Skip to content
Visit my other site: Another Cocktail Blog!
Simply Whisked
  • Home
  • About
  • RecipesExpand
    • Appetizers
    • Beverages
    • Breakfast
    • Desserts
    • Mains
    • Salads
    • Sandwiches
    • Sauces & Condiments
    • Sides
    • Soups
  • Resources
Facebook Instagram Pinterest TikTok YouTube
Visit my other site: Another Cocktail Blog!
Instagram TikTok YouTube
Simply Whisked
Home / Mains / Pumpkin Pasta with Italian Sausage

Pumpkin Pasta with Italian Sausage

This recipe is: dairy freeegg freenut free

This dairy free pumpkin pasta recipe features bits of savory Italian sausage and tender al dente rigatoni tossed with a creamy, flavorful pumpkin sauce with baby spinach leaves and fresh sage.

Jump to Recipe
A bowl of rigatoni in a pumpkin sauce with italian sausage, spinach and thinly sliced sage.

Why I love this pumpkin pasta recipe

  • Savory > sweet. What better way to indulge your pumpkin cravings than with a savory pasta dish. If you’ve never tried pumpkin in a savory way, this recipe is a must for fall.
  • It’s creamy. The pumpkin pairs really well with the fennel flavors in the Italian sausage, and it make a great dairy free sauce option because it creates a creamy, flavorful sauce without any cream or milk.
  • It’s quick. I used to make this with roasted butternut squash, but thanks to canned pumpkin, this recipe only takes 30 minutes to make.
Pumpkin pasta with Italian Sausage in a cast iron skillet.

Here’s what you’ll need to make it

**This post contains affiliate links. I may earn commission from qualifying purchases at no additional cost to you. I will never recommend a product I don’t use or trust.**

Image of Dutch oven

Dutch oven

Buy Now →
Image of measuring spoons

measuring spoons

Buy Now →
Image of liquid measuring cup

liquid measuring cup

Buy Now →
Newsletter Signup
25 recipes to FALL for this season

Get ready to fall in love with chilly weather and shorter days with fresh new recipes for autumn!

Close up of rigatoni in a cast iron skillet with ground meat and spinach.

Ingredients & substitutions

  • Rigatoni – Any pasta you want will work here. Just make sure to cook it to al dente in salted water, and don’t forget to save some of that pasta water for the sauce.
  • Italian sausage – We use sweet Italian sausage for this recipe, but you can use spicy or mild as well. You can also substitute chicken or turkey sausage, but you might need a bit of oil in your pan because there’s generally less fat in those.
  • Shallot – Shallots have a really unique flavor that you can’t replicate, but you can swap an onion. I would suggest using a sweet onion because it’s going to be the closest match to the shallots.
  • Pumpkin puree – This is not canned pumpkin pie filling. The ingredient list on the can should list pumpkin and nothing more. You could also use a homemade pumpkin puree if you have it.
  • Spinach – You can skip the spinach if you don’t have it, or you simply don’t like it. It won’t make a difference to the flavor of the recipe.
  • Fresh sage – if you don’t have fresh sage, you can substitute a 1/4 teaspoon of dry rubbed sage (a little goes a long way with fresh sage).

Making changes to a recipe can result in recipe failure. Any substitutions listed below are simple changes that I believe will work in this recipe, but results are not guaranteed.

Bowls of pumpkin pasta with italian sausage.

How to make pasta with pumpkin sauce

Boil the pasta. Fill a large stockpot with water and bring it to a boil. Add the pasta and a generous amount of salt.

Then, boil the pasta until it’s tender, stirring as needed. Check package for the al dente cooking time suggestion, and go from there.

When the pasta is cooked, reserve about 1 cup of pasta water and then drain the pasta.

Brown the sausage. Heat a large skillet to medium high. If your sausage is in links, remove and discard the casings.

When it’s hot, add the sausage and allow it to brown. Breaking it into pieces as you go.

Make the sauce. After the sausage has browned and there’s no pink left. Add the shallots and garlic. Stir to distribute them through the sausage, and sauté until the shallots are translucent – this should only take about 3 minutes.

Then, add the pumpkin puree and stir it around to coat the sausage. If your pasta isn’t ready yet, turn the pan’s heat down to low or temporarily remove it from the heat.

Close up of rigatoni with spinach and italian sausage with a pumpkin sauce.

Thin the sauce out. To thin the sauce, you’ll need to use a decent amount of pasta water. That means you need to take some out before draining the cooked pasta. I do this by sinking a liquid measuring cup into the pot. Always, always reserve more water than you need, maybe even double if you can. It’s better to have extra than not enough.

When ready, stir in at least 1/2 cup of pasta water to loosen the sauce. Then add the spinach and sage and cook until wilted.

Toss it all together. Add the pasta and additional pasta water (if you needed it). Gently stir to toss the pasta with sauce. Then, adjust the seasoning with salt & pepper before serving.

Bowls of pumpkin pasta with the cast iron skillet of pasta to the side.

More savory pumpkin recipes you’ll love

  • Pumpkin hummus
  • Pumpkin cornbread*
  • Spicy chicken soup
  • Instant pot pumpkin risotto*

*You may need to make changes to these recipes to make them 100% dairy free. For simple swaps, check out my favorite dairy free substitutes.

