This delicious pumpkin pasta recipe uses a whole can of pumpkin to make the easiest pumpkin pasta sauce with fresh sage, cream (or milk!), and parmesan for an incredibly flavorful and luscious sauce. Serve it over pasta for a cozy and nourishing dinner this fall or winter! About 25 minutes from start to finish.
Vegetables (like pumpkin!) seamlessly woven into a creamy, cheesy cozy sauce all over some noodles (with crevices to cradle said sauce) is exactly what we need on cooler fall and winter days. As far as sauces go, the combination of fresh sage, pumpkin, and parmesan is winner if your goals are comfort, warmth, and hugs in bowls (Hi.). Not to mention, this whole pumpkin sage pasta meal comes together in less than 30 minutes, making it perfect for an effortless weeknight option. Let's make some!
Oh, and after you make this recipe, you're definitely going to want to try my thick and creamy Thai-style butternut squash soup.
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Ingredients
- Pasta - Any kind you like will work! I love using a pasta with crevices for holding the pumpkin sauce. Pictured here is orecchiette, which are named for their small "ear" shape that holds sauce. I also love using rigatoni, fusilli, or cavatappi. The pasta from Delallo is some of my favorite for its quality and flavor!
- Pasta water - Not pictured above as I hadn't made the pasta quite yet, but you'll need to reserve your pasta water when you boil it. I recommend setting a 1-cup measuring cup next to the stove so you don't forget.
- Butter
- Shallot
- Garlic
- Fresh sage
- Salt
- Pepper
- Pumpkin - Using a whole can of pumpkin purée makes this such an easy recipe! No need to save a little bit of pumpkin, and no need to roast a whole pumpkin (though I'm sure that would be delicious).
- Milk or cream
- Parmesan
Side note, if you do come across a recipe that doesn't use a full can of pumpkin, and you have some leftovers to use, definitely give these pumpkin overnight oats a try.
Please see recipe card for full quantities.
Substitutions & Variations
If you don't have some ingredients or are looking to make dietary adjustments, feel free to reference the below list for adjustments.
- Gluten free - Use a certified gluten free pasta. I love the gluten free pasta options from Jovial Foods and also the brown rice pasta from Trader Joe's.
- Vegan - Use olive oil or vegan butter instead of dairy-based butter, replace cream with full fat coconut milk, and omit the parmesan cheese. The starchy pasta water will be important here as it adds saltiness and helps make the sauce creamy. Feel free to top with a vegan cashew parmesan for a cheesy flavor!
- Protein - Add some cooked and sliced chicken sausage for a delicious protein boost. If you're up for a little effort or have some leftover, you could also toss in some warmed up weeknight Spanish-style chicken meatballs or turkey meatballs without breadcrumbs.
- Greens - Add a handful of chopped fresh spinach or kale to the pumpkin pasta sauce and give it a few minutes to cook down while you stir.
- Toppings - I love topping this pumpkin pasta recipe with pepitas, but you could also add some breadcrumbs (or crushed up homemade whole wheat croutons or sourdough croutons), chopped walnuts, more chopped sage, freshly cracked black pepper, and more parmesan.
How to Make Pumpkin Pasta
Step 1: Get your pasta started by bringing a medium-large pot of salted water to a rolling boil. Add pasta and cook until al dente. I like to reference the recommended time on the packaging and test a piece a minute earlier to see how close it is to all dente (usually takes 8-10 minutes total). Don't forget to scoop out 1 cup of pasta water and set aside, then drain the rest of your pasta.
Step 2: Melt the butter in a medium-large skillet over medium heat, swirling to let it coat the pan. Add in the diced shallot and sauté for 3-4 minutes (still over medium heat or slightly lower if butter seems to be browning quickly), stirring occasionally, until softened. Stir in garlic and sage, and sauté for 1-2 more minutes until fragrant.
Step 3: Add in the pumpkin, milk or cream, pasta water, salt, and pepper. It'll look separated at first, but continually stir with spoon or whisk to combine everything together while the sauce heats up and starts to gently bubble. Add in parmesan and stir until completely melted and smooth.
Step 4: You're ready to serve! Either toss pasta directly into the sauce in the skillet, or dish up pasta individually and spoon sauce over the top. Sprinkle with more freshly cracked black pepper, parmesan, and pepitas if desired (I love the color and crunch!).
Pro Tips for the Best Pasta Results
- Salt that pasta water. Adding salt to your pasta cooking water is SO important for better-tasting pasta, and especially since we're using some of the starchy pasta water in our sauce, we're relying on that providing saltiness as well.
- Don't forget the pasta water. On that note, the starchy pasta water is key to making a successfully creamy pumpkin pasta sauce, so please don't forget it! I set a measuring cup or glass on the side of my boiling pasta as a visual reminder to scoop out some starchy water before draining the pasta.
