This Creamy Pumpkin Pasta recipe is aromatherapy in a skillet! Pumpkin, parmesan, and fresh sage mingle with warm spices to make this savory, comforting vegetarian main dish. Easy to make; ready in under 30 minutes.
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Fall can be the most hectic season of the year. I still remember the year four of our girls played on four different soccer teams. That was also the year we had five kids in five different schools - preschool to college. Add the holiday season into the mix and it can make even the most stalwart parent want to drive out into the country and turn the stereo up to eleven.
During those years, I was always grateful for recipes like this one - that go together fast, require only minimal effort, and are easy on the budget.
This easy pumpkin pasta sauce recipe makes a delectable, aromatic fall weeknight dinner that everyone will enjoy. It's especially perfect as a night-before or night-after Thanksgiving meal; when the pies are baked, energy is low, and you just happen to have a cup of leftover pumpkin puree.
Sage & Pumpkin Pasta Ingredients
- Oil: Use any neutral cooking oil (e.g., olive, avocado, canola, etc.)
- Butter: We recommend using real, salted butter for this pasta recipe.
- Garlic: Use fresh garlic cloves, minced.
- Fresh sage: Sage is an easy-to-grow, evergreen herb in our part of the world, and can be harvested into late autumn or even early winter. You will need 20-25 medium-size sage leaves.
- Dairy: For best results, use half & half or whole milk.
- Pumpkin puree: Use canned or homemade pumpkin puree. (If you are using canned, be sure to use pumpkin puree and not pumpkin pie filling.)
- Spices: The easiest way to make this recipe is using pumpkin pie spice.
- Orange zest: The oils in the orange zest highlight and enhance the pumpkin flavors.
- Dried red pepper flakes
- Kosher salt
- Pepper: We like to use white pepper for this recipe.
- Parmesan: Use a good quality parmesan (and avoid the green box if at all possible).
- Pasta: Linguini is our pasta of choice for this pumpkin pasta sauce, but it is by no means the only choice.
See recipe card for quantities.
How to Make this Easy Pumpkin Pasta Sauce Recipe
Cook pasta al dente, according to package directions. Drain, but do not rinse, the cooked pasta.
Reserve 2 cups of the pasta water in a separate container. Set both pasta and reserve pasta water aside.
Cut almost all of the sage into thin ribbons (i.e., chiffonade it), reserving a few whole leaves for garnish. Set aside.
Melt butter and oil together in a large, heavy skillet over medium-low heat. Add the garlic and half of the sage ribbons. Sauté for 1 minutes, just until they become fragrant.
Increase the heat to medium, and whisk in the half and half, pumpkin puree, pumpkin pie spice, zest, pepper, salt, and chili flakes.
Cook, stirring constantly, until the mixture begins to thicken.
Reduce the heat low, and whisk in ½ cup Parmesan. The pumpkin mixture will thicken and become creamy.
Add the cooked pasta noodles along with a half a cup of the pasta water.
Using tongs, toss the pasta in the sauce until it is thoroughly coated. Add more pasta water if needed.
The pumpkin and pasta will thicken together over time, so keep some of the reserve pasta water until you are ready to serve the pasta, in case it needs to be thinned further.
Serve garnished with remaining Parmesan, sage ribbons, and whole sage leaves.
Substitutions & Additions
- Garlic: If you're out of fresh garlic, substitute half a teaspoon of garlic powder or granulated garlic.
- Dairy: For a rich, luxurious texture, use whipping cream in place of the half & half. This recipe can also be made using alternative milks: we tested it with an almond-coconut blend with excellent results.
- Pumpkin puree: You can use also butternut squash puree.
- Spices: No pumpkin pie spice? No worries! Substitute ½ teaspoon cinnamon, plus ⅛ teaspoon each ginger and nutmeg.
- Orange zest: For an entirely different flavor, sub in lemon zest for orange zest.
- Dried red pepper flakes: Use cayenne.
- Parmesan: Instead, you can also use grated Romano or Asiago, or any combination of the three cheeses.
- Pasta: Use 8 ounces (dry) of whatever pasta you like! Fettecini, penne, angel hair, spaghetti, and even ravioli are all great choices.
Variations
Nutty Pumpkin Pasta: Nuts make a delicious addition to this recipe, adding texture and flavor and enhancing the nutty flavors of the pumpkin. Simply throw a handful of chopped nuts in after you toss the pasta with the sauce.
Nuts that pair particularly well with pumpkin sauce include pine nuts, walnuts, hazelnuts, pecans, and of course, pepitas.
Add some protein! Chicken breast meat goes perfectly with the pumpkin sauce!
Basil-Pumpkin Pasta: Make this easy variation by trading out the sage in this recipe for fresh basil, then proceed with the recipe directions as written.
Here are a few more Pumpkin Pasta variations I found that look particularly tasty:
Equipment
The skillet you use can have a big impact on the outcome of this pumpkin pasta recipe. We recommend using a heavy enameled cast iron or non-stick skillet, or an electric skillet. (A regular cast iron skillet will also work, but you will need to be careful not to scorch the pumpkin sauce.) Avoid using light-weight, aluminum skillets.
