Description
A quick, creamy, and comforting weeknight pasta dish made with pumpkin puree, crispy sage, and Parmesan cheese. Ready in just 20 minutes with minimal cleanup.
Ingredients
Scale
- 4 tablespoons (60g) unsalted butter
- 1 medium shallot, finely diced (about 50g)
- 1 can (15oz / 425g) 100% pure pumpkin puree
- ½ cup (120ml) heavy cream
- 1 pound (450g) pasta (fusilli, penne, or rigatoni)
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 12–15 fresh sage leaves
- ½ cup (50g) freshly grated Parmesan cheese
- ¼ teaspoon nutmeg, freshly grated or ground
- Salt and black pepper to taste
- ½ teaspoon red pepper flakes (optional)
- ¼ cup toasted pine nuts or walnuts (optional)
- 2 cups cooked chicken or sausage (optional)
Instructions
- Dice the shallot, mince the garlic, and grate the cheese. Pat the sage leaves dry with a paper towel.
- Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add pasta and cook according to package directions until al dente. Before draining, reserve 1 cup of pasta water. Drain pasta and set aside.
- While pasta boils, heat 2 tablespoons of butter in a large skillet over medium heat. Add sage leaves and fry for 1-2 minutes until crisp and dark green. Remove with a slotted spoon and set aside on a paper towel.
- In the same skillet, add remaining 2 tablespoons of butter. Add diced shallot and cook for 2-3 minutes until soft. Add minced garlic and red pepper flakes (if using) and cook for 1 minute.
- Reduce heat to low. Pour in pumpkin puree and heavy cream. Whisk to combine. Add nutmeg, salt, and pepper. Simmer for 2-3 minutes until sauce thickens slightly.
- Remove skillet from heat. Gradually add grated Parmesan, stirring constantly until melted. Add drained pasta and toss to coat. Add reserved pasta water if needed to adjust consistency.
- Serve immediately topped with crispy sage leaves, extra Parmesan, and black pepper.
Notes
Use 100% pure pumpkin puree, not pumpkin pie filling. Pat sage leaves dry for crispiness. Remove pan from heat before adding cheese to prevent graininess. Save pasta water to help emulsify the sauce. This dish does not freeze well due to the dairy content.
- Prep Time: 5 minutes
- Cook Time: 15 minutes
- Category: Main Course
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 serving
- Calories: 480
- Sugar: 6
- Sodium: 350
- Fat: 18
- Saturated Fat: 10
- Carbohydrates: 62
- Fiber: 3
- Protein: 16
Keywords: pumpkin pasta, weeknight dinner, 5pm dinner hack, creamy pasta, crispy sage, easy dinner, fall recipes, one pot meal