Creamy Pumpkin Pasta
Creamy pumpkin pasta tosses short noodles in a savory pumpkin-Parmesan sauce with garlic and sage for a 25-minute Fall dinner that still tastes dinner-not-dessert. USA weeknight comfort with pantry pumpkin puree — finish with black pepper and toasted pepitas.
🛒Ingredients
- 12 ounces short pasta (rigatoni or penne)
- 2 tablespoons butter
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 cup pumpkin puree
- 1 cup low-sodium chicken or vegetable broth
- 1/2 cup heavy cream
- 3/4 cup grated Parmesan
- 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
- 1/4 teaspoon nutmeg
- 1 teaspoon chopped fresh sage or 1/2 teaspoon dried
- Pinch red pepper flakes optional
- Toasted pepitas and extra Parmesan to serve
🔧Kitchen Tools Needed
- Large pot
- Skillet
- Microplane or grater
- Tongs
📝Instructions
- 1
Cook pasta in salted water until al dente; reserve 1 cup pasta water; drain.
- 2
In a skillet melt butter over medium; cook garlic 30 seconds. Stir in pumpkin, broth, cream, sage, nutmeg, salt, pepper, and flakes. Simmer 3–4 minutes.
- 3
Stir in Parmesan until smooth. Toss with pasta, loosening with pasta water as needed.
- 4
Taste and adjust salt. Serve with pepitas and more Parmesan.
- 5
Refrigerate leftovers 3 days; reheat with a splash of broth until steaming hot (165°F).
🥗Nutrition Information
⚡Calories per serving: 480
🏷️Recipe Tags
❓Frequently Asked Questions
Pie filling vs puree?
Use plain pumpkin puree only — pie filling is sweetened.
Make it higher protein?
Add cooked chicken breast (165°F) or Italian chicken sausage heated through.
Dairy-free?
Use olive oil, oat cream, and a dairy-free Parmesan-style shred.
Too thick?
Loosen with reserved pasta water a splash at a time.
