Creamy Pumpkin Sausage Pasta, Stuffed Pumpkins
Stuffed with creamy pumpkin sausage pasta, these pumpkins are the quintessential fall recipe. Not only do they look beautiful they taste incredible. The creamy pasta is loaded with fall favorites like kale and sweet Italian sausage. Baked to tender perfection, this unique dish is a showstopper. This recipe takes about an hour to make but it’s worth every second!
The pasta is cooked al dente then coated in the most flavorful creamy pumpkin, kale and sausage sauce. Everything is then stuffed inside of sugar pumpkins that have been par roasted. Topped with shredded mozzarella, this dish is then baked for an additional 5-10 minutes until the pumpkin meat is tender and the cheese is fully melted. Honestly, this might be one of my favorite fall recipes of all time. Let me know if you give it a try.
Ingredients Needed for Creamy Pumpkin Sausage Pasta, Stuffed Pumpkins
Sugar or Pie Pumpkins – You’ll need 3-4 sugar pumpkins for this recipe. Be sure to grab the small ones that are between 2-4 pounds. Also, be sure you do not grab decorative pumpkins. Thoroughly wash the outside of the pumpkins to remove any dirt. Pat dry with paper towel.
Olive oil – Once you remove the top of the pumpkin, remove the seeds and guts. Then, brush the inside and the rim of the pumpkins with a very light coating of olive oil. Do not forget to brush the tops with olive oil too. You’ll also need olive oil when browning the sausage in the pan and to drizzle over the cooked pasta to prevent sticking.
Pasta – Boil a pot of water and season it with salt. Add the pasta and cook according to the package until it’s al dente. Be sure to reserve ¼ – ½ cup pasta water before draining the pasta water. Drizzle the cooked and drained pasta with olive oil and set it aside.
Sauce – You’ll need olive oil, sweet sausage, diced sweet onion, finely diced garlic, pumpkin puree, chicken broth, heavy cream, cinnamon, salt, red pepper flakes, cracked black pepper, grated parmesan cheese and roughly chopped kale. If the sauce gets too thick add some reserved pasta water.
Cheese- You’ll need about ¼ cup of shredded mozzarella cheese for this recipe. Sprinkle over the top of the stuffed pumpkins before placing them back in the oven to finish baking.
How to Make Creamy Pumpkin Sausage Pasta, Stuffed Pumpkins
Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Line a baking tray with parchment paper and set it aside.
Boil the Pasta
Boil a pot of water and be sure to season it well with salt. Cook the pasta according to the package, al dente is best. Reserve ¼ – ½ cup pasta water before draining the pasta. Drizzle the drained pasta with olive oil to prevent sticking. Set aside.
Prepare the Sugar Pumpkins
Wash the outside of the pumpkins to remove any excess dirt. Pat dry with paper towel. Once you carefully remove the top of the pumpkin, you’ll then remove the seeds and guts. Brush the inside and the rim of the pumpkins with a very light coating of olive oil. Do not forget to brush the tops with olive oil too. Place the pumpkins and the lids on the baking tray and place them in the oven for 20-25 minutes. Cooking time will vary based on the size of the pumpkins. You’ll want them to be par baked or a little more than halfway baked through before adding the pasta.
Make the Sauce
In a large saucepan, add olive oil and the sweet Italian sausage. Once the sausage is about halfway cooked through, add the diced onion and finely diced garlic. Let everything sauté in the pan until lightly browned and fully cooked through. Next, add the pumpkin puree, chicken broth and heavy cream. Stir well. Then, add the cinnamon, salt, cracked black pepper and red pepper flakes. Stir well again.
Then you’ll add the grated parmesan cheese. Once the cheese is melted add the roughly chopped kale. Reduce the heat to a simmer and let everything come together. Once the sauce has reduced to your liking, add the cooked pasta. Toss until the pasta is well coated in the sauce. If the sauce gets too thick add some of the reserved pasta water and stir well.
Assemble the Pumpkins
Carefully stuff the pumpkins with the saucy pasta. Top with shredded mozzarella and place back in the oven for 5-10 more minutes or until the pumpkins are tender and the cheese is melted. Top with a few turns of cracked black pepper and red pepper flakes. Serve hot and enjoy.
