Savory Sausage Pumpkin Pasta . . . this creamy pasta dish is packed with flavor, and comes together in minutes. A perfect fall dinner recipe!
I have always been a big fan of baking with pumpkin. I’ve got recipes for pumpkin bread, pumpkin coffee cake, and even pumpkin cobbler.
I was intrigued when I saw a recipe for pumpkin pasta in one of my Taste of Home cookbooks. One day when I had some leftover pumpkin, I decided to give it a try. I tweaked it to fit my family’s taste, and I was pleasantly surprised.
Savory pumpkin is actually fabulous! Of course, I did have one son who wasn’t a big fan. That was just because he knew there was pumpkin in it, and he said that was just weird. If I wouldn’t have told him, I think he would have totally enjoyed. He still ate it, he just said it wasn’t his favorite.
My husband and I on the other hand, both loved it! And the rest of the kids finished their plates, so I call that a win. The sausage adds great flavor, and gives it just a bit of a kick. It is a perfect compliment to the creamy pumpkin sauce.
This unique pasta recipe is perfect for fall dinners, and a great way to use up leftover pumpkin puree after you make pumpkin bread or cookies!
I love using chicken base for all my recipes that call for chicken broth. You can substitute canned chicken broth or use chicken bouillon if you prefer. You’ll have great results with any of them. I hope you give this recipe a try!
How to make Savory Sausage Pumpkin Pasta
Ingredients:
- penne pasta
- ground pork sausage
- onion
- garlic
- water
- chicken soup base
- canned pumpkin puree
- ground sage
- nutmeg
- salt and pepper
- half & half cream
- Parmesan cheese
Cook pasta in a large pot of boiling water till al dente. Drain. While pasta is cooking, brown sausage and onion over medium heat in a large skillet. Drain off any fat. Add garlic and cook for a couple minutes. Add water, chicken base, pumpkin, spices, and salt and pepper.
Simmer, uncovered, for 10-15 minutes, or till most of the liquid is reduced. Stir in half & half and Parmesan cheese. Cook and stir till cheese is melted. Stir in the hot pasta and serve with additional Parmesan cheese if desired.
VARIATIONS ON PUMPKIN PASTA SAUCE:
-You could substitute smoked sausage for the pork sausage.
-Add some red pepper flakes if you wanted to knock up the heat just a bit.
On a cold winter night when you’re craving some comfort foods, I hope you’ll give this a try. A bowl or plate of it will warm you right up!
MORE PASTA RECIPES TO TRY:
- Creamy Chicken Ranch Bacon Pasta
- Cajun Chicken Pasta
- Italian Chicken Pasta
- Creamy Ham Pasta with Peas
Savory Sausage Pumpkin Pasta
Ingredients
- 2 ½ cups dry penne pasta
- ½ pound pork sausage
- 1 small onion diced
- 2 cloves garlic minced
- 1 ½ cups water
- 2 tsp chicken base
- ⅔ cup canned pumpkin purée
- 1 tsp dry ground sage
- dash of nutmeg
- ¼ tsp salt
- ¼ tsp black pepper
- ½ cup half & half cream
- ¼ cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese
Instructions
- Cook pasta in salted water till al dente. Drain.
- While pasta is cooking, brown sausage and onion over medium heat in a large skillet. Drain off any fat. Add garlic and cook for a couple minutes. Add water, chicken base, pumpkin, spices, and salt and pepper. Simmer, uncovered, for 10-15 minutes, or till most of the liquid is reduced.
- Stir in half & half and Parmesan cheese. Cook and stir till cheese is melted.
- Stir in the hot pasta and serve with additional Parmesan cheese if desired.
Nutrition
(Originally published Nov 10, 2016, updated August 2019.)
For all my pumpkin recipes, click HERE.
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Okay, this was so yummy! Hubby and I LOVED it!
Glad it was a hit at your house Jennifer!
I love pumpkin in savory dishes and this is one of my favorites!
I really need to branch out and try more savory pumpkin dishes!