This simple pumpkin pasta sauce recipe is rich and comforting with notes of pumpkin spice and sage. It makes for an easy and delicious weeknight meal topped over homemade pasta and garnished with crispy sage leaves. This hearty sauce is perfect for this cozy time of year.
This recipe is perfect for pumpkin season, and might become your new favorite pasta dish. The touch of maple and sage with the flavors of pumpkin, garlic, and cheese is irresistible.
This sauce goes great with savory dishes. Pair it with some fresh einkorn pasta and replace the marinara in this sausage meatball recipe with the pumpkin sauce. You can also serve it alongside a salad with homemade dressing and delicious garlic butter pork chops for a perfect easy weeknight dinner. I guarantee your whole family will be begging for seconds.
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
Great way to use up pumpkin – If you grow pumpkins in your garden or stock up on puree during the fall, you are probably looking for delicious pumpkin recipes. This sauce is the perfect way take advantage of this fall squash when its in season.
Simple – This easy pumpkin pasta sauce comes together quickly with simple ingredients like real pumpkin and pantry staples.
Full of flavor – This sauce is full of different flavors, from the maple syrup and pumpkin pie spice to the ground sage, and it’s sure to be a hit at dinner.
Ingredients
Fresh sage leaves – The crispy fried sage leaves are optional, but they are so easy to make, and take this creamy pumpkin pasta recipe to the next level.
Pumpkin pie spice – Purchase this from the store pre-made, or make it with spices you already have. This mixture usually includes cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger, allspice, and cloves.
Pumpkin puree – You can opt to use store-bought puree or check out my blog post on how to make homemade pumpkin puree.
A full ingredient list with exact amounts can be found in the recipe card below.
How To Make Pumpkin Pasta Sauce
Step 1: To fry the sage leaves, heat about 1/4 inch of olive oil (or any neutral oil) in a small skillet over medium heat until it shimmers. Carefully add a few sage leaves at a time to the hot oil (they should sizzle upon contact). Fry for 5–10 seconds until crisp but still green. Using a slotted spoon, transfer the fried sage leaves to a paper towel to drain. Sprinkle with a pinch of salt while they’re still warm, if desired.
Step 2: To make the pumpkin pasta sauce, in a pan, melt the butter over medium heat. Add the diced onion and cook until soft and translucent. Add the minced garlic and stir, cooking for an additional minute.
Step 3: Pour in the white wine and cook for about 2 minutes.
Step 4: Get a pot of water boiling for the pasta and salt heavily. Once boiling, cook 8 ounces of dried spaghettini in heavily salted water according to package directions until al dente.
Step 5: While the noodles are cooking, continue the sauce by adding the pumpkin puree, Dijon mustard, maple syrup, ground sage, pumpkin pie spice, salt, and pepper. Stir well to combine.
Step 6: Pour in the heavy cream and stir thoroughly. Heat the mixture until it reaches a gentle boil, then reduce to a simmer. Cook, stirring frequently, for about 10 minutes until the sauce thickens.
Step 7: Add the grated Parmesan to the sauce, stirring until it melts in completely. Taste the sauce and adjust the seasoning with additional salt and pepper if needed.
Step 8: Drain the cooked pasta.
Step 9: Add the pasta to the sauce, tossing to coat.
Step 10: Serve in bowls, topped with fried sage leaves.
Tips
- I used homemade pumpkin puree, but you can easily use store-bought, canned pumpkin.
- More optional topping ideas include flaky salt, a balsamic reduction, candied walnuts, crispy prosciutto, or crispy pancetta. There are lots of ways to elevate this dish.
- I used spaghettini instead of spaghetti because I enjoy a thinner noodle.
Recipe FAQs
Keep extra sauce stored in the fridge in an airtight container for up to 3 days. Mix before adding to warm pasta.
Yes, canned pumpkin and pumpkin puree are the same and can be used interchangeably in this recipe whether its homemade or store-bought. Make sure you are using pure pumpkin and not pumpkin pie filling, which has added ingredients like sugar and spices.
This sauce consists of butter, onion, garlic, white wine, pumpkin puree, a few condiments and seasonings, heavy cream and parmesan cheese. They all blend perfectly together to create a creamy sauce featuring cozy fall flavors.
You can technically use whatever pasta you have on hand. Usually, I pour it over homemade einkorn pasta, but make it your own! Use spaghetti, shells, macaroni, or even tortellini. This recipe would also be amazing with ravioli to make it a pumpkin ravioli sauce.
More From-Scratch Recipes from the Farmhouse
- The Best Roasted Pumpkin Soup Recipe
- Easy Creamy Gnocchi Sauce Recipe
- Sweet Potato Casserole With Pecans
- Sourdough Chocolate Zucchini Muffins
- Homemade Green Bean Casserole Recipe (Easy!)
