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Pumpkin Pasta Sauce

Pumpkin pasta sauce that turns rigatoni into a silky, deep-orange meal. Simmered pumpkin and cream with garlic, white wine, parmesan, and nutmeg creates a velvety coating—finish by tossing with starchy pasta water.
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Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 20 minutes
Total Time 30 minutes
Servings: 4 servings
Course: Main Dish
Cuisine: Italian-American
Calories: 860
Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients
  

Pumpkin Pasta Sauce
  • 1 lb rigatoni or penne
  • 1 can (15 oz) pumpkin puree
  • 1 cup heavy cream
  • 3 cloves garlic, minced
  • 1 small onion, diced
  • 0.5 cup dry white wine
  • 0.5 cup parmesan, grated
  • 2 tbsp olive oil
  • 1 tsp Italian seasoning
  • 0.25 tsp nutmeg
  • 0.25 tsp red pepper flakes
  • 0.5 cup pasta water
  • 0.01 Salt and pepper to taste
  • 1 Fresh sage
  • 1 parmesan for serving

Equipment

  • 1 sheet pan

Method
 

Cook pasta and prep sauce base
  1. Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil and cook rigatoni or penne according to package directions, reserving 1 cup of pasta water before draining.
  2. Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat until shimmering.
  3. Sauté diced onion for 4 minutes, then add minced garlic and cook for 1 minute, stirring until fragrant.
Build the pumpkin cream sauce
  1. Pour in dry white wine and cook for 2 minutes to deglaze the skillet, scraping up browned bits.
  2. Add pumpkin puree, heavy cream, Italian seasoning, nutmeg, and red pepper flakes, then simmer for 8 minutes until the sauce looks smooth and slightly thickened.
  3. Stir in grated parmesan until fully melted and the sauce turns glossy.
Toss, season, and serve
  1. Add the drained pasta to the skillet and toss, adding reserved pasta water as needed to loosen the sauce into a silky coating.
  2. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
  3. Serve immediately with fresh sage and extra parmesan.

Notes

Pro tip: reserve pasta water before draining and add it gradually while tossing so the sauce clings without becoming watery. Refrigerate leftovers in a covered container for up to 3 days; reheat gently on the stove with a splash of water. Freezing isn’t recommended due to texture changes in cream-based sauce. For a dairy-reduced version, use half-and-half and reduced-fat parmesan (the sauce will be slightly less rich).