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Pumpkin Alfredo Pasta With Sage

Pumpkin Alfredo pasta with sage is a silky Italian-American sauce made with pumpkin puree, heavy cream, and parmesan. Toss pappardelle with simmered pumpkin-cream, then finish with crispy sage leaves and toasted walnuts for a golden, restaurant-style coating.
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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: 820
Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients
  

Pappardelle or wide pasta
  • 1 lb pappardelle or wide pasta
Pumpkin puree sauce
  • 1 cup pumpkin puree
  • 1.5 cup heavy cream
  • 4 tbsp unsalted butter divided
Aromatics and seasoning
  • 4 cloves garlic minced
  • 0.25 tsp nutmeg
  • 0.5 cup pasta water
  • salt to taste
  • pepper to taste
Cheese and finishing
  • 1 cup parmesan grated
  • 12 fresh sage leaves
  • 3 tbsp walnuts toasted

Equipment

  • 1 Dutch oven
  • 1 cast iron skillet

Method
 

Cook pasta and reserve water
  1. Bring a Dutch oven of salted water to a boil and cook the pappardelle until al dente. Reserve 1 cup of pasta water before draining.
Fry crispy sage
  1. In a cast iron skillet, melt 2 tablespoons of the unsalted butter over medium heat and fry the fresh sage leaves until crisp, about 1 to 2 minutes. Transfer the leaves to a plate to drain and cool.
Simmer pumpkin Alfredo base
  1. In the same skillet, add the remaining butter and sauté the minced garlic until fragrant, about 30 to 60 seconds. Stir in the pumpkin puree, heavy cream, and nutmeg, then simmer for 4 minutes over medium-low heat with gentle bubbling.
Build the sauce and toss
  1. Stir in the grated parmesan until melted and smooth. Add the cooked pasta and toss, adding pasta water as needed until the sauce coats the noodles.
Season and serve
  1. Season the pasta with salt and pepper to taste, then plate and top with the crispy sage leaves, toasted walnuts, and extra parmesan.

Notes

Pro tip: keep the sage moving in the skillet so it crisps without turning bitter. Refrigerate leftovers in an airtight container up to 3 days; reheat gently with a splash of cream or pasta water to loosen the sauce. Freezing is not recommended because cream-based sauces can separate after thawing. For a lighter option, swap heavy cream with half-and-half, expecting a thinner, less rich sauce.