Vegan Brown Butter Sage Pumpkin Pasta
This cozy autumn pasta delivers everything you want from a classic brown butter sage dish — deep nuttiness, earthy warmth, and silky sauce — without a single animal product in sight. The trick is browning vegan butter low and slow until it hits that deep amber, nutty stage, then frying whole sage leaves until they turn perfectly crisp and fragrant. Pumpkin puree forms the backbone of the sauce, enriched with full-fat coconut milk and nutritional yeast for a creamy, savory depth that genuinely rivals any dairy-based version. A splash of starchy pasta cooking water ties everything together, helping the sauce cling to every ridge of the rigatoni. Warm spices — nutmeg, cinnamon, and a pinch of red pepper flakes — keep the flavor complex without tipping into dessert territory. Each bowl gets finished with a drizzle of that reserved brown butter, toasted pepitas for crunch, and a sprinkle of vegan parmesan, making the presentation as impressive as the flavor. It serves four and comes together in the time it takes to boil a pot of pasta, which makes it an easy weeknight win that still feels special enough for company.
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Learn more →Ingredients
4 servings
For the pasta
- 12 oz dry rigatoni or penne
- 1 tbsp salt
For the brown butter and sage
- 4 tbsp vegan butter
- 16 fresh sage leaves
For the sauce
- 1 can (15 oz) pumpkin puree
- 1 cup vegetable broth
- ½ cup full-fat coconut milk
- 3 tbsp nutritional yeast
- ½ tsp ground nutmeg
- ¼ tsp ground cinnamon
- ¼ tsp red pepper flakes
- ½ tsp salt, plus more to taste
- ¼ tsp black pepper, plus more to taste
- ½ cup reserved pasta cooking water
For serving
- ¼ cup pepitas (pumpkin seeds), toasted
- 3 tbsp vegan parmesan
Instructions
- 1
Bring a large pot of water to a boil over high heat. Add 1 tbsp salt, then cook the rigatoni according to package directions until al dente — tender with a slight resistance at the center. Before draining, scoop out at least 1/2 cup of the starchy pasta cooking water and set it aside. Drain the pasta and set aside.
- 2
While the pasta cooks, melt the vegan butter in a 12-inch skillet over medium heat. Continue cooking, swirling the pan frequently, until the butter turns a deep amber color and smells nutty, 4–6 minutes — watch closely, as vegan butter can go from golden to scorched quickly. Add the sage leaves and fry, turning once, until crisp and fragrant, about 1 minute. Transfer the sage leaves to a paper towel-lined plate and set aside. Pour the brown butter into a small bowl and reserve.
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