Description
A cozy and flavorful one-pot pasta dish featuring Italian sausage, creamy pumpkin sauce, and sage brown butter, perfect for quick and comforting fall dinners.
Ingredients
Scale
- 12 oz Italian sausage, casings removed (mild or spicy)
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 small shallot, finely minced
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 cup (245 g) pumpkin puree, canned (not pumpkin pie filling)
- 3 cups (720 ml) low sodium chicken broth
- 8 oz (225 g) penne or rigatoni pasta
- ½ cup (50 g) freshly grated Parmesan cheese
- 4 tablespoons (60 g) unsalted butter
- 8 fresh sage leaves
- Salt and pepper, to taste
- ¼ cup (60 ml) heavy cream or half-and-half (optional)
Instructions
- Heat 1 tablespoon olive oil over medium heat in a large deep skillet or Dutch oven. Add Italian sausage, breaking it apart with a wooden spoon. Cook until browned and cooked through, about 8 to 10 minutes. Remove sausage with a slotted spoon and set aside, leaving fat in the pan.
- Add minced shallot to the sausage fat and stir until softened and translucent, about 2 minutes. Add garlic and cook for 30 seconds until fragrant, avoiding browning.
- Stir in pumpkin puree, then pour in chicken broth and bring to a gentle boil. Add dry pasta, stirring to submerge fully. Reduce heat to medium-low and simmer, stirring occasionally, until pasta is al dente and liquid mostly absorbed, about 8 to 10 minutes. Add broth if needed to prevent sticking.
- While pasta cooks, melt butter in a small saucepan over medium heat. Add fresh sage leaves. Butter will foam and turn golden brown with a nutty aroma in 3 to 5 minutes. Remove from heat and discard or finely chop sage leaves.
- Once pasta is tender, stir browned sausage back in. Mix in grated Parmesan cheese and optional heavy cream or half-and-half. Pour sage brown butter over the top and stir gently to coat. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
- Serve warm, optionally garnished with extra Parmesan or fresh sage leaves.
Notes
If sauce is too thick, add more broth or cream to loosen. If too thin, simmer a few extra minutes to thicken. Stir frequently to prevent pasta from sticking. Use fresh sage for best flavor in brown butter. For vegetarian version, omit sausage and use mushrooms or roasted squash with vegetable broth. Gluten-free pasta can be substituted. Reheat leftovers gently with broth or cream to restore sauce consistency.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 20 minutes
- Category: Main Course
- Cuisine: Italian-American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: About 1½ cups per se
- Calories: 475
- Sugar: 3
- Sodium: 600
- Fat: 22.5
- Saturated Fat: 10
- Carbohydrates: 42.5
- Fiber: 4.5
- Protein: 23.5
Keywords: pumpkin pasta, one-pot pasta, Italian sausage, sage brown butter, fall dinner, creamy pasta, easy dinner, autumn recipe