Pumpkin Sage Pasta with Brown Butter

This Pumpkin Sage Pasta is a creamy 20-minute fall dinner with a silky sauce of pumpkin, shallot, garlic, Parmesan, and pasta water. Nutty brown butter and crisp sage give it incredible flavor-no heavy cream needed.

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The first time I make pumpkin pasta every fall, I always reach for brown butter. Its warm, nutty flavor is especially delicious with pumpkin and sage, while rigatoni or bucatini are perfect for catching the creamy sauce.

If you love savory pumpkin recipes, you may also enjoy my One Pot Pumpkin Mac and Cheese or One Pot Pumpkin Turkey Chili for another cozy autumn dinner.

Creamy Pumpkin Sage Pasta Recipe Overview

• Quick: Ready in about 20 minutes with only 5 minutes of prep.
• Creamy without heavy cream: Pumpkin, Parmesan, and starchy pasta water create the silky sauce.
• Full of fall flavor: Brown butter, crisp sage, nutmeg, and pumpkin make this a quintessential autumn pasta.
• Easy to finish your way: Add extra Parmesan, black pepper, toasted pepitas, or more crispy sage.

Ingredients

• Pasta: Rigatoni or bucatini both work beautifully. You'll need 12 ounces rather than a full box.
• Butter: I prefer unsalted butter for browning and crisping the sage.
• Aromatics and seasoning: Fresh sage, shallot, garlic, nutmeg, and a small pinch of cayenne.
• Pumpkin: Use pure pumpkin puree, not pumpkin pie filling.
• Parmesan: Freshly grated Parmesan melts most smoothly into the sauce.
• For serving: Extra Parmesan, toasted pepitas, freshly ground black pepper, and crispy sage are all delicious.

How to Make Pumpkin Sage Pasta

1. Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil and cook the pasta until al dente. Reserve 1 cup of pasta water before draining.
2. Meanwhile, melt the butter in a large skillet over medium heat until foaming and nutty brown. Add the sage and cook for 30-45 seconds, until crisp. Transfer the sage to a plate.
3. Reduce the heat to medium-low. Add the shallot and cook for 2 minutes. Stir in the garlic, pumpkin, salt, nutmeg, and cayenne and cook for 1 minute more.
4. Whisk in ½ cup pasta water until smooth and silky. Add the drained pasta and Parmesan, tossing and adding additional pasta water as needed until creamy and well coated.
5. Serve with the crispy sage, additional Parmesan, black pepper, and toasted pepitas.

Making Ahead

This pasta is best served fresh. The pumpkin sauce can be made up to 2 days ahead and refrigerated. Rewarm it gently, then loosen with reserved pasta water before tossing with freshly cooked pasta and Parmesan. For the best texture, crisp the sage just before serving.

Author: Stephanie Wilson

Creamy Pumpkin Sage Pasta with Brown Butter

Creamy Pumpkin Sage Pasta is an easy 20-minute fall dinner made with pumpkin puree, brown butter, crispy sage, Parmesan, and pasta water for a silky sauce without heavy cream.

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Prep: 5 minutes mins

Cook: 15 minutes mins

Total Time: 20 minutes mins

Servings: 6 servings

Ingredients

• ▢ 12 ounces rigatoni or bucatini
• ▢ 4 tablespoons unsalted butter
• ▢ 12 fresh sage leaves
• ▢ 1 small shallot finely diced
• ▢ 2 cloves garlic minced
• ▢ 1 cup pumpkin puree not pie filling
• ▢ ½ teaspoon kosher salt plus more for pasta water
• ▢ ¼ teaspoon nutmeg
• ▢ pinch cayenne
• ▢ ½ cup freshly grated parmesan plus more for serving
• ▢ 1 cup reserved pasta water
• ▢ Black pepper and toasted pepitas for serving

Instructions

• Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil, and cook pasta al dente according to package instructions. Reserve 1 cup of pasta water.
• Meanwhile, in large skillet, melt butter over medium heat until foaming and nutty brown. Add sage leaves, crisp 30-45 seconds. Remove sage to plate.
• In the same skillet, reduce the heat to medium, add the shallot, and cook for 2 minutes. Add the garlic, pumpkin, salt, nutmeg, and cayenne. Sauté for 1 minute.
• Whisk in ½ cup pasta water until silky. Add drained pasta and parmesan; toss, adding more pasta water until it's creamy and the pasta is well-coated.
• Serve topped with crispy sage, extra parmesan, freshly ground black pepper, and toasted pepitas.

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Notes

1. Pasta water: Reserve a full cup before draining. The starch helps loosen the sauce and gives it a silky, creamy texture.
2. Brown butter: Watch the butter closely as it browns. Once it smells nutty and turns golden, add the sage and crisp it briefly before removing it from the skillet.
3. Storage: This pasta is best served fresh. You can make the pumpkin sauce up to 2 days ahead and refrigerate it. Rewarm gently and loosen with pasta water before tossing with freshly cooked pasta and Parmesan.

Nutrition

Calories: 327kcal | Carbohydrates: 47g | Protein: 11g | Fat: 11g | Saturated Fat: 6g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 3g | Trans Fat: 0.3g | Cholesterol: 26mg | Sodium: 334mg | Potassium: 232mg | Fiber: 3g | Sugar: 3g | Vitamin A: 6653IU | Vitamin C: 2mg | Calcium: 127mg | Iron: 1mg

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Nutritional information is only an estimate. The accuracy of the nutritional information for any recipe on this site is not guaranteed.