This Pasta with Pumpkin Cream Sauce is my kind of fall comfort food! Pasta swimming in a creamy, pumpkin flavored sauce with Italian sausage and fresh herbs!
It’s time for all the pumpkin things! Be sure to check out our Creamy Sausage Pumpkin Soup and these super delish Pumpkin Glazed Cocktail Meatballs!
Why We Love This Sausage Pumpkin Pasta
So like we said, it’s pumpkin season and people are tagging their PSL all over the place. This Sausage Pumpkin Pasta is right up there with all the fun fall vibes.
- Cozy fall flavors: The creamy pumpkin sauce with savory sausage makes every bite warm and comforting.
- Easy weeknight dinner: Made with simple ingredients and ready in about 30 minutes.
- Family-friendly: Even picky eaters love this creamy pasta with mild sausage and rigatoni.
How To Make Pumpkin Pasta
Just a few steps and this pumpkin pasta is ready to serve. For full instructions, head to the recipe card at the end of the post.
- Brown the sausage in a large skillet, breaking up into small pieces as it cooks. Add the onion to the pan and cook for 4-5 minutes until soft. Add the garlic and cook for a minute more. Pour in the chicken broth and add the pumpkin, nutmeg, salt and pepper. Stir to combine and let simmer for 5 minutes.
- Pour the cream into the skillet along with chopped fresh sage and stir to combine.
- Add cooked pasta and stir to combine with the sauce. Cook over low heat for 2-3 minutes, stirring occasionally until the pasta absorbs some of the sauce.
Don’t Want The Sausage?
If you’re looking to keep this pumpkin pasta vegetarian, you can omit the sausage from the recipe. While the sausage does add a nice flavor to this pasta dish, it’ll be delicious without it as well.
Just start the recipe with a little olive oil in the skillet, then cook down the onions and garlic and continue on with the recipe instructions.
Variations
Instead of Italian sausage, you can also add regular pork sausage. Or try a different protein like ground beef or pork, or even shredded chicken. If you’re using cooked, shredded chicken, stir it into the skillet at the end when you add the pasta.
Like we mentioned above, you can also omit the meat for a vegetarian pasta recipe. You can try adding peas, spinach, chopped asparagus or other vegetables options if you like.
Can I Make This Pasta Dish Ahead Of Time?
Like most pasta recipes, this pumpkin pasta is best made and served fresh. After sitting in the refrigerator, the pasta soaks up some of the sauce so it won’t be as creamy.
However, we made this recipe with a lot of sauce, so it will still be saucy enough upon reheating. Leftovers really are very delicious, we eat them until they’re gone.
If the sauce is too thick for you, add a splash of cream or chicken broth before reheating. When it’s warmed up again, stir the pasta to combine the sauce again.
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Sausage Pumpkin Pasta Recipe
- Prep Time: 5 minutes
- Cook Time: 25 minutes
- Total Time: 30 minutes
- Yield: 6 servings 1x
Print Recipe
Pin RecipeThis creamy Sausage Pumpkin Pasta with rigatoni is the ultimate cozy fall dinner! Easy to make, hearty, and perfect for the whole family.
Ingredients
- 1 pound Italian sausage
- 1/2 cup onion, diced
- 1 tablespoon garlic, minced
- 2 cups chicken broth
- 1 cup canned pumpkin puree
- 1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- Fresh black pepper to taste
- 1/2 cup heavy cream
- 1 pound penne or rigatoni pasta
- 1 tablespoon sage leaves, sliced into thin strips
Instructions
- Cook the pasta in a large pot of boiling water according to the package directions. Drain and set aside.
- Brown the sausage in a large skillet, breaking up with into small pieces. Add the onion to the pan and cook for 4-5 minutes until soft. Add the garlic and cook for a minute more.
- Slowly pour in the chicken broth while scraping up the bottom of the pan, then add the pumpkin, nutmeg, salt and pepper. Bring the sauce to a simmer and let cook uncovered for 5 minutes to thicken. Pour in the cream, add the fresh sage and stir to combine.
- Add the cooked pasta to the skillet and toss to combine with the sauce. Let the pasta cook in the sauce for 2-3 minutes so that the pasta absorbs some of the sauce.
- Serve with more sage for garnish if desired.
Recipe Notes
Store: Store leftover pasta in an air tight container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days.
Reheat: Reheat the pasta in the microwave until warmed through. If the sauce is too thick, add a splash of chicken broth or cream and stir to bring the sauce back together.
- Category: Dinner
- Method: Stove Top
- Cuisine: American
