Penne with Italian Sausage, Mushrooms, and Pumpkin Sauce

4.4
(8)

This dish was extremely tasty. I wanted a dish that could be made ahead of time and heated in the oven, but also remained saucy. Good company dish!

2
Prep Time:
10 mins
Cook Time:
1 hr
Total Time:
1 hr 10 mins
Servings:
8
Yield:
1 9x13-inch baking dish
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Ingredients

  • cooking spray

  • 2 ounces dried porcini mushrooms

  • 1 pound sweet Italian sausage links

  • 3 tablespoons butter

  • 1 large onion, chopped

  • 2 cloves garlic, minced

  • 1 tablespoon chopped fresh sage

  • ¼ teaspoon ground nutmeg

  • 2 cups pumpkin puree

  • 1 cup shredded Gruyere cheese

  • ½ cup heavy whipping cream

  • salt and ground black pepper to taste

  • 1 pound penne pasta

  • ½ cup grated Parmesan cheese

Directions

  1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Spray a 9x13-inch pan with cooking spray.

  2. Place porcini mushrooms in a bowl and add enough water to cover; soak until mushrooms have rehydrated. Drain water from mushrooms and reserve water. Chop mushrooms.

  3. Cook sausage in a skillet over medium heat until no longer pink in the center, about 10 minutes. Cool slightly and slice on the diagonal.

  4. Melt butter in a skillet over medium heat; cook and stir onion and garlic until onion is translucent, about 10 minutes. Add sage and nutmeg and stir. Transfer onion mixture to a bowl; add chopped mushrooms and sausage. Mix in reserved soaking water, pumpkin, Gruyere cheese, cream, salt, and pepper.

  5. Bring a large pot of lightly salted water to a boil; add penne and cook, stirring occasionally, until tender yet firm to the bite, about 10 minutes. Drain and mix pasta into pumpkin sauce. Transfer mixture to the prepared pan and top with Parmesan cheese. Cover pan with aluminum foil.

  6. Bake in the preheated oven until bubbling, about 30 minutes.

Cook's Note:

Chicken broth can be used in place of the water from mushrooms, if desired. Add broth or cream if sauce is too thick.

Substitute 8 ounces fresh mushrooms for the dried, if desired. Add them in step 4, after cooking the onion and garlic.

Nutrition Facts (per serving)

560 Calories
28g Fat
54g Carbs
25g Protein
Nutrition Facts
Servings Per Recipe 8
Calories 560
% Daily Value *
Total Fat 28g 36%
Saturated Fat 14g 69%
Cholesterol 73mg 24%
Sodium 804mg 35%
Total Carbohydrate 54g 20%
Dietary Fiber 5g 19%
Total Sugars 5g
Protein 25g 49%
Vitamin C 4mg 5%
Calcium 248mg 19%
Iron 5mg 26%
Potassium 413mg 9%

* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet. Your daily values may be higher or lower depending on your calorie needs.

** Nutrient information is not available for all ingredients. Amount is based on available nutrient data.

(-) Information is not currently available for this nutrient. If you are following a medically restrictive diet, please consult your doctor or registered dietitian before preparing this recipe for personal consumption.