Creamy Pumpkin And Sage Pasta

This pumpkin and sage pasta is perfect for fall! It’s creamy, comforting, and can be easily tweaked into vegan pumpkin sage pasta!

Sometimes, we just need a comforting bowl of something creamy made from pumpkin. This pumpkin and sage pasta is the ultimate pasta for fall, and it’s just as cozy as the season!

This easy recipe is the perfect dish on autumn days (or nights) when you’re craving a savory and creamy pumpkin dish but not exactly in the mood for pumpkin soup. 

Pumpkin pasta with crispy sage is a hearty and satisfying meal with all the delicious fall flavors we love in a rich pumpkin soup!

I used gluten-free rigatoni for my pasta, but read on for a yummy substitute to turn this recipe into a vegan pumpkin sage pasta. 😋

What Is Pumpkin and Sage Pasta?

Pumpkin and sage pasta is a pasta dish served with creamy pumpkin sauce and crispy sage leaves. Sounds simple, but this cozy fall recipe might be what your weeknights need to cure those autumn blues. 

This warm and filling meal comes together so easily, and since all the sauce ingredients are plant-based, you only need to use vegan pasta to turn the recipe entirely vegan-friendly!

I think most will agree with me that when autumn rolls around, it’s time to whip up the most amazing comfort foods in the kitchen. Just like how flannel shirts are practically synonymous with fall, it’ll be a crime not to make a pumpkin dish to celebrate the cozy season. 

And if you don’t have an essential fall pasta recipe yet, you need to try this pumpkin sage pasta. It’s like a creamy Alfredo pasta with an autumnal makeover!  

The vegan pumpkin sauce has a lovely nuttiness and sweetness from the pumpkin, and the coconut milk makes it rich and creamy without dairy.

Then, we’ll crisp up some sage leaves until they’re toasted and fragrant for a crave-worthy finishing touch. 

Why You’ll Love This Pumpkin Sage Pasta Recipe

• Perfect Fall Pasta: Cozy pumpkin recipes are all the rage in fall, and what better way to feature everyone’s favorite pumpkin than in a comforting bowl of rich and savory pasta dish? Go way beyond pumpkin soup this season and treat the pasta lover in you with pumpkin and sage pasta!
• Can Be Vegan-Friendly: Use any vegan pasta of your choice and turn this recipe into a vegan pumpkin pasta with crispy sage! You can also incorporate other yummy plant-based ingredients to make your dish extra satisfying. 
• Easy Main Dish: Can’t decide what to make on a busy weeknight? This easy sage and pumpkin pasta will keep you going through the week! You can also meal prep the creamy pumpkin sauce and serve it with freshly cooked pasta for an impressive but effortless Thanksgiving dinner.

What Does Vegan Pumpkin Sage Pasta Taste Like?

This pumpkin and sage pasta tastes rich and savory. It also has a subtle sweetness, earthiness, and nuttiness since it uses an actual pumpkin for the puree.

All I can say is if you love pumpkin soup, this pasta dish is definitely a must-try! 

The addition of crispy sage leaves also complements the creamy, slightly coconut-y pumpkin sauce. Cooking the leaves makes sage taste more mellow, and its herby flavor does not overwhelm the pumpkin sauce.

Pumpkin and sage’s combination has “comforting” written all over it!

Not to mention, the smell while cooking this dish will definitely get you into the fall spirit. 🤤 

But what if you’re not a fan of sage? You can use rosemary and make pumpkin rosemary pasta instead!

And if you’re a true pumpkin soup fan, check out our pumpkin soup and spiced harvest pumpkin soup recipes.

