Description
This creamy pumpkin pasta is a comforting and flavorful fall dish that combines tender rigatoni with a rich, aromatic pumpkin sauce infused with sage, garlic, and nutmeg. Finished with creamy milk and Parmesan cheese, it’s perfect for an easy yet elegant weeknight meal ready in just 30 minutes.
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 the pasta: Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil and cook the rigatoni pasta according to package instructions until al dente. Reserve 1½ cups of the pasta cooking water, then drain the pasta and set aside.
- Sauté sage and garlic: In a large skillet, heat the olive oil over medium heat. Add the minced sage and garlic, cooking until fragrant and aromatic, about 1 minute.
- Prepare the pumpkin sauce: Stir in the pumpkin purée, salt, black pepper, and ground nutmeg, cooking for an additional 2-3 minutes to blend the flavors.
- Add milk and combine: Pour in the whole milk and stir continuously until the sauce becomes creamy and smooth.
- Toss pasta with sauce: Add the cooked pasta and reserved pasta water to the skillet. Toss well to coat the pasta evenly with the sauce, cooking for 3-4 minutes until the sauce is glossy and clings to the rigatoni.
- Finish with Parmesan: Remove from heat and stir in the grated Parmesan cheese until fully combined. Serve immediately, topping each plate with additional Parmesan if desired.
Notes
- This creamy pumpkin pasta is perfect for cozy fall dinners and comes together quickly in about 30 minutes.
- You can substitute rigatoni with other pasta shapes like penne or fusilli.
- For a lighter version, use low-fat milk instead of whole milk.
- The sauce can be adjusted with more pasta water to reach your preferred consistency.
- Fresh sage leaves add aromatic depth, but dried sage can be used in a pinch.
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
