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Pumpkin Spinach And Walnut Spaghetti

Pumpkin spinach and walnut spaghetti with a silky orange cream sauce, tossed until the spinach wilts and the Parmesan melts into the noodles. This Italian-American style pasta finishes with toasted walnuts and crispy fried sage leaves for a fragrant, crunchy topping.
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Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 20 minutes
Total Time 35 minutes
Servings: 4 servings
Course: Main Dish
Cuisine: Italian-American
Calories: 890
Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients
  

spaghetti
  • 1 lb spaghetti Salted boiling water for cooking; reserve pasta water.
baby spinach
  • 4 cup baby spinach Wilted at the end for bright, tender texture.
walnuts
  • 0.5 cup walnuts, toasted and roughly chopped
pumpkin puree
  • 1 cup pumpkin puree
heavy cream
  • 1 cup heavy cream
garlic
  • 3 garlic, minced
parmesan
  • 0.5 cup parmesan, grated Add after the pumpkin simmers so it melts smoothly.
olive oil
  • 3 tbsp olive oil Used to fry sage.
sage leaves
  • 8 fresh sage leaves, fried crispy Fry until crisp and then use as a topping.
nutmeg
  • 0.25 tsp nutmeg
red pepper flakes
  • 0.25 tsp red pepper flakes
pasta water
  • 0.5 cup pasta water Use to loosen the sauce into a glossy coating.
salt and pepper
  • Salt and pepper to taste Season at the end.

Equipment

  • 1 sheet pan
  • 1 Dutch oven

Method
 

Cook the spaghetti
  1. Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil and cook the spaghetti until al dente, about 8–10 minutes. Reserve 1 cup pasta water, then drain the pasta and set aside.
Fry sage and build the sauce
  1. Heat 3 tablespoons olive oil in a Dutch oven over medium heat and fry the sage leaves until crisp, 30–60 seconds. Remove the crispy sage to a plate.
  2. Add the minced garlic to the hot oil and cook for 1 minute, stirring constantly until fragrant. Do not let it brown.
  3. Stir in the pumpkin puree, heavy cream, nutmeg, and red pepper flakes, then bring to a gentle simmer. Simmer for 5 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the sauce looks smooth and slightly thickened.
  4. Stir in the grated parmesan until melted and the sauce turns silky. It should look cohesive with no grainy bits.
  5. Add the baby spinach and toss in the sauce until wilted, about 1–2 minutes. You should see the spinach darken and collapse.
Combine and serve
  1. Add the drained spaghetti to the sauce and toss to coat, adding pasta water as needed (start with about 1/4 cup). Continue tossing until the noodles look glossy rather than dry.
  2. Season with salt and pepper to taste, then top each bowl with the toasted chopped walnuts and crispy sage. Finish with any extra parmesan if desired.

Notes

Pro tip: fry the sage in small batches so it stays crisp—drain briefly on a paper-lined surface. Refrigerate leftovers in a sealed container up to 3 days; reheat gently with a splash of cream or pasta water to loosen. Freezing isn’t recommended for best texture of the cream sauce and spinach. For a lighter option, use half-and-half instead of heavy cream (the sauce will be slightly less rich).