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Once the weather turns, pasta night stops being an afterthought and starts being the thing I actually look forward to. Brown butter, roasted squash, sage and a little sausage turn a weeknight bowl of noodles into something that feels like the whole point of fall.
This roundup covers both ends of the spectrum: cozy, 30-minute skillet dinners for busy weeknights, and slower weekend projects like gnocchi and short rib ragu for when you have a little more time. There’s pumpkin, butternut squash, sausage, mushrooms and more, so there’s a fall pasta here for every craving.
I rounded up 13 of the best fall pasta recipes from some of my favourite food bloggers, so you can find your new go-to dinner for the season.
13 Cozy Fall Pasta Recipes You’ll Make All Season
This article is all about the best fall pasta recipes.
1. Creamy Pumpkin Pasta
What it is: A one-skillet pasta with a silky pumpkin puree sauce built on garlic, broth and parmesan, no heavy cream required.
Canned pumpkin keeps this one weeknight-fast, around 20 minutes start to finish, and a pinch of nutmeg or sage keeps the pumpkin from tasting one-note sweet. Tip: save a splash of the pasta water before draining. Stirring it into the sauce at the end loosens it up without watering down the flavour.
2. Butternut Squash Ravioli with Brown Butter Sage
What it is: Store-bought or homemade ravioli stuffed with sweet roasted butternut squash, tossed in nutty brown butter and crispy fried sage leaves.
Using pre-made ravioli from the store turns this into a 20-minute dinner that still feels restaurant-worthy. Tip: watch the butter closely once it starts foaming. It goes from golden to burnt in under a minute, so pull it off the heat the second it smells nutty and turns amber.
3. Spaghetti with Kale and Sausage
What it is: Browned Italian sausage and wilted kale tossed with spaghetti, garlic and a hit of red pepper flake for a dinner that’s hearty but not heavy.
It’s ready in about 30 minutes, and the sausage fat doubles as the base for the sauce, so there’s barely any cleanup. Tip: strip the kale leaves off the tough center ribs and tear them into smaller pieces before adding them to the pan. They wilt down faster and more evenly that way.
4. Brown Butter Mushroom Pasta
What it is: Golden sauteed mushrooms finished in nutty brown butter with garlic, thyme and parmesan, tossed through pasta for an earthy, cozy dinner.
It’s a simple pantry-friendly dinner, about 25 minutes, that tastes far fancier than the effort it takes. Tip: don’t crowd the mushrooms in the pan. Cook them in a single layer (in batches if needed) so they brown instead of steaming and turning rubbery.
5. Pumpkin Gnocchi with Brown Butter and Crispy Sage
What it is: Soft, pillowy gnocchi made with pumpkin puree folded into the dough, pan-seared until golden and finished in brown butter with crispy sage.
Making the gnocchi from scratch takes closer to an hour with resting time, but store-bought potato gnocchi works in a pinch if you just want the brown butter sauce. Tip: keep the dough on the dry side and work it as little as possible. Overworked, wet dough is what makes gnocchi turn gummy instead of pillowy.
6. Spicy Butternut Squash Pasta with Sausage
What it is: A pureed butternut squash sauce spiked with spicy Italian sausage and wilted baby spinach, so it’s a full meal in one pot.
Roasting the squash ahead of time is the only slow part; once it’s done, the sauce comes together in about 15 minutes. Tip: roast a double batch of squash at the start of the week. Having it ready to blend makes this a genuine weeknight recipe instead of a weekend one.
7. Creamy Tuscan Sausage Pasta
What it is: Browned Italian sausage, sun-dried tomatoes and spinach in a creamy parmesan sauce, all made in one pan in about 30 minutes.
It’s rich enough to feel special but comes together faster than most weeknight dinners. Tip: remove the sausage from its casing and break it into small pieces as it browns so it distributes through the sauce instead of sitting in big clumps.
8. Creamy Pumpkin Alfredo
What it is: A classic alfredo sauce stretched further (and given a fall twist) with roasted pumpkin and cauliflower blended in, so it’s just as creamy with a little more nutrition.
Roasting the vegetables takes about 25 minutes, then the sauce comes together quickly while the fettuccine boils. Tip: blend the roasted pumpkin and cauliflower completely smooth before adding them to the cream sauce so there’s no grainy texture in the finished dish.
9. Creamy Spinach and Mushroom Pasta
What it is: A simple vegetarian weeknight pasta with browned mushrooms, wilted spinach and garlic in a light cream sauce.
It’s a 20-minute pantry dinner that doesn’t need anything you wouldn’t already have on hand. Tip: add the spinach in batches at the very end and stir just until it wilts. It cooks down fast, so it’s easy to accidentally overdo it if it’s added too early.
10. Butternut Squash Lasagna
What it is: Layers of noodles, mashed roasted butternut squash, ricotta and mozzarella baked into a lighter, fall-flavoured take on classic lasagna.
Between roasting the squash and baking the lasagna, plan on about 1 hour 30 minutes, but it reheats beautifully for lunches all week. Tip: let the lasagna rest for at least 15 minutes after baking. It firms up as it sits, which makes the layers hold together instead of sliding apart when you cut into it.
11. Short Rib Ragu
What it is: Beef short ribs braised low and slow in red wine and tomatoes until they fall apart, then shredded into a deeply savoury sauce over pappardelle or tagliatelle.
It’s a weekend project, closer to 3 hours start to finish, but most of that is hands-off braising time in the oven. Tip: make it a day ahead if you can. Ragu always tastes better the next day once the flavours have had time to meld in the fridge overnight.
12. Fall Baked Pasta with Roasted Pumpkin, Kale and Mushrooms
What it is: A cozy baked pasta loaded with roasted pumpkin, mushrooms and kale, tossed in a light cream sauce and baked until bubbly on top.
It’s an easy make-ahead option for feeding a crowd, about 1 hour including roasting the vegetables, and leftovers reheat well for lunch. Tip: roast the pumpkin and mushrooms on separate trays. Mushrooms release a lot of moisture, and keeping them apart helps the pumpkin actually caramelize instead of steaming.
13. One-Pot Pumpkin Mac and Cheese
What it is: Classic stovetop mac and cheese with pumpkin puree stirred into the cheese sauce for extra creaminess and a cozy fall colour, all made in a single pot.
It’s ready in about 20 minutes and uses pantry staples, so it’s an easy weeknight dinner kids and adults both go for. Tip: shred your own cheese instead of buying pre-shredded. It melts into the sauce much more smoothly and helps avoid a grainy or clumpy texture.
Tips for Making Fall Pasta
- Save the pasta water. That starchy water is the easiest way to loosen up a thick squash or pumpkin sauce without diluting the flavour.
- Roast your squash ahead. Roasting a big batch of butternut squash or pumpkin at the start of the week turns several of these recipes into 15-20 minute dinners.
- Don’t rush brown butter. It goes from perfectly nutty to burnt fast, so stand by the pan and pull it the moment it turns golden and smells toasted.
- Shred your own cheese. Pre-shredded cheese has anti-clumping additives that can make cream sauces grainy. A block and a grater melt much more smoothly.
- Make the slow ones ahead. Ragu and baked pastas both taste even better the next day, so they’re perfect for meal prep or entertaining.
Which fall pasta are you making first? Pin this post so you can find it again all season long!
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