Like bolognese, but make it autumn.
This is a pretty basic saucy pasta dish that doesn’t feel (or taste) so basic thanks to the addition of sage, mushrooms and a hint of tomato in the sauce. You may need to dirty a few extra dishes for this one, but it comes together in about 30 minutes and it’s so worth it!
Recipe Overview
Here we’re using canned pumpkin, tomato sauce, sage (you can use fresh or dried), mushrooms, greens, ground turkey, parmesan cheese (optional) and spaghetti for an easy, cozy lunch or dinner that screams autumn.
Easy Swaps To Make
- Add artichoke, broccoli, cauliflower, or asparagus
- Any type of pasta will work, so use whichever you prefer!
- Use ground chicken, beef, or pork instead of ground turkey
- If you don’t have heavy cream, use any milk of your choice! Use non-dairy milk if needed. If you use non-dairy milk such as almond milk, I suggest adding a teaspoon or two of onion powder to offset any sweet taste from the milk.
- Substitute spinach or chard for the kale!
- If you can’t find pumpkin spice mix, use cardamom and nutmeg.
- Parmesan cheese is optional! (Vegans skip and make sure to add a little more salt)
Can’t find pumpkin? This would work with butternut squash puree. If you’re a canned pumpkin lover but are having trouble finding it this year, it’s totally worth making your own and freezing it for future fall recipes.
Store any extra pumpkin puree in a container in the fridge for up to two weeks!
Storage & Reheating Notes:
This meal lasts in the fridge for up to 4 days and is freezer friendly for up to 3 months. It reheats well in the microwave or on the stove.
Happy prepping!
Comfort Food
Pumpkin Sage Pasta With Ground Turkey, Mushrooms & Kale
Ingredients
- 3 TBSP olive oil divided into 3
- 1 shallot chopped finely
- 3 clove garlic minced
- 15 oz canned pumpkin 1.5 cups pumpkin puree
- 1 cup canned tomato sauce
- 3 cups chicken broth sub water
- 1 tsp dried sage sub 1 fresh sage leaf, chopped
- 1 tsp pumpkin spice mix
- 1/2 tsp nutmeg
- 1/4 tsp crushed red pepper
- salt and pepper to taste
- 16 oz ground turkey sub ground chicken or beef
- 6 oz spaghetti sub pasta of your choice
- 3 cups kale chopped, sub swiss chard or spinach
- 8 oz baby bella mushrooms chopped
- 1/2 cup heavy cream sub milk of your choice
- 1/2 cup parmesan cheese add more if you'd like
Instructions
- Add 1 TBSP olive oil to a large skillet or saucepan (with high sides) over medium heat. Add the shallots with a pinch of salt and saute for 3-4 minutes, then add the garlic and saute for an additional 1-2 minutes, stirring frequently.
- When the shallots and garlic are fragrant, add the pumpkin, tomato sauce, broth, sage, pumpkin spice, nutmeg, crushed red pepper if using and a generous amount of salt. Pepper is optional. Stir well and bring to a low boil, then simmer for 15-20 minutes.
- In another pan, heat up 1 TBSP olive oil for 2 minutes over medium heat, then add the ground turkey with salt and pepper. Using a spatula or wooden spoon, break up the ground turkey and cook until it's no longer pink. Taste it and add more salt if needed. Then add it to the pan with the pumpkin sauce.
- Cook the pasta according to the package. Make sure to salt the water. In the last few minutes, add the kale to the pasta pot. Drain the pasta and kale **Reserve 1/3 cup of pasta water!
- In the same pan you used to cook the turkey, add the last 1 TBSP of olive oil over medium heat. Let it heat up for a minute, then add the mushrooms with salt and pepper. Cook the mushrooms, stirring occasionally, for 10 minutes until they've shrunk significantly and are fragrant. Add the mushrooms to the pan with the pumpkin sauce.
- Taste the sauce and adjust spices as needed. If it's very thick, add 1/3 cup of the pasta water you reserved and stir. Turn off the heat and stir in the heavy cream and parmesan cheese. Add the pasta and kale to the sauce and use tongs to toss everything together.
- Divide the pasta between four meal prep containers. Note that you can freeze this meal! You can also freeze extra heavy cream for future use.