Pasta with Creamy Roasted Pumpkin and Sage Sauce Recipe
This pasta is autumn on a plate: sweet pumpkin, butter, sage and a little Parmesan create a velvety sauce that coats the pasta. In Italy, such simple, seasonal dishes are very popular – just a few ingredients, but you can really taste each one.
Pumpkin with sage and butter is a combination associated with Northern Italian ravioli filled with pumpkin. In this short‑pasta version you get a similar buttery‑pumpkin flavor profile without the work of folding stuffed pasta.
This pasta uses roasted pumpkin, butter and sage – a combination that in Italy is associated with the beginning of autumn and the first chilly evenings. The velvety sauce is made from a few simple ingredients but has a surprisingly deep, buttery, herbal flavor that beautifully coats any type of pasta.
Why this version works
- Roasting the pumpkin instead of boiling it brings out its sweetness and caramel notes, which deepen the flavor of the sauce.
- The butter is infused with sage first, so the herb releases more flavor than if it were added at the end.
- Pasta cooking water thins the sauce without making it less creamy and helps it cling to the pasta.
- Nutmeg boosts the pumpkin’s sweetness and adds warmth without overloading the dish with spices.
Chef's tips
The pumpkin should be well roasted – until it starts to caramelize slightly at the edges; this makes the sauce more flavorful and naturally sweet. Heat the butter with the sage over medium heat until the leaves turn crisp and the butter develops a nutty aroma, but be careful not to burn it (it should be golden, not dark brown). If the sauce turns out too thick, thin it with a little pasta cooking water instead of extra fat.
How to serve
Serve this pasta with a glass of dry white wine, such as Soave or Pinot Grigio, and a simple arugula salad with Parmesan. It’s a great dish for dinner after a trip to the autumn market or for a calm weeknight when you want something comforting without spending hours at the stove. You can sprinkle toasted pumpkin seeds on top for extra crunch.
Watch out for
- Don’t take the pumpkin out of the oven too early – if the cubes are still firm, they’ll be hard to mash and the sauce will end up lumpy.
- Don’t burn the sage butter; if it turns dark brown and smells scorched, the sauce will taste bitter.
- Don’t add all the pasta water at once – pour it in a tablespoon at a time until the sauce coats the pasta smoothly.
Substitutions
- You can replace 30% cream with 18% cream or evaporated milk for a lighter sauce.
- Parmesan can be swapped for another hard cheese, such as Grana Padano or aged pecorino.
- Instead of fresh sage, use about 1/2 teaspoon dried sage, adding it together with the butter.
- You can replace penne or fusilli with tagliatelle, which also holds a creamy sauce well.
Ingredients
- pasta - 320 g
- pumpkin (e.g. Hokkaido or butternut) weight peeled and deseeded - 500 g
- butter - 40 g
- fresh sage or 1 teaspoon dried - 8 leaves
- garlic - 2 cloves
- 30% cream can be replaced with milk and a tablespoon of butter - 100 ml
- grated Parmesan or another hard aged cheese - 40 g
- olive oil for roasting the pumpkin - 1 tablespoon
- salt to taste
- freshly ground pepper to taste
- nutmeg optional, grated - 0.25 teaspoons
Preparation
- Preheat the oven to 200°C (top and bottom heat). Line a baking tray with baking paper.
- Peel the pumpkin (if using Hokkaido you don’t need to), remove the seeds and cut into roughly 2 cm cubes. Transfer to the tray, drizzle with olive oil, season lightly with salt and toss with your hands.
- Roast the pumpkin for 20–25 minutes, until soft and lightly browned at the edges. A piece of pumpkin pierced with a fork should break apart easily.
- Meanwhile, cook the pasta in plenty of salted water according to the package instructions until al dente. Reserve about 1 cup of the cooking water, then drain the rest.
- Finely chop the garlic. Cut the sage leaves into thin strips.
- Melt the butter in a large pan over medium heat. Add the sage and fry for 1–2 minutes, until the leaves wrinkle slightly and become very fragrant but do not darken too much.
- Add the garlic and fry for about 30 seconds more, stirring, until fragrant.
- Transfer the roasted pumpkin to the pan and mash it with a fork or masher into a purée. Add the cream, stir and cook for 2–3 minutes over low heat until the sauce is thick and creamy. If it’s too thick, add a little pasta cooking water.
- Add the grated Parmesan and nutmeg, stir until the cheese melts. Taste the sauce and season with salt and pepper.
- Add the cooked pasta to the sauce and mix thoroughly in the pan. If the sauce seems too thick, add a bit more pasta water until you reach the consistency of thick cream.
- Serve immediately, sprinkled with extra Parmesan and a few fresh sage leaves.
Storage
Store leftover pasta in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 2 days. Reheat gently in a pan over low heat, adding a splash of water or milk to loosen the sauce if needed.
I always make this pasta when, in October, the house starts to smell of the first heated radiators and I’m craving something truly comforting. I often roast a whole tray of pumpkin on Sunday and during the week simply blend it with butter and sage – dinner is ready in 15 minutes.
