This turns fresh pie pumpkin into a savory, creamy pasta sauce, more garlic-Parmesan than sweet pumpkin spice.
Cook Time & Serving Size
- Prep time: 15 minutes
- Cook time: 50–60 minutes
- Total time: About 1 hour 15 minutes
- Servings: 4–6 people
INGREDIENTS
- 1 small pie pumpkin
- 2 tbsp olive oil
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- ½ small yellow onion, diced
- ¾ cup heavy cream
- ½ cup grated Parmesan
- ½–1 cup pasta water
- 1 tbsp butter
- ½ tsp dried sage
- ½ tsp thyme
- ¼ tsp nutmeg
- ½ tsp salt, plus more to taste
- Black pepper
- Pinch of red pepper flakes, optional
- 12–16 oz pasta
- Fresh sage or Parmesan for serving
Directions
- Roast the pumpkin: Cut the pie pumpkin in half and scoop out the seeds. Brush the flesh lightly with olive oil and place cut-side down on a baking sheet. Roast at 400°F for 35–50 minutes, until very soft.
- Make fresh pumpkin purée: Once cool enough to handle, scoop the pumpkin flesh from the skin. Blend or mash until smooth. You’ll need about 2 cups.
- Build the sauce: Heat 1 tablespoon olive oil and the butter in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the onion and cook for 4–5 minutes. Add garlic, sage, thyme, nutmeg, and optional red pepper flakes and cook another 30–60 seconds.
- Add the pumpkin: Stir in 2 cups pumpkin purée and about ½ cup pasta water. Cook for 2–3 minutes.
- Make it creamy: Reduce the heat to low and stir in the heavy cream and Parmesan. Add additional pasta water a little at a time until the sauce is silky enough to coat the pasta. Season with salt and plenty of black pepper.
- Finish the pasta: Add your cooked pasta directly to the skillet and toss thoroughly. Let everything cook together for another 1–2 minutes.
Great additions: Crumbled Italian sausage, crispy bacon, sautéed mushrooms, spinach, roasted chicken, or toasted walnuts all work really well.
For an especially good fall version: Brown the butter first and fry a few fresh sage leaves until crispy. Use the browned sage butter to start the sauce and crumble the crispy sage over the finished pasta.