- Pay close attention while sautéing aromatics. Butter can brown and burn quickly, and while brown butter is delicious, burned butter is not. So while you're sautéing the shallot, garlic, and sage, stay near your spot on the stove and mindfully stir the ingredients. Watch as they sizzle and smell as they get more fragrant -- you'll be able to see them as the break down and soften, and once that garlic and sage is getting fragrant, it's time to get ready for the next sauce ingredients!
- Measure sauce ingredients in advance. The sauce goes very quickly, so I like to have everything measured out and next to me, ready for pouring into the pan.
Pumpkin Pasta FAQs
I don't recommend freezing this pumpkin pasta recipe, as the texture of the sauce changes once thawed.
Place cooled pasta in an airtight container in the fridge for up to five days. If you dished your pasta and sauce individually (vs. toss everything together while the sauce was still warm), I recommend storing the pasta and sauce separately as well. When you're ready to reheat, warm up the noodles and sauce separately in the microwave (or stovetop for the sauce, if desired), and toss together to serve.
Besides pasta, this pumpkin sage sauce tastes delicious with other warms grains such as farro or wild rice. As for meats, it also goes well with Italian sausage (either ground sausage or pre-cooked chicken or pork sausages) or meatballs. For veggies, try adding some fresh spinach or kale for some delicious greens. Of course dunking some garlic bread in this sauce tastes incredible!
📖 Recipe
Comforting Pumpkin Pasta with Fresh Sage
- Total Time: 25 minutes
- Yield: 3 big or 4 smaller bowls 1x
Description
This delicious and creamy pumpkin pasta recipe comes together in 25 minutes and is a warm, comforting, and nourishing meal for fall or winter dinners!
Ingredients
- 8 ounces pasta of choice (half a standard 16-ounce package)
- 1 teaspoon salt + another ¼ teaspoon, divided
- 1 cup pasta water (reserved from boiling pasta)
- ¼ cup unsalted butter (½ stick)
- 1 shallot, diced very finely
- 2 cloves garlic, minced (I love using a microplane grater)
- ¼ cup fresh sage, very finely chopped
- ¼ teaspoon pepper
- ½ cup whole milk, cream, or half & half
- 1 15-ounce can pumpkin purée (not pumpkin pie filling!)
- ½ cup parmesan, freshly shredded
- Optional toppings: parmesan, pepitas, finely chopped sage, freshly cracked black pepper
Instructions
- Cook pasta. Fill a medium-large pot a little over halfway full with water (should cover the pasta) and add 1 teaspoon of salt. Bring to a rolling boil and add pasta and adjust heat down slightly. Review package instructions for recommended cooking time, and test a piece of pasta one minute before the recommended to see if it's al dente (cooked by slightly toothsome). One you test a piece that's all dente, scoop out 1 cup of the pasta water and set aside. Drain the pasta, rinse, then set aside while you make the sauce.
- Sauté aromatics. Melt butter in a skillet over medium-low heat. Add shallot and sauté for 3-4 minutes to soften, then add garlic and sage, and cook, stirring occasionally, for another 1-2 minutes or until fragrant. Pay attention to the garlic as it tends to burn quickly.
- Make the pumpkin sauce. Add pumpkin purée, cream, remaining ¼ teaspoons salt, pepper, and ¾ cup of the reserved pasta water to the skillet. Stir continually with a spoon or whisk to blend the sauce ingredients together while the sauce heats up. Once it's fully combined and starts to bubble gently, add in the parmesan and stir until completely melted and smooth.
- Sauce up your pasta and serve. Add the cooked pasta in with the sauce directly in the skillet and toss to coat, or dish pasta up individually and spoon pumpkin sauce over the top. Top with more parmesan, chopped sage, and pepitas for crunch, if desired.
Notes
- Parmesan. For melting cheese, I always recommend shredding the cheese fresh at home. Pre-shredded cheeses have anti-caking agents that yield a less smooth melt.
- Storage & freezing. Store leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 5 days, and reheat for a few minutes in the oven or microwave. I don't recommend freezing this pasta, as the texture doesn't hold up.
- Dairy-free. Instead of cream and cheese, add in 1 cup of full fat coconut milk to make a thick and creamy sauce.
- Prep Time: 5
- Cook Time: 20
- Category: Dinner
- Method: Stovetop
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 bowl
- Calories: 408
- Sugar: 7.4 g
- Sodium: 501.1 mg
- Fat: 16.7 g
- Carbohydrates: 55.8 g
- Fiber: 8.8 g
- Protein: 14.1 g
- Cholesterol: 39.2 mg
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