Storage
Refrigerator: Stored in an air-tight container, leftover pumpkin pasta will keep in the fridge for up to 5 days.
Reheat: Reheat in the microwave, or in a shallow saucepan over medium-low. Add a little milk or water to thin as needed.
Top Tip
Reserve that pasta water! The starch in the water helps to thicken and bind the sauce to the pasta, and adds flavor in the process. (If you forget to save it, you can always use chicken or vegetable stock.) Be sure to save a little in the fridge for using when you reheat leftover pasta, too.
More Autumn Recipes
Love the flavors of fall? Here are a few of our favorite pumpkin-forward recipes:
- Triple Ginger Pumpkin Pie
- Peachy Pumpkin Smoothie
- Pumpkin Butter
- Old-fashioned Pumpkin Gingerbread
- Pumpkin Spice Sourdough Scones
Check out our collection of creative recipes using pumpkin puree for more ideas.
If you love the flavor of butternut squash, be sure to check our recipes for Roasted Butternut with Bacon & Leeks, and Curried Butternut Soup.
Serving & Pairing
Pumpkin pasta can be served as a main dish or as a hearty side. We usually enjoy it as simple meal, with a seasonal salad and a slice of crusty bread on the side. It also pairs well with Brussels sprouts, kale salad, and roasted squashes.
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Creamy Pumpkin Pasta with Parmesan & Fresh Sage
Equipment
- 1 Stock Pot
- 1 heavy skillet
- 1 Tongs
Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 tablespoon butter
- 2 cloves garlic
- 1 bunch fresh sage leaves 20-25 medium-size leaves
- 1 cup half & half or whole milk
- 1 cup pumpkin puree not pumpkin pie filling
- ¾ teaspoon pumpkin pie spice
- ½ teaspoon fresh orange zest
- ½ teaspoon red pepper flakes
- ½ teaspoon white pepper
- ½ teaspoon kosher salt
- ¾ cup finely shredded Parmesan or Asiago, Romano; divided
- ½ box dry linguini or 8 oz. pasta of choice
Instructions
- Cook pasta al dente, according to package directions. Drain, but do not rinse, the cooked pasta.Reserve 2 cups of the pasta water in a separate container. Set both pasta and reserve pasta water aside.
- Cut almost all of the sage into thin ribbons (i.e., chiffonade it), reserving a few whole leaves for garnish. Set aside.
- Melt butter and oil together in a large, heavy skillet over medium-low heat. Add the garlic and half of the sage ribbons. Sauté for 1 minutes, just until they become fragrant.Increase the heat to medium, and whisk in the half and half, pumpkin puree, pumpkin pie spice, zest, pepper, salt, and chili flakes.Cook, stirring constantly, until the mixture begins to thicken.
- Reduce the heat low, and whisk in ½ cup Parmesan. The pumpkin mixture will thicken and become creamy.
- Add the cooked pasta noodles along with a half a cup of the pasta water.
- Using tongs, toss the pasta in the sauce until it is thoroughly coated. Add more pasta water if needed.The pumpkin and pasta will thicken together over time, so keep some of the reserve pasta water until you are ready to serve the pasta, in case it needs to be thinned further.
- Serve garnished with remaining Parmesan, sage ribbons, and whole sage leaves.
Notes
Variations
Nutty Pumpkin Pasta: Nuts make a delicious addition to this recipe, adding texture and flavor and enhancing the nutty flavors of the pumpkin. Simply throw a handful of chopped nuts in after you toss the pasta in the sauce. Nuts that pair particularly well with pumpkin sauce include pine nuts, walnuts, hazelnuts, pecans, and of course, pepitas. Add some protein! Chicken breast meat goes perfectly with the pumpkin sauce! Basil-Pumpkin Pasta: Make this easy variation by trading out the sage in this recipe for fresh basil, then proceed with the recipe directions as written.Storage
Refrigerator: Stored in an air-tight container, leftover pumpkin pasta will keep in the fridge for up to 5 days. Reheat: Reheat in the microwave, or in a shallow saucepan over medium-low. Add a little milk or water to thin as needed.Nutrition
This website provides approximate nutrition information for convenience and as a courtesy only. You are solely responsible for ensuring that any nutritional information provided is accurate, complete, and useful.
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Shelby says
This pumpkin pasta is so delicious! It's the perfect recipe for Fall and I love the extra nutrition the pumpkin offers!
Jill says
Wonderful fall meal. The orange zest was such a great addition to this pumpkin pasta. Thank you for the recipe!
Renée B. says
Orange complements the pumpkin so well!
Shadi Hasanzade says
Love comforting and easy meals like this pumpkin pasta for cold fall nights! The flavors are just perfect!
Brandi says
This flavor combination was so good! As a pasta lover I would definitely make this again.
Nathan says
This is my new favorite fall pasta dish! The sage pairs perfectly with the rich pumpkin and makes this so comforting and filling. Thanks for sharing!