Dinner

Creamy Pumpkin Pasta with Sage

by 2 min read
Creamy Pumpkin Pasta with Sage (AI-generated illustration)
Recipe

Creamy Pumpkin Pasta with Sage

Short pasta meets a silky pumpkin sauce with garlic, sage, and Parmesan. Reserved pasta water helps the sauce coat the noodles without becoming heavy.

10 minPrep
20 minCook
30 minTotal
4 servingsServes

Ingredients

  • 12 oz (340 g) short pasta, such as rigatoni or penne
  • 2 tbsp unsalted butter
  • 1 small shallot, finely diced
  • 2 garlic cloves, minced
  • 1 tbsp finely chopped fresh sage
  • 1 cup (240 g) plain pumpkin purée, not pumpkin pie filling
  • 1/2 cup (120 ml) heavy cream
  • 1/2 cup (120 ml) low-sodium vegetable broth
  • 1/2 cup (40 g) finely grated Parmesan, plus more to serve
  • 1/4 tsp ground nutmeg
  • 1/4 tsp fine salt, plus more to taste and for pasta water
  • 1/4 tsp ground black pepper
  • 1 cup (240 ml) reserved pasta cooking water, used as needed

Instructions

  1. Bring a large pot of water to a boil and salt it. Cook pasta according to the package until al dente. Before draining, reserve 1 cup cooking water.
  2. While pasta cooks, melt butter in a large skillet over medium-low heat. Add shallot and cook for 3–4 minutes until soft, without browning.
  3. Add garlic and sage and stir for 30 seconds. Stir in pumpkin, cream, broth, nutmeg, salt, and pepper.
  4. Bring to a gentle simmer and cook for 4–5 minutes, stirring. Reduce the heat if the sauce splashes or catches on the bottom.
  5. Add drained pasta and 1/4 cup reserved cooking water. Toss over low heat for 1 minute.
  6. Remove the skillet from the heat and stir in Parmesan. Add more reserved water, a little at a time, until the sauce coats the pasta smoothly. Taste and adjust salt and pepper.
  7. Serve immediately with additional Parmesan if desired.

Short pasta meets a silky pumpkin sauce with garlic, sage, and Parmesan. Reserved pasta water helps the sauce coat the noodles without becoming heavy.

Use plain pumpkin purée

The can should contain pumpkin without added sugar or pie spices. Pumpkin pie filling changes both sweetness and seasoning, so it is not a substitute. Homemade purée is fine if smooth and fairly thick; simmer a watery purée briefly before adding the cream.

Keep the sauce loose

Pumpkin sauce thickens as it sits, and pasta absorbs moisture after draining. Reserve cooking water before pouring the pot into a colander. Add it gradually while tossing, then stop when the sauce looks slightly looser than you want on the plate.

Add the cheese off the heat

Finely grated Parmesan melts more evenly than coarse shreds. Remove the pan from the heat before stirring it in, and avoid boiling afterward. If the sauce looks grainy, add a splash of warm pasta water and stir gently rather than increasing the heat.

Can I use dried sage?

Use 1 tsp dried rubbed sage in place of the fresh sage, then adjust to taste. Add it with the garlic. Dried sage is more concentrated, so a full tablespoon can overpower the pumpkin.

Serving and leftovers

Serve with a green salad or roasted vegetables. Refrigerate leftovers promptly in a covered shallow container and use within 3 days. Reheat gently with a splash of water to loosen the sauce; keep stirring so it heats evenly.

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Recipe image: AI-generated illustration, not a photograph of a tested preparation.

Editorial note: RecipeLeaf has not independently kitchen-tested this recipe. Preparation times and yield are estimates. The featured image is an AI-generated illustration, not a photograph of a tested preparation.

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