Creamy Pumpkin Pasta with Sausage and Brown Butter Sage Breadcrumbs
This pumpkin pasta with sausage combines sweet Italian sausage with a silky mascarpone pumpkin sauce and crispy brown butter sage breadcrumbs on top. It's a cozy and satisfying fall meal that makes an easy weeknight dinner, but is special enough to serve to guests.
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Why This Recipe Works
- Canned pumpkin makes this simple and convenient, but homemade pumpkin puree works too.
- Browning the Italian sausage before adding the shallot and garlic builds flavor without burning.
- Deglazing with white wine loosens the browned bits from the pan and adds acidity to balance the sweetness and richness.
- Mascarpone, Parmigiano, and pasta water blend with the pumpkin to create a smooth, velvety sauce that clings to the pasta.
- Toasting panko with sage in brown butter adds extra texture and flavor to the dish.
As soon as fall arrives here in the US, pumpkin shows up everywhere, from lattes and pies to soups and stews. I'm jumping on the bandwagon with this recipe, which is inspired by a few different pasta dishes I ate in Tuscany, like this sausage rigatoni with mascarpone.
The pumpkin creates a thick, creamy sauce while mascarpone gives it a smooth and velvety finish. Italian sausage adds richness, dry white wine balances the natural sweetness of the pumpkin, and Parmigiano Reggiano provides a salty, savory backbone.
Brown butter sage breadcrumbs add a crisp texture to contrast with the creamy pasta. Definitely don't skip them - they really make the dish! Browning the butter after frying the sage gives the topping a toasted, nutty flavor that ties everything together.
This recipe uses canned pumpkin, which is definitely not a common ingredient in traditional Italian recipes, but it works really nicely here.
You can replace the canned pumpkin with an equal amount of smooth homemade pumpkin puree or even butternut squash puree.
To make your own pumpkin puree, first make sure it's from a sugar pumpkin or pie pumpkin rather than a large carving pumpkin.
Cut the pumpkin in half, remove the seeds, and roast it cut-side down at 400°F until completely tender, about 35-50 minutes. Scoop out the flesh and puree until smooth. And don't forget to roast the pumpkin seeds!
If your puree is wetter than canned pumpkin, strain it or cook it briefly until thick before measuring 1 cup. Once it has the consistency of canned pumpkin, follow the recipe as written.
How to Keep Pumpkin Pasta Sauce Smooth and Creamy
I like to add the pasta to the sauce while it's still very al dente, then finish cooking it in the pan. This helps the pasta absorb the flavors and release starch to help the sauce cling.
Reserve at least 3 cups of pasta water before draining. You'll need quite a bit for loosening the sauce since the pumpkin puree is very thick. Add the first cup with the pumpkin and let it simmer while the pasta cooks. This loosens the dense puree and cooks away its raw canned flavor.
Remove the pan from the heat before adding the mascarpone and finely grated Parmigiano Reggiano. Toss until the cheeses melt into the sauce, but do not return it to a boil. High heat can make the cheese clump or separate.
Serve the pasta immediately and keep the sauce slightly loose before plating. Pumpkin, pasta, and cheese all continue absorbing moisture, so the sauce will thicken as it sits. It helps to warm your bowls up before plating to keep it at the right consistency for as long as possible.
This makes a great recipe for fall dinner parties or entertaining, but is easy enough to serve on a weeknight. It could even make a fun and unique Thanksgiving main if you don't want to serve the traditional meal!
Want more seasonal pumpkin recipes? Try this creamy pumpkin risotto, this pumpkin ricotta pie for an Italian twist on a Thanksgiving favorite, or my easy no-bake pumpkin tiramisu.
Ingredients for Creamy Pumpkin Pasta with Sausage
Pumpkin - Make sure you use 100% pure, unsweetened canned pumpkin puree, not pumpkin pie filling. Pumpkin pie filling contains sugar and spices that will make the sauce taste sweet and gross. You can also use an equal amount of smooth homemade pumpkin puree or winter squash puree instead.
Sausage - Stick to sweet Italian sausage here. Hot sausage will muddy the flavors too much. Look for good-quality Italian sausage links or bulk sausage. Remove the casings if using links.
Pasta - Any short pasta shapes work well here, especially anything with ridges, curves, or pockets to hold the thick pumpkin sauce and sausage chunks. I found this adorable pumpkin-shaped zucca pasta, but shells, orecchiette, or lumache all work great too. Make sure to use high-quality, bronze-extruded Italian dried pasta.
Panko - Panko is lighter and crunchier than standard breadcrumbs, which gives the best finish to the dish.
Wine - Use a neutral dry white wine like Sauvignon Blanc or Pinot Grigio to deglaze the pan and bring brightness. If necessary, you can omit the wine, but you may want to add a teaspoon of white wine vinegar, plus more pasta water, to make up for the lost liquid and acidity.
