This creamy pumpkin pasta is ready in 25 minutes and is full of comforting flavour from pumpkin, sage and Italian sausage. Cosy up with a bowl of this delicious and hearty weeknight pasta dish!
45gfinely grated parmesan(1.6oz / ⅔ cup not packed)
½teaspooncracked black pepper
For best results, always weigh ingredients where a weight is provided
Equipment
Vegetable peeler and sharp knife
Large skillet or braiser pan
Large saucepan
Wooden spoon and slotted spoon
Instructions
Prepare the pumpkin:Peel and deseed the pumpkin then cut it into roughly 2.5cm (1-inch cubes). Add it to a large pan with about 2 litres of water (seems like a lot but we'll be using this water for the pasta too).
Cook the pumpkin:Bring the pumpkin and water to a boil and then cook for 7-10 minutes until very soft. Use a slotted spoon to transfer it too your blender. With the vent open, blend the pumpkin to a puree (you should get about 1 cup). If your blender doesn't have a vent, add half the stock to the pumpkin and let it cool a few minutes first.
Cook the pasta:Add the pasta to the pumpkin water along with salt. Stir will then boil for 8-10 minutes, or until it's a little firmer than you'd like to eat (it will cook further once added to the sauce). Definitely don't overcook and don't cook until it's soft.
Reserve one cup of pasta water, then drain the pasta and set aside until required.
Make the sauce:While the pasta is cooking, heat the oil in a large skillet or non-stick frying pan over medium heat. Add the onion and sausage. As it cooks break up the sausage with a wooden spoon. Cook until the sausage has browned.
Add the garlic and dried sage. Cook, stirring, for 1 minute.
Add the stock and use it to deglaze the pan, then add the tomato paste, pumpkin purée and milk.
Bring the sauce to a simmer and cook for 3-4 minutes until the sauce thickens slightly.
Add the parmesan and pepper and stir until completely melted through.
Add the pasta and stir through for another minute then it's ready to serve. Add a dash of the pasta water and stir it through. Add more if you need to loosen the sauce at all.
Please take a moment to leave a comment & rating. It's appreciated and so helpful.
Notes
Tablespoons: I use a standard 20ml Australian tablespoon (equal to 4 teaspoons). Some countries use a 15ml tablespoon so check before measuring.
Pumpkin: You can use any pumpkin or even butternut squash.
Sausage: Use mild or hot Italian sausage; the choice is yours.
Pasta: Other kinds of pasta will work too. Rigatoni is a great option but even spaghetti will work.
Blending hot food: Blending hot pumpkin (or any hot food) in your blender can be dangerous if it’s completely enclosed. Most blenders have a vent – make sure that is open – or let it cool for just a few minutes and add half the stock to the pumpkin before blending so that it’s cooler.
Undercook the pasta: You want to slightly undercook the pasta so that it’s a little firmer than you’d like to eat it as it will continue absorbing liquid when you add it to the pasta sauce.
Serving suggestions: Serve with a little parsley, or some sage leaves crisped in butter in a pan. Sprinkle over a little more grated parmesan to taste. A pangrattato goes lovely on this too or some crunchy pepitas.
Have you tried this recipe?Don't forget to leave a rating and comment below and let me know how it was! I love hearing from you. Nutrition information is approximate and derived from an online calculator. The brands you use may cause variations.