If you try this recipe and love it, I would love it if you could come back and give it 5 stars! Tag me on Instagram @farmhouseonboone.
Pumpkin Pasta Sauce With Crispy Sage Leaves
Ingredients
- 8 oz dried spaghettini
- crispy fried sage leaves, Optional
For the sauce:
- 1 tbsp butter
- 1 small onion, diced
- 1 garlic clove, minced
- 1/2 cup white wine
- 1 cup pumpkin puree, not canned pumpkin pie filling
- 1 tbsp grainy Dijon mustard
- 1 tbsp pure maple syrup
- 1/4 tsp ground sage
- 1/4 tsp pumpkin pie spice
- 1 1/4 cup heavy cream, 35%
- 1/2 cup grated parmesan
- Salt and pepper to taste
Instructions
- To fry the sage leaves, heat about 1/4 inch of olive oil (or any neutral oil) in a small skillet over medium heat until it shimmers.
- Carefully add a few sage leaves at a time to the hot oil (they should sizzle upon contact). Fry for 5–10 seconds until crisp but still green.
- Using a slotted spoon, transfer the fried sage leaves to a paper towel to drain. Sprinkle with a pinch of salt while they’re still warm, if desired.
- To make the pumpkin pasta sauce, in a pan, melt the butter over medium heat. Add the diced onion and cook until soft and translucent. Add the minced garlic and stir, cooking for an additional minute.
- Pour in the white wine and cook for about 2 minutes.
- Get a pot of water boiling for the pasta and salt heavily.
- For the sauce, add the pumpkin puree, Dijon mustard, maple syrup, ground sage, pumpkin pie spice, salt, and pepper. Stir well to combine.
- Pour in the heavy cream and stir thoroughly. Heat the mixture until it reaches a gentle boil, then reduce to a simmer. Cook, stirring frequently, for about 10 minutes until the sauce thickens.
- Meanwhile, cook 8 ounces of dried spaghettini in heavily salted water according to package directions until al dente.
- Add the grated Parmesan to the sauce, stirring until it melts in completely. Taste the sauce and adjust the seasoning with additional salt and pepper if needed. Drain the cooked pasta and add it to the sauce, tossing to coat. Serve in bowls, topped with fried sage leaves.
Notes
-
I used homemade pumpkin puree, but you can easily use store-bought, canned pumpkin.
- More optional topping ideas include flaky salt, a balsamic reduction, candied walnuts, crispy prosciutto, or crispy pancetta. There are lots of ways to elevate this dish.
- I used spaghettini instead of spaghetti because I enjoy a thinner noodle
- Purchase pumpkin pie spice from the store pre-made, or make it with spices you already have. This mixture usually includes cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger, allspice, and cloves.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
This was profoundly delicious!
I’ve admired this recipe from afar for two years I think, but I am not a big pasta person, so I haven’t made it.
I decided to enjoy it over spaghetti squash beside smoked meatballs (heavy Italian sausage content) and this meal is incredible!
Thanks for all you do, Lisa! You keep my family fed in delicious nutritious ways! ❤️
Sounds delicious! Thanks for sharing!
To make a recip that uses the whole can of pumpkin, simply multiply it all by 1.5. The can holds half again as much pumpkin as the 1c called for.
Simple!
I always adjust recipes to use whole packages for the pkgd things I use. No waste then. Pasta however will keep just fine.
Pumpkin lattes in the morning tho may make stick to the original recipe and snarf the extra 1/2c for the next morning or 2!
I made this tonight & I LOVED it!! Thank you!!
Can this be frozen?
I was wondering what kind of ground sausage you use? Is it Italian? I’m super excited to make this for dinner this week! Thanks!
Hi 😊. What size/weight is the cream cheese please?
If u watch her vid making this, it’s 8oz
Hi, I love your blog/youtube channel. My favorite ones are the what we eat videos :0) I only found you a couple weeks ago and am having to pace myself going thru your videos, haha.
Quick question about sourdough starter. Twice I have started it in a large mason jar, gotten to day 7 with everything going fine, only to find mold around the inside top rim of the jar. Very discouraging. I have a large bowl of veggie scraps/coffee grinds on another countertop and it sits out daily–could mold from that be transferring to the sourdough jar? I want to start another one but want to wait until I can figure out what’s going wrong. Thank you so much for any advice you can offer. Have a great day!
It might help to wipe out the inside of the jar ( after you’ve fed your starter)to keep it as clean and starter free as possible. I use a silicone spatula to scrape down the jar and then use a damp piece of paper towel to wipe around to keep it clear. Hope this helps 😊