This creamy pumpkin pasta with fresh roasted pumpkin, Parmesan cheese, and crispy sage is the perfect cozy fall comfort dish – creamy, satisfying, and full of flavor!
Looking for a cozy, comforting fall meal? This Pumpkin Pasta Recipe with Sage & Parmesan is the perfect dish for cooler days when you’re craving something rich, flavorful, and oh-so-creamy! Combining the natural sweetness of pumpkin with the nutty, savory taste of Parmesan and the fragrant aroma of fresh sage, this pasta dish will quickly become a new favorite. Best of all? It’s super easy to make with just a few ingredients.
In this recipe for pumpkin pasta sauce, the pumpkin is first roasted in the oven, which brings out its rich flavor and adds a hint of caramelization. I find this method far superior to using store-bought pumpkin purée – it’s well worth the extra time!
Once roasted, the pumpkin is blended into a smooth, silky purée and transformed into a flavorful, creamy pumpkin pasta sauce. To finish, the dish is topped with crispy sage, adding a delicious crunch and extra depth of flavor. It’s the perfect way to elevate your pumpkin pasta dish!
Ingredients
See recipe card for quantities.
- Pasta: I recommend using rigatoni or penne, but you can use anything you have.
- Pumpkin: The easiest to use is Red Kuri Squash, as you can cook it with the skin on. Butternut is also delicious, though it needs to be peeled first.
- Olive Oil, Paprika, Salt, Pepper: To season and roast the pumpkin. Hint: For a smoky flavor, use smoked paprika.
- Shallots & Garlic: Adds a nice aromatic base to the sauce.
- Tomato Paste: Gives the pumpkin sauce a slightly sweet, tomato flavor.
- Heavy Cream: This adds a lovely creaminess to the sauce. I usually opt-in for half-and-half, which has WAY fewer calories than regular heavy cream.
- Parmesan: Freshly grated Parmesan adds that nutty, salty kick, and elevates the dish to something truly special.
- Fresh Sage: Sage brings a deep, earthy flavor that pairs beautifully with pumpkin. Be sure to use fresh sage.
- Lemon Juice: To finish the dish.
Visual Step-by-Step Instructions
This visual step-by-step instruction will help you along the way – definitely recommended if you’re a cooking beginner!
- Pumpkin Puree: Wash the pumpkin, cut it in half, scoop out the seeds with a spoon, and cut into cubes. Quarter the shallots, leave the garlic clove whole. Add it along with 1 tablespoon of olive oil, paprika, salt, and pepper into a baking dish and toss well.
- Roast in the preheated oven for 30 minutes, flipping halfway through.
- Remove from the oven, transfer to a blender along with 1 cup of water (or vegetable broth), and blend until smooth.
- Pasta: Meanwhile, cook the rigatoni in a large pot of boiling salt water until al dente. Reserve some pasta cooking water, then drain the pasta through a colander.
- Crispy Sage: In a skillet, melt the olive oil over medium heat. Add the fresh sage leaves and fry on both sides for a few minutes until crispy. Remove from the oil, blot excess oil with a paper towel, let cool slightly, then finely chop. Set aside.
- Pumpkin Pasta Sauce: In the same skillet with the leftover oil, add the tomato paste and cook for 2 minutes, stirring constantly. → If you like a bit of spice, toss in a pinch of red pepper flakes!
- Stir in the heavy cream and pumpkin purée. Gradually stir in the Parmesan until it melts into the sauce. Season with salt, pepper, and lemon juice.
- Add the cooked pasta to the sauce and toss for one minute until everything is coated. If the sauce is too thick, add a splash of the reserved pasta water until it reaches your desired consistency.
- Serve immediately with extra Parmesan on top and chopped crispy sage leaves for garnish. Enjoy your creamy pumpkin sage pasta! ❤️
Variations
- Vegan Pumpkin Pasta: Swap the heavy cream with coconut milk, a plant-based cream, or make your own vegan cashew cream, and either use a dairy-free Parmesan substitute or omit the Parmesan entirely.
- Gluten-Free – regular pasta can be replaced with gluten-free pasta (I love Barillas’s gluten-free pasta).
- Spice it Up: If you like a little heat, add a pinch of red pepper flakes to the sauce. Feel free to season the pumpkin sauce to your liking. Spices like nutmeg, cinnamon, or cayenne pepper pair wonderfully with pumpkin.
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Storage Instructions
Store leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge. Stays fresh for up to 3 days. Reheat in the microwave or in a small pot. If the sauce has thickened too much, thin it out with a splash of water.
The pumpkin pasta sauce can be made ahead of time. Reheat and toss with freshly cooked pasta – perfect for a quick weeknight dinner!
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📖 Recipe
Pumpkin Pasta with Sage & Parmesan
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Ingredients
Roasted Pumpkin Puree
- 300 g red kuri squash see notes
- 2 shallots
- 1 clove garlic
- 1 tbsp olive oil
- ½ tsp smoked paprika or regular paprika
- ¼ tsp salt
- ¼ tsp black pepper
- 1 cup water or vegetable stock
Pasta
- 7 oz rigatoni or pasta of choice
- 1 tbsp olive oil
- 10 leaves fresh sage
- 2 tbsp tomato paste
- ½ cup heavy cream
- ⅓ cup parmesan cheese grated
- 1 tbsp lemon juice
- more parmesan cheese to serve
Instructions
- Pumpkin Puree: Preheat your oven to 400°F (200°C).
- Wash the pumpkin, cut it in half, scoop out the seeds with a spoon, and cut into cubes. Quarter the shallots, leave the garlic clove whole. Add it along with 1 tablespoon of olive oil, paprika, salt, and pepper into a baking dish and toss well.
- Roast in the preheated oven for 30 minutes, flipping halfway through.
- Remove from the oven, transfer to an immersion blender beaker along with 1 cup of water (or vegetable broth), and blend until smooth.
- Pasta: Meanwhile, cook the rigatoni in a large pot of boiling salt water until al dente. Reserve some pasta cooking water, then drain the pasta through a colander.
- Crispy Sage: In a skillet, melt the olive oil over medium heat. Add the fresh sage leaves and fry on both sides for a few minutes until crispy. Remove from the oil, blot excess oil with a paper towel, let cool slightly, then finely chop. Set aside.
- Pumpkin Pasta Sauce: In the same skillet with the leftover oil, add the tomato paste and cook for 2 minutes, stirring constantly. → If you like a bit of spice, toss in a pinch of red pepper flakes!
- Stir in the heavy cream and pumpkin purée. Gradually stir in the Parmesan until it melts into the sauce. Season with salt, pepper, and lemon juice.
- Add the cooked pasta to the sauce and toss for one minute until everything is coated. If the sauce is too thick, add a splash of the reserved pasta water until it reaches your desired consistency.
- Serve immediately with extra Parmesan on top and chopped crispy sage leaves for garnish.
Notes
- Pumpkin: The easiest to use is Red Kuri Squash, as you can cook it with the skin on. Butternut is also delicious, though it needs to be peeled first.
- Vegan Pumpkin Pasta: Swap the heavy cream with coconut milk, a plant-based cream, or make your own vegan cashew cream, and either use a dairy-free Parmesan substitute or omit the Parmesan entirely.
- Store any leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge. It will keep for up to 3 days. Reheat in the microwave or in a pan with a little water.
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