Creamy Pumpkin Pasta with Spicy Sausage is an ideal fall family dinner: savory, comforting, and easy to make. If you haven’t tried a savory pumpkin pasta yet, this rich, velvety dish is a delicious place to start.
I love the holiday season, but I also miss savoring October and September. If you’re still enjoying autumn and haven’t moved straight to holiday recipes, please make an exception for this pumpkin pasta — it deserves its moment.
We used a favorite gluten-free pasta and kept the dish dairy-free until the end, when a sprinkle of Parmesan finishes each serving. If you need to avoid dairy entirely, skip the cheese or use nutritional yeast as a savory substitute. Full-fat coconut milk creates an incredibly smooth, creamy texture without dairy.
This recipe is one of my favorites. It combines the warm, earthy flavor of pumpkin with bright spinach and spicy poultry sausage for balance. You can leave the sausage out to make a vegetarian version or prepare the sauce ahead of time and store it in the fridge for quick weeknight dinners.
How to Count Pumpkin on the 21 Day Fix
There’s some discussion about how to count canned pumpkin puree on the 21 Day Fix. Different people choose different containers, and opinions vary. Personally, I count it as a green. I mention this because I added spinach and onions to this dish, which makes it a full green serving on the plan. I also traded two yellows for this meal—it’s filling and nearly two cups per serving.
What kind of Spicy Poultry Sausage do you buy?
For this recipe, choose a lean, low-sodium poultry sausage that is raw (not precooked). Spicy chicken or turkey sausage pairs beautifully with the pumpkin sauce. If you prefer, you can make your own poultry sausage at home using ground chicken or turkey and Italian spices. If you omit the sausage, the sauce still stands on its own as a satisfying vegetarian pasta.
I recently added Instant Pot directions to this recipe. Cooking the pasta in the sauce makes dinner even easier and reduces cleanup. Whether you prepare it on the stovetop or in an Instant Pot, the results are delicious.
Pumpkin Pasta with Spicy Sausage
This pumpkin pasta with spicy sausage is a creamy, comforting fall meal that works for a family dinner or meal prep. It adapts well to gluten-free and dairy-free diets and can be made on the stovetop or in an Instant Pot.
Author: Nancylynn
Servings: 4 servings
Prep Time: 10 mins • Cook Time: 15 mins • Total Time: 25 mins
Ingredients
- 2 teaspoons vegan or clarified butter
- 2 teaspoons olive oil
- 1/2 cup diced onion
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 lb spicy Italian chicken sausage (raw) or homemade poultry sausage
- 1 cup canned pumpkin puree
- 1/2–1 1/2 cups chicken broth (stove-top: start with 1/2 cup, adding up to 1 cup; Instant Pot: use 1 1/2 cups)
- 1/3 cup full-fat coconut milk
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 2 1/2 cups chopped baby spinach
- 1/3 cup good-quality Parmesan or Pecorino Romano (optional)
- 6 oz gluten-free or whole-grain pasta (measure 2 cups for Instant Pot)
Instructions
Stove top
- Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Cook pasta according to package directions until al dente, drain, and set aside.
- Remove sausage from casings and brown in a large skillet over medium heat until cooked through. Push sausage to the side of the pan.
- Add butter and oil to the pan; melt over medium-low heat. Add onions and cook until translucent and soft. Add garlic and cook for another minute.
- Deglaze the pan with 1/2 cup chicken broth, then stir in pumpkin puree. Add coconut milk and half the Parmesan, reduce heat to low, and simmer until the sauce thickens and becomes creamy. If the sauce gets too thick, add up to another 1/2 cup chicken broth.
- Stir in the spinach and cook until wilted. Add the cooked pasta and toss to combine. Top with remaining Parmesan and adjust seasoning with salt and pepper to taste.
Instant Pot
- Set the Instant Pot to sauté. When hot, melt butter with oil, then add onions and cook until translucent. Add garlic and cook one minute longer.
- Remove sausage from casings and add to the Instant Pot, browning until cooked through.
- Stir in pumpkin puree, chicken broth, and salt until well combined with the meat and vegetables.
- Add 2 cups of uncooked pasta, lock the lid, and set to manual high pressure for 2 minutes. Perform a quick release when finished.
- When the lid is safe to open, stir in coconut milk and spinach until the spinach wilts. Taste and adjust seasoning. Top with cheese and serve.
Notes
21 Day Fix: Approximate containers per serving: 1 1/2 yellow, 1 red, 1 green, 1/2 blue, 1 tsp.
WW (Weight Watchers): Use the app to find personalized points for this recipe.
Tips: Use full-fat canned coconut milk for the creamiest texture. If you need a lower-sodium version, choose low-sodium broth and low-sodium sausage. Nutritional yeast is a great dairy-free option in place of Parmesan. Leftovers reheat well and make a fast lunch the next day.
Nutrition
Serving: 1.25 cups
Calories: 438 kcal
Carbohydrates: 37 g • Protein: 26 g • Fat: 22 g
Saturated Fat: 10 g • Sodium: 1557 mg
Fiber: 4 g • Sugar: 7 g
Vitamin A: 11519 IU • Vitamin C: 44 mg
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