Creamy Pumpkin Pasta with Brown Butter and Sage
This luxurious Creamy Pumpkin Pasta with Brown Butter and Sage combines al dente pasta with a silky pumpkin sauce, fragrant brown butter, and crispy sage leaves. Ready in 25 minutes, it delivers sophisticated fall flavors with minimal effort.
Ingredients
- 1 pound 450g fettuccine or pappardelle pasta (wider noodles hold the sauce better)
- 4 tablespoons unsalted butter
- 15-20 fresh sage leaves plus extra for garnish
- 3 cloves garlic minced
- 1 cup 240ml pumpkin purée (not pumpkin pie filling)
- 1 cup 240ml heavy cream
- 1/4 cup 60ml pasta cooking water (reserved)
- 1/2 cup 50g freshly grated Parmesan cheese, plus extra for serving
- 1/4 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg
- 1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon optional
- Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
- Pinch of red pepper flakes optional
Instructions
- Bring a large pot of water to a boil and salt it generously. Cook pasta according to package directions until al dente. Before draining, reserve 1 cup of the starchy pasta water.
- While the pasta cooks, prepare the brown butter sage sauce. In a large skillet over medium heat, melt the butter. Once melted, continue cooking, swirling occasionally, until the butter turns amber in color and smells nutty, about 3-4 minutes.
- Add the sage leaves to the browned butter and cook for 30 seconds until they become crisp. Remove about half of the sage leaves and set aside on a paper towel for garnish.
- Reduce heat to medium-low and add minced garlic to the brown butter. Cook for 30 seconds until fragrant, being careful not to burn it.
- Stir in the pumpkin purée and whisk until smooth. Cook for 1-2 minutes to remove any raw pumpkin flavor.
- Pour in the heavy cream and whisk until fully incorporated with the pumpkin mixture. Allow to simmer gently for 2-3 minutes until slightly thickened.
- Season the sauce with nutmeg, cinnamon (if using), salt, pepper, and red pepper flakes if desired. Taste and adjust seasonings as needed.
- Add the drained pasta directly to the sauce, along with 1/4 cup of the reserved pasta water. Toss to coat the pasta evenly, adding more pasta water if needed to achieve your desired consistency.
- Sprinkle in the Parmesan cheese and toss until melted and incorporated into the sauce.
- Serve immediately, topped with the reserved crispy sage leaves, additional Parmesan cheese, and freshly ground black pepper.
Notes
- For the creamiest sauce, use room temperature cream rather than cold from the refrigerator.
- The brown butter is essential to this dish’s flavor profile—don’t rush this step, but watch carefully as it can go from perfectly browned to burnt very quickly.
- Freshly grated Parmesan melts much better than pre-grated varieties and adds better flavor.
- If you need to make this ahead, prepare the sauce separately and refrigerate. Reheat gently while you cook fresh pasta, adding a splash of cream or pasta water to loosen.
- This sauce thickens as it cools, so serve immediately for the optimal texture.