Description
Creamy Pumpkin Pasta with Sausage and Sage is a comforting fall-inspired dish featuring linguine or fettuccine tossed in a rich, creamy pumpkin sauce enhanced with savory ground turkey sausage and fragrant fresh sage. The sauce combines pumpkin puree, tomato paste, garlic, and warm spices, complemented by fresh spinach and Parmesan cheese for an indulgent yet balanced meal perfect for cozy dinners.
Ingredients
Scale
For the Pasta and Sausage:
- 8 ounces uncooked linguine or fettuccine
- Cooking spray
- 1 lb. ground turkey (93/7)
- 1 teaspoon chopped fresh sage (or ¼ teaspoon ground sage)
- ½ teaspoon garlic powder
- ½ teaspoon Italian seasoning
- ¼ teaspoon dried fennel, crushed
- ¼ teaspoon fine salt
- Pinch of black pepper
- Pinch of red pepper flakes (optional)
For the Sauce:
- 1 tablespoon butter
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 3 garlic cloves, finely minced
- 1 teaspoon finely chopped fresh sage leaves (or ¼ teaspoon ground sage)
- 1 tablespoon all-purpose flour (use gluten-free flour if needed)
- 1 cup whole milk (or non-dairy milk of choice)
- 1 cup canned pumpkin puree (not pumpkin pie filling)
- 2 tablespoons tomato paste
- ½ teaspoon Italian seasoning
- ½ teaspoon onion powder
- ¼ teaspoon fine salt
- ¼ teaspoon black pepper
- ⅛ teaspoon grated or ground nutmeg, plus more for serving
- 2 cups fresh spinach, lightly packed (2-3 ounces)
- ½ cup grated Parmesan cheese, plus more for serving
Instructions
- Cook the Pasta: Cook linguine or fettuccine according to package directions until al dente. Reserve ¼ cup of the pasta water before draining. Set the cooked pasta aside.
- Prepare the Sausage: While the pasta cooks, heat a large skillet over medium-high heat and generously spray with cooking spray. Add ground turkey along with sage, garlic powder, Italian seasoning, fennel, salt, black pepper, and optional red pepper flakes. Break turkey into small pieces with a spatula and cook, stirring occasionally, until no longer pink, about 7 minutes. Transfer the cooked sausage and pan juices to a clean bowl and set aside.
- Start the Sauce Base: Return the skillet to medium heat and add olive oil, butter, minced garlic, and chopped sage. Cook for 2-3 minutes until fragrant, stirring frequently to prevent burning.
- Make the Roux: Sprinkle flour into the skillet and cook while stirring constantly for 2 minutes to form a roux.
- Whisk in Milk: Increase heat to medium-high and slowly whisk in milk, continuing to whisk for 3-4 minutes until the mixture thickens to a creamy consistency.
- Add Pumpkin and Spices: Whisk in pumpkin puree, tomato paste, Italian seasoning, onion powder, salt, black pepper, and nutmeg until well combined.
- Incorporate Spinach and Pasta Water: Add fresh spinach and reserved ¼ cup pasta water to the sauce. Stir and cook for 1-2 minutes until the spinach just starts to wilt.
- Combine Sausage and Cheese: Stir in the cooked sausage along with any juices, then add grated Parmesan cheese. Taste and adjust seasoning with salt and pepper as needed.
- Toss Pasta with Sauce: Add the cooked pasta back into the skillet and toss until the noodles are well coated with the creamy pumpkin sauce.
- Serve: Divide pasta among bowls and garnish with additional Parmesan cheese, chopped fresh sage, and a sprinkle of grated nutmeg for extra flavor and aroma.
Notes
- Use gluten-free flour and pasta if you need a gluten-free version.
- Substitute non-dairy milk such as almond or oat milk to make the dish dairy-free, but keep in mind it may slightly alter the flavor and texture.
- Ground turkey can be replaced with ground chicken or pork depending on preference.
- The pinch of red pepper flakes is optional and adds a subtle heat to balance the creaminess.
- Reserve some pasta water to help thin the sauce if it becomes too thick and to help the sauce adhere better to the pasta.
- For a richer sauce, use whole milk as recommended; lower fat milks may change the texture slightly.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 cup
- Calories: 320
- Sugar: 4g
- Sodium: 350mg
- Fat: 12g
- Saturated Fat: 4g
- Unsaturated Fat: 7g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 30g
- Fiber: 4g
- Protein: 22g
- Cholesterol: 55mg
