Pumpkin Sausage Stuffed Shells
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Fall is all about pumpkins, and these savory Pumpkin Sausage Stuffed Shells are definitely worth making. An incredibly comforting dish with a delicious pumpkin and sausage filling, and the most amazing creamy silky pumpkin sauce that encases every pasta shell.
Pumpkin Sausage Stuffed Shells
Okay, so you know I love my pasta, but I’ll bet you won’t be able to stop eating these Pumpkin Sausage Stuffed Shells until your belly is absolutely full. I know I couldn’t. Filled with loads of comforting cheeses, sausage and pumpkin, the flavors just dance in your mouth. Then, to top it off, the creamiest sauce ever, which clings to every shell with all the best spices. Consider this, one of the absolute BEST Fall family meals.
Although using pumpkin is more often used in creating sweet treats, cooking meals like this savory one can be even better if you have an abundance of fresh pumpkin available.
Ingredient Notes
Filling
- Sausage – I prefer using Italian sausage, with casings removed, although other types of sausage could be used. I used a mild sausage but if you like a little bit of heat, use a spicy one.
- Cheeses – You’ll need ricotta and parmesan cheese for the filling, more parmesan in the sauce and some extra mozzarella cheese to top off the shells.
- Pumpkin – I used a large can of pumpkin puree, or if you have fresh pureed pumpkin, even better. Do not use pumpkin pie filling as it has extra spices.
- Egg – A large egg.
- Salt – A small amount of salt to add flavor.
Sauce
- Butter – I use unsalted to control the amount of salt in the dish.
- Onion and Garlic – Essential flavor enhancers.
- Spices – Nutmeg, oregano, salt and pepper to add some great Fall flavors that go nicely with pumpkin.
- Pumpkin – A little more pumpkin puree!
- Cream – Heavy cream creates that nice creaminess in any dish. Use at least 30%MF. You can use a lower fat content cream but remember the sauce will be thinner, and less creamy.
- Cheese – Lots of Parmesan cheese, grated.
Shells
- Pasta – jumbo pasta shells uncooked.
- Cheese – Shredded mozzarella and parmesan to cover the entire dish.
- Sage – Used for garnish.
How To Make Pumpkin Sausage Stuffed Shells
- Prep the oven and cook the pasta: Preheat the oven to 400°F. Add the shells to a large pot of well salted boiling water and cook according to package instructions until they’re al dente. Make sure to stir the shells often and keep an eye on them as they may stick together. Rinse well with cold water in a strainer.
- Cook the sausage: Add the sausage to a large skillet and cook until browned, breaking it up into crumbles as it cooks. Transfer the sausage to a large bowl. Let it cool for 10 minutes.
- Make the sauce: In the same skillet melt the butter then add the onion and cook for 3 minutes or until it softens. Add the garlic and cook for another 30 seconds until aromatic. Next, add the nutmeg, oregano, salt, pepper and stir. Add the pumpkin and heavy cream to the skillet, gently stir and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to low. Add the Parmesan cheese and season with salt and pepper as needed; stir until the sauce is smooth.
- Make the filling: To the bowl with the sausage, add the ricotta, pumpkin puree, parmesan, egg, salt and mix everything together. Scoop it into a large freezer bag or piping bag. Snip the tip of the piping bag or corner of the freezer bag to a 1″ diameter.
- Assemble the shells: Pour half the sauce in a 9 x 13 inch casserole dish. Pipe each shell with about 1-2 tbsp of the cheese and pumpkin mixture and place in the casserole dish over the sauce. Pour the remaining sauce over the shells and top with mozzarella and Parmesan cheese. Bake for 20 to 25 minutes until bubbly, then broil for 2-5 minutes or until the cheese browns.
- Finish the dish: Garnish with fresh sage and freshly cracked pepper.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is pumpkin puree the same as canned pumpkin?
Canned pumpkin puree contains 100% pumpkin without any additional spices or flavors. On the other hand, pumpkin pie filling features pureed pumpkin flavored with the spices traditionally found in pumpkin pie: cloves, cinnamon, allspice and/or nutmeg. Choose a can of this stuff when baking desserts.
What other cheese can I substitute for Parmesan?
