Creamy Pumpkin Pasta with Sausage and Crispy Sage

If you’re looking for the ultimate fall dinner that tastes like a cozy hug in a bowl, you have officially found it. This Creamy Pumpkin Pasta is the recipe you’ll be making all season long. It’s ridiculously easy, comes together in about 30 minutes, and tastes like something you’d get at a fancy Italian restaurant.

The real secret weapon here is the crispy sage. We’re going to fry fresh sage leaves in butter until they’re shatteringly crisp and the butter is infused with the most incredible, earthy flavor. That sage butter becomes the flavor base for our entire dish, mingling with a creamy, velvety pumpkin sauce and savory, spicy Italian sausage. It’s the perfect comforting, elegant, and speedy meal for a busy autumn weeknight.

Why You’ll Love This Recipe

• The Crispy Sage is Everything: This simple technique adds an incredible layer of flavor and a delightful, crunchy texture that takes this pasta to a whole new level.
• 30-Minute Meal: It’s a restaurant-quality dish that’s fast enough for a busy weeknight.
• The Perfect Fall Flavors: Creamy pumpkin, savory sausage, and earthy sage are a classic, unbeatable autumn flavor combination.

Step-by-Step Instructions

Let’s make the coziest pasta ever. Here’s how.

First, let’s gather our beautiful, simple ingredients.

Next, the secret weapon: crispy sage! This is the most important step. We’ll fry fresh sage leaves in a little butter until they’re crispy and the butter is infused with all that amazing sage flavor. We’ll set the leaves aside for our final “sprinkle.”

Now, build your sauce. In that same pan with the flavorful sage-infused butter, we’ll brown our sausage, breaking it up into delicious crumbles. Once it’s cooked, we’ll stir in the pumpkin puree and cream to create the most luscious, velvety sauce.

Finally, bring it all together. Toss your cooked pasta into that glorious pumpkin sauce until every noodle is coated. Serve it up in big, cozy bowls with a final “sprinkle” of those incredible crispy sage leaves and a shower of parmesan cheese.

Ava’s Notes

• What Kind of Sausage? I love using spicy Italian sausage for a little kick that balances the sweet pumpkin, but sweet or mild Italian sausage works great too.
• Pasta Water is Your Friend: Before you drain your pasta, save a cup of the starchy cooking water. If your sauce gets too thick, a little splash of this water will help loosen it to the perfect consistency.
• Fresh Sage is a Must: Dried sage won’t work for this recipe. You need fresh sage leaves to get that amazing crispy texture and infused flavor.

Creamy Pumpkin Pasta with Sausage and Crispy Sage

0.0 from 0 votes

Servings

4-6

servings

Prep time

10

minutes

Cooking time

20

minutes

Total time

30

minutes

The ultimate 30-minute fall dinner. A velvety, savory pumpkin sauce coats every noodle, with spicy sausage and an incredible crispy sage topping.

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Ingredients

• 1 lb short pasta (like rigatoni, orecchiette, or shells)

• 2 tbsp unsalted butter

• 1 bunch fresh sage (about 20 leaves)

• 1 lb spicy or sweet Italian sausage, casings removed

• 2 cloves garlic, minced

• 1 15 oz can pumpkin puree (not pumpkin pie filling)

• 1 c heavy cream

• 1/2 c grated Parmesan cheese, plus more for serving

• salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste

• 1 pinch red pepper flakes (optional)

Directions

• Cook the Pasta: Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Cook the pasta according to package directions until al dente. Before draining, reserve about 1 cup of the starchy pasta water.
• Crisp the Sage: While the pasta cooks, melt the butter in a large, deep skillet over medium heat. Add the whole sage leaves in a single layer (work in batches if needed). Cook for 1-2 minutes per side, until the leaves are fragrant and crispy. Use tongs to remove the crispy sage leaves and set them on a paper towel, leaving the now-infused sage butter in the skillet.
• Cook the Sausage: Add the Italian sausage to the same skillet. Use a wooden spoon to break it up into crumbles. Cook until browned and cooked through, about 5-7 minutes. Add the minced garlic and cook for another minute until fragrant.
• Make the Sauce: Stir the pumpkin puree and heavy cream into the skillet with the sausage. Bring to a simmer and cook for 2-3 minutes, stirring, until the sauce is smooth and slightly thickened. Season with salt, pepper, and a pinch of red pepper flakes, if using.
• Combine: Add the drained pasta to the skillet with the sauce. Toss to combine, adding a splash of the reserved pasta water if the sauce is too thick. Stir in the 1/2 cup of Parmesan cheese until it’s melted and the sauce is creamy.
• Serve: Divide the pasta among bowls. Top each serving with a generous “sprinkle” of the crispy sage leaves and an extra dusting of Parmesan cheese.

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