Creamy Pumpkin Tortellini
This Creamy Pumpkin Tortellini is loaded with spicy sausage and sage, and the whole dish is tossed in a savory pumpkin vodka sauce. If you’re looking for a low-effort yet delicious dinner, this is it! It’s the perfect one-pan recipe to pull out for company that feels impressive while being really easy! If you love pasta alla vodka, you’re going to love this pumpkin version in the fall.
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Fall Dinners Don’t Get More Comforting Than This!
When the holidays roll around, the last thing I want is a really involved dinner. Most people are already working to prepare for the big meal, so weeknight dinners leading up to Thanksgiving or Christmas should be easy! That’s where this sausage and pumpkin tortellini comes in.
This is a 20-minute, one-pot recipe that’s both cozy and comforting. It’s the perfect dinner for cooler weather and is chock full of fall flavors. If you’ve made anything with pumpkin puree and happen to have some left over, this is the perfect recipe! I always find that I have about half a can of hanging around and this is an easy way to use it up.
The pumpkin sauce is a cross between a pumpkin cream sauce and a classic tomato alla vodka sauce. The vodka really helps brighten up the flavor of the sauce, but you could skip it all together if needed. I love this pumpkin tortellini for a quick and cozy meal any time of the year!
Ingredient Notes
You can find the full list of ingredients, quantities & method in the recipe card at the end of the page.
- Butter. Because butter makes everything better!
- Shallot and garlic. These are the flavor building blocks! You could also swap in finely diced onion for the shallot.
- Sage. Fresh chopped sage gives this creamy sausage tortellini tons of fall flavor.
- Italian sausage. I usually opt for spicy sausage, but you could also use sweet. You can also omit the sausage altogether to keep this recipe vegetarian.
- Tomato paste. Adds tons of concentrated rich tomato flavor.
- Pumpkin puree. Make sure to use pure pumpkin puree and NOT pumpkin pie filling, which has sugar and spices in it.
- Calabrian chilies. I used the little jars of chopped Calabrian chilies from Trader Joe’s. You could also use a bit of crushed red pepper flakes.
- Vodka. Use whatever vodka you normally drink. You can also omit the vodka and swap in white wine or just more broth.
- Broth or water. I always use homemade chicken stock here, but store bought works too.
- Tortellini. The type of tortellini (or ravioli!) is totally up to you! I like the fresh tortellini from the refrigerated section and I used a classic 4-cheese flavor here.
- Heavy cream. Adding heavy cream really makes the sauce super creamy and balances out the flavors. I don’t recommend substituting anything lower fat except maybe mascarpone cheese.
- Parmesan. Freshly grated parmesan makes this tortellini so cheesy and helps thicken the sauce a bit.
What does the vodka do in this recipe? All the alcohol is cooked off, but the vodka boosts and intensifies the flavors of the tomato paste and pumpkin during cooking. Vodka also emulsifies the molecules of fat and water and tomato to make a perfectly luscious sauce.
The Best Types of Tortellini to Use
There are a lot of options when it comes to choosing the right tortellini for this dish. My favorite tortellini (or ravioli!) to use are the fresh tortellini in the refrigerated section of your grocery store. Trader Joe’s has an amazing selection of ravioli in their refrigerated section. The flavor you choose is totally up to you! I love a classic spinach-ricotta tortellini for a 4-cheese.
You can also opt for frozen tortellini! There are a lot of great options in the freezer section for tortellini and ravioli and they last quite a while in the freezer. I like to stock up on these freezer options for easy dinners!
There are dried tortellini in the pasta section. Truth be told, these are my least favorite to use. I find that they aren’t as flavorful and the texture isn’t as great as the fresh kind. You can absolutely use them, but would boil them separately in a pot of water and then add them to the pumpkin vodka sauce.
How to Make This Creamy Pumpkin Tortellini
- Brown the sausage. Cooking the sausage first lets us use the drippings for sautéing the aromatics, which gives the pumpkin pasta sauce so much more flavor than if we’d only used butter.
- Saute the shallots and garlic. Add the butter to the skillet along with the minced shallots, sage, and garlic. Cook just until the shallots have softened (they won’t develop much color, but that’s okay!).
