With notes of cinnamon, butter, and cream this sage pumpkin pasta is the perfect companion to that pumpkin spice latte! Creamy and saucy, this pasta dish is equally as filling and the go-to bowl with your favorite blanket!
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This sage pumpkin pasta is the ultimate cozy dish that is extra creamy, rich, and honestly like a sweet and savory dessert disguised as a meal!
With the honey and parmesan drizzled over the pasta when serving, welcome to some cheesy goodness that is just way too good!
Totally able to be done under 25 minutes (including cooking the pasta as well!), this pasta bowl is just CALLING your name.
This post will go over everything you need to know to create this sage pumpkin pasta.
Recipe difficulty: Total beginner level with no extra fuss!
Super easy pumpkin sage recipe using penne pasta for the perfect bite-sized pieces! Not only does this pumpkin sage sauce smell TOO GOOD in the kitchen but is extra satisfying. Combined with the pumpkin puree and herbs, this sauce thickens beautifully and totally looks like autumn in a bowl! Minimal chopping needed!
Sam’s Pro Tips for this Sage Pumpkin Pasta
Consistency of the Pasta Sauce
Fair warning right here – this sauce is on the thicker side due to the combination of the pumpkin puree and heavy cream!
With the measurements provided for our creamy pumpkin sage pasta, this sauce is on the thicker side as it coats each bite of pasta.
For us, we actually LOVED the thickness of the sauce as we really got the taste of that pumpkin in our bowl.
However, if the sauce is too thick, you can add almond milk or even just milk to thin the sauce down. Be sure to adjust accordingly with extra seasoning so that it’s not too milky!
Taste, taste, taste before mixing with the pasta to make sure you get the sauce just right!
Use a Food Processor
Now I’m all about saving time and effort, and an easy trick is to use a food processor!
Like The Ultimate Filipino Spaghetti Sauce Recipe, using a food processor leads to a BETTER consistency in this simple pumpkin pasta sauce.
Plan to pulse the onion and garlic in the food processor first until a finely diced consistency is achieved. Not mushy, finely diced!
Once finely diced, add the sage leaves and pulse a couple times until it looks roughly chopped. So easy to just toss into the pan!
If you don’t have a food processor, no worries, just plan to manually finely chop the ingredients.
Cook Your Pasta with Salt and Oil
Like my Best Shrimp Scampi Recipe with Pasta, I like to cook my pumpkin pasta with sage butter sauce with salt and oil!
I know this is a hit or miss topic as there are varying opinions, but I find that the salt helps flavor the pasta and the olive oil prevents my noodles from sticking!
Super helpful if you forget to occasionally stir the pasta as it cooks (Totally guilty of this!)
Key Ingredients – Sage Pumpkin Pasta
Below are some key and optional ingredients for this recipe:
- Penne: Using penne pasta is the ultimate comfort food in a bowl and holds this sage pumpkin pasta well! Make sure to add salt when boiling as it helps flavor the pasta and the olive oil prevents the noodles from sticking.
- Pumpkin puree: Remember pumpkin puree has a ton of flavor and will thicken the sauce beautifully. Definitely looks like autumn in a bowl!
- Heavy cream: To get the creamiest pumpkin pasta with sage butter sauce, adding heavy cream to simmer in the sauce will help. If the sauce is too thick, you can try adding almond milk or milk to simmer with the pumpkin puree. Adjust the seasoning accordingly.
- Butter: For that rich, aromatic flavor two tablespoons of butter will sauté with the onion, garlic, and sage. So good!
- Onion: Onion and garlic is like the basics for mostly ALL my recipes! It’s great to have this in the pantry at the bare minimum. An easy trick to save time chopping is to use a food processor!
- Garlic: 2 cloves is needed for the best flavor! Remember the Trader Joe’s Minced Garlic is a huge time-saver!
- Sage: Fun fact, sage is not one of those herbs you want raw! The sage will be roughly chopped in this pumpkin sage recipe and will sauté with the butter. The smell is positively amazing!
- Cinnamon: For those warm, inviting notes of Fall, a dash of cinnamon is added to the pumpkin sage sauce for a savory and sweet blend.
Toppings
- Honey: When serving this sage pumpkin pasta, drizzle a bit of honey for a sweet topping that raises the bar on this pasta dish. Make sure to have some on the side for guests that want more!
- Shredded parmesan cheese: Parmesan cheese is a fave like in our Creamy Pappardelle with Italian Sausage and Roasted Tomatoes. Make sure to get the real stuff not from the can!