Ingredients For Pumpkin Pasta With Sage

• Gluten-free rigatoni pasta – I picked rigatoni to sop up our rich and creamy pumpkin pasta sauce. You can also use any other type of gluten-free pasta, like penne or rotini. 
• Pumpkin – We’ll make our own pumpkin puree from scratch with fresh pumpkin. Don’t forget to remove the skin to keep the pasta sauce velvety!
• Coconut milk – Make a luscious pumpkin cream sauce without heavy cream! The richness of coconut milk is perfect for the job, and it doesn’t make the pasta sauce taste super coconut-y!
• Olive oil – We’ll use this to bring out the flavor of sage leaves when we fry them. We’ll also add olive oil to the pumpkin pasta sauce for the perfect consistency. 
• Garlic – You can also use some when frying your sage leaves!
• Black pepper – To season our savory pumpkin dish. You can combine different seasonings and spices to modify this pumpkin and sage pasta to whatever your taste buds desire! 
• Kosher salt – To balance the sweetness of pumpkin. 
• Sage leaves – A delicious aromatic herb that complements the comforting pumpkin pasta. Thanks to this recipe, I can see myself adding fried sage to my pasta dishes more! 
• Smoked paprika – Its smokiness creates a more well-rounded taste on our pumpkin and sage pasta. Some people even like spicier peppers like red pepper flakes in their creamy pumpkin sauce. 🥵
• Vegan parmesan cheese – No creamy pasta dish is complete without parmesan cheese on top! And just because we’ll make a vegan pumpkin sage pasta doesn’t mean we have to lose our favorite cheese topping. 
• Walnuts – An optional addition to give a crunchy contrast to every forkful of pumpkin sage pasta.

Tools Needed To Prepare Sage Pasta With Creamy Pumpkin Sauce

• Knife for slicing the pumpkin
• Pan for frying the fresh sage leaves
• Pot for cooking the pumpkin sauce
• Blender for making the pumpkin puree

Ingredient Additions & Substitutions For Pumpkin and Sage Pasta

Gluten-free pasta substitute

Make this pumpkin and sage pasta recipe completely vegan-friendly by using plant-based pasta! Try the fall-ready, rich, and savory sauce of this dish with chickpea pasta!

Coconut milk substitute 

Any non-dairy milk will work well for pumpkin sage pasta.

If you don’t care for coconut milk, I recommend unsweetened almond milk because it has a relatively mild flavor; it won’t overpower the rich, umami flavor of the pumpkin sauce. 

Mushroom

Craving for a meaty texture on your pumpkin and sage pasta but want to keep it vegan? I got you!

Opt for crimini mushrooms for a satisfying bite!

How to Make Pumpkin and Sage Pasta

Ingredients:

• 1 lb gluten-free rigatoni pasta
• 3 lbs pumpkin
• 14 oz coconut milk
• 2 tbsp olive oil
• 3 cloves garlic
• 1/2 tsp black pepper
• 1 1/2 tsp salt
• 6 sage leaves
• 3/4 tsp smoked paprika
• 4 tbsp vegan parmesan cheese
• Walnuts, optional
• Extra salt for the pasta water

Tools you need:

• Knife
• Pan
• Pot
• Blender

Ingredients:

STEP 1: Gather and measure the ingredients for your pumpkin sage pasta.

STEP 2: Slice up your pumpkin into cubes.

STEP 3: Bring your cubed pumpkin to a boil for 15 minutes or until soft. Remove the pumpkin skin.

STEP 4: Place the cooked pumpkin in a blender. Add the coconut milk, olive oil, garlic cloves, and seasonings. Blend until smooth and creamy.

STEP 5: Heat a frying pan over medium heat.

STEP 6: Add some olive oil to the pan and fry the sage leaves until they’re dark and hard. Then, transfer them onto a paper towel and allow them to dry.

STEP 7: Fill a pot with salted water for cooking the pasta. Bring it to a boil. Then, cook your pasta according to package instructions.

STEP 8: Pour the pumpkin puree into a frying pan on medium heat. Season with paprika and cook for 5 minutes or until thick.

STEP 9: Transfer the cooked pasta to the frying pan. Toss until evenly mixed.

STEP 10: Serve with vegan parmesan cheese, walnuts, and sage leaves.

What To Serve With Sage and Pumpkin Pasta

Serve pumpkin and sage pasta with a side salad to balance the sauce’s creaminess.

Something like arugula salad with crispy shallot tossed in lemon vinaigrette would be perfect because of its acidity and crunchiness. 🤤

Love soaking up creamy pasta sauces with dinner rolls?

Let me introduce you to our pumpkin-shaped bread! With its unique and fun look, it’s guaranteed to impress at your fall dinner table!

And for those who want to pair their sage pumpkin pasta with protein, don’t you agree that crispy, juicy, bite-sized chicken sounds fantastic with a bowl of creamy and herby pasta?

