Pumpkin Pasta Sauce With Sausage
Creamy, savory pumpkin pasta sauce is creamy, rich and super satisfying served with sausage crumbles. Ready in 30 minutes or less!
Servings: 4
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
Serving: 1.5 cup of pumpkin pasta | Calories: 727kcal | Carbohydrates: 58g | Protein: 30g | Fat: 41g | Saturated Fat: 16g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 5g | Monounsaturated Fat: 18g | Cholesterol: 99mg | Sodium: 1718mg | Potassium: 736mg | Fiber: 5g | Sugar: 7g | Vitamin A: 9959IU | Vitamin C: 23mg | Calcium: 254mg | Iron: 4mg