Storage
Store any extra pasta in an airtight container in the refrigerator for three to four days. Carefully reheat in the microwave. Option to add a touch of water when reheating to reconstitute the sauce. Looking for more fall recipes? Try my One Pan Fall Dinner.
Creamy Pumpkin Sausage Pasta, Stuffed Pumpkins
Ingredients
- 3-4 sugar pumpkins, also called pie pumpkins, 2-4 lbs. each
- 2 tablespoons olive oil, brushed over the pumpkins and used to brown the sausage, also drizzle over pasta.
- 8 ounces pasta, cook al dente, fusilli col buco, or whatever shape you enjoy
- ¼ – ½ cup reserved pasta water, use as needed
- 1 lb. sweet Italian sausage
- ¾ cup sweet onion, diced small, 1 medium onion
- 2 teaspoons garlic, finely diced, about 2-3 cloves
- 15 ounce can pumpkin puree
- 1 cup chicken broth
- ½ cup heavy cream
- ¼ cup grated parmesan cheese
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon cinnamon
- ½ teaspoon red pepper flakes optional
- few turns cracked black pepper
- 2 cups kale, remove stems and roughly chop
- ¼ cup shredded mozzarella cheese, sprinkle over the top of the pumpkins before baking
Equipment
- 1 baking tray lined with parchment
- 1 pasta pot with colander
- 1 large saucepan
Instructions
How to Make Creamy Pumpkin Sausage Pasta, Stuffed Pumpkins
- Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Line a baking tray with parchment paper and set it aside.
Boil the Pasta
- Boil a pot of water and be sure to season it well with salt. Cook the pasta according to the package, al dente is best. Reserve ¼ – ½ cup pasta water before draining the pasta. Drizzle the drained pasta with olive oil to prevent sticking. Set aside.
Prepare the Sugar Pumpkins
- Wash the outside of the pumpkins to remove any excess dirt. Pat dry with paper towel. Once you carefully remove the top of the pumpkin, you’ll then remove the seeds and guts. Brush the inside and the rim of the pumpkins with a very light coating of olive oil. Do not forget to brush the tops with olive oil too. Place the pumpkins and the lids on the baking tray and place them in the oven for 20-25 minutes. Cooking time will vary based on the size of the pumpkins. You’ll want them to be par baked or a little more than halfway baked through before adding the pasta.
Make the Sauce
- In a large saucepan, add olive oil and the sweet Italian sausage. Once the sausage is about halfway cooked through, add the diced onion and finely diced garlic. Let everything sauté in the pan until lightly browned and fully cooked through. Next, add the pumpkin puree, chicken broth and heavy cream. Stir well. Then, add the cinnamon, salt, cracked black pepper and red pepper flakes. Stir well again. Then you’ll add the grated parmesan cheese. Once the cheese is melted add the roughly chopped kale. Reduce the heat to a simmer and let everything come together. Once the sauce has reduced to your liking, add the cooked pasta. Toss until the pasta is well coated in the sauce. If the sauce gets too thick add some of the reserved pasta water and stir well.
Assemble the Pumpkins
- Carefully stuff the pumpkins with the saucy pasta. Top with shredded mozzarella and place back in the oven for 5-10 more minutes or until the pumpkins are tender and the cheese is melted. Top with a few turns of cracked black pepper and red pepper flakes. Serve hot and enjoy.
2 Comments on “Creamy Pumpkin Sausage Pasta, Stuffed Pumpkins”
We made this as a fun weekend meal and it was not only beautiful but the pasta and sauce were beyond delicious! I would even make the pasta and sausage, kale sauce without the pumpkins if you can’t find them.
This was delicious! Made this for my family as an early Canadian thanksgiving dinner and it was a huge hit! Serving in the pumpkins elevates it to the next level! Could easily make the recipe and serve in regular bowls too.
The only thing I added were sautéed cremini mushrooms (I love mushrooms!) and a few extra spices to give that “thanksgiving Turkey dinner” vibe I was wanting (savoury, sage, paprika) and I used Turkey sausage instead. I also topped with shredded Gruyère instead of mozzarella, just personal preference. Will definitely make again!
Thank you for this awesome recipe! Wish I could share a pic, they turned out amazing!!