Italian Sunday Dinner: Pasta with Pumpkin Cream Sauce

Happy Halloween, my friends! I love decorating my home for the holidays, and Halloween is one of my favorites! I love setting my tables every holiday, even though it’s just for the three of us. I had kept all my decorations from when the children were little. So in honor of Halloween, I thought I would share my Pasta with Pumpkin Cream Sauce. This is very similar to an Alfredo sauce but perfect for Halloween!

Pasta with Pumpkin Cream Sauce

Pumpkin cream sauce is a creamy, savory sauce made with pumpkin purée, cream cheese or mascarpone cheese, Parmesan cheese, garlic, fresh sage, and spices.

Ingredients:

• • 1 pound Tagliatelle pasta or any other pasta
  • 2 tablespoon unsalted butter
  • 1 tablespoon all-purpose flour
  • 2 cloves garlic minced
  • 2 cups milk 
  • 1 cup pumpkin puree, not pumpkin pie filling!!!
  • 4 ounces cream cheese cut into chunks and at room temperature (do not use fat-free!!) Or Mascarpone cheese is another great cheese
  • 1 tablespoon chopped fresh sage leaves divided
  • 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
  • 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
  • 1/8 teaspoon ground cinnamon
  • 1/8 teaspoon ground nutmeg
  • Pinch ground cayenne pepper
  • 1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese for serving
  • Optional: You can add toasted pecans or walnuts to this pumpkin cream sauce. I have seen recipes with chicken,  mushrooms, and sausage too.

Instructions:

• According to package instructions, bring a large pot of salted water to a boil and cook the pasta to al dente. Reserve 1 cup of the pasta water, drain pasta, and set aside.
• Melt the butter in a large saucepan over medium heat. Once hot and sizzling, add the flour, then whisk constantly until it turns a golden color and smells nutty. Add the garlic and cook for 30 seconds. Next, slowly pour in the milk a few splashes at a time, constantly whisking to smooth any clumps. Increase the heat to medium-high, then let cook, constantly stirring, until the sauce bubbles and thickens about 8 to 10 minutes.
• Remove the pan from the heat, then stir in the pumpkin, cream cheese, half of the chopped sage leaves, salt, pepper, cinnamon, nutmeg, and cayenne. Continue whisking until the cream cheese melts and you have a smooth, rich sauce. Taste and add additional salt and pepper as desired.
• Add the cooked pasta to the pan and gently toss to combine. Thin the pasta with a bit of the reserved pasta water as needed if it seems too thick or sticky.
• Serve immediately, topped with Parmesan and the remaining sage.

This is how I set my table on the porch when the family comes over for dinner. My granddaughters love all my Halloween decorations.

This Halloween display sits on my back porch. I love looking at it through my kitchen windows. Especially at night when the pumpkins are lit up.

More Pasta recipes

Chicken Fettucine Alfredo

Creamy Tuscan Chicken

Basil Pesto Pasta

Have a spooktacular weekend!