- Pepitas (optional): We love using pepitas like in our Asian Pepitas Salad with Spicy Poke | No Measuring Needed! The pepitas seeds gives a crunch and is the perfect topping to the sage pumpkin pasta for some added color. Optional but recommended!
More Variations to this Sage Pumpkin Pasta
There are a few ways you can variate this sage pumpkin pasta. Here’s how:
- Variate the seasoning. In addition to cinnamon and honey in this simple pumpkin pasta sauce, try adding nutmeg or even paprika for a hint of spice to the sauce. No need to measure, just add a dash and taste!
- Other favorite Fall recipes? For a hands-down favorite meal that is super satisfying, our Spicy Shrimp Pumpkin Rigatoni Perfect for Fall is a winner paired with our 15-Minute Mini Pecan Sticky Buns to Drool Over for a quick dessert! Don’t forget our Saucy Oven-Baked Buffalo Cheese Fries with Ranch for an amazing side dish everyone will love!
- What can I pair with this dish? This creamy pumpkin sage pasta is a solid main dish and sure to be a family favorite! Make sure to save room for dessert with our Rich and Creamy Mango Cheesecake Instant Pot Recipe or Fluffy Bread Machine Ube Bread Rolls with a Sugared Cream Cheese Frosting to finish the meal off the right way!
Looking for some awesome printables that are totally FREE? Our favorite! Check out our FREE LIBRARY for our Grocery Checklist or our Instant Pot Cooking Times Chart printables to help you on your cooking journey!
- 20-Minute Apples on Pizza Recipe | Perfect For a Fall Food Party
- Spicy Shrimp Pumpkin Rigatoni Perfect for Fall
- Epic Cheddar Garlic Drop Biscuits | Extremely Fluffy and Huge
- Spiced Honey Glazed Carrots Recipe with Pecans
Cozy Sage Pumpkin Pasta with Cinnamon
Ingredients
- 8 ounces penne pasta
- 1⅛ cup pumpkin puree
- ¼ cup sage roughly chopped
- ½ onion finely minced
- 2 garlic cloves peeled and minced
- 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
- 1¾ cup heavy cream
- 1 teaspoon cinnamon
- 2 tablespoons honey plus more for topping
- ⅓ cup shredded parmesan cheese plus more for topping
- salt and pepper to taste
- olive oil
- pinch of nutmeg optional
- pepitas optional
Instructions
- Cook the pasta according to directions. Before the water starts to boil, add about a tablespoon of salt and olive oil into the water. Stir the pasta to prevent sticking and drain when ready.
- Using a food processor, finely chop the onion and garlic cloves. Add the sage once finely chopped and do a rough chop in the food processor (recommended approach).
- In a large sauté pan over medium heat, add the butter and olive oil. Once the butter is melted, add the chopped onion, garlic, and sage to the pan. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Cook for 3-4 minutes until just softened.
- Add the pumpkin puree, heavy cream, cinnamon, honey, and parmesan cheese. Stir to combine. Lower to medium-low heat and simmer covered for 5-7 minutes. See note below as this sauce is on the thicker side.
- Season the sauce with additional salt, pepper, and cinnamon if needed. Optional- Add a pinch of nutmeg to the sauce. Toss the sauce with the cooked penne pasta. Serve with additional shredded parmesan cheese and a drizzle of honey. Enjoy!
Notes
- Fair warning right here – this sauce is on the thicker side due to the combination of the pumpkin puree and heavy cream! We love the thickness of the sauce, but if the sauce is too thick for you, you can add almond milk or even just milk to thin the sauce down. Be sure to adjust the sauce with extra seasoning accordingly so that it’s not too milky!
- Optional – For some added crunch, you can top this pasta dish with pepitas seeds when serving.
- See Sam’s Pro Tips for this Sage Pumpkin Pasta for further detail.
Frequently Asked Questions
How long does this pumpkin pasta sauce last in the refrigerator?
Consume this sage pumpkin pasta within 3-4 days for optimal flavor.
Any tricks on making the pumpkin sage sauce smooth and creamy?
Using a food processor leads to a BETTER consistency in this simple pumpkin pasta sauce. Plan to pulse the onion and garlic in the food processor first until a finely diced consistency is achieved. Once finely diced, add the sage leaves and pulse a couple times until it looks roughly chopped.
What is the rule of thumb in regard to substituting fresh herbs for dried herbs?
Dry herbs are more potent compared to fresh herbs. A good rule of thumb is to use 3x the amount of fresh herbs compared to dried herbs. For example, 1 tablespoon of fresh parsley is equivalent to one teaspoon of dried parsley.
This post was all about how to create this sage pumpkin pasta.
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