1-Gathering and Prepping: Start by pulling together all the ingredients listed earlier. If you’re using homemade pumpkin puree, get that ready now roasting or boiling fresh pumpkin adds a deeper flavor to your pumpkin sauce. This step sets the stage for a quick dinner recipe that’s full of that autumn warmth you crave.

2-Cooking the Pasta: Next, bring a large pot of salted water to a boil and cook the pasta whether it’s spaghetti or another type until it’s al dente. Don’t forget to reserve about ½ cup of the pasta water; it’ll help loosen up your sauce later. This keeps your pumpkin spaghetti nice and silky without adding extra calories.

3-Making the Sauce: Now for the heart of the dish: the sauce. In a large pot over medium-high heat, add the sun-dried tomatoes and a few tablespoons of their oil. Toss in the chopped onion, minced garlic, and sage, and sauté until they’re soft and fragrant, about 3 to 4 minutes. Stir in the pumpkin puree, tomato puree, chicken broth, dried basil, and that tiny pinch of cinnamon, then bring it to a gentle simmer. Let it cook for around 15 minutes, adding a splash of water or broth if it gets too thick.

Once it’s simmered, use an immersion blender to puree the sauce until it’s mostly smooth, or transfer it to a countertop blender for the same effect. Pop it back into the pot, stir in the cream, and season with salt, pepper, and red-pepper flakes. Keep it warm while you handle the rest. This is where your quick creamy pumpkin pasta starts to shine, blending those garlic kale elements into a vegetarian pasta dream.

4-Browning the Protein: While the sauce simmers, heat a skillet over medium heat and add the ground turkey, sliced onion, chili powder, and garlic powder. Break up the meat with a spoon and cook until it’s fully browned and the onion is soft, which takes about 6 to 8 minutes. If things look a bit dry, add a splash of water or broth to keep it moist that’s a handy tip for your easy fall dinner pumpkin spaghetti recipe.

5-Sautéing the Kale: In another skillet, warm up the garlic-infused oil over medium heat and add the chopped kale. Sauté it, stirring now and then, until it’s wilted but still bright green, about 4 to 5 minutes. If you used whole garlic cloves, fish them out before mixing in the kale.

6-Combining and Serving: Finally, toss the drained pasta with the pumpkin-tomato sauce and the browned turkey, using a bit of that reserved pasta water to get the perfect coating. Plate it up, top with the sautéed kale, and sprinkle on some grated cheese. Serve right away for that fresh, comforting bite. For variations, like making it gluten-free or vegan, adapt as you go it’s all about customizing your pumpkin spaghetti recipe for beginners. This entire process turns into a fun, garlic kale tossed pumpkin spaghetti meal in under an hour.