Try our Instant Pot chicken bites; it’s super easy to make, so it’s great for hosting too!

Tips About Making Sage Pumpkin Pasta

• Thanks to pumpkin and coconut milk, our vegan-friendly pumpkin sauce will be deliciously rich and creamy, even without heavy cream. But if your sauce ends up too thick, just stir in some pasta water to loosen it up!
• The secret behind the perfect al dente pasta for this pumpkin and sage pasta recipe? Boil the pasta uncovered for 12 minutes, of course, stirring occasionally. You can also refer to your pasta box for cooking instructions. 
• This creamy pumpkin pasta is elevated by fried sage. Use whole leaves or break them into smaller pieces when serving the dish. You can also include other herbs like rosemary, basil, and thyme!

How To Store Pumpkin and Sage Pasta

• Fridge: Store your leftover pumpkin and sage pasta in an airtight container for 3 days. But personally, I prefer just meal-prepping the sauce and then cooking myself a fresh batch of pasta and crispy sage leaves before serving. 
• Freezer: You can freeze the creamy pumpkin sauce for 3 months. Just thaw it in the fridge before reheating.
• Reheating: When you reheat your pumpkin sauce on the stovetop, you can loosen it up with a splash of water or save some pasta water when you cook a fresh batch of pasta. If it’s just from the fridge, I sometimes add the sauce straight to my drained, freshly cooked pasta noodles while they’re still hot. 

Can I Use Butternut Squash Instead of Pumpkin For Pumpkin Pasta?

Absolutely! Butternut squash has a sweeter taste, perfect with the aromatic herbs in this recipe. (Bonus tip: With butternut squash, garlic makes an amazing base for the pasta sauce!)

You can also use canned pumpkin puree so that you can make pumpkin and sage pasta regardless of the season. 

What Goes Well with Pumpkin Pasta Sauce?

Pumpkin pasta sauce is rich and creamy with a subtle sweetness and nuttiness to it. To balance out the flavors of the creamy sauce, pair it with a light, crisp wine like Sauvignon Blanc. 

We don’t want a pairing that’s overwhelming to the palate or lose the delicious but subtle pumpkin flavor in the pasta dish.

Sage, like how we’ve used it in this pumpkin and sage pasta recipe, also pairs well with pumpkin sauce. The warm, earthy flavor does not take over the pumpkin pasta.

For a crisp topping, cook your sage leaves in olive oil with some garlic, lemon juice, pumpkin seeds, and breadcrumbs.

You can also just make air fryer pumpkin seeds and sprinkle them on top of the pumpkin pasta before serving. 

How to Make Pumpkin Pasta Sauce?

As proven by this pumpkin and sage pasta recipe, it’s easy to make a vegan pumpkin pasta sauce. It’s essentially just pumpkin puree, garlic, coconut milk, olive oil, and seasonings. 

You can also puree your pumpkin with vegan cream cheese, which, in my opinion, makes the pumpkin sauce taste more like an actual creamy pasta sauce.

Add some aromatics like garlic and onion and autumn spices like cinnamon and nutmeg in the blend, and I can guarantee your pumpkin pasta will be repeated in your yearly fall menu. 

FAQ About Pumpkin Pasta

Conclusion

If there’s such a thing as a flavorful marriage, it’s this pumpkin and sage pasta recipe!

Think of it like your favorite cozy bowl of pumpkin soup transformed into a filling pasta dish!

It’s super easy to make, and you can even make the sauce in advance for meal prep. 

Before serving, don’t forget the herbaceous yumminess from crispy sage leaves and vegan parmesan cheese.  

So what are you waiting for? Make a bowl of pumpkin sage pasta and let your taste buds discover the real definition of a “comfort food.” 

Love this pumpkin pasta recipe? Here are some of my most comforting pasta dishes you should make for dinner ASAP:

• One-Pot French Onion Pasta
• Vegan Pasta Puttanesca
• Viral TikTok Marry Me Chicken
• Dairy-Free Shrimp Scampi
• Copycat Olive Garden Steak Gorgonzola

Can’t get enough of pumpkin recipes? Here are 25 Pumpkin Recipes That Prove Pumpkins Aren’t Just for Carving!