. Half-and-half can also be used. Whole milk works, too, but the finished sauce won't be quite as creamy.
- Nutmeg: A small amount adds warmth and works especially well with the pumpkin and sage.
- Parmesan cheese: For serving. A little grated over the top adds a salty, savory finish to the sauce.
- Crushed red pepper flakes: Optional, but a pinch over the finished pasta adds a little heat that works especially well with the creamy sauce.
How to Make Pumpkin Pasta with Sausage
Cook the pasta according to package directions while you make the sauce, then drain and set aside.
Brown the sausage
Brown the Italian sausage in a large pot over medium heat. Add the garlic and onion and cook until softened.
Make the PUmpkin Sauce
Add the sage and white wine, then stir in the chicken stock, pumpkin and cream. Simmer until the sauce is slightly thickened but still a little loose as the pasta will absorb more once it's added.
Toss with the Pasta
Add the cooked pasta and toss until everything is well coated. Finish with Parmesan and crushed red pepper flakes, if you like.
Top Tip
Don't rush the wine. Let the white wine reduce by about half before adding the stock, pumpkin and cream. You want to cook off some of the liquid and concentrate the flavor before building the sauce.
Serving Suggestions
Because this pasta is rich and creamy, I like something crisp and fresh alongside it like this simple Arugula Salad with a zesty citrus dressing. Our Pear Salad with candied nuts and a maple vinaigrette is also a great fall pairing.
Make Ahead and Storage
Refrigerate the sauce in an airtight container and reheat it gently on the stove. Cooked pasta can be stored separately and tossed with a little olive oil to prevent sticking. Combine the two when reheating.
For the best texture, store the pumpkin sauce and pasta separately if you're making them ahead. Pasta left in the sauce will continue to absorb it and can become soft.
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Recipe
Creamy Pumpkin Pasta with Sausage & Sage
Equipment
Ingredients
- ¾ pound medium-shaped pasta
- 1 pound bulk Italian sausage, mild or hot
- 4 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 medium onion, chopped
- 1 bay leaf, dried
- ⅓ cup chopped fresh sage
- 1 cup dry white wine
- ¾ cup chicken stock
- 1 cup pumpkin puree
- ½ cup heavy cream
- ½ teaspoon ground nutmeg
- Salt and pepper
- Parmesan cheese, optional garnish
- Crushed red pepper flakes, optional garnish
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Instructions
- Cook pasta according to package directions. Drain and set aside.¾ pound medium-shaped pasta
- Meanwhile brown sausage in a large pot over medium heat. Add garlic and onion and cook for another 3 minutes or until onion is starting to soften.1 pound bulk Italian sausage, , 4 cloves garlic,, 1 medium onion,
- Add bay leaf, sage and wine to the pan. Reduce wine by half, about 10 minutes.1 bay leaf,, ⅓ cup chopped fresh sage, 1 cup dry white wine
- Stir in chicken stock, pumpkin and cream until thoroughly combined. Season with nutmeg and salt and pepper to taste. Simmer sauce for 5-10 minutes, until the sauce is slightly thickened and coats the back of a spoon. Keep the sauce a little loose, as the pasta will absorb more once added.¾ cup chicken stock, 1 cup pumpkin puree, ½ cup heavy cream, ½ teaspoon ground nutmeg, Salt and pepper
- Add cooked pasta to the sausage sauce and stir until heated through. Remove bay leaf.
- Top with Parmesan cheese and crushed red pepper flakes, if using, and serve warm.Parmesan cheese,, Crushed red pepper flakes,
Notes
- You'll find canned pumpkin puree in the baking aisle. Just be sure to grab the plain canned pumpkin and NOT pumpkin pie filling.
- Butternut squash puree can also be used instead of pumpkin puree.
- Half and half can be used instead of heavy cream. You can also use whole milk, but the sauce will not be as creamy.
- To make the recipe without alcohol, substitute an equal amount of chicken stock for the white wine and reduce as directed.
- To make it ahead, cook the pasta and sauce separately and refrigerate. Toss the cooked pasta with a light drizzle of olive oil to prevent sticking. Reheat the sauce, add the pasta and heat through just before serving.
- Add crushed red pepper flakes at the end if you want a little extra heat.
- This recipe was adapted from Food Network.
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Nutrition
Nutrition info not guaranteed to be accurate.
Bobby says
This was just okay. I was hoping for a more creamy sage sauce. It ended up being more like a dressed up hamburger helper. Not bad but not what I had envisioned.
Hi Bobby, thanks for sharing your thoughts. While we love this recipe, I know it can be a bummer to try something new and not have it end up the way you hoped. I hope you find another recipe with that sage-y sauce you're craving or tinker with this one and stop back to let us know what you did to make it your own!
Ashley says
Thank you so much for this! We had a Big can of pumpkin purée we had opened to give our pup (who had a tummy ache) and I had no idea what to do with the reset!
I used spicy italian turkey sausage, added asparagus and used about 4oz of herb goat cheese (in place of the heavy cream)... Holy Cow!!! So Deeeelish! Thanks again! 🙂
Loooove the goat cheese variation. Must try next time!!
Kathy says
Made this for dinner tonight and everyone loved it. Only thing I did differently was used shallots instead of onions. Delicious!!
Fantastic! So glad to hear you enjoyed it as much as we do!