Pumpkin Cream Pasta with Sausage & Sage
Pumpkin purée is what gives this pasta its velvety body without a whole carton of cream — the squash melts into the sauce, carrying warm nutmeg and browned Italian sausage into every ridge of the rigatoni. The sausage is browned hard first so its drippings season the whole pan, and a handful of crisp fried sage leaves on top turns a weeknight pasta into something that tastes like a restaurant dish. Keep the sauce at a gentle simmer once the cream is in so it stays silky instead of splitting. It's the viral pumpkin-pasta trend with actual technique behind it.
Dinner · One-Pot, Fall, High-Protein • 40 min
Ingredients
- For the pasta:
- 1 pound rigatoni (or penne, ziti, or shells)
- Kosher salt, for the pasta water
- For the sauce:
- 1 pound mild or hot Italian sausage, casings removed
- 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
- 1 small yellow onion, finely diced (about 1 cup)
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 (15-ounce) can pumpkin purée (not pumpkin pie filling)
- 1 cup low-sodium chicken broth
- 1 cup heavy cream
- ½ cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese, plus more for serving
- ¼ teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg
- ¼ teaspoon red pepper flakes (optional)
- Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
- For serving:
- 8 to 10 fresh sage leaves
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
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Steps
- Bring a large pot of water to a boil and season it generously with salt — it should taste like the sea. Add the rigatoni and cook until just shy of al dente, about 1 minute less than the package directs. Reserve 1 cup of the pasta water, then drain.
- Meanwhile, heat a 12-inch skillet or 5-quart Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Add the sausage and cook, breaking it into crumbles with a wooden spoon, until deeply browned and cooked through (160°F on an instant-read thermometer), 6 to 8 minutes. Transfer to a bowl with a slotted spoon, leaving about 1 tablespoon of drippings in the pan.
- Reduce the heat to medium and add the butter. Once melted, add the onion and cook, stirring, until softened and translucent, about 4 minutes. Add the garlic, nutmeg, and red pepper flakes (if using) and cook until fragrant, about 1 minute.
- Whisk in the pumpkin purée, chicken broth, and heavy cream until smooth. Bring to a gentle simmer and cook, stirring occasionally, until the sauce has thickened slightly and the flavors meld, 5 to 7 minutes. Keep it at a gentle simmer — a hard boil can cause the cream to separate.
- Stir in the Parmesan until melted and glossy, then return the browned sausage and any juices to the pan. Taste and season with salt and black pepper.
- While the sauce simmers, crisp the sage: heat the olive oil in a small skillet over medium heat. Add the sage leaves and fry until crisp and darkened but not burnt, about 30 seconds per side. Transfer to a paper towel to drain.
- Add the drained rigatoni to the sauce and toss until every piece is coated, adding a splash of the reserved pasta water to loosen the sauce to a silky, pourable consistency.
- Serve in warm bowls topped with the crispy sage, an extra shower of Parmesan, and a few grinds of black pepper.
Tips & Variations
Make Ahead
The sauce (through step 5, before the pasta and sage go in) can be made up to 2 days ahead and refrigerated; gently reheat it over low heat, thinning with a splash of broth or milk. Cook the pasta and fry the sage just before serving so the pasta stays al dente and the sage stays crisp.
Storage
Refrigerate leftovers in an airtight container for up to 4 days. Reheat gently in a skillet over medium-low heat with a splash of water, broth, or milk, stirring until the sauce is smooth again and heated through to 165°F. The pasta absorbs sauce as it sits, so loosen it as needed.
Substitutions
Swap mild sausage for hot Italian sausage, or use turkey or chicken sausage for a lighter version (brown it well and add an extra splash of oil). Sweet Italian sausage works too — just add a pinch more red pepper flakes. Use butternut squash or kabocha purée in place of pumpkin for a deeper, sweeter sauce. For a dairy-free version, replace the butter with olive oil, the heavy cream with full-fat coconut milk, and the Parmesan with a plant-based alternative. Gluten-free rigatoni or penne works — choose a corn-and-rice blend that holds its shape. A spoonful of chili crisp swirled in at the end turns it spicy.
Nutrition
Per serving: ¼ of the recipe (about 2 cups)
Reviews
Reviews coming soon! In the meantime, let us know what you think of this recipe.
