Pumpkin, Sausage, and Mushroom Pasta

Pumpkin, Sausage, and Mushroom Pasta

Hearty, warm, and woodsy, this pumpkiny pasta is the perfect kickoff to fall and winter meals. Chockful of delicious Italian goodies, this dish is easy and quick to make, with probably the most difficult part being the vegetable prep. And if you can chop onions, slice mushrooms, and mince garlic, you're already halfway there.



My favorite thing about this dish isn't the pumpkin: it's the wine. I just LOVE any dish that allows the wine flavor to come through in the finished product, and this one's no different. It seems to elevate all of the other flavors, including the sweet creamy pumpkin, the pungent garlic, the earthy mushrooms, and the aromatic meaty sausages.

Pumpkin, Sausage, and Mushroom Pasta

Oh yeah, did I mention there were sausages in here too? Field Roast's Italian links are perfect here. Packed with lots of fennel flavor, they're a great complement to the woodsy sage. They also adds some heat and real heartiness to the dish, and help up the fiber and protein content.

Pumpkin, Sausage, and Mushroom Pasta

If you've been starting to amass canned pumpkin for the holidays, this would be a great and simple dish to use some of it up. Don't forget to serve with, what else, wine.



Pumpkin, Sausage, and Mushroom Pasta
(adapted from )

  • 8 ounces uncooked pasta shells
  • 1 teaspoon olive oil
  • 1 cup chopped red onion
  • 8 ounces sliced mushrooms
  • 4 garlic cloves, minced
  • 2 vegan Italian sausage links (such as ), diced
  • 1 cup vegetable broth
  • 1 cup canned pumpkin
  • 1/2 cup white wine
  • 1/2 teaspoon rubbed sage
  • 1/4 teaspoon salt
  • 1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
  • 1/4 teaspoon pepper
  • Fresh parsley, chopped for serving

Cook pasta according to package directions. Meanwhile, in a large nonstick skillet, heat olive oil over medium heat. Add onion and mushrooms; cook 5 minutes, stirring occasionally until softened. Add garlic; cook 1 minute. Stir in sausage*, broth, pumpkin, wine, sage, salt, garlic powder, and pepper. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat; simmer, uncovered, for 5-6 minutes or until slightly thickened. Add drained pasta to the skillet and heat through. Sprinkle with parsley to serve. Serves 4.

*For a crispier sausage, saute in a little oil while the pasta is cooking, then set aside. Add to the pasta during the last minute, just enough to heat through.

Nutritional data (per 12-ounce serving): Calories 411, Fat 8g, Saturated Fat 1g, Sodium 621mg, Carbs 61g, Fiber 7g, Protein 23g.

4 comments :

  1. What a fantastic pasta dish for fall! Love the use of the Crimini mushrooms, they add such a wonderful earthy flavour. Thanks for sharing!

    -Shannon

    Reply
  2. Hey!

    I have to say I typically love these recipes. But I made this dish tonight and it seemed to go horribly wrong. The sage was overwhelming and the wine overpowered everything (which is shocking, because who doesn't love a good wine-based sauce?). Also, my sausage went super soft after soaking up all of the liquid. :( Maybe I used the wrong kind of wine?

    Regardless, keep up the great work. Love your blog.

    Dawn

    Reply
    Replies
    1. Hi Dawn! That really sucks that this didn't turn out for you. Believe me, I know the pains of making a recipe and not being able to eat it after...it's the worst! That being said, personally I liked the amount of spice/sage. Maybe use fresh next time as the flavor probably won't be as concentrated. As for the sausage, I know what you mean about the "softness" of it. The other method I use when I make recipes like this, is to saute the sausage pieces in a little oil beforehand to get them firm and crispy, and then add to the dish right before serving just to heat through. That may work better. But thanks for writing, suggestions or improvements are always welcome!