Topped with crispy, fried sage, this One-Pot Pumpkin, Sausage, and Sage Pasta is packed with all the flavors we love right as the cooler weather hits. Savory pumpkin, allspice, sage, and sausage come together for a hearty and easy to make dinner.

Pumpkin, Sausage, and Sage Pasta

In North America, we’re so used to PSLs and pumpkin pie – pumpkin as the star of sweet treats in the fall. In so many other countries (especially in Asia), pumpkin is primarily used as a savory ingredient for fritters and curries.

That’s kind of what inspired this recipe! I played around with pumpkin puree paired with different cheeses and herbs and finally landed on a heavenly culinary trifecta: smoked gouda, sage, and pumpkin.

This dish feels elevated and intricate, but it requires just under 10 ingredients (salt and pepper not included, of course). And, I promise, you’ll only need the one pot. No chopping, no prep, just one pot and one spatula. And if you love recipes with easy clean up but this one isn’t your vibe, check out more one-pot/one-pan recipes.

Why You’ll Love the Recipe

  • 10 Ingredients
  • Easy Clean-Up
  • Seasonal Flavors
  • Feeds the Whole Family
Pumpkin Pasta Ingredients

Choosing Your Pasta

Picking your pasta isn’t just an aesthetic decision. The kind of pasta you choose matters, especially for sauces like this one. I used trottole pasta because of its beautiful grooves and spirals that really catch every bit of the luxuriously thick pumpkin sauce and melted gouda. For sauces like this, I’ve also loved cavatappi which is easier to find in regular grocery stores.

Trotolle pasta

Let’s get to cooking your One-Pot Pumpkin, Sausage, and Sage Pasta! You’ll really only need a medium to large pot and a heat resistant rubber spatula. I use my Le Creuset Dutch oven almost every day, and absolutely love it.

  1. Boil pasta: Salt your water and boil your noods. Gordon Ramsey once said that the salted water that you boil pasta in should taste like sea water, so who am I to disagree?!

    Drain the pasta into a strainer and rinse with cold water to prevent the pasta from sticking together. (Okay, so I lied about the whole one-pot thing, you’ll need to wash the strainer too).
Boil pasta
  1. Fry sage leaves: Melt the butter and olive oil in your pot and wait until it shimmers before you drop in the sage leaves. Fry for 2-3 minutes until sage leaves are crispy. Remove the leaves and set aside on a paper towel to drain the grease.
Sage leaves in oil and butter
Fried Sage Leaves
  1. Cook the sausage: Add the Italian sausage and tomato paste to the sage infused oil and butter. Cook while breaking up with the spatula.
Brown the sausage
Add evaporated milk
Add pumpkin puree
  1. Add in milk and pumpkin puree: Stir until well combined. Simmer for 5 minutes.
  2. *Fold in the cheese* (iykyk): Stir in your shredded gouda until melted.
  3. Add pasta to the pot and stir to coat evenly with the sauce.
Fold in the cheese

Tip

If you can’t find a good smoked gouda at your grocery store, you can use sharp cheddar cheese instead!

Mix in the pasta

Serve piping hot, topped with crispy sage leaves!

Pumpkin, Sausage, and Sage Pasta Horizontal Image

How To Make Your One-Pot Pumpkin, Sausage, and Sage Pasta Even Better

  • Reserve some pasta water: Based on your preferences, you may want to add in some reserved pasta water if you find the sauce too thick.
  • Spice it up: For a little kick, add in a half teaspoon of red chili flakes.
  • Add some extra nutrients: Spinach is a great addition to this pasta. Add in a handful or two after the gouda melts, and stir until wilted.

Reheating

  • Oven: If you used an oven-safe pot for your One-Pot Pumpkin, Sausage, and Sage Pasta, cover with foil, and bake in a 350°F oven for about 15-20 minutes or until heated through. 
  • Stove Top: Reheat leftover pasta on the stove in the same pot. Stir for 5-10 minutes over medium-high heat. 

Recipe FAQs

Can you freeze this pasta?

Yes, you can. You can use this guide to avoid freeze burn.

Can I use other ground meat instead of pork?

Absolutely! I’ve used ground turkey and ground chicken for this recipe with good results.

More One-Pot and One-Pan Recipes

Do you love this One-Pot Pumpkin, Sausage, and Sage Pasta recipe? Please leave a 5 star ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ rating in the recipe card below ⬇️ and/or a review in the comment section further down.

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5 from 2 reviews

One-Pot Pumpkin, Sausage, and Sage Pasta

Servings: 8 servings
Prep Time: 5 minutes
Cook Time: 25 minutes
Total Time: 30 minutes
A delicious, seasonal one pot pasta recipe with an incredible savory pumpkin and sausage sauce. Made with under 10 ingredients!
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Ingredients
 

  • 1 lb pasta, I used trotolle
  • ½ tbsp olive oil
  • ½ tbsp butter
  • 8 sage leaves
  • 1 tbsp tomato paste
  • 1 lb ground Italian sausage
  • 1 ¼ cups evaporated milk
  • 1 15 oz. can pure pumpkin puree
  • ¼ teaspoon allspice
  • 8 oz. smoked gouda
  • ½ tsp freshly ground black pepper
  • ½ tsp salt

Equipment

  • Large pot
  • Spatula or cooking spoon
  • Pasta Strainer

Instructions
 

  • Bring a pot of salted water to a rolling boil. Add in your pasta, and cook according to package directions (al dente).
    Reserve ½ cup of pasta water for later and drain the pasta into a strainer. Rinse the pasta in the strainer with cold water to prevent it from sticking together.
  • Return the now empty pot to the stove and heat olive oil and butter over medium heat. Wait until the oil and butter start to shimmer and fry sage leaves until golden brown (about 2-3 minutes). Remove the sage leaves from the oil and set aside on a paper towel.
  • Add ground sausage and tomato paste to the pot of sage-infused olive oil and butter and continue to stir until caramelized. This will take approximately 6 – 10 minutes over medium-high heat.
  • Stir in evaporated milk and bring to a simmer. Whisk in pureed pumpkin and allspice, until combined.
  • Fold in the gouda and stir until melted. Season with salt and pepper, as needed.
  • Add pasta to the sauce and stir until coated, adding some of the pasta cooking water if the sauce is too thick.
  • Season to taste and serve hot topped with crispy sage.

Notes

Nutritional information is approximate and was calculated using a recipe nutrition label generator and will vary based on cooking methods and brands of ingredients used. The serving size for this recipe is approximately 1.5 cups of pasta.
Calories: 577kcal, Carbohydrates: 48g, Protein: 25g, Fat: 31g, Saturated Fat: 14g, Polyunsaturated Fat: 3g, Monounsaturated Fat: 12g, Trans Fat: 0.03g, Cholesterol: 89mg, Sodium: 853mg, Potassium: 447mg, Fiber: 2g, Sugar: 6g, Vitamin A: 327IU, Vitamin C: 2mg, Calcium: 326mg, Iron: 2mg
Did you make this recipe?Mention @suburbansimplicity on Instagram or use the hashtag #suburbansimplicity!

Hungry for more? Follow Suburban Simplicity on Facebook, Instagram, YouTube, and Pinterest to see more DIYs, recipes, and home tips!

Also, don’t forget to sign up for email!
I only send one email a week, and it’ll include my latest recipes, DIYs, and tips, information about exclusive “email only” giveaways, and more! See form below!

Want to subscribe to the Suburban Simplicity Recipe Club? It’s only $5 per month, and you’ll get ad-free PDFs of any new recipes that I post while supporting me at the same time! Join the club, here.