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Pumpkin Pasta Sauce

Pumpkin pasta sauce with rigatoni or penne is simmered until silky and coats every bite, finished with parmesan and a splash of pasta water for clingy texture. A creamy Italian-American pumpkin sauce flavored with garlic, white wine, nutmeg, and red pepper flakes makes an elegant weeknight main.
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Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 20 minutes
Total Time 30 minutes
Servings: 4 servings
Course: Dinner
Cuisine: Italian-American
Calories: 680
Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients
  

Rigatoni or penne
  • 1 lb rigatoni or penne Use rigatoni or penne.
Pumpkin puree
  • 1 can (15 oz) pumpkin puree
Heavy cream
  • 1 cup heavy cream
Garlic
  • 3 garlic Minced.
Onion
  • 1 onion Small, diced.
Dry white wine
  • 0.5 cup dry white wine
Parmesan
  • 0.5 cup parmesan Grated.
Olive oil
  • 2 tbsp olive oil
Italian seasoning
  • 1 tsp Italian seasoning
Nutmeg
  • 0.25 tsp nutmeg
Red pepper flakes
  • 0.25 tsp red pepper flakes
Pasta water
  • 0.5 cup pasta water Reserve 1 cup while boiling; use as needed.
Salt and pepper
  • 0.25 tsp salt and pepper To taste; add during seasoning.
Fresh sage and parmesan for serving
  • 1 fresh sage and parmesan for serving For garnish.

Equipment

  • 1 sheet pan

Method
 

Cook pasta
  1. Cook rigatoni or penne in boiling salted water until al dente, then reserve 1 cup pasta water for the sauce.
  2. Drain the pasta and keep it ready to toss with the sauce, leaving the reserved pasta water nearby.
Build the sauce base
  1. Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat, then sauté onion for 4 minutes until softened.
  2. Add minced garlic and cook for 1 minute, stirring so it doesn’t brown.
  3. Pour in dry white wine to deglaze and cook for 2 minutes, scraping up any browned bits from the pan.
Simmer pumpkin cream sauce
  1. Add pumpkin puree, heavy cream, Italian seasoning, nutmeg, and red pepper flakes, then simmer for 8 minutes until the sauce thickens and looks deep-orange and silky.
  2. Stir in parmesan until melted and smooth, keeping the heat at a steady simmer.
Combine and season
  1. Add the cooked rigatoni or penne to the skillet and toss, adding pasta water as needed to loosen the sauce so it clings to the pasta.
  2. Season with salt and pepper to taste, then serve with fresh sage and extra parmesan.

Notes

Pro tip: reserve the pasta water and add it gradually—this is what turns the sauce from creamy to coat-every-ridge silky. Store leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days; reheat gently on the stove with a splash of water or cream. Freezing is not ideal because cream can separate when thawed. Dietary swap: use half-and-half instead of heavy cream for a lighter version while keeping the same simmering method.