What’s autumn without pumpkin something or other?
UPDATED 2022
If you’re a pumpkin lover then you’re going to LOVE this easy Pasta with Pumpkin and Sweet Sausage.
It’s creamy, sweet, savory, and nutty.
What’s not to like?
If sausage isn’t your jam or you’re trying to eat less meat, substitute the sausage with walnuts. Read to the end for how to make this amazing dish that’s perfect for any night of the week, plus you’ll have leftovers! Unless you’re feeding a crowd.
Pasta with Pumpkin and Sweet Sausage
4 to 6 servings
2 tablespoons unsalted butter
1 medium sweet yellow onion, diced
1/2 cup white wine
1 1 /2 cups chicken stock
1 cup canned pumpkin
1 large sage stalk
¼ teaspoon red pepper flakes
Dash shaved nutmeg
1 pound pasta
1 pound Sweet Italian Sausage
¼ cup light cream, or more (Okay, it’s cream, you might want more, just saying!)
Flat leaf parsley sprigs, chopped for garnish
A big chunk of Parmesan Reggiano cheese, grated. Don’t be shy. Bring the cheese!
Optional vegetarian: 1 cup walnuts, toasted and chopped
- Heat a large deep bottom skillet on medium heat. Add butter. When the butter foams, add the onions. Stir occasionally and cook for five or so minutes or until the onions are translucent, but not browning. Reduce the heat to medium-low if the onions start to brown.
- If you’ve reduced the heat, increase it back to medium, add the wine, stir and cook reducing the liquid to half, for about four to five minutes.
- Add the chicken stock, pumpkin, and sage. Alternatively, you can fry the sage in butter first! Stir and bring the liquid to a soft boil. Reduce the heat to medium-low and simmer for fifteen minutes.
- While the sauce simmers, cook the sausage in a separate skillet. If you’re using sausage links, remove the casing and break it into bite-size chunks before you cook it. Work in batches if necessary, careful not to brown the sausage. You want the sausage brown with a hint of pink in its center. Also, if you are cooking in batches, add the cooked sausage to the sauce as you go.
- While the sausage cooks and the sauce simmers (that sounds like a little jingle huh?) bring water to boil in a medium pot, add salt and cook the pasta according to the package directions. If the pasta is done before the sausage, reserve ½ cup of pasta water, then drain, but don’t rinse. Keep the pasta warm by draining the water into a large bowl, add the drained water back to the pot, return the pot to the stove on low heat and place the pasta (now in the strainer) over the simmering water.
- When all the sausage is in the sauce, remove the sage and discard it.
- Add the cream to the sauce and stir to combine. Taste and adjust with more cream, salt, butter, or sage.
- Add the pasta to the sauce, and stir adding the reserved pasta water a few tablespoons at a time as needed to bring the sauce and pasta together.
- Scoop the Pasta with Pumpkin and Sweet Sausage into bowls. Garnish with fresh chopped parsley and shaved Parmesan cheese. Serve immediately.
- 2022 UPDATED NOTE: If you don’t eat meat, or are trying to eat less, Pumpkin Pasta pairs wonderfully with toasted walnuts. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees and bake on a baking sheet in the middle of the oven for six to seven minutes, less if you have pieces. Let cool. Chop and sprinkle over the pasta.
