Searching for a warm and hearty 30 minute meal this fall? This Pumpkin and Sage Creamy Sausage Pasta is rich, satisfying, comforting and a great dish to make for guests or a quick weeknight meal.
This creamy sausage pasta is covered in a savory pumpkin sauce and uses spicy Italian sausage kicked up a notch with EXTRA fresh sage sprinkled in.
We use a couple of secret ingredients to make this creamy pumpkin sauce extremely decadent...and if you love a pumpkin dish you'll have to try out my Creamy Pumpkin Chili or Pumpkin Vodka Sauce.
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Why You'll Love It
Fall is the time of the year where we are all busy getting settled into the school year, sports & activities, which leaves us very little time to whip up delicious dinners. This 30 minute meal is loaded with fall flavors like sage and pumpkin, it's the perfect addition to your weeknight menu! Here's why I love it...
- Comfort food! A creamy pasta with savory sausage is a flavor combination that packs in a ton of flavor with just a few simple ingredients. Baked to warm and cozy perfection with cheese on top? A fall comfort food dish you didn't know you needed!
- Uses a full can of pumpkin puree. I don't know about you, but I really get peeved when a recipe only calls for ½ a can of pumpkin...what am I supposed to do with the other half? It gets tossed in the fridge and forgotten. So I made sure this recipe uses a WHOLE can of pumpkin. No waste here!
- Easy to customize! No sausage? No problem! Substitute in ground turkey or ground beef for another protein packed pasta for busy weeknights.
🥂Make it A Rosy Moment
Comfort food is appropriate for so many occasions from busy nights to holiday gatherings. Here are a few ways to serve this Creamy Pumpkin Sausage Pasta to make it a rosy moment!
Halloween Dinner - that post trick-or-treat meal was always one of my favorites when I was a kid. My mom made a big batch of chili and the entire family warmed up and checked out our candy. Make this for your family this year for a hearty Halloween meal!
- Creamy Pumpkin Pasta
- Halloween Dirt and Worm Cups
- Sparkling Arak Cocktail (for mom and dad!)
Friendsgiving Gathering - hosting Friendsgiving this year? A cozy, easy pasta dish is the perfect thing to serve. It's an easy dinner for a crowd and you can make it all in one dutch oven for easy clean up.
- Creamy Pumpkin Sausage Pasta
- Chilled Pinot Grigio
- Crispy Goat Cheese Balls
- Harvest Friendsgiving Party (for inspiration!)
Important Ingredients
This pumpkin sauces uses a couple of things to make it out of this world! Here's what you'll need...
- Ground sausage - feel free to use mild Italian sausage or spicy! Whatever your family prefers. I enjoy using Italian sausage because it's already loaded with flavor which means less ingredients used seasoning the rest of the dish. This sausage meat does the heavy lifting for you!
- Pumpkin puree - It's the base of our sauce, so a can of pumpkin is essential to our pasta sauce.
- Pasta - use whatever kind of pasta you like, but for the ultimate saucy bite, I like to use rigatoni or penne pasta. Perfectly cooked pasta is a major part of this weeknight favorite.
- Garlic Bouillon Base - another ingredient that's loaded with flavor. Its a super concentrated, savory garlic paste that will make it taste like you slaved over this dish but you didn't have to! I like to use the Better Than Bouillon Brand.
- Creme Fraiche - this is the decadent addition to the recipe that makes our creamy sauce just so irrisistable! It's stirred right into the pumpkin along with some pasta water and it's the secret ingredient to my creamy Italian sausage pasta recipe!
- Italian Cheese Blend - the cheesy topping here is the cherry on top of our creamy sausage pasta recipe! I use a blend of 4 Italian cheeses and an extra sprinkle of freshly grated parmesan cheese.
- Aromatics - I love using shallot or a sweet onion to begin the sauce and adding in fresh sage really reinforces our fall flavors
Swaps and Substitutions
- If you can't find creme fraiche, use sour cream, greek yogurt, or even a splash of heavy cream would be a great substitute!
- Accidentally throw out the pasta water? No problem, use some chicken broth or dry white wine for the sauce instead.
- If you don't love garlic, substitute in tomato paste for that deep, savory flavor.
- Like it extra spicy? Add in some red pepper flakes.
- I'm all for sneaking in extra veggies where I can! Add some chopped bell peppers or sun-dried tomatoes to the sauce.
- Make a creamy smoked sausage pasta! If you'd like a milder version use sliced smoked sausage for a different twist! Use whatever type of sausage you'd like.
- Make it a lasagna! Layer the sauce and savory Italian sausage with fresh lasagne sheets for a yummy lasagna.
If you love this recipe, give my Marry Me Chicken Pasta a try!
Full Recipe Below
Find the full list of ingredients & measurements below!
Step by Step Instructions
- Step 1: Cook pasta in a large pot of water according to box and set aside. Reserve the pasta water. In a large skillet brown the sausage and add in the sage. Set on a plate to drain excess oil when done.
