Description
A comforting and flavorful pasta bake featuring a creamy pumpkin tomato sauce, sautéed mushrooms, walnuts, fresh sage, and a blend of Parmesan and fontina cheeses. This hearty dish combines the earthiness of pumpkin and sage with the richness of melted cheeses, baked to golden perfection for a satisfying meal perfect for fall or any cozy dinner.
Ingredients
Pasta and Cheese
- 1 lb. dry pasta of choice (mezzi rigatoni, shells, ziti, fusilli, or farfalle)
- 1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese
- 1 1/2 cups grated fontina cheese, divided
Walnut Sage Mixture
- 2 Tbsp. butter
- 1/2 cup finely chopped walnuts
- 1 Tbsp. finely chopped fresh sage leaves, divided
Vegetables and Sauce
- 2 Tbsp. extra-virgin olive oil
- 8 oz. cremini (baby bella) mushrooms, sliced
- 1 yellow onion, finely chopped
- 1/4 cup tomato paste
- 4 garlic cloves, minced
- 1/2 tsp. crushed red pepper flakes
- 3 to 4 handfuls fresh baby spinach
- 1 tsp. dried oregano
- 1 tsp. kosher salt
- 1/2 tsp. black pepper
- 1/4 tsp. ground nutmeg
- 3 cups vegetable broth
- 1 (15-oz.) can pumpkin purée
- 2 tsp. finely chopped fresh sage leaves (remaining from the 1 Tbsp. divided)
Instructions
- Preheat and Cook Pasta: Preheat your oven to 375ºF. Bring a large pot of generously salted water to a boil. Add the pasta and cook until 2 minutes shy of al dente, ensuring the noodles are firm but tender enough to bite through. Drain the pasta and set aside.
- Prepare Walnut Sage Mixture: Melt the butter in a large sauté pan over medium heat. Add the chopped walnuts and 1 tablespoon of fresh sage. Cook for 5 minutes until the walnuts are toasted and aromatic. Season with a pinch of salt and transfer this mixture to a bowl.
- Sauté Mushrooms and Onions: Return the pan to medium heat and add the olive oil. Add the sliced mushrooms and chopped onion, cooking until soft, about 8 minutes.
- Build the Sauce: Stir in tomato paste, minced garlic, and crushed red pepper flakes. Cook for 3 to 4 minutes until the tomato paste caramelizes and deepens to a brick red color. Gradually add the baby spinach in handfuls, stirring continuously until wilted. Mix in dried oregano, kosher salt, black pepper, ground nutmeg, and the remaining 2 teaspoons of fresh sage.
- Add Liquids and Cheeses: Pour in the vegetable broth, stirring to deglaze the pan and loosen any browned bits. Stir in the pumpkin purée, grated Parmesan cheese, and 1/2 cup of the fontina cheese. Continue stirring until the fontina melts completely and the sauce becomes smooth. Add the cooked pasta and toss until all noodles are evenly coated with the sauce.
- Assemble and Bake: Transfer the pasta mixture to a greased 13×9-inch baking dish. Sprinkle the remaining 1 cup of fontina cheese evenly on top, followed by the buttery walnut-sage mixture. Cover the dish with foil and bake for 15 minutes at 375ºF. Remove the foil and bake for an additional 10 minutes until the cheese is melted and golden brown.
Notes
- Use tubular or short pasta shapes that hold sauce well, such as rigatoni, shells, or ziti.
- To save time, nuts can be toasted in a dry skillet if preferred instead of with butter.
- If fresh sage is unavailable, dried sage can be substituted but reduce quantity to avoid overpowering.
- For a nuttier flavor, toast the walnuts carefully to avoid burning.
- Leftovers keep well refrigerated for 2-3 days and reheat nicely.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 35 minutes
- Category: Main Course
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
