Pumpkin and Sausage Penne

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I’ve found various pumpkin pasta recipes over the years and decided to create my own.  After all pumpkin is a fall squash and not just used in sweet desserts.  Or at least that’s what I tell DT, but I didn’t tell him that this time and he had seconds before I ever mentioned it contained pumpkin, I like to keep him guessing a bit.

Really the pumpkin flavor is very mild but delicious none the less, I also threw in some spinach to up the veggie content and Italian sausage for all my meat eaters.  I used fat free half and half and sour cream because it’s what I had, but please most certainly use full fat or low fat versions if you prefer.

Let’s Cook!

Ingredients: 1 12 oz box penne pasta, 1lb Italian sausage, 1 small onion, finely diced, 3-4 cloves of garlic, 1-1/2 cups chicken broth, 1/2 cup half and half, 1/2 cup sour cream, 1 15-oz can pumpkin, 1/8 tsp nutmeg, 1/8 tsp cinnamon, 1/4 tsp salt, 1/4 tsp pepper, 1 bag fresh baby spinach (frozen works too), 1-1/2 oz Parmesan cheese, grated

Remove the outer casing from sausage, or if you can find it use bulk sausage.

break into smaller pieces, and cook on medium high heat.

Once the sausage is fully cooked, add onion and garlic,  cook for 3-4 minutes.

Then add the chicken broth.

cinnamon

and nutmeg.  As Rachael Ray always says, “A little something to make them go, hmmm???”

Then add in the half and half

and pumpkin.

Stir well and let cook on medium high heat for 3-4 minutes.

Lower the heat and season with salt and pepper to taste.

Stir in sour cream,

and the drained cooked pasta.

Add in the bag of fresh spinach and let it sit until it wilts.

Then slowly mix.

Serve with a little Parmesan cheese.

and enjoy!

Pumpkin and Sausage Penne

Ingredients:

1 12 oz box penne pasta
1lb Italian sausage
1 small onion, finely diced
3-4 cloves of garlic
1-1/2 cups chicken broth
1/2 cup half and half
1/2 cup sour cream
1 15-oz can pumpkin
1/8 tsp nutmeg
1/8 tsp cinnamon
1/4 tsp salt
1/4 tsp pepper
1 bag fresh baby spinach (frozen works too)
1-1/2 oz Parmesan cheese, grated

Directions:

Remove sausage from casing and break into small pieces and cook in large pot.

Cook pasta according to package directions.

While the pasta is cooking, in the same pan as the sausage onion and garlic, cook and stir until tender about 3 minutes. Whisk in broth, half and half, pumpkin, spices, salt and pepper. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat to low and simmer stir in sour cream, uncovered, for 4 minutes, stirring occasionally.

Toss pasta with sauce. Then add the fresh spinach, let sit until wilted.

Spoon into bowls and top with Parmesan cheese.