Description
This Creamy Pumpkin Pasta Sauce recipe offers a rich and velvety sauce made with puréed pumpkin, heavy cream, and shredded Parmesan cheese, flavored with garlic, onion, and dried sage. Served with penne pasta and garnished with fresh parsley and pepitas, it makes a comforting and flavorful weeknight meal that’s both smooth and satisfying.
Ingredients
Scale
Pasta
- 16 oz. dried Penne Pasta
Sauce
- 1 Tablespoon Olive Oil
- 1 Onion; peeled and diced
- 4 Garlic Cloves; peeled and finely diced or minced
- 1/2 cup Chicken Broth
- 1 1/2 cups Pumpkin Purée
- 3/4 cup Heavy Cream
- 1 teaspoon ground dried Sage
- 1/2 cup Parmesan Cheese; shredded
- Salt (to taste)
- Freshly Ground Black Pepper (to taste)
Garnish (optional)
- 1/4 cup fresh chopped Parsley
- 2 Tablespoons Pepitas
Instructions
- Cook Pasta: Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add the dried penne pasta and cook according to the package directions until al dente. Drain the pasta and set aside.
- Sauté Aromatics: While the pasta cooks, heat the olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the diced onion and cook, stirring occasionally, until the onion becomes soft and translucent. Add the minced garlic and sauté for another minute until fragrant.
- Simmer Sauce: Pour in the chicken broth, then add the pumpkin purée, heavy cream, and ground dried sage. Stir well and bring the mixture to a gentle simmer over low heat. Season the sauce with salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste. Stir occasionally as it simmers.
- Combine Pasta and Sauce: Add the cooked penne pasta to the skillet with the sauce, then sprinkle in the shredded Parmesan cheese. Stir everything together and continue to simmer gently until the sauce thickens slightly and the cheese has melted, coating the pasta evenly.
- Serve and Garnish: Divide the creamy pumpkin pasta into serving bowls. Optionally, top each serving with freshly chopped parsley and pepitas for added color and a crunchy texture. Serve immediately.
Notes
- Use penne pasta to ensure the sauce clings well to each piece, enhancing every bite.
- The sauce is velvety and rich, thanks to the combination of pumpkin purée and heavy cream balanced with aromatic sage and Parmesan.
- For a nutty finish and an added crunch, garnish with pepitas when serving.
- If desired, this recipe can be adapted for vegetarians by substituting chicken broth with vegetable broth.
- Leftover sauce can be refrigerated and gently reheated; stir well and add a splash of broth or cream if it thickens too much.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 serving
- Calories: 475
- Sugar: 6 grams
- Sodium: 452 milligrams
- Fat: 26 grams
- Saturated Fat: 13 grams
- Unsaturated Fat: 10 grams
- Trans Fat: 1 grams
- Carbohydrates: 49 grams
- Fiber: 6 grams
- Protein: 15 grams
- Cholesterol: 58 milligrams
