Creamy Pumpkin Pasta is a fall dinner that is both family friendly and delicious. I add in sweet Italian sausage, too.
I tend to be a bit of a pumpkin fanatic. I picked up a case of pumpkin purée early in September (just to be sure I’d have enough). I’ve already plowed through that case of pumpkin purée, mostly making loaves upon loaves of my all-time favorite Pumpkin Bread recipe for the neighborhood. But it was time to branch out, and make some savory things with that pumpkin purée– like this creamy pumpkin pasta!
I’m crazy about this recipe because the sauce is wonderfully creamy, but it’s not too heavy either. Yes, you can lighten this up and use light sour cream. I venture to say that you can even try using fat free half and half in place of heavy whipping cream too.
The best part about this recipe is that my family loves it (kids too). The pumpkin flavor doesn’t come through largely, which is a good thing since the last thing you probably want to eat is a mouthful of unsweetened pumpkin with your pasta. But rather it comes though as a velvety textured sauce instead. A good dose of freshly grated Romano cheese tops off this pasta dish and gives it that flavor bang that pairs nicely with the sauce. It’s definitely a pasta recipe to try. Enjoy!
Creamy Pumpkin Pasta
Recipe Details
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons salted butter
- 1 small onion, finely chopped
- 2 medium garlic cloves, minced
- 2 cups unsweetened pumpkin puree
- 2 cups chicken broth
- ½ cup sour cream
- ¼ cup heavy whipping cream
- ½ teaspoon ground nutmeg
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ¼ teaspoon white pepper
- 1 pound penne or rotini pasta
- 2 tablespoons minced fresh Italian parsley
- ¼ cup shredded Parmesan or Romano cheese
- 1 pound cooked, crumbled sweet Italian sausage (optional)
Instructions
- In a large skillet, sauté the onion and garlic in butter, over medium heat, until soft, not brown. Whisk in the pumpkin, broth, broth creams and seasonings to taste. Simmer 10 minutes, stirring occasionally, until slightly thickened.
- Meanwhile, boil the pasta in salted water until al dente.
- Drain the pasta and stir it into the pumpkin sauce, simmering 2 to 3 minutes more until thick.
- Stir in parsley and garnish with Romano cheese. Stir in sausage, if using. Garnish with more parsley and cheese, if desired.
Notes
- *Go heavy on the cheese for a richer taste.
I substituted the sausage with turkey sausage and topped it with a blend of panco breadcrumbs, parm cheese and bake. Then top w/crumbled turkey bacon – Delish!
I made this for a dinner party this evening and it was a huge hit! Found this recipe on pinterest based on a search for things to make using sausage and sour cream and I could not have found a better recipe. Thanks!!
This is absolutely delicious. Fall in a bowl! Really, really fabulous!
I just made this recipe for the first time, and just as I excpected, it is SPECTACULAR! I lightened it up by using fat free half and half in place of the cream, reduced fat sour cream, and turkey sausage, and it still tastes amazingly creamy and decadent. This is my new go-to fall comfort food now, for sure 🙂
Creamy pumpkin pasta is an excellent recipe. My three kids and my husband and I all enjoyed it. I did cheat a little and add a tiny bit of sugar to the sauce to offset the tartness from the sour cream. Definitely a “make-again”!