Creamy tagliatelle with pumpkin, sausage and mushrooms is a rich and comforting Italian pasta dish that's perfect for fall.
The savory flavor of sausage and mushrooms pairs beautifully with the natural sweetness of pumpkin. Part of the pumpkin is cooked in small pieces with the sauce, while the rest is blended with ricotta and Parmigiano Reggiano to create a smooth, creamy coating for the pasta.
Tagliatelle are often associated with classics such as Tagliatelle Bolognese, but their wide, flat shape also works especially well with creamy sauces like this one.
The combination of pumpkin, sausage and mushrooms makes this a hearty seasonal first course, with plenty of flavor but without the need for heavy cream.
If you enjoy Italian pumpkin recipes, try our Pumpkin Risotto as well.
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Ingredients
Prep Time: 20 Min | Cook Time: 30 Min | Servings: 4
If you make homemade tagliatelle, allow about 1 additional hour for preparation.
- 350 g (12 oz) fresh tagliatelle, homemade or store-bought. If you want to make them from scratch, follow our Homemade Pasta Recipe
- 400 g (14 oz) pumpkin flesh, peeled and seeded, such as butternut squash or kabocha squash
- 250 g (9 oz) mushrooms, such as cremini, button mushrooms or another variety you prefer
- 300 g (10.5 oz) Italian sausage, casing removed
- 1 medium onion
- 100 ml (about ⅓ cup + 1 tablespoon) dry white wine
- 250 g (9 oz / about 1 cup) fresh ricotta
- 3 tablespoons finely grated Parmigiano Reggiano
- 3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
- 2 fresh rosemary sprigs
- Fine salt, to taste
- Freshly ground black pepper, to taste
How to Make Creamy Tagliatelle with Pumpkin, Sausage and Mushrooms
Prepare the Pumpkin and Mushrooms
Step 1) - Clean the mushrooms carefully. Trim off the dirty ends of the stems, then remove any remaining soil with a damp cloth or a mushroom brush. Avoid soaking them in water, as they absorb moisture easily.
Slice the mushrooms thinly and set aside.
Step 2) - Peel and seed the pumpkin. Cut half of the pumpkin into small cubes and set aside.
Cut the remaining half into larger pieces and arrange them in a baking dish lined with parchment paper. Drizzle with a little of the olive oil, add a few rosemary leaves and a small splash of water.
Bake at 180°C (350°F) for about 15–20 minutes, or until the pumpkin is very soft when pierced with a fork.
Make the Sausage, Pumpkin and Mushroom Sauce
Step 3) - Remove the casing from the sausage and crumble the meat with a fork or your fingers.
Step 4) - Finely chop the onion. Heat the remaining extra virgin olive oil in a large skillet or sauté pan and cook the onion gently for a few minutes, until soft and translucent.
Add the crumbled sausage and one rosemary sprig. Cook over medium heat until the sausage is well browned, breaking it up with a wooden spoon as it cooks.
Step 5) - Pour in the dry white wine and let it simmer until the alcohol has evaporated.
Step 6) - Add the diced pumpkin and season lightly with salt and black pepper. Pour in a small amount of water, cover, and cook over low heat for about 15 minutes, or until the pumpkin is tender.
Step 7) - Add the sliced mushrooms and stir well. Cover and continue cooking for about 5 minutes, until the mushrooms are tender.
Make the Pumpkin and Ricotta Cream
Step 8) - Meanwhile, place the oven-baked pumpkin in a food processor or blender and blend until smooth.
Step 9) - Transfer the pumpkin purée to a bowl. Add the ricotta and grated Parmigiano Reggiano and mix until smooth and creamy.
Step 10) - Add the pumpkin and ricotta cream to the sausage, pumpkin and mushroom mixture. Stir gently until everything is well combined, then remove the pan from the heat while you cook the pasta.
Cook the Tagliatelle and Combine
Step 11) - Bring a large pot of lightly salted water to a boil. Cook the fresh tagliatelle until al dente, usually about 2–5 minutes depending on their thickness.
For more information read our guide How to Cook Fresh Pasta.
Before draining, reserve a little of the pasta cooking water.
Drain the tagliatelle and transfer them directly to the pan with the sauce. Toss gently over low heat until the pasta is evenly coated. If the sauce is too thick, add a small amount of the reserved pasta water until it reaches a creamy consistency.
Serve immediately with extra grated Parmigiano Reggiano and freshly ground black pepper.
Tips for Perfect Tagliatelle with Pumpkin, Sausage and Mushrooms
Choose a pumpkin with dense flesh. Butternut squash and kabocha are both excellent choices because they are naturally sweet but not excessively watery. A very watery pumpkin can make the sauce thin and less flavorful.
Drain the ricotta well. If the ricotta contains a lot of whey, let it drain before mixing it with the pumpkin purée. This will give you a thicker, creamier sauce that coats the tagliatelle better.
Brown the sausage well. Let the sausage develop some color before adding the wine. This adds depth and a savory flavor that balances the sweetness of the pumpkin.
Don't overcook the mushrooms. Add them toward the end so they remain flavorful and don't release too much liquid into the sauce.
Keep some pasta water. The pumpkin and ricotta cream can become quite thick. A small amount of hot pasta cooking water helps loosen the sauce and makes it cling smoothly to the tagliatelle.
Be careful with salt. Sausage and Parmigiano Reggiano are already savory, so season gradually and taste the sauce before adding more salt.
Cook fresh tagliatelle just until al dente. Fresh pasta cooks very quickly. Depending on its thickness, it may need only 2–5 minutes. Drain it while it still has a little bite, since it will continue cooking briefly when tossed with the sauce.
