Description
This creamy pumpkin pasta is a comforting and flavorful fall favorite. Featuring rigatoni pasta tossed in a rich pumpkin sauce infused with sage, garlic, nutmeg, and parmesan cheese, this dish is easy to prepare and perfect for cozy dinners. Ready in just 30 minutes using simple ingredients like canned pumpkin puree and whole milk, it delivers a deliciously creamy texture with aromatic savory notes.
Ingredients
Scale
Pasta
- 1 pound rigatoni pasta (or pasta of choice)
Sauce
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 8 sage leaves (minced, about 2 tablespoons)
- 4 garlic cloves (minced)
- 1 (15-ounce) can pumpkin purée
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon black pepper
- ¼ teaspoon ground nutmeg
- 1 cup whole milk
- ½ cup grated parmesan cheese (plus more for serving)
Instructions
- Cook Pasta: In a large pot of boiling salted water, cook the rigatoni pasta al dente according to package instructions. Reserve 1 ½ cups of the pasta cooking water, then drain the pasta and set aside.
- Sauté Sage and Garlic: Heat 2 tablespoons olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the minced sage leaves and garlic, cooking them for about 1 minute until fragrant and aromatic.
- Make Pumpkin Sauce: Stir in the canned pumpkin purée, salt, black pepper, and ground nutmeg to the skillet. Cook the mixture for 2-3 more minutes, allowing the flavors to meld together.
- Add Milk: Pour in 1 cup of whole milk and stir continuously until the sauce becomes smooth and creamy.
- Combine Pasta and Sauce: Add the cooked pasta and reserved pasta water to the skillet. Toss everything together over medium heat for 3-4 minutes until the sauce thoroughly coats the pasta and appears glossy.
- Finish with Parmesan: Turn off the heat and stir in ½ cup of grated parmesan cheese until melted and well combined with the sauce. Serve immediately, garnished with additional parmesan cheese if desired.
Notes
- This recipe is perfect for fall, delivering a creamy, comforting dish with seasonal flavors.
- Use canned pumpkin purée, not pumpkin pie filling, to avoid added sugars and spices.
- Reserve pasta water to help thin and bind the sauce perfectly to the pasta.
- Adjust seasoning with extra salt and pepper to taste before serving.
- For a vegetarian version, ensure parmesan cheese used is free from animal rennet.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 2 oz pasta
- Calories: 289 kcal
- Sugar: 3 g
- Sodium: 270 mg
- Fat: 7 g
- Saturated Fat: 2 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 4 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 45 g
- Fiber: 2 g
- Protein: 10 g
- Cholesterol: 9 mg