Parmigiano - Use freshly and finely grated Parmigiano Reggiano or Grana Padano. Learn more about how to choose the right one in my guide to Italian cheeses.
*Find the full ingredient list in the recipe card below!
Helpful Equipment
- Large pot
- Medium skillet
- Slotted spoon
- Paper towels
- Large skillet
- Spatula or wooden spoon
- Tongs
- Cheese grater
How to Make Creamy Pumpkin Pasta with Sausage
- Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Season with salt, but avoid making it overly salty since a significant amount of the pasta water will be added to the sauce.
How to Make Brown Butter Sage Breadcrumbs
- Melt the butter in a medium skillet over medium heat. Add the sage leaves and fry until dark green and crisp, about 30-60 seconds. Use a slotted spoon to transfer the sage to a paper towel-lined plate.
- Continue cooking the butter until the milk solids turn golden brown and smell nutty, about 1 minute. Immediately add the panko and cook, stirring frequently, until the breadcrumbs are crisp and evenly browned, about 2-3 minutes. Transfer to a bowl. Crumble half of the fried sage into the breadcrumbs and reserve the remaining leaves for serving.
- Add the sausage to a large skillet over medium-high heat. Cook, breaking it into small pieces, until well browned and cooked through, about 8 minutes.
Pro Tip: Make sure you brown the sausage well to create flavor and render out most of its fat, which you'll need for cooking the shallot, thyme, and garlic.
- Push the sausage to one side and reduce the heat to medium. Add the shallot and thyme and cook until softened, 3-4 minutes. Add the garlic and cook until fragrant, about 30 seconds more.
- Pour in the wine and scrape up any browned bits from the bottom of the pan. Simmer until the wine has reduced by at least half, about 2-3 minutes. Reduce the heat to low.
- Add the pasta to the boiling water and cook until just shy of al dente. Reserve at least 3 cups of the starchy pasta water before draining.
Pro Tip: The pasta cooking time and amount of pasta water needed will vary with the pasta shape and brand. Reserve at least 3 cups even though you may not use all of it.
- Add the pumpkin, black pepper and 1 cup of pasta water to the skillet. Stir until smooth, then simmer until the sauce has reduced slightly and the pumpkin no longer tastes raw, about 3-4 minutes.
- When the pasta is still very al dente, about 2-3 minutes before the package directions indicate, drain and transfer it directly to the pumpkin sauce.
- Cook over medium heat, tossing frequently, until the pasta is al dente and the sauce clings to it, about 2-3 minutes. Add more pasta water as needed, about ¼ cup at a time. The sauce should stay on the looser side because it will continue to thicken.
- Turn off the heat, then add the mascarpone and Parmigiano. Toss until the cheeses are melted and the sauce is completely smooth. Add more pasta water as needed to maintain a loose, creamy consistency. Taste and adjust the seasoning as needed.
- Divide the pasta among four bowls. Top with the brown butter breadcrumbs, reserved fried sage leaves, and additional Parmigiano. Serve hot.
Tips For The Creamiest Pumpkin Pasta
- Use pure, unsweetened canned pumpkin puree, not pumpkin pie filling.
- Transfer the pasta while it is still quite firm so it can finish cooking in the sauce without becoming soft.
- The sauce will thicken quickly as it cools. Make it slightly looser than you ultimately want before serving and thin out with more pasta water as needed.
- The sausage, pasta water, and Parmigiano provide most of the seasoning. Taste the finished pasta before adding any additional salt.
- Warm your bowls in a low oven or microwave prior to serving to keep the pasta hot and at the right consistency.
What to Serve with Pumpkin Sausage Pasta
Serve this cozy pumpkin pasta with a classic Caesar salad or a fun grilled broccoli Caesar salad for a twist.
You can also serve it with this crunchy shaved fennel salad with hazelnuts and olives, a simple side of spinach with butter and Parmesan, or Italian-style roasted Brussels sprouts.
Always serve with a piece of fluffy homemade focaccia or crusty bread on the side to mop up any leftover sauce!
How to Store and Reheat Pumpkin Pasta Without Drying It Out
Pasta is always best eaten immediately, but the sauce can be made ahead and finished by tossing it with pasta water and freshly cooked pasta.
If you have leftovers, store them in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days and reheat in a skillet over medium heat with a drizzle of water, tossing until it's steaming and the sauce looks bright and smooth.
FAQs
Yes! You can replace the canned pumpkin with an equal amount of smooth homemade pumpkin puree. Just make sure it's from a meaty pumpkin like calabaza, sugar pumpkin, or pie pumpkin rather than a large carving pumpkin. You can also use butternut squash puree.
Cut the pumpkin in half, remove the seeds, and roast it cut-side down at 400°F until completely tender, about 35-50 minutes. Scoop out the flesh and puree until smooth. If the puree is wetter than canned pumpkin, strain it or cook it briefly until thick before measuring 1 cup. Once it has the consistency of canned pumpkin, follow the recipe as written.
