Creamy Pumpkin Pasta with Sausage and 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.
Servings: 4
Calories: 1214kcal
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.
Nutrition
Calories: 1214kcal | Carbohydrates: 81g | Protein: 39g | Fat: 78g | Saturated Fat: 39g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 6g | Monounsaturated Fat: 21g | Trans Fat: 0.5g | Cholesterol: 183mg | Sodium: 1270mg | Potassium: 700mg | Fiber: 5g | Sugar: 6g | Vitamin A: 10836IU | Vitamin C: 8mg | Calcium: 343mg | Iron: 4mg