- Step 2:In the same large skillet over medium-high heat, add a drizzle of olive oil then sauté the shallot for 2-3 minutes. Scraping up the browned bits of sausage so it gets incorporated into the sauce!
- Step 3: Add the pumpkin, garlic bullion base, and 1 cup of reserved pasta water (or chicken stock). Whisk until smooth and combined.
- Step 4: Add the pumpkin, garlic bullion base, and 1 cup of reserved pasta water (or chicken stock). Whisk until smooth and combined.
- Step 5: Reduce the heat to low and add in the creme fraiche and stir. At this time depending on the thickness of the sauce, you may want to add another ladleful of pasta water as well. Sprinkle in salt and pepper then stir in the pasta.
- Step 6: In a baking dish add the pasta and with the sausage, and shredded cheese blend.
- Step 7: Broil for 2-3 minutes until the cheese is melted and starting to turn golden brown.
- Add a little extra parmesan cheese on top and enjoy!
Top Tip
Want to make this in one pot? No problem! Just add the sausage back onto the pasta in the skillet and top with cheese. No need to transfer to a baking dish!
Expert Tips and Tricks
After making this easy dinner many times over the years, here are my top tips for making it perfect every single time!
- Cook the pasta to al dente. Especially since we will continue to cook the pasta for a bit in the oven, we don't want overcooked pasta! Tender pasta is key here.
- Use a large pan (larger than you think!) to cook this dish. Since we'll add the pasta back into the sauce, you don't want everything spilling over the sides. A dutch oven actually works great!
- Pasta shape matters! You'll want to use a rigatoni or penne pasta for capturing all the sauce and fresh flavor the dish has to offer.
- Drain the hot Italian sausage on a paper towel to remove excess grease before topping the pasta dish with it.
💡Recipe FAQ
Yes, before you add the sausage back into the pasta or sauce, you'll want to cook it first.
This pumpkin & sage pasta stores well in an airtight container for 2-3 days in the fridge.
Related Recipes
If you tried this Pumpkin Sage Creamy Sausage Pasta, or any other of the delicious recipes on my website, please leave a 🌟 star rating and let me know how it went in the 📝 comments below. Thanks for visiting!
📖 Recipe
Pumpkin and Sage Creamy Pasta Sausage
Equipment
- 1 skillet
- 1 baking dish
Ingredients
- 1 lb pork Italian sausage
- 2 tablespoon fresh sage finely chopped
- 8 oz creme fraiche
- 1 15 oz can pumpkin puree
- 1 tablespoon garlic bouillon base
- 1 teaspoon cracked black pepper
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 16 oz cooked rigatoni or penne pasta
- 1 cup 4 cheese blend shredded cheese
- 1 shallot, diced
Instructions
- Cook pasta in a large pot of water according to box and set aside. Reserve the pasta water.
- In a large skillet brown the sausage and add in the sage. Set on a plate to drain excess oil when done.
- In the same large skillet over medium-high heat, add a drizzle of olive oil then sauté the shallot for 2-3 minutes. Scraping up the browned bits of sausage so it gets incorporated into the sauce!
- Add the pumpkin, garlic bullion base, and 1 cup of reserved pasta water (or chicken stock). Whisk until smooth and combined.
- Reduce the heat to low and add in the creme fraiche and stir. At this time depending on the thickness of the sauce, you may want to add another ladleful of pasta water as well.
- Sprinkle in salt and pepper then stir in the pasta.
- In a baking dish add the pasta and with the sausage, and shredded cheese blend.
- Broil for 2-3 minutes until the cheese is melted and starting to turn golden brown.
- Add a little extra parmesan cheese on top and enjoy!
Notes
- Cook the pasta to al dente. Especially since we will continue to cook the pasta for a bit in the oven, we don't want overcooked pasta! Tender pasta is key here.
- Use a large pan (larger than you think!) to cook this dish. Since we'll add the pasta back into the sauce, you don't want everything spilling over the sides. A dutch oven actually works great!
- Pasta shape matters! You'll want to use a rigatoni or penne pasta for capturing all the sauce and fresh flavor the dish has to offer.
- Drain the hot Italian sausage on a paper towel to remove excess grease before topping the pasta dish with it.
Paula says
Are u sure only 6oz. Of rigatoni for 6 people?
Sara Ayesh says
Yes, I used half of a 12 oz bag and it was the perfect amount! There is also the sausage + a lot of pumpkin sauce in the layers so the casserole dish filled up quite quickly. But, if you and your family would enjoy it with a bit more pasta - go for it! It would still be delicious.
Sara Ayesh says
Hello Paula, I hope this finds you well! After some feedback on this recipe, a lot of people said they felt like it needed more pasta. So I have updated the amount of pasta to be used as well as the amount of cheese for topping. Thank you for taking the time to give feed back as it was very helpful to me!