Any short pasta shapes work well, especially anything with ridges, curves, or pockets to hold the thick pumpkin sauce and sausage chunks. I found this adorable pumpkin-shaped zucca pasta, but shells, orecchiette, lumache, rigatoni, or paccheri all work great too.
No, I don't recommend freezing this pumpkin pasta sauce since it's mascarpone-based and can split when reheated.
Swap the mascarpone for American cream cheese, reduced heavy cream, or crème fraîche.
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Creamy Pumpkin Pasta with Sausage and Sage Breadcrumbs
Ingredients
For the Sage Breadcrumbs
- 4 tablespoons butter salted
- 12-15 sage leaves fresh
- ⅔ cup panko breadcrumbs
For the Pumpkin Pasta
- kosher salt for the pasta water
- 1 pound sweet Italian sausage casings removed
- 1 shallot large, finely chopped
- 2 teaspoons thyme fresh, finely chopped
- 3 garlic cloves finely chopped
- ½ cup dry white wine such as Pinot Grigio
- 12 ounces pumpkin-shaped pasta or another short pasta
- 1 cup pumpkin puree canned
- ½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- 3 cups reserved pasta cooking water plus more if needed
- 8 ounces mascarpone cheese about 1 cup
- 2 ounces Parmigiano Reggiano finely grated, about ½ cup, plus more for serving
Instructions
- Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Season with salt, but avoid making it overly salty since a significant amount of the pasta water will be added to the sauce.kosher salt
- Melt the butter in a medium skillet over medium heat. Add the sage leaves and fry until dark green and crisp, about 30-60 seconds. Use a slotted spoon to transfer the sage to a paper towel-lined plate.4 tablespoons butter, 12-15 sage leaves
- Continue cooking the butter until the milk solids turn golden brown and smell nutty, about 1 minute. Immediately add the panko and cook, stirring frequently, until the breadcrumbs are crisp and evenly browned, about 2-3 minutes. Transfer to a bowl. Crumble half of the fried sage into the breadcrumbs and reserve the remaining leaves for serving.⅔ cup panko breadcrumbs
- Add the sausage to a large skillet over medium-high heat. Cook, breaking it into small pieces, until well browned and cooked through, about 8 minutes.1 pound sweet Italian sausage
- Push the sausage to one side and reduce the heat to medium. Add the shallot and thyme and cook until softened, 3-4 minutes. Add the garlic and cook until fragrant, about 30 seconds more.1 shallot, 2 teaspoons thyme, 3 garlic cloves
- Pour in the wine and scrape up any browned bits from the bottom of the pan. Simmer until the wine has reduced by at least half, about 2-3 minutes. Reduce the heat to low.½ cup dry white wine
- Add the pasta to the boiling water and cook until just shy of al dente. Reserve at least 3 cups of the starchy pasta water before draining.12 ounces pumpkin-shaped pasta
- Add the pumpkin, black pepper and 1 cup of pasta water to the skillet. Stir until smooth, then simmer until the sauce has reduced slightly and the pumpkin no longer tastes raw, about 3-4 minutes.1 cup pumpkin puree, ½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper, 3 cups reserved pasta cooking water
- When the pasta is still very al dente, about 2-3 minutes before the package directions indicate, drain and transfer it directly to the pumpkin sauce.
- Cook over medium heat, tossing frequently, until the pasta is al dente and the sauce clings to it, about 2-3 minutes. Add more pasta water as needed, about ¼ cup at a time. The sauce should stay on the looser side because it will continue to thicken.
- Turn off the heat, then add the mascarpone and Parmigiano. Toss until the cheeses are melted and the sauce is completely smooth. Add more pasta water as needed to maintain a loose, creamy consistency. Taste and adjust the seasoning as needed.8 ounces mascarpone cheese, 2 ounces Parmigiano Reggiano
- Divide the pasta among four bowls. Top with the brown butter breadcrumbs, reserved fried sage leaves, and additional Parmigiano. Serve hot.
Notes
- Use pure, unsweetened canned pumpkin puree, not pumpkin pie filling.
- Make sure you brown the sausage well to create flavor and render out most of its fat, which you'll need for cooking the shallot, thyme and garlic.
- The pasta cooking time and amount of pasta water needed will vary with the pasta shape and brand. Reserve at least 3 cups even though you may not use all of it.
- Transfer the pasta while it is still quite firm so it can finish cooking in the sauce without becoming soft.
- The sauce will thicken quickly as it cools. Make it slightly looser than you ultimately want before serving and thin out with more pasta water as needed.
- The sausage, pasta water, and Parmigiano provide most of the seasoning. Taste the finished pasta before adding any additional salt.
- Warm your bowls in a low oven or microwave prior to serving to keep the pasta hot and at the right consistency.
