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Cheesy Pumpkin Pasta Bake

Cheesy pumpkin pasta bake with rigatoni and Italian sausage, finished with a bubbling mozzarella-parmesan crust. Cook the pasta 2 minutes less than al dente, simmer the pumpkin cream sauce, then bake until golden and set.
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Prep Time 20 minutes
Cook Time 35 minutes
Total Time 55 minutes
Servings: 8 servings
Course: Main Dish
Cuisine: American
Calories: 650
Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients
  

Rigatoni or ziti
  • 1 lb rigatoni or ziti Use rigatoni or ziti.
Italian sausage
  • 1 lb Italian sausage Brown and cook through before building the sauce.
Aromatics and seasonings
  • 1 onion Dice for even sautéing.
  • 4 garlic Minced.
  • 1 tsp Italian seasoning
  • 0.5 tsp nutmeg
  • 0.25 tsp cayenne Use optional heat control to taste.
  • 0.5 tsp salt and pepper Season to taste; salt and black pepper combined.
Pumpkin sauce base
  • 1 can (15 oz) pumpkin puree Pumpkin puree, canned.
  • 1 cup heavy cream
  • 0.5 cup chicken broth
Cheese topping
  • 2 cup shredded mozzarella Shred fresh if possible for best melt.
  • 1 cup parmesan Grated.
Garnish
  • 0.25 fresh sage or basil Use for garnish after baking.

Equipment

  • 1 cast iron skillet
  • 1 sheet pan

Method
 

Preheat and par-cook the pasta
  1. Preheat your oven to 375F and set out a large oven-safe skillet for assembly later.
  2. Cook the rigatoni or ziti until 2 minutes less than al dente, then drain so it finishes in the oven.
Brown sausage and build the sauce
  1. Brown the Italian sausage in a large oven-safe skillet, then drain excess fat.
  2. Add the diced onion to the skillet and cook for 4 minutes, stirring occasionally until softened.
  3. Add the minced garlic and cook for 1 minute, just until fragrant.
  4. Stir in the pumpkin puree, heavy cream, chicken broth, Italian seasoning, nutmeg, and cayenne, then simmer for 5 minutes until slightly thickened.
  5. Season with salt and pepper to taste, then toss in the cooked pasta until evenly coated.
Bake and garnish
  1. Scatter the shredded mozzarella and grated parmesan over the top in an even layer.
  2. Bake for 25-30 minutes at 375F until bubbling and golden on top.
  3. Garnish with fresh sage or basil right after baking, then let rest briefly before serving.

Notes

Pro tip: for a thicker, sliceable bake, use full-fat heavy cream and don’t overcook the pasta—par-cook by 2 minutes so it finishes while baking. Refrigerate leftovers in a covered container up to 4 days; reheat in the oven or microwave until hot. Freezing is yes—freeze portions up to 2 months and bake from thawed or reheated state until bubbling. Dietary swap: use turkey sausage instead of Italian sausage for a lighter option while keeping the same sauce method.