Granada Padano, Piave, Manchego, Asiago or Romano Cheese could work, especially if that’s what you have in your fridge.
Can you grate Parmesan cheese ahead of time and leave it in the fridge?
You can for about 5-7 days. However, the more surface exposed to air and oxidation, will degrade the flavor and aroma of the cheese. It is also more prone to drying out further degrading the quality. Parmesan or harder cheeses are best when grated for immediate use, but stored in chunks, wrapped and refrigerated.
Some Tips
- Pasta is al dente is when it’s chewy and firm, holding its whole shape in whatever sauce you put it in.
- It’s easier to grate cheese when it’s first out of the fridge.
- To spice this up a bit, use a spicy sausage or add some red pepper flakes.
- To make this vegetarian, just omit the sausage.
Leftovers
Store this pumpkin sausage stuffed shells in the refrigerator in an airtight container for 3-4 days. To freeze, place in an airtight container and freeze for 3 to 4 months.
More Great Recipes To Try
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Pumpkin Sausage Stuffed Shells
Video
Ingredients
Filling
- 1 pound Italian sausage (casings removed)
- 1 cup ricotta cheese
- 1 cup canned pumpkin
- 1¼ cup Parmesan cheese (grated)
- 1 large egg
- ½ teaspoon salt (or to taste)
Sauce
- 3 tablespoons butter
- 1 large onion (chopped)
- 3 cloves garlic (minced)
- ½ teaspoon nutmeg
- ½ teaspoon oregano
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon pepper (or to taste)
- ⅔ cup canned pumpkin
- 2 cups heavy cream
- 1 cup Parmesan cheese (grated)
Shells
- 10 ounces jumbo pasta shells (uncooked)
- 1 cup mozzarella cheese (shredded)
- ½ cup Parmesan cheese (shredded)
- fresh sage (for garnish)
Before You Begin! If you make this, please leave a review and rating letting us know how you liked this recipe! This helps our business thrive & continue providing free recipes.
Instructions
- Prep the oven and cook the pasta: Preheat the oven to 400°F. Add the shells to a large pot of well salted boiling water and cook according to package instructions until they're al dente. Make sure to stir the shells often and keep an eye on them as they may stick together. Rinse well with cold water in a strainer.
- Cook the sausage: Add the sausage to a large skillet and cook until browned, breaking it up into crumbles as it cooks. Transfer the sausage to a large bowl. Let it cool for 10 minutes.
- Make the sauce: In the same skillet melt the butter then add the onion and cook for 3 minutes or until it softens. Add the garlic and cook for another 30 seconds until aromatic. Next, add the nutmeg, oregano, salt, pepper and stir. Add the pumpkin and heavy cream to the skillet, gently stir and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to low. Add the Parmesan cheese and season with salt and pepper as needed; stir until the sauce is smooth.
- Make the filling: To the bowl with the sausage, add the ricotta, pumpkin puree, parmesan, egg, salt and mix everything together. Scoop it into a large freezer bag or piping bag. Snip the tip of the piping bag or corner of the freezer bag to a 1" diameter.
- Assemble the shells: Pour half the sauce in a 9 x 13 inch casserole dish. Pipe each shell with about 1-2 tbsp of the cheese and pumpkin mixture and place in the casserole dish over the sauce. Pour the remaining sauce over the shells and top with mozzarella and Parmesan cheese. Bake for 20 to 25 minutes until bubbly, then broil for 2-5 minutes or until the cheese browns.
- Finish the dish: Garnish with fresh sage and freshly cracked pepper.
Notes
- Pasta is al dente is when it’s chewy and firm, holding its whole shape in whatever sauce you put it in.
- It’s easier to grate cheese when it’s first out of the fridge.
- To spice this up a bit, use a spicy sausage or add some red pepper flakes.
- To make this vegetarian, just omit the sausage.
- Store this pumpkin sausage stuffed shells in the refrigerator in an airtight container for 3-4 days.
- To freeze, place in an airtight container and freeze for 3 to 4 months.
Nutrition Information
Notice: Nutrition is auto-calculated for your convenience. Where relevant, we recommend using your own nutrition calculations.