- Finish the sauce. Add the tomato paste, Calabrian chile, and pumpkin puree, then cook, stirring frequently, until the pumpkin darkens slightly in color. Add the vodka last, then let it simmer gently for a few minutes so the alcohol has time to evaporate.
- Add the sausage and tortellini. Since we’re using fresh tortellini here, the entire dish needs to cook for just 10 more minutes. The tortellini will soften directly in the sauce, so there’s no need to boil them in a separate pot.
- Stir in the cream and Parmesan. The Parm needs just enough time to melt, then dinner is served!
If you love the vodka sauce in this recipe, be sure to make a batch of my Pumpkin alla Vodka Stuffed Shells next!
Ways to Customize This Recipe
This recipe is really just a base that can be expanded on to accommodate whatever you have on hand! Here are some ways to customize your fall tortellini to your tastes:
Add some protein. I love the flavor that Italian sausage adds, but you can easily swap in ground beef, turkey, chicken, or even meatballs (I always have a freezer stash!). If you’re vegetarian, try some hearty mushrooms or even chickpeas!
Bulk up the veggies. Do you have some leftover veggies that you need to use? This pasta is the perfect way to use them up! This recipe would be great with the addition of spinach, zucchini, mushrooms, or bell peppers.
Swap the tortellini. I used a classic 4-cheese tortellini here, but you can use any flavor you like! You could also swap in your favorite ravioli.
Omit the vodka. The pumpkin pasta sauce will lose some of its vibrance, but if you don’t have any vodka or are opposed to cooking with alcohol then you may leave it out.
If you do give it a try, be sure to let me know! Leave a comment with a star rating below. Be sure to subscribe to my weekly newsletter and never miss a new recipe! You can also snap a photo & tag @JENNYGOYCOCHEA on Instagram. I LOVE hearing about & seeing your SMF creations!
More Quick Pasta Dinners to Try Next
- Tomato and Burrata Gnocchi
- Ground Turkey Spaghetti
- Skillet Lasagna
- Pink Sauce Pasta
- Caramelized Shallot Pasta
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Creamy Pumpkin Tortellini Recipe
Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 lb Italian sausage , removed from the casings
- 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
- 2 shallots , minced
- 4 garlic cloves , minced
- 8-10 sage leaves , chopped
- 2 tablesoons tomato paste
- 2 teaspoons Calabrian chili paste
- 1 cup pure pumpkin puree
- 2/3 cup vodka
- 2 1/2 cups chicken broth
- 18 oz fresh cheese tortellini (from the refrigerated section)
- 1 cup heavy cream
- 1 cup freshly grated Parmesan
- kosher salt and freshly cracked black pepper , to taste
Instructions
- Brown the sausage. Heat 1 tablespoon of olive oil in a large nonstick skillet. Add the sausage and cook, breaking it up with a silicone spoon as you go, until it's browned and cooked through. Use a slotted spoon to remove it from the skillet and transfer it to a bowl. Set aside.
- Saute the shallots and garlic. Add the butter to the skillet along with the minced shallots, sage, and garlic. Cook until the shallots are soft.
- Add the pumpkin. Add the tomato paste, Calabrian chile, and pumpkin puree and stir well. Cook for 3-4 minutes, stirring frequently, until the pumpkin puree is a bit darker in color. Add the vodka simmer for 2-3 minutes. Add the sausage back to the skillet with the tortellini and stir well. Stir in the broth and make sure the tortellini are mostly covered.
- Simmer. Cover the pan and simmer for 5 minutes. Remove the lid and simmer for another 5 minutes, until the tortellini are soft. Add the cream and season to taste with salt and pepper. Add the parmesan and simmer until the sauce is thick. Serve Creamy Pumpkin Tortellini with more parmesan on top.
Storage Instructions
- To store: Leftovers will keep in the fridge for 3-4 days in an airtight container, but keep in mind that as time goes on, the tortellini will soak up the sauce and get puffy. It will still be delicious, but you may need to thin it out when re-warming.To reheat: Warm on the stove over a low heat. Add in cream or broth to thin the sauce out as needed. You could microwave it as well in small increments.
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