Creamy Pumpkin Sausage Pasta is a cozy, savory dinner with pumpkin, beef sausage, fresh sage, kale, and Parmesan. The silky pumpkin cream sauce comes together quickly and coats every piece of pasta beautifully.
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
This creamy pumpkin pasta balances savory beef sausage with earthy sage and smooth pumpkin purée. It is simple enough for a weeknight, comforting enough for cooler evenings, and family-friendly. The kale adds color and freshness without making the recipe complicated.
Ingredients
- 1 pound uncooked mezze rigatoni or similar pasta
- 1 pound ground Italian-style beef sausage, mild or hot
- 1 shallot, finely chopped
- 4 garlic cloves, minced
- 2 teaspoons finely chopped fresh sage leaves
- 1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
- 2/3 cup chicken broth
- 1 (15-ounce) can pumpkin purée
- 1/2 cup heavy cream
- 2 cups roughly chopped fresh kale, tough stems removed
- Fine sea salt, to taste
- Freshly ground black pepper, to taste
- Freshly grated Parmesan, for serving
Instructions
- Bring a large pot of generously salted water to a boil.
- Heat a large nonstick sauté pan over medium-high heat. Add the beef sausage and shallot. Cook, breaking the sausage into crumbles, until browned and cooked through.
- Add the garlic, sage, and crushed red pepper flakes. Cook for 2 minutes, stirring frequently.
- Add the pasta to the boiling water and cook until just al dente. Before draining, reserve 2 cups of the starchy pasta water.
- Pour the chicken broth into the sausage mixture and scrape up any browned bits from the bottom of the pan.
- Stir in the pumpkin purée, heavy cream, and kale until evenly combined. Turn off the heat.
- Combine the pasta and sauce with about 3/4 cup of reserved pasta water. Toss until the Creamy Pumpkin Sausage Pasta becomes smooth and glossy. Add more pasta water, 1/4 cup at a time, if necessary.
- Season with salt and freshly ground black pepper. Serve warm with freshly grated Parmesan.
Tips & Tricks
Use pure pumpkin purée rather than pumpkin pie filling. Cook the pasta just until al dente so it does not become too soft when tossed with the sauce.
For an especially silky pumpkin cream sauce, add the reserved pasta water gradually. Spinach can replace kale, and vegetable broth can replace chicken broth.
For extra heat, increase the crushed red pepper flakes. If your Italian-style beef sausage is already spicy, you can reduce or omit them.
Details
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 25 minutes
- Total Time: 35 minutes
- Yield: 6 servings
- Category: Main Course
- Method: Stovetop
- Cuisine: Italian-inspired
- Difficulty: Easy
- Dietary Notes: Halal-friendly when made with halal-certified beef sausage, broth, and Parmesan
Notes
Serve this pumpkin pasta with sausage alongside a simple green salad, roasted vegetables, or garlic bread.
For a lighter sauce, replace part of the heavy cream with additional broth. Baby spinach is also an easy substitute for kale.
Nutrition
Approximate nutrition per serving:
- Calories: 620
- Protein: 25 g
- Carbohydrates: 69 g
- Fat: 27 g
Nutrition will vary depending on the pasta, beef sausage, cream, and Parmesan used.
FAQ
Can I make Creamy Pumpkin Sausage Pasta without heavy cream?
Yes. Half-and-half can create a lighter sauce, although it may not be quite as rich and creamy.
What pasta works best with pumpkin sauce?
Rigatoni, mezze rigatoni, penne, shells, and other short pasta shapes work especially well because they hold the creamy pumpkin sauce.
Can I use spinach instead of kale?
Yes. Add fresh spinach near the end of cooking and stir until just wilted.
Does pumpkin pasta taste sweet?
Not in this recipe. Garlic, sage, beef sausage, Parmesan, black pepper, and broth give the sauce a distinctly savory flavor.
Can I make this pumpkin pasta with sausage spicy?
Yes. Use spicy Italian-style beef sausage or increase the crushed red pepper flakes.
Storage
Store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3–4 days. Reheat gently on the stovetop or in the microwave with a splash of broth, milk, or water to loosen the sauce.
The pasta can be frozen for up to 2 months, although the creamy sauce may change slightly in texture after thawing. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator before reheating.
Similar Recipes
Creamy Pumpkin Sausage Pasta
Ingredients
- 1 pound uncooked mezze rigatoni or similar pasta
- 1 pound ground Italian-style beef sausage mild or hot
- 1 shallot finely chopped
- 4 garlic cloves minced
- 2 teaspoons finely chopped fresh sage leaves
- 1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
- 2/3 cup chicken broth
- 1 15-ounce can pumpkin purée
- 1/2 cup heavy cream
- 2 cups roughly chopped fresh kale tough stems removed
- Fine sea salt to taste
- Freshly ground black pepper to taste
- Freshly grated Parmesan for serving
Instructions
- Bring a large pot of generously salted water to a boil.
- Heat a large nonstick sauté pan over medium-high heat. Add the beef sausage and shallot. Cook, breaking the sausage into crumbles, until browned and cooked through.
- Add the garlic, sage, and crushed red pepper flakes. Cook for 2 minutes, stirring frequently.
- Add the pasta to the boiling water and cook until just al dente. Before draining, reserve 2 cups of the starchy pasta water.
- Pour the chicken broth into the sausage mixture and scrape up any browned bits from the bottom of the pan.
- Stir in the pumpkin purée, heavy cream, and kale until evenly combined. Turn off the heat.
- Combine the pasta and sauce with about 3/4 cup of reserved pasta water. Toss until the Creamy Pumpkin Sausage Pasta becomes smooth and glossy. Add more pasta water, 1/4 cup at a time, if necessary.
- Season with salt and freshly ground black pepper. Serve warm with freshly grated Parmesan.
Notes
Conclusion
This Creamy Pumpkin Sausage Pasta turns simple ingredients into a rich and comforting meal in about 35 minutes. Savory beef sausage, sage, kale, Parmesan, and creamy pumpkin sauce make it an easy dinner worth adding to your fall recipe rotation.