Creamy Pumpkin Pasta with Crispy Sage Recipe
A cozy, creamy pasta recipe reminiscent of mac & cheese or alfredo, but wholesome and veggie-packed. The salty crispy sage topping is crazy addictive.
Prep Time15 minutes mins
Cook Time15 minutes mins
Total Time30 minutes mins
Course: Dinner
Cuisine: Italian
Servings: 6
- 1 lb pasta of choice I used rigatoni
- 4 tbsp unsalted butter
- ½ cup finely-chopped onion
- 1 clove garlic minced
- ¼ cup all-purpose flour
- 3 cups Horizon Organic Milk
- 2 cups pumpkin puree homemade or store-bought, just not pie filling!
- 2 tsp kosher salt plus more
- ½ cup freshly-grated parmesan cheese plus more to serve
- handful of sage leaves
- cooking oil
- red chili flakes to serve (optional)
Bring a large pot of water to a boil and salt generously until it tastes like the ocean. Add pasta and cook until al dente, according to package instructions.
Melt butter in a large pot over medium heat. Add onion and cook until soft and translucent, about 10 minutes. Add garlic and cook until fragrant, 1-2 minutes, then add flour and cook another minute, stirring constantly. Gradually whisk in the milk and bring to a simmer. When you notice sauce has thickened a bit, whisk in the pumpkin and salt. Bring back up to a simmer then reduce heat to low and stir in the parmesan. Taste and add more salt as needed.
Heat about 1/2" oil in a small saucepan over medium-high heat. When shimmering hot, carefully add sage leaves. Cook until crisp and starting to brown, a minute or two.
Drain pasta and return to pot. Add sauce and toss to coat. Top individual bowls with a sprinkling of parmesan, some crumbled crispy sage, an a sprinkle of red pepper flakes, if desired.