This Pumpkin Alfredo Sauce elevates traditional alfredo sauce with cozy fall flavors like pumpkin and sage. The sauce is rich and creamy and comes together in a matter of minutes.

If you have never tried a savory pumpkin recipe, this is a great place to start. It is similar to fettuccini alfredo, a dish you already know. And once you fall in love with this recipe, I have these 8 pumpkin sauces you need to make this fall to try next!

A closeup of pumpkin alfredo sauce and fettuccini noodles garnished with sage.

Why This Recipe Works

The combination of pumpkin, sage, garlic, and parmesan is simple but so good.
The pumpkin puree gives the alfredo sauce an extra creamy texture.
It has the coziest flavors and a bright orange color that’s perfect for fall.
Ready in less than 30 minutes, this dish is ideal for weeknight dinners.

Plus, we’re only using ¾ cup of pumpkin puree for this recipe, so you’ll have some leftovers. I *highly* recommend using it to make this Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Bread for dessert!

Key Ingredients You’ll Need

An overhead view of prepped ingredients on a white countertop and wooden cutting board.

Aromatics — This recipe begins with butter infused with sage and garlic. This mixture creates a tasty base for the pumpkin Alfredo sauce. You can also add a pinch of nutmeg for extra flavor, if desired.
Pumpkin puree — I’m using my homemade pumpkin puree, but canned pumpkin works great too. If you go with canned, make sure it’s 100% pumpkin and not pumpkin pie filling.
Butter & cream — I prefer to use unsalted butter and add salt to taste. As for the cream, you can use half & half or heavy cream depending on your preference.
Parmesan cheese — The fresh grated cheese melts right into the sauce and creates a savory, salty balance to the pumpkin. Save some extra cheese to sprinkle on top, too!

What’s The Best Type Of Pasta To Use?

Fettucchini noodles work really well with pumpkin alfredo sauce. They’re nice and thick, so the sauce really clings on and coats every piece.

All pasta shapes like penne, rigatoni, and macaroni are great choices. The sauce fills all the small spaces in the pasta. Or, if you want a little more bulk, try it with cheese ravioli or tortellini.

How To Make Creamy Pumpkin Alfredo Sauce

An overhead view of cooked and drained fettuccini noodles in a colander.

Step 1: Boil the pasta in salted water according to the package directions.
Reserve 1/2 cup of the pasta water. Then, drain the pasta and set it aside.

An overhead view of butter, garlic, and sage in a skillet.

Step 2: Melt your butter over medium heat before adding the fresh sage leaves and garlic.

Pumpkin puree and heavy cream added to the skillet.

Step 3: After a minute, stir in the pumpkin puree and cream. If the sauce seems too thick, add a bit of the reserved pasta water and stir well.

Parmesan cheese, salt, and pepper added to the skillet.

Step 4: On medium-low heat, add the parmesan cheese, salt, and pepper, whisk all well and let the sauce simmer for a few minutes.

Cooked fettuccini noodles added to the sauce.

Step 5: Toss your cooked pasta in the sauce until it’s evenly coated.

Pumpkin alfredo sauce and fetucchini noodles garnished with sage.

Step 6: Top it off with fresh sage and extra parmesan cheese before serving.

Olivia’s Recipe Tips

Cook the pasta until it’s just al-dente. This will keep it from getting mushy when you cook it with the sauce.
If you want to add protein to your pumpkin Alfredo, feel free to cook some bacon or pancetta. Then, sprinkle it on top of the pasta before serving.
For an extra boost of greens, add some chopped kale and spinach when you sauté the sage and garlic.

A bowl of pumpkin alfredo sauce over fetucchini noodles garnished with sage.

Make Pumpkin Alfredo Pasta A Complete Meal

Pumpkin Alfredo Sauce with Italian Sausage is one of our favorite versions of this dish. It has protein and the flavors of the sausage and sage are so good together!

This Pumpkin Alfredo sauce is also great with baked chicken. It pairs very well with the sweet flavors in pork tenderloin.

Storage & Reheating

Keep the leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 5 days. Reheat the pasta in a skillet with a splash of cream if the sauce is too thick. It also helps to stir the pasta often to keep it from sticking to the bottom of the pan. You can also reheat it in the microwave.

If you try this cozy Pumpkin Alfredo recipe or any of the other Fall recipes here on Primavera Kitchen, then don’t forget to leave a review (comment) and a star rating below to let me know how it goes!

More Pumpkin Recipes To Try

Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Bread

1 hr 17 mins

Tortellini Pumpkin Sauce

25 mins

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