Variations
Different pasta shapes. Fresh tagliatelle are ideal for this recipe, but fettuccine, pappardelle, or tagliolini also work very well with the creamy pumpkin sauce. If you prefer short pasta, choose a shape that holds the sauce well, such as fusilli or casarecce.
Different mushrooms. We used fresh button mushrooms, which are inexpensive and easy to find. You can also use cremini mushrooms, a mixture of different varieties, or fresh porcini mushrooms when they are in season for a more intense, earthy flavor. Frozen mushrooms also work, but cook them until most of the excess moisture has evaporated before combining them with the rest of the sauce.
Vegetarian version. For a vegetarian pumpkin and mushroom pasta, simply omit the sausage. Since sausage adds a strong savory flavor that balances the sweetness of the pumpkin and ricotta, I recommend increasing the amount of mushrooms and pumpkin slightly. You can also replace part of the ricotta with a more flavorful Italian cheese such as Gorgonzola or Taleggio.
Storage and Reheating
Creamy tagliatelle with pumpkin, sausage and mushrooms are best served immediately, while the sauce is still smooth and creamy and the fresh pasta is perfectly al dente.
If you have leftovers, store the pasta in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 1–2 days. Reheat it gently in a skillet over low heat, adding a small splash of water or milk to loosen the sauce if necessary.
The sauce can be prepared ahead of time and stored separately in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 2 days. Reheat it gently before tossing it with freshly cooked tagliatelle.
I don't recommend freezing the finished dish. The ricotta-based sauce can change texture after thawing, and the mushrooms and fresh pasta are much better when freshly prepared.
More Italian Pasta Recipes with Pumpkin, Sausage or Mushrooms
If you enjoy rich and flavorful Italian pasta dishes, here are a few more recipes featuring some of the same seasonal ingredients:
- Tagliatelle with Porcini Mushrooms – Fresh tagliatelle with porcini mushrooms in a simple, aromatic sauce that lets their earthy flavor shine.
- Pasta alla Boscaiola – A hearty Italian pasta with mushrooms and sausage, perfect for fall and winter.
- Pasta alla Norcina – A creamy Umbrian pasta made with Italian sausage, Pecorino and the distinctive aroma of truffle.
- Sausage and Broccoli Pasta – A savory pasta dish combining Italian sausage with broccoli for a simple and satisfying meal.
Recipe Card
Creamy Tagliatelle with Pumpkin, Sausage and Mushrooms
Ingredients
- 350 g fresh tagliatelle, homemade or store-bought. - 12 0z
- 400 g pumpkin flesh - 14 oz, peeled and seeded, such as butternut squash or kabocha squash
- 250 g mushrooms - 9 oz, such as cremini, button mushrooms or another variety you prefer
- 300 g Italian sausage - 10.5 oz, casing removed
- 1 medium onion
- 100 ml dry white wine - about ⅓ cup + 1 tablespoon
- 250 g fresh ricotta - 9 oz/ about 1 cup
- 3 tablespoons grated Parmigiano Reggiano
- 3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
- 2 sprigs fresh rosemary
- fine salt - to taste
- freshly ground black pepper - to taste
Instructions
Prepare the Pumpkin and Mushrooms
- Clean the mushrooms carefully. Trim off the dirty ends of the stems, then remove any remaining soil with a damp cloth or a mushroom brush. Avoid soaking them in water, as they absorb moisture easily.Slice the mushrooms thinly and set aside.
- Peel and seed the pumpkin. Cut half of the pumpkin into small cubes and set aside.Cut the remaining half into larger pieces and arrange them in a baking dish lined with parchment paper. Drizzle with a little of the olive oil, add a few rosemary leaves and a small splash of water.Bake at 180°C (350°F) for about 15–20 minutes, or until the pumpkin is very soft when pierced with a fork.
Make the Sausage, Pumpkin and Mushroom Sauce
- Remove the casing from the sausage and crumble the meat with a fork or your fingers.
- Finely chop the onion. Heat the remaining extra virgin olive oil in a large skillet or sauté pan and cook the onion gently for a few minutes, until soft and translucent.Add the crumbled sausage and one rosemary sprig. Cook over medium heat until the sausage is well browned, breaking it up with a wooden spoon as it cooks.
- Pour in the dry white wine and let it simmer until the alcohol has evaporated.
- Add the diced pumpkin and season lightly with salt and black pepper. Pour in a small amount of water, cover, and cook over low heat for about 15 minutes, or until the pumpkin is tender.
- Add the sliced mushrooms and stir well. Cover and continue cooking for about 5 minutes, until the mushrooms are tender.
Make the Pumpkin and Ricotta Cream
- Meanwhile, place the oven-baked pumpkin in a food processor or blender and blend until smooth.
- Transfer the pumpkin purée to a bowl. Add the ricotta and grated Parmigiano Reggiano and mix until smooth and creamy.
- Add the pumpkin and ricotta cream to the sausage, pumpkin and mushroom mixture. Stir gently until everything is well combined, then remove the pan from the heat while you cook the pasta.
Cook the Tagliatelle and Combine
- Bring a large pot of lightly salted water to a boil. Cook the fresh tagliatelle until al dente, usually about 2–5 minutes depending on their thickness.Before draining, reserve a little of the pasta cooking water.Drain the tagliatelle and transfer them directly to the pan with the sauce.
- Toss gently over low heat until the pasta is evenly coated. If the sauce is too thick, add a small amount of the reserved pasta water until it reaches a creamy consistency.Serve immediately with extra grated Parmigiano Reggiano and freshly ground black pepper.
Lis says
Omgosh this was so good! I used roasted lamb breast, and I roasted the butternut squash. I also roasted some carrots and onions underneath the breast, so that went in there, too. I will make this again.