Pumpkin & Sausage Pasta

Looking for something out of the ordinary and perfect for fall? Look no further! This delicious pumpkin & sausage pasta sauce is earthy, slightly sweet, nutty, and perfect for 4 people as a main course. I mainly followed Rachael Ray's recipe, but I altered it slightly. Here's how I made it:


1 lb. bulk sweet Italian sausage (sweet is key to the flavor in this dish. It's not supposed to be spicy!)
1 medium onion, finely chopped (I used a sweet onion)
5 cloves garlic, minced (she called for 4)
1 c. canned pumpkin puree (not pumpkin pie mix)
1 c. chardonnay
1 c. chicken stock (I used broth because I had it on hand)
1/2 c. heavy cream (I used whipping cream because it was cheaper)

and for the spices (clockwise, from top):

)

6 sprigs fresh sage (I piled mine and sliced it very fine, then turned it the other way and sliced it)
1/8 tsp ground cinnamon
3/4 tsp nutmeg (she called for 1/2 tsp, but mine wasn't freshly grated)
Salt & Pepper to taste
1 bay leaf


First, brown your sausage, then pile it on a plate with a paper towel to absorb the grease:

Add onion & garlic to the pan. Saute 3-5 minutes. Then add wine and spices/herbs. Allow to reduce by half.

We used an inexpensive ($4.98) chardonnay. It's disgusting. But it worked for this dish lol:

Then, add stock, cream, and pumpkin. Stir slowly until incorporated. Add sausage back to pan. Allow to simmer 15 minutes. When done, it should look like cheddar cheese sauce with sausage chunks in it.

We served it with mini bowtie pasta. I didn't get a picture of it on the plate because we had company over for dinner. I hope you give it a try! We loved it! Enjoy!