When the weather cools down, nothing beats a big bowl of pasta. These cozy fall pasta recipes are packed with the flavors of the season, like pumpkin, butternut squash, brown butter, sage and apples.

You will find homemade pumpkin gnocchi, a one-pan sheet-pan gnocchi dinner, creamy butternut squash pasta, and a 20-minute ravioli that tastes like it came from a restaurant. There are crockpot pastas for busy days and big baked pastas for chilly weekends too.

No weird ingredients and no complicated steps. Just warm, comforting dinners the whole family will want to eat all season long.

Brown Butter Sage Pumpkin Gnocchi

Brown Butter Sage Pumpkin Gnocchi

Recipe by Derek Jacobson

Servings

4

servings

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Ingredients

• 3/4 cup canned pumpkin puree

• 1 cup whole-milk ricotta

• 1 large egg yolk

• 1/2 cup grated Parmesan, plus more for serving

• 1 teaspoon salt

• 1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg

• 1 3/4 cups all-purpose flour, plus more for dusting

• 6 tablespoons butter

• 12 fresh sage leaves

• 1 garlic clove, thinly sliced

• 1/3 cup chopped pecans

• 1 teaspoon maple syrup

• 1/4 teaspoon black pepper

• Pinch of red pepper flakes

Directions

• Spread the pumpkin puree on a double layer of paper towels and blot the top with more towels. Pulling out extra water keeps the dough from getting sticky.
• In a large bowl, stir the pumpkin, ricotta, egg yolk, Parmesan, salt and nutmeg until smooth. Add the flour and stir with a spatula just until a soft dough forms. It should feel like soft play dough. Add 2 to 3 more tablespoons of flour if it is very sticky.
• Turn the dough onto a floured counter and cut it into 6 pieces. Roll each piece into a rope about 3/4 inch thick, then cut the rope into 1-inch pieces. Set them on a floured baking sheet so they don’t touch.
• Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. While it heats, melt the butter in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the sage leaves and pecans and cook, swirling the pan, for 3 to 4 minutes, until the butter smells nutty and turns golden brown and the sage is crisp. Add the garlic for the last 30 seconds. Turn off the heat and stir in the maple syrup, black pepper and red pepper flakes.
• Drop the gnocchi into the boiling water in two batches. Once they float, cook 1 to 2 minutes more. Scoop them straight into the skillet with a slotted spoon, along with a splash of the pasta water.
• Toss gently over medium heat for 1 to 2 minutes, until the gnocchi are coated and glossy. Serve right away with extra Parmesan.

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What Makes a Pasta Taste Like Fall

Fall pasta is about warm, rich flavors. Pumpkin and butternut squash add a gentle sweetness and a silky texture to sauces. Brown butter gives a nutty taste that goes perfectly with crispy sage. Sausage and apples bring a sweet and savory mix that feels just right on a cool night.

These dishes also tend to be heartier than summer pastas. Baked ziti, mac and cheese, and creamy Alfredo fill you up and reheat well, which makes them great for busy fall weeknights.

How to Pick a Recipe From This List

• Weekend project: Brown Butter Sage Pumpkin Gnocchi. Making gnocchi by hand takes a little time, but it is fun and worth it.
• Fast weeknight: Butternut Squash Ravioli with Brown Butter and Sage. Store-bought ravioli makes it quick.
• Least cleanup: Sheet-Pan Gnocchi with Sausage and Apples cooks on one pan in the oven.
• Hands-off: Crockpot Pumpkin Alfredo Tortellini with Chicken, Crockpot Chicken Alfredo for Two, and Slow Cooker Chicken Meatballs in Creamy Alfredo.
• Kid-friendly: Pumpkin Mac and Cheese and Baked Ziti with Meatballs.
• Feeds a crowd: Baked Ziti with Meatballs, Pesto Chicken Pasta Bake, and Creamy Sausage and Butternut Squash Pasta.

Tips for Better Fall Pasta

Watch your brown butter closely. It goes from golden to burnt in less than a minute. Cook it over medium heat and swirl the pan. When it smells nutty and the bits on the bottom turn light brown, take it off the heat right away.

Save a cup of pasta water before you drain. A splash of it helps pumpkin and squash sauces turn smooth and glossy, and it helps the sauce stick to the noodles.

Use plain canned pumpkin puree, not pumpkin pie filling. Pie filling already has sugar and spices in it and will make your sauce taste like dessert.

For baked pastas, cook the noodles a minute or two less than the box says. They keep cooking in the oven and won’t turn mushy. If you use sausage or meatballs, make sure pork or beef reaches 160°F and chicken reaches 165°F.

Make-Ahead Tips

Baked ziti and the pesto pasta bake can be put together a day early. Cover and refrigerate, then add 10 to 15 minutes to the bake time. Leftover pumpkin puree freezes well. I like to freeze it in half-cup portions so it is ready for the next batch of sauce. Homemade gnocchi also freezes well. Freeze them on a tray in a single layer, then move them to a bag. Cook them straight from frozen.

Fall Pasta FAQ

Can I swap pumpkin and butternut squash?
Yes. They have a similar texture and taste. Squash is a little sweeter. Canned pumpkin and frozen cubed squash both save a lot of prep time.

What goes well with fall pasta?
A simple green salad with apples and a light vinaigrette, roasted Brussels sprouts, or warm garlic bread. Keep sides light since these pastas are rich.

Can I freeze these pasta dishes?
Baked pastas freeze well for up to 3 months. Cream sauces can separate a bit, so stir well when reheating.