More pasta recipes you’ll love

  • Italian sausage and peppers pasta
  • Sweet potato pasta
  • Sesame noodles
  • Pasta carbonara
  • Slow cooker beef ragu
Print
clock clock iconcutlery cutlery iconflag flag iconfolder folder iconinstagram instagram iconpinterest pinterest iconfacebook facebook iconprint print iconsquares squares iconheart heart iconheart solid heart solid icon

Pumpkin Pasta with Italian Sausage

★★★★★

4.8 from 5 reviews

Print Recipe
Pin Recipe

This dairy free pumpkin pasta recipe features bits of savory Italian sausage and tender al dente rigatoni tossed with a creamy, flavorful pumpkin sauce with baby spinach leaves and fresh sage.

  • Author: Melissa Belanger
  • Prep Time: 5 minutes
  • Cook Time: 25 minutes
  • Total Time: 30 minutes
  • Yield: 6 – 8 servings 1x

Ingredients

Scale
  • 1 16-ounce package rigatoni pasta
  • 1 pound sweet Italian sausage
  • 4 garlic cloves, minced
  • 1 shallot, diced
  • 1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes (optional)
  • 5 – 8 ounces fresh spinach leaves
  • 1 15-ounce can pumpkin puree
  • 2 tablespoons fresh sage, thinly sliced
  • 1/2 – 3/4 teaspoon coarse salt
  • 1/4 teaspoon black pepper

Instructions

  1. Boil pasta in a large pot of salted water according to package directions for al dente – reserving about 1 cup of pasta water for sauce before draining.
  2. In a large skillet, brown Italian sausage over medium-high heat, breaking it into pieces as it cooks, about 5 minutes.
  3. Add the shallots, garlic and crushed red pepper to the pan and sauté, stirring frequently, until softened and slightly golden, about 3 minutes.
  4. Add pumpkin puree and salt & pepper. Then, slowly stir in pasta water, about 1/2 cup at a time, until sauce has reached desired consistency.
  5. Add spinach and sage to pan and allow it to wilt, stirring occasionally. If needed, reduce heat until pasta is ready.
  6. Drain pasta and toss with sauce, adding extra pasta water if needed.
  • Category: Mains
  • Method: Stovetop
  • Cuisine: Italian/American

Nutrition

  • Serving Size:
  • Calories: 0
  • Sugar: 0 g
  • Sodium: 0 mg
  • Fat: 0 g
  • Saturated Fat: 0 g
  • Unsaturated Fat: 0 g
  • Trans Fat: 0 g
  • Carbohydrates: 0 g
  • Fiber: 0 g
  • Protein: 0 g
  • Cholesterol: 0 mg

Keywords: pumpkin pasta, pumpkin rigatoni, pasta with pumpkin sauce, pumpkin sauce

Did you make one of our recipes? Tag us on Instagram @simplywhisked #simplywhisked. We would love to see it.

Published: September 16, 2022. Updated: November 13, 2022.

This post contains affiliate links. I may earn commission from qualifying purchases at no additional cost to you. I will never recommend a product I don’t use or trust.

Post navigation

Previous Previous
Garlic Butter Steak Bites
NextContinue
Quick and Easy Beer Chili
Melissa from Simply Whisked
Hi! I'm Melissa.

I'm so happy you're here!

I create dairy free recipes with simple ingredients because I know how hard living dairy free can be. I believe you can live a completely satisfying life without dairy, and I want to teach you how.

LEARN MORE ABOUT ME
FREE EMAIL SERIES!

25 recipes to FALL for this season

Get ready to fall in love with chilly weather and shorter days with fresh new recipes for autumn!

    dairy freeegg freegluten freenut freevegan

    Recipe key indicates that a recipe is free from allergens or offers alternative ways to make the recipe that is safe for the listed allergens or dietary restrictions. Always double check labels on purchased products to ensure they are safe to consume.

    DISCLAIMER: As an Amazon Associate, I earn a commission from qualifying purchases at no added cost to you. Affiliate links will be noted as such, and I will never recommend a product that I don’t use and trust.

    TOP 10 RECIPES
    1. Baked hamburgers
    2. Dairy free pancakes
    3. Peanut chicken wraps
    4. Homemade stir fry sauce
    5. Baked stuffed pork chops
    6. Maple glazed salmon
    7. Fish cakes
    8. Dairy free alfredo sauce
    9. Dijon vinaigrette
    10. Ahi tuna poke

    25 recipes to FALL for this season

    Get ready to fall in love with chilly weather and shorter days with fresh new recipes for autumn!

      Dairy free resources:
      • Are eggs dairy free?
      • Dairy free butter substitutes
      • Hidden sources of dairy
      • Must have kitchen tools
      Reader favorites:
      • Baked hamburgers
      • Homemade stir fry sauce
      • Dairy free pancakes
      • Vegan alfredo sauce
      Visit our sister sites:
      • Another Cocktail Blog
      • The Pasta Twins
      • Sparkle Recipe Co.
      • Marc Learns to Cook
      • FAQ
      • Contact
      • Privacy
      Facebook Instagram Pinterest TikTok YouTube

      © 2023 Simply Whisked

      FREE EMAIL BONUS!

      25 recipes to FALL for this season.

      Get ready to fall in love with chilly weather and shorter days with some fresh new recipes!

      • Home
      • About
      • Recipes
        • Appetizers
        • Beverages
        • Breakfast
        • Desserts
        • Mains
        • Salads
        • Sandwiches
        • Sauces & Condiments
        • Sides
        • Soups
      • Resources
      Search