At first you might be surprised by the pumpkin and sausage combination, but this dish has a sweet and savory element to it that is delicious. Its an easy gluten free dinner that will fill bellies, give you all the autumn feels, and please everyone’s tastebuds!
INGREDIENTS
Pasta: If I can be picky, I really love the Jovial brand gluten free pasta. I have seen it at Walmart. But, we also use the Live G Free brand from Aldi, or GF pasta from Trader Joe's.
Pumpkin Puree: If you want to make this recipe truly from scratch, you can roast a pumpkin instead of using canned. However, since this is a weeknight meal for us, I just use the canned!
Protein: Ground pork sausage compliments the pumpkin really well in this recipe, but you could also substitute with ground beef if necessary.
Chicken Broth
Onion
Garlic
Cheese: I used Manchego cheese in my recipe, but you could also use Parmesan or skip the cheese.
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HOW TO MAKE PUMPKIN SAUSAGE PASTA
Prepare pasta shells according to directions on the package.
In a large skillet, brown and crumble the sausage. Set aside the cooked sausage in a separate bowl.
Add a tablespoon of olive oil (or butter, if not dairy free) to the same skillet, and caramelize the onions with garlic for about five minutes on low to medium heat. (Keep an eye on it, so it doesn't burn.) When the onions begin to turn a golden brown (and your kitchen is smelling amazing!), pour in chicken broth to de-glaze the pan. Turn heat to low and let mixture simmer for a few minutes.
Stir sausage back in, and add pumpkin to heat through for a few more minutes. Add cooked pasta to the skillet, and stir in cheese.
TIPS:
- Add some olive oil or butter to the pasta shells after cooking, so they don’t stick together.
- You may want to add in the garlic after the onions have been caramelizing for a few minutes to prevent it from burning.
- Use a LARGE skillet.
- Once everything is cooked, you can serve the dish with the sauce added on top of the pasta like I did, or mix it all together. Its just a matter of preference!
