Creamy Pumpkin Pasta Sauce Recipe With Fried Sage

Get cozy with this creamy pumpkin pasta sauce recipe. Cooked pasta is layered in a casserole dish with a béchamel sauce, pumpkin butter ricotta cheese, and shredded Italian cheeses. It’s then baked in the oven and topped with fried sage leaves, crunchy bits of pancetta, and buttered cracker crumbs creating the most delicious, comforting meal.

Fall is all about coziness and comfort food. When I think of fall comfort food, two things come to mind…pumpkin flavor and hearty pasta!

There is nothing more filling and comforting than a big bowl of hearty pasta. Add in some pumpkin and you have an amazing fall meal that the whole family will devour!

Typically, most people associate pumpkin flavors with sweet fall treats or desserts (check out my 3 ingredient pumpkin muffins). But pumpkin is also yummy and delicious in savory dishes too. 

The key ingredient to this recipe I created? I used a jar of of sweet spiced pumpkin butter to create the savory pumpkin ricotta cheese mixture for our creamy pumpkin pasta (We’ll talk more about this in a minute!).

This easy recipe is perfect for pumpkin season and great on a busy weeknight for dinner but also decadent enough to be served as a side dish next to the Thanksgiving turkey. 

Either way, give this comforting fall dish a try, your family is going to enjoy it!

What is spiced pumpkin butter and why use it in this recipe?

Pumpkin butter is a fall fruit spread. Did you know pumpkin is actually a fruit…I didn’t until recently!

Pumpkin butter is made from pumpkin purée with the addition of warm and sweet spices (ginger, cinnamon, cloves, nutmeg, etc.) along with a sweetener such as brown sugar or honey. 

It tastes similar to pumpkin pie and can be used as a spread on toast, crackers, biscuits, ice cream, or just about anything you can think of.

I decided to use pumpkin butter in a more savory way by adding it to our comforting sauce. Pumpkin butter is sweet, however when you combine it with the right savory ingredients, the perfect balance of sweet and saltiness is absolutely delicious. 

Jump to Recipe

Creamy Pumpkin Sauce Ingredients

Here’s the ingredients you’ll need to make this pumpkin pasta dish.

• 1 lb. Short Cut Pasta:  I used Eliconi which is essentially just a larger rotini shaped pasta but you can use your favorite pasta.
• 1 tablespoon Extra Virgin Olive Oil
• 3 tablespoons All Purpose Flour
• 1 1/4 cup Spiced Pumpkin Butter: Pumpkin pie filling could be used in place of pumpkin butter.
• 1 cup Vegetable Stock: Chicken broth could be used instead.
• 1 cup Milk: Light or heavy cream could be substituted for a richer sauce.
• 2 1/4 cups Shredded Italian Cheeses: I used a bag of shredded provolone, asiago, fontina, & parmesan cheese.
• 1 cup Whole Milk Ricotta Cheese: I like whole milk ricotta for a richer flavor.
• Salt & Black Pepper to taste

For the Pasta Topping:

• Handful Fresh Sage Leaves
• 1 cup Diced Pancetta
• 1 cup Crushed & Buttered Saltine Crackers: To make this cracker topping, combine about 1/4 cup melted butter with 1 cup crushed saltine crackers. Mix together until crackers are coated in buttery goodness.
• 1-2 cups Shredded Italian Cheeses

How to Make this Creamy Pumpkin Pasta Recipe

Begin by cooking your short cut pasta in salted water in a pasta pot according to package directions. Drain and set aside.

While the pasta cooks, add olive oil to a large skillet and cook the diced pancetta. Once the pancetta is crispy and brown, remove from pan with a slotted spoon (keep as much of the fat renderings in the pan as possible) and place on a plate lined with paper towels.

In the olive oil/pancetta renderings, add a handful of sage leaves and fry until crispy (this only takes a minute or so). Once crispy, place the sage leaves on the paper towel lined plate along with the pancetta.

On medium-low heat add flour to the oil in the large saucepan and stir to combine. Cook roux (flour & oil mixture) for about 1 minute. 

Slowly pour vegetable broth and milk into the roux, whisking as you pour to prevent lumps of flour. Cook on medium heat, whisking occasionally, until sauce bubbles and begins to thicken to create the béchamel sauce. Remove béchamel sauce from heat once thickened.

In a mixing bowl, combine spiced pumpkin butter, ricotta cheese, Italian cheeses, salt, and pepper. Mix until well combined.

Assembling Pumpkin Pasta Casserole

Begin by evenly spreading a 1/3 of the béchamel sauce to the bottom of a 9×13 baking dish or dutch oven.

Place 1/3 of the cooked pasta in an even layer on top of the béchamel. Then evenly spread 1/3 of the pumpkin ricotta mixture on the pasta, with 1/3 of the shredded Italian cheeses on top of that.

Continue layering the béchamel sauce, pasta, pumpkin ricotta, and cheeses in 1/3’s. Finish the top of the pumpkin pasta casserole with shredded cheese.

Bake creamy pumpkin pasta in a preheated 375 degree oven for about 20-30 minutes or until sauce is bubbly and top & corners are browned.

Serving Pumpkin Pasta

Allow casserole to cool for about 10 minutes before serving. Garnish top of pumpkin pasta casserole with a few fried sage leaves.

Serve creamy pumpkin pasta in a bowl (A bowl gives more room for hearty helpings!) then top with a dollop of pumpkin butter, pancetta crumbles, crushed crackers, shredded Italian cheese, and fried sage leaves for garnish.

Enjoy the comforting pumpkin pasta goodness. You will definitely go back for seconds!

Storing Creamy Pumpkin Pasta Leftovers

Store leftover pasta in an airtight container in the refrigerator for 3-4 days or freeze for up to 3 months. 

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xoxo, heidi

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