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Cheesy Pumpkin Pasta Bake

Cheesy pumpkin pasta bake with rigatoni and Italian sausage, finished with a bubbling mozzarella-parmesan crust. Rigatoni is par-cooked just under al dente, then baked until golden over a pumpkin cream sauce.
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Prep Time 20 minutes
Cook Time 35 minutes
Total Time 55 minutes
Servings: 8 servings
Course: Main Dish
Cuisine: American
Calories: 770
Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients
  

Rigatoni or ziti
  • 1 lb rigatoni or ziti Use rigatoni for ridges that hold sauce.
Italian sausage
  • 1 lb Italian sausage Brown until no longer pink; drain fat to prevent greasiness.
Vegetables and aromatics
  • 1 onion, diced
  • 4 garlic, minced
Pumpkin cream sauce
  • 1 can (15 oz) pumpkin puree
  • 1 cup heavy cream
  • 0.5 cup chicken broth
  • 1 tsp Italian seasoning
  • 0.5 tsp nutmeg
  • 0.25 tsp cayenne Optional heat; reduce if you prefer mild.
Cheese topping
  • 2 cups shredded mozzarella
  • 1 cup parmesan, grated
  • Fresh sage or basil for garnish Use as a fresh finish right after baking.
Seasoning
  • Salt and pepper to taste Season pasta and sauce to your preference.

Equipment

  • 1 cast iron skillet
  • 1 sheet pan

Method
 

Preheat and par-cook pasta
  1. Preheat the oven to 375F, and set aside an oven-safe skillet for baking. Prepare for par-cooking so the pasta finishes in the oven.
  2. Cook rigatoni or ziti 2 minutes less than al dente in salted water. Drain well so it doesn’t dilute the pumpkin cream sauce.
Brown sausage and build the sauce
  1. Brown Italian sausage in a large oven-safe skillet over medium heat until cooked through, then drain the fat. This keeps the bake from becoming greasy.
  2. Add diced onion to the skillet and cook for 4 minutes until softened. Scrape up any browned bits.
  3. Add minced garlic and cook for 1 minute until fragrant. Avoid browning the garlic.
  4. Stir in pumpkin puree, heavy cream, chicken broth, Italian seasoning, nutmeg, and cayenne. Simmer for 5 minutes, stirring, until the sauce thickens slightly.
  5. Season with salt and pepper to taste, then toss in the cooked pasta. Make sure every piece is coated with pumpkin cream sauce.
Bake and finish
  1. Scatter shredded mozzarella and grated parmesan evenly over the top. Aim for full coverage so you get a golden cheese crust.
  2. Bake for 25-30 minutes at 375F until bubbling at the edges and golden on top. Garnish with fresh sage and serve hot.

Notes

For the cleanest slice and best sauce-to-pasta balance, drain the pasta well and do not skip draining sausage fat. Store leftovers covered in the fridge up to 3 days; reheat in a 350F oven or microwave until hot. Freezing is not recommended because the pumpkin cream sauce may separate after thawing. For a lighter option, use half-and-half in place of heavy cream and use part-skim mozzarella.