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There is nothing better than cozying up with a big bowl of pumpkin pasta on a chilly fall night, topped with perfectly cooked sausage with a little spice to it. You can smell fall while it’s cooking and it is full of deep flavors from roasted red peppers, pumpkin and tomatoes. The seasonings really take it up a notch!
This sauce is not your average pasta sauce, it has notes of pumpkin, cinnamon and savory herbs in it. It is nothing you’d expect and it’s full of fiber. Creamy, silky texture with hot Italian sausage crumbles for an added level of flavor and protein. By far one of my favorite fall, early winter meals. This makes a great meal prep dish.
Whether you’re a pumpkin enthusiast or someone curious to explore new flavors, this homemade pumpkin pasta sauce is a must-try for fall. If you are craving a little more spice, try my Cajun Shrimp & Sausage Pasta.
Ingredients Needed
- Pasta. I love to use rigatoni for this recipe but penne works great.
- Pumpkin Puree. You want to be sure it is pure pumpkin puree, fresh or from a can. Do not confuse this with pumpkin pie filing!
- Seasonings. Salt, thyme(fresh or dried), oregano, ground sage, cinnamon, nutmeg, red pepper flakes
- Roasted Red Bell Pepper. This adds savory flavor and texture to our sauce. Use jarred or roast a red bell pepper in the oven.
- Diced Canned Tomatoes.
- Milk. Use any milk of choice, I prefer whole milk.This adds a nice creamy touch!
- Hot Italian Sausage. You can use any ground sausage of choice! Ground beef will also work great.
- Onions & Garlic. To add more depth of flavors!
- Parmesan. This is mixed into the sauce, it adds a nice nutty/salty flavor.
All other ingredients and measurements can be found in the recipe card below.
How To Make Pumpkin Pasta With Sausage
Ready to cook? Let me walk you through the recipe. For your convenience, there is a full ingredient list and detailed instructions in the printable recipe card below.
- Step 1. Begin prepping pasta of choice according to the package. Add 1/2 tsp of oil to a large skillet, add the hot Italian sausage to the skillet.
- Step 2. In the same skillet, add a spritz of olive oil if needed, or use the grease residue from the sausage. Add the onions, sauté for about 3 min, add garlic sauté for another 2 minutes. Add the tomatoes, red peppers, seasoning and pumpkin. Bring to a simmer for about 3 minutes.
- Step 3. Blend up the sauce! Blend until smooth and creamy. Add the creamy sauce back to the skillet. Place on medium/low heat. let the sauce warm and start to lightly bubble. Add the milk and gently stir it in. Once it’s fully blended, take it off the heat.
- Step 4. Drain Pasta (Save some pasta water to the side!) Add the pasta back to the pot, add in the pumpkin sauce and mix well. Once it’s to your liking of consistency add cooked sausage crumbles. Serve and garnish with plenty of Parmesan. Enjoy!
Store leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 4 days. You can freeze these for up to 2 months.
Recipe FAQs
Yes, you can use fresh pumpkin to make your own puree for the sauce. To do this, roast or steam pumpkin pieces until they are soft and then blend them into a smooth puree. However, canned pumpkin puree is a convenient alternative, especially if you want to save time.
Pumpkin Pasta Tips
- Don’t Overcook the Pumpkin. Overcooking the pumpkin puree can lead to a grainy texture in the sauce. Cook it just enough to soften it and enhance the flavor but avoid prolonged cooking.
- Gradually Add Liquid. When incorporating the cream or pasta water (if needed) add gradually, stirring continuously. This prevents the sauce from becoming too thin and helps you achieve your desired consistency.
- Experiment with Texture. If you prefer a smoother sauce, use an immersion blender to blend the sauce until it’s silky. For a rustic feel, leave some peppers intact.
- To Make This Recipe Healthier, use lean ground beef or turkey instead of sausage (but I really prefer the rich sausage flavor!)
- Store leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 4 days. You can freeze these for up to 2 months.
Other Fall Pastas To Try
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Pumpkin Pasta Sauce With Sausage
Equipment
- large heavy bottomed skillet or medium sauce pan
Ingredients
- 4-5 cups rigatoni
- ½ tsp olive oil
- 1 lb ground Italian sausage , or ground beef
- 1 cup roasted red peppers, jarred & drained
- ⅓ cup yellow onion, chopped
- 3 garlic cloves, minced
- ½ tsp cinnamon
- ¼ tsp nutmeg
- ½ tsp italian seasoning
- ½ tsp ground sage
- ½ tsp each salt & pepper, more to taste
- ½ tsp red pepper flakes
- ½ tsp dried or fresh thyme
- 1 15 oz can diced tomatoes , with juice
- 1 cup canned pumpkin
- 1 cup whole milk , or any milk of choice.
- 1-2 cups pasta water
- ⅓ cup parmesan, more as needed
Instructions
- Begin prepping pasta of choice according to the package. Be sure to salt the water well and save pasta water once it's cooked!
- Add 1/2 tsp oil to a large skillet, add the ground sausage to the skillet. Add a small pinch of salt and pepper and brown the sausage for about 5-8 minutes until it's cooked through. Set the meat aside in a large bowl.
- Make the sauce. In the same skillet, add a spritz of olive oil if needed, or use the grease residue from the sausage. Add the onions, sauté for about 3 min, add garlic sauté for another 2 minutes. Add the canned tomatoes, red peppers, seasonings and pumpkin. Bring to a simmer for about 3 minutes
- Transfer the mixture to a high-speed blender. Blend until smooth and creamy. Add the creamy sauce back to the skillet. Place on medium/low heat. let the sauce warm and start to lightly bubble. Add the milk and gently stir it in. Once it's fully blended, take it off the heat.
- Drain Pasta (Save some pasta water to the side!) Add the pasta to the skillet with the sauce. Gently mix it in. add ½ cup of hot pasta water if needed to thin and spread the sauce. Once it's to your liking of consistency add cooked sausage crumbles and parmesan. Serve and garnish with more of Parmesan and chopped basil or parsley. Enjoy!
Notes
- Don’t Overcook the Pumpkin. Overcooking the pumpkin puree can lead to a grainy texture in the sauce. Cook it just enough to soften it and enhance the flavor but avoid prolonged cooking.
- Gradually Add Liquid. When incorporating the cream or pasta water (if needed) add gradually, stirring continuously. This prevents the sauce from becoming too thin and helps you achieve your desired consistency.
- Experiment with Texture. If you prefer a smoother sauce, use an immersion blender to blend the sauce until it’s silky. For a rustic feel, leave some peppers intact.
- To Make This Recipe Healthier, use lean ground beef or turkey instead of sausage (but I really prefer the rich sausage flavor!)
- Store leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 4 days. You can freeze these for up to 2 months.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Really good. We had a lot of sauce left over and we’re able to make it again for another night during the week. Thank you.
Really filling and hearty. Loved the cinnamon flavors.
This was a great recipe and we all loved it! I will be adding to the rotation over the winter. Very hearty and the sausage was perfect with it.