Description
A healthy and delicious creamy pumpkin pasta sauce made with pumpkin puree, cream cheese, and fresh sage. This recipe offers a flavorful twist on traditional Alfredo sauce using wholesome ingredients, perfect for a cozy fall meal ready in just 30 minutes.
Ingredients
Scale
Pasta
- 8 ounces whole wheat fettuccini (or any other long, thin noodle, such as linguine or spaghetti)
Sauce
- 1 tablespoon unsalted butter
- 1 tablespoon all-purpose flour
- 2 cloves garlic (minced)
- 2 cups nonfat milk
- 1 cup pumpkin puree (not pumpkin pie filling)
- 3 ounces reduced-fat cream cheese (cut into chunks and at room temperature; do not use fat free)
- 1 tablespoon chopped fresh sage leaves (divided)
- 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
- 1/8 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1/8 teaspoon ground nutmeg
- Pinch ground cayenne pepper
To Serve
- 1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese
Instructions
- Cook the Pasta: Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add the whole wheat fettuccini and cook until al dente, following package instructions. Before draining, reserve 1 cup of the pasta water. Drain the pasta and set aside.
- Make the Roux: In a large saucepan, melt 1 tablespoon of unsalted butter over medium heat. Once hot and sizzling, add 1 tablespoon of all-purpose flour. Whisk constantly until the mixture turns a golden color and develops a nutty aroma, about 1-2 minutes.
- Sauté Garlic: Add the minced garlic to the roux and cook for 30 seconds, stirring constantly to prevent burning and to release garlic flavor.
- Add Milk and Thicken Sauce: Slowly pour in 2 cups of nonfat milk a few splashes at a time while whisking constantly to prevent lumps. Increase the heat to medium-high and continue stirring until the sauce bubbles and thickens, which should take about 8 to 10 minutes.
- Incorporate Pumpkin and Cheese: Remove the saucepan from heat. Stir in 1 cup pumpkin puree, 3 ounces room temperature reduced-fat cream cheese, half of the chopped fresh sage leaves, 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt, 1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper, 1/8 teaspoon ground cinnamon, 1/8 teaspoon ground nutmeg, and a pinch of ground cayenne pepper. Whisk until the cream cheese fully melts and the sauce becomes smooth and creamy. Taste and adjust salt and pepper if needed.
- Toss Pasta with Sauce: Add the cooked pasta to the sauce and gently toss to coat evenly. If the sauce is too thick or sticky, thin it by adding some of the reserved pasta water, a little at a time, until the desired consistency is reached.
- Serve: Immediately serve the creamy pumpkin pasta topped with the remaining chopped fresh sage leaves and 1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese for garnish.
Notes
- This creamy pumpkin pasta sauce tastes similar to Alfredo but uses pumpkin and cream cheese for a healthier, seasonal twist.
- Use whole wheat pasta for added fiber and nutrition.
- Reserve pasta water to adjust sauce consistency as needed for perfect coating.
- Best served immediately for optimal texture and flavor.
- Can be made with other long pasta types such as linguine or spaghetti based on preference.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 serving (approximately 1/3 of recipe)
- Calories: 483 kcal
- Sugar: 8 g
- Sodium: 550 mg
- Fat: 13 g
- Saturated Fat: 7 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 5 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 68 g
- Fiber: 11 g
- Protein: 20 g
- Cholesterol: 38 mg
