Q1: Will my pumpkin pasta sauce taste sweet, like a dessert?

Not at all! This is a completely savory sauce. The secret is using 100% pure pumpkin purée , which has a very mild, earthy, and only slightly sweet flavor on its own. When it is combined with the savory sausage, the aromatics, the chicken stock, and the salty Parmesan cheese, the final dish is rich, savory, and beautifully balanced.

Q2: Can I make the pasta sauce ahead of time?

Yes, this is a perfect make-ahead sauce! You can prepare the entire sauce completely and store it in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days . This turns the final meal into a very quick, 15-minute dinner of just boiling your pasta and reheating the sauce.

Q3: What kind of sausage is best for this pasta?

A high-quality, sweet or mild Italian pork sausage is the classic and perfect choice, as its seasonings (often fennel seed) are a wonderful complement to the other flavors in the dish. If you prefer a spicier dish, you can absolutely use a hot Italian sausage .

Q4: What does it mean to "chiffonade" sage leaves?

? "Chiffonade" is a simple, classic French knife technique that is used to cut leafy herbs or greens into thin, delicate ribbons. To do it, simply stack your fresh sage leaves on top of each other, roll them up tightly into a small "cigar," and then use a sharp knife to slice across the roll, creating beautiful, thin ribbons.

Q5: Can I use a different kind of pasta instead of penne?

Of course! This rich and hearty sauce is fantastic with any medium to large pasta shape that has plenty of nooks and crannies to catch the sauce. Try it with rigatoni, ziti, cavatappi, or large shells

The Best Creamy Pumpkin and Sausage Pasta

A rich and creamy fall-inspired pasta dish featuring a savory pumpkin and sausage sauce. The recipe begins by browning sweet Italian sausage, then sautéing onions and garlic in the same pan. A flavorful sauce is built by deglazing with white wine and simmering canned pumpkin with chicken stock, heavy cream, fresh sage, and warm spices. The finished sauce is tossed with cooked penne rigate pasta and served with grated cheese. The article also includes a recipe for a complementary Spinach Salad with Apple and Red Onion.

Author: Evelyn

Ingredients

For the Pasta:
1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil, plus 1 tablespoon
1 pound bulk sweet Italian sausage
4 cloves garlic, cracked and chopped
1 medium onion, finely chopped
1 bay leaf
4 to 6 sprigs sage leaves, cut into chiffonade (about 2 tablespoons)
1 cup dry white wine
1 cup chicken stock
1 cup canned pumpkin
1/2 cup heavy cream
1/8 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
Coarse salt and black pepper
1 pound penne rigate
Romano or Parmigiano cheese, for grating
For the Spinach Salad with Apple and Red Onion:
1 pound triple-washed spinach, de-stemmed
1 small Golden Delicious apple, sliced
1/4 small red onion, thinly sliced
1/4 cup olive oil
1 1/2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
1 teaspoon grain mustard
1 tablespoon honey

Instructions

Heat a large, deep nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add 1 tablespoon of olive oil and brown the sausage. Transfer the cooked sausage to a paper towel-lined plate, draining the fat from the skillet.
Return the pan to the stove. Add the remaining tablespoon of oil, then the garlic and onion. Sauté for 3 to 5 minutes until the onions are tender.
Add the bay leaf, sage, and wine to the pan. Cook for about 2 minutes, until the wine has reduced by half.
Add the chicken stock and pumpkin puree, stirring until the sauce comes to a bubble.
Return the sausage to the pan, reduce the heat, and stir in the heavy cream. Season the sauce with cinnamon, nutmeg, salt, and pepper to taste. Simmer for 5 to 10 minutes to thicken.
Meanwhile, cook the penne rigate in a large pot of boiling, salted water until al dente. Drain the pasta and return it to the pot.
Remove the bay leaf from the sauce. Pour the sausage and pumpkin sauce over the pasta. Toss everything together over low heat for 1 minute to combine.
Serve the pasta garnished with lots of shaved cheese and more sage leaves.
For the Spinach Salad: Place the spinach, apple, and onion in a salad bowl. In a small container with a lid, shake together the olive oil, vinegar, mustard, and honey. Pour the dressing over the salad, toss, and season with salt and pepper.

Notes

This is a one-pan sauce recipe that builds layers of flavor by cooking the aromatics and sauce in the same skillet used to brown the sausage.
Deglazing the pan with white wine is a key step to lift all the flavorful browned bits from the bottom of the pan.
Tossing the cooked pasta in the sauce over low heat for a final minute helps the pasta to absorb the flavor of the sauce.
The article includes a full recipe for a complementary ‘Spinach Salad with Apple and Red Onion’.

Find it online: https://cookupjoy.com/pumpkin-and-sausage-pasta/