Pasta with Pumpkin Sage Brown Butter Sauce
The perfect easy Fall recipe, this pasta with pumpkin, brown butter, and sage gets an Autumn upgrade in this rendition. The addition of pumpkin to this easy pasta sauce adds a creaminess and subtle sweetness to the sauce, without adding any fat or sugar. Kale adds a fresh, earthy note that perfectly balances the rich sauce. The quintessential healthy indulgence!
This is a great weeknight recipe and one of my all-time favorite pasta dishes. It comes together in just 20 minutes and is a total crowd-pleaser. I love making this easy pasta with pumpkin for dinner after a busy day and enjoying a heaping bowl alongside a glass of white wine.
Servings
4
Ready In:
20 Min
Good For:
Lunch, Dinner
Pasta with Pumpkin Ingredients
- 1 lb dry or fresh pasta of choice
- 2 cups lacinato kale, stems removed
- 8 tbsp (1 stick) butter
- 1/3 cup shallots, minced
- 12 sage leaves, chopped
- pinch crushed red pepper flakes
- kosher salt
- black pepper, freshly ground
- 2/3 cup canned pumpkin purée
- 1/3 cup grated Parmigiano-Reggiano, plus more for serving
Cook’s Notes:
For the pasta: a short noodle of any shape works beautifully in this pasta with pumpkin dish. My favorites are Casarecce and Gemelli.
Step by Step Instructions
Step 1
Heat a large pot of water over high heat. Once boiling, cook pasta according to package instructions (timing will vary depending on whether pasta is fresh or dry)
Step 2
While the pasta cooks, tear kale leaves into small pieces and massage by the handful, squeezing to soften leaves and release moisture. Place in a large shallow bowl and set aside.
Step 3
Melt butter in a medium saucepan over medium-low heat. Add shallot, sage, red pepper flakes, salt, and pepper (to taste). Continue cooking until butter begins to bubble and brown. Once browning, remove from heat and add pumpkin purée and a tablespoon or two of pasta water; whisk until smooth.
Step 4
Drain pasta well and pour into bowl with kale. Add sauce, scraping the sides of the saucepan with a rubber spatula. Sprinkle with 1/3 cup cheese and mix well to ensure noodles are fully coated with sauce and cheese and kale is evenly dispersed. Divide among 4 shallow bowls and sprinkle each with Parmigiano-Reggiano, if desired.
Looking for more easy Fall dinner recipes? Check out the 20 Fall recipes I’m loving right now!
Pasta with Pumpkin Sage Brown Butter Sauce
Ingredients
- 1 lb Pasta, fresh or dry (see cook's note)
- 2 cups Lacinato Kale, stems removed
- 8 tbsp (1 stick) Butter
- 1/3 cup Shallots, minced
- 12 Sage Leaves, chopped
- pinch Red Pepper Flakes
- Kosher Salt
- Black Pepper, freshly ground
- 2/3 cup Pumpkin Purée
- 1/3 cup Parmigianno- Reggiano, grated (plus more for serving)
Instructions
- Heat a large pot of water over high heat. Once boiling, cook pasta according to package instructions (timing will vary depending on whether pasta is fresh or dry)
- While the pasta cooks, tear kale leaves into small pieces and massage by the handful, squeezing to soften leaves and release moisture. Place in a large shallow bowl and set aside.
- Melt butter in a medium saucepan over medium-low heat. Add shallot, sage, red pepper flakes, salt, and pepper (to taste). Continue cooking until butter begins to bubble and brown. Once browning, remove from heat and add pumpkin purée and a tablespoon or two of pasta water; whisk until smooth.
- Drain pasta well and pour into bowl with kale. Add sauce, scraping the sides of the saucepan with a rubber spatula. Sprinkle with 1/3 cup cheese and mix well to ensure noodles are fully coated with sauce and cheese and kale is evenly dispersed. Divide among 4 shallow bowls and sprinkle each with Parmigiano-Reggiano, if desired.
Cook's Notes
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