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Creamy Fall Harvest Pasta with Sausage & Pumpkin Sauce

creamy fall harvest pasta with sausage and pumpkin sauce - featured image
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A quick and comforting pasta dish featuring savory Italian sausage and a velvety pumpkin cream sauce, perfect for cozy fall evenings. Ready in 35 minutes with pantry-friendly ingredients.

Ingredients

Scale
  • 1 pound pasta (penne, rigatoni, or fettuccine)
  • 1 pound Italian sausage (mild or spicy, casings removed)
  • 2 tablespoons olive oil
  • 1 cup pumpkin puree (not pumpkin pie filling)
  • 1 small onion, finely diced (about 1 cup)
  • 4 cloves garlic, minced
  • 1 cup heavy cream
  • 1/2 cup chicken broth (low-sodium)
  • 1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese (freshly grated)
  • 1 teaspoon dried sage (or 1 tablespoon fresh sage, chopped)
  • 1/2 teaspoon nutmeg (freshly grated if possible)
  • Salt and black pepper to taste
  • Fresh parsley, chopped (for garnish)
  • Extra Parmesan (for garnish)
  • Pinch of red pepper flakes (optional, for garnish)

Instructions

  1. Fill a large pot with water, add a generous tablespoon of salt, and bring to a rolling boil.
  2. Heat 1 tablespoon olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add crumbled Italian sausage and cook, breaking it up, until browned and cooked through (6-8 minutes). Transfer sausage to a plate with a slotted spoon, leaving about 1 tablespoon drippings in the pan.
  3. Reduce heat to medium, add remaining 1 tablespoon olive oil to the same pan. Add diced onion and cook 4-5 minutes until soft and translucent. Add minced garlic and cook 30 seconds until fragrant.
  4. Pour in chicken broth and scrape up browned bits from the pan bottom. Let simmer 1 minute. Whisk in pumpkin puree, heavy cream, dried sage, and nutmeg until smooth.
  5. Bring sauce to a gentle simmer and cook 5-7 minutes, stirring occasionally, until thickened enough to coat the back of a spoon. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
  6. Cook pasta in boiling water according to package directions until al dente. Reserve 1 cup pasta water before draining.
  7. Add cooked pasta and browned sausage to the skillet with pumpkin sauce. Toss to coat, adding reserved pasta water a splash at a time if sauce is too thick.
  8. Remove from heat, stir in grated Parmesan cheese until melted. Serve immediately topped with fresh parsley, extra Parmesan, and red pepper flakes if desired.

Notes

Don’t skip browning the sausage properly for depth of flavor. Use room temperature cream and Parmesan for smoother sauce. Reserve more pasta water than you think you’ll need. Taste as you go for seasoning. The sauce can be made up to 3 days ahead; cook fresh pasta when serving. Leftovers keep in the fridge for up to 4 days; reheat with a splash of milk or broth. Freezes well for up to 3 months.

Nutrition

Keywords: creamy fall harvest pasta, pumpkin pasta, sausage pasta, fall pasta recipe, pumpkin sauce pasta, easy weeknight dinner, comfort food

Find it online: https://twirltaste.com/creamy-fall-harvest-pasta-with-sausage-and-pumpkin-sauce/