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I’ve found various pumpkin pasta recipes over the years and decided to create my own. After all pumpkin is a fall squash and not just used in sweet desserts. Or at least that’s what I tell DT, but I didn’t tell him that this time and he had seconds before I ever mentioned it contained pumpkin, I like to keep him guessing a bit.
Really the pumpkin flavor is very mild but delicious none the less, I also threw in some spinach to up the veggie content and Italian sausage for all my meat eaters. I used fat free half and half and sour cream because it’s what I had, but please most certainly use full fat or low fat versions if you prefer.
Let’s Cook!
Ingredients: 1 12 oz box penne pasta, 1lb Italian sausage, 1 small onion, finely diced, 3-4 cloves of garlic, 1-1/2 cups chicken broth, 1/2 cup half and half, 1/2 cup sour cream, 1 15-oz can pumpkin, 1/8 tsp nutmeg, 1/8 tsp cinnamon, 1/4 tsp salt, 1/4 tsp pepper, 1 bag fresh baby spinach (frozen works too), 1-1/2 oz Parmesan cheese, grated
Remove the outer casing from sausage, or if you can find it use bulk sausage.
break into smaller pieces, and cook on medium high heat.
Once the sausage is fully cooked, add onion and garlic, cook for 3-4 minutes.
Then add the chicken broth.
cinnamon
and nutmeg. As Rachael Ray always says, “A little something to make them go, hmmm???”
Then add in the half and half
and pumpkin.
Stir well and let cook on medium high heat for 3-4 minutes.
Lower the heat and season with salt and pepper to taste.
Stir in sour cream,
and the drained cooked pasta.
Add in the bag of fresh spinach and let it sit until it wilts.
Then slowly mix.
Serve with a little Parmesan cheese.
and enjoy!
Print This RecipePumpkin and Sausage Penne
Ingredients:
1 12 oz box penne pasta
1lb Italian sausage
1 small onion, finely diced
3-4 cloves of garlic
1-1/2 cups chicken broth
1/2 cup half and half
1/2 cup sour cream
1 15-oz can pumpkin
1/8 tsp nutmeg
1/8 tsp cinnamon
1/4 tsp salt
1/4 tsp pepper
1 bag fresh baby spinach (frozen works too)
1-1/2 oz Parmesan cheese, gratedDirections:
Remove sausage from casing and break into small pieces and cook in large pot.
Cook pasta according to package directions.
While the pasta is cooking, in the same pan as the sausage onion and garlic, cook and stir until tender about 3 minutes. Whisk in broth, half and half, pumpkin, spices, salt and pepper. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat to low and simmer stir in sour cream, uncovered, for 4 minutes, stirring occasionally.
Toss pasta with sauce. Then add the fresh spinach, let sit until wilted.
Spoon into bowls and top with Parmesan cheese.
Oh my goodness you are daring! Pumpkin and pasta? So creative!
I never thought to use it in savory dishes…other than soup! thanks ill have to try it out. im on such a pumpkin kick…
YUM! I was waiting for you to post this 🙂 I just got a free magazine in the mail from Publix (a supermarket if you don’t have them out your way) and they have a Pumpkin Ravioli recipe. I think I like yours better…I know my hubby is pretty picky too and I don’t know if he’ll eat this with the pumpkin, but I can always try! 🙂
PS I’d be delighted to link up the recipes I’ve done so far. Today me and my daughter made Pumpkin Oatmeal Breakfast Cookies…oh my word!
Good Lord girl, you come up with the most interesting recipes! When I first saw pumpkin and pasta I winched, but my gosh it looks sooooo good!
@Heather, I am so on a pumpkin kick too, if you try it let me know what you think.
@Candi @ Family Stamping and FOOD!, Just don’t tell him there pumpkin in it, it’s honestly not that strong of a flavor, DT ate 2 bowls before I told him, lol!
Can’t wait to see that breakfast cookie recipe, yum!
@sheila, I know I know, lots of people have that reaction, because we all think pumpkin=pie! But really pumpkin is a winter squash, so you can use it like any other, butternut squash, acorn, etc. And this recipe the pumpkin flavor isn’t very strong so it’s almost like one of those hidden add in veggies recipes.
too funny — we created our own pumpkin dinner tonight too 🙂
Ours tasted just like mac and cheese — my sister and I were both surprised by the flavor. I thought to add spinach too, so I’m glad to know that I can!!
Visiting from Tuesdays at the Table. This looks delicious!
I love pumpkin ravioli, so I am guessing this is delicious, too! Beautiful dish!
@SnoWhite, How funny, great minds think alike, I really liked the flavor too, very unique, but not too overpowering.
@Domestic Nerd, Thanks, how is your working out going, still shredding?
@Julie, Oh pumpkin ravioli wow, that sounds delish! Do share your recipe.
I came over to get idea from you for meal planning and this is definitely going on the list!
OMG seriously this is the recipe I’ve been looking for… I love the fll and my fiance and I love Pumpkin, sausage and pasta. I bet this recipe keeps well. I’m going to make this and if I love it as much as I think I will I’m going to bring this for his family next week!
Fascinating–this looks like an easy, healthy recipe with some surprises. Will I be able to sneak it past my family?
Love autumn and pumpkin. I would have never thought to combine pumpkin into the penne recipe…looks delicious! The Pumpkin Yumkins are a go for us, too. I have printed them both to try.
Your blog is lovely and the pictures are great!
Blessings ~
@Sweet Pea,
its on the list this week!
I just wanted to let you know I made this for dinner last night and it was delish!! I used about 1/2 # spicy turkey sausage and 1/2 # ground turkey meat. It was what I happened to have in the freezer and it worked just fine.
I laughed when I was cooking and my hubby saw the sauce just before I added the pasta and said “does that have a lot of cheese in it, because it looks like queso dip.” Nope, definately not queso. But still yummy.
I paired the pasta with some toasted sourdough bread with parmesan cheese melted on it.
I made this tonight and it was sooo yummy! I used turkey Italian sausage and it was still very tasty. I also had to use frozen spinach because the fresh spinach at my grocery store did not look very good. Frozen worked fine!
My very picky hubby even had a second helping! I love your blog, thanks for all your wonderful recipes! I’ve also made your mini meatloaf and loved them too! 🙂
I found you just by Googling pumpkin and sausage pasta and yours was the best recipe I found. I had some Swiss chard left from our last CSA delivery so used it instead of spinach. Everyone in the family ate it! I also used turkey Italian sausage and it was very good. Great recipe! I pinned it so you may get some more hits now!