A cozy one-pan dinner where silky pumpkin sauce, crispy sage, and brown butter hug chewy rigatoni — finished with toasted walnuts and parmesan. Weeknight easy, fall-table worthy.
1Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil and cook the rigatoni until just shy of al dente, about 1 minute less than the package says. Reserve 1 cup of pasta water, then drain.
2While the pasta cooks, melt the butter in a large deep skillet or Dutch oven over medium heat. Add the sage leaves in a single layer and fry until crisp, 1-2 minutes. Transfer to a paper towel-lined plate and set aside.
3In the same skillet, add the onion and cook until softened, 4-5 minutes. Stir in the garlic and cook 30 seconds more, until fragrant.
4Whisk in the pumpkin puree, heavy cream, and vegetable broth until smooth. Stir in the nutmeg, smoked paprika, salt, and pepper, and simmer gently for 3-4 minutes, until slightly thickened.
5Add the drained rigatoni to the sauce and toss to coat, splashing in reserved pasta water a little at a time until the sauce clings glossy to the pasta. Stir in the parmesan until melted.
6Taste and adjust salt and pepper. Divide among bowls, then top with the crispy sage, toasted walnuts, extra parmesan, and a pinch of red pepper flakes if you like.
7Tip: leftovers keep 3 days refrigerated — revive with a splash of broth or cream when reheating, since pumpkin sauces thicken as they cool.
Recipe Lineage
The family tree of this recipe — trace every fork back to the original.