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This silky smooth and extra creamy Brown Butter Pumpkin Tortellini Alla Vodka is that cozy bowl of pasta we’re all craving most. Cheese Tortellini tossed in a nutty brown butter pumpkin vodka sauce that’s creamy and so delicious! The pumpkin adds a vibrant layer of flavor and richness to this silky smooth and creamy tortellini. Serve this quick cooking dinner up any night of the week. It’s delicious and looks pretty on any table…and everyone LOVES a GOOD creamy vodka pasta. Such a fun fall twist!
It’s mid-October, and in my book, the more creamy pasta and pumpkin recipes the better. I’m trying my best to keep a balance. But with the temperature drop and all the snow this week, I’m really just embracing the cozy.
And this cheesy, creamy tortellini is a true reflection of that.
It’s the perfect dinner to cook up when you’re in need of something simple, but totally delicious and comforting too.
Here are the quick details
I based this recipe off of my traditional vodka sauce, but added in pumpkin and cheesy tortellini.
It’s all really quick to throw together!
Since we’re using pumpkin, I wanted to include a little sage. I just love the flavor blend of sage and pumpkin…with brown butter. So start out by crisping the sage in butter. The butter will brown on the sage leaves and create a really delicious base for your pumpkin vodka sauce.
Next, add the shallots, garlic, oregano, and chili flakes – for a little extra heat. Then stir in the pumpkin and tomato paste and cook until the mix thickens up a bit.
Now stir in the vodka and let everything simmer for a few minutes. Then add the cream and parmesan and let the sauce hang out for a bit.
What does the vodka actually do?
In a traditional vodka sauce, the vodka adds a sharp bite that helps to balance out the sweetness of the tomatoes. And the same is true with pumpkin. When used in small amounts, the vodka will boost and intensify the aroma of the sauce. The key is to slowly simmer vodka into the sauce. This will release its flavors and cook out the alcohol.
If you prefer to not cook with alcohol, swap the vodka for chicken broth, vegetable broth, or even just water. That will be totally fine and your sauce will still be great.
While the sauce is slowly cooking, bring some water to a boil for the tortellini. Boil off the tortellini, it should only take a few minutes. I love to use the cheese tortellini from Whole Foods, but Trader Joe’s has really nice options too!
Now toss that tortellini in the sauce. Then serve up bowls of creamy pasta topped with those crispy sage leaves and an extra dusting of parmesan.
An extra special, but super easy, fall dinner. Oh, and I like to serve this up with a big salad on the side – yum!
Looking for other simple winter pasta dishes? Here are my favorites:
Sage Butter Pumpkin Cheese Ravioli
One Pot Spicy Pesto Cheese Baked Rigatoni
Creamy Bacon Tortellini with Charred Broccoli
Lastly, if you make this Brown Butter Pumpkin Alla Vodka Tortellini, be sure to leave a comment and/or give this recipe a rating! Above all, I love to hear from you guys and always do my best to respond to each and every comment. And of course, if you do make this recipe, don’t forget to tag me on Instagram! Looking through the photos of recipes you all have made is my favorite!
watch the how-to video:
Brown Butter Pumpkin Alla Vodka Tortellini
Servings: 6
Calories Per Serving: 477 kcal
Nutritional information is only an estimate. The accuracy of the nutritional information for any recipe on this site is not guaranteed.
Watch the How-To Reel
Ingredients
- 3 tablespoons salted butter
- 8 fresh sage leaves
- 1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
- 1 shallot chopped
- 4 cloves garlic, chopped
- 1 teaspoon dried oregano
- 1-2 teaspoons crushed red pepper flakes
- 2 tablespoons tomato paste
- 1/4 cup vodka
- 1 cup pumpkin puree
- kosher salt and black pepper
- 1/2 cup heavy cream or canned coconut milk
- 1 pound cheese tortellini
- 1/3 cup grated parmesan cheese
Instructions
- 1. In a large skillet, melt together 2 tablespoons butter and the sage. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the butter is browning and the sage is crisp, 4 minutes. Remove the sage leaves from the butter and set aside.2. To the skillet, add the olive oil, shallot, garlic, and oregano. Cook until the shallots begin to caramelize, about 5 minutes. Reduce the heat to low, add the tomato paste, pumpkin, and red pepper flakes, cook 4-5 minutes, until thickened. Stir in the vodka, cook another 2 minutes. Stir in the cream, 1 tablespoon butter, and the parmesan. Season with salt and pepper. Keep warm over low heat.3. Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add the tortellini and cook according to package directions until al dente. Just before draining, remove 1 cup of the pasta cooking water. Drain.4. Add the tortellini to the vodka sauce, tossing to coat. If needed, thin the sauce with pasta cooking water.5. Divide the tortellini among plates and top with crispy sage and parmesan. Enjoy!
All I can say is you will definitely want more of the sage leaves so make extra! This was quite simple for a weeknight meal and was absolutely delicious. Added a small splash of apple cider vinegar for a touch of acid but this dish is a knockout. Thank you!
Hi there! Thanks so much for giving this recipe a try, so glad to hear it was enjoyed! xTieghan
I made this tonight and it came out amazing. My whole family enjoyed and I will definitely make again. I agree with another reviewer that I will make more sage for it. They were bites of heaven. Thank you for sharing your recipes.
Hello! Thanks so much for giving this recipe a try, so glad to hear it was enjoyed, and especially the sage leaves! xTieghan
Didn’t have vodka, but had Mezcal. Very good!!! Cheers?
Hey Lisa! So glad you enjoyed this recipe, thanks so much for giving it a try! 🙂 xTieghan
Can I omit or replace the vodka? I don’t drink, so I don’t have any in the house.
Can I substitute pumpkin filling for pumpkin purée as I have some leftover from Canadian Thanksgiving?
Hi there! I haven’t tried this recipe with pumpkin filling but I’m sure it should work just fine! 🙂 xTieghan
Just made this. It was super easy and totally delicious!! The secret ingredient is the tomato paste!!
So glad you enjoyed this recipe, thanks so much for giving it a try! 🙂 xTieghan
This was absolutely delicious! What a fantastic flavor combo. I had sausage and cheese tortellini on hand and the result was out of this world. Loving these fall recipes!
Oooh those sound like such yummy additions! So glad you liked this recipe! 🙂 xTieghan
Really love the look of this one. Yum! Also love your pomegranate HBH logo, it’s gorgeous. Xx
Hey Kelly! Thanks so much, I really appreciate it! 🙂 xTieghan
I made this last night for dinner. We loved it! I used chicken broth instead of vodka and sage from my garden. Such a great fall meal with a big salad.
Just made this! My grocery store didn’t have sage so I subbed for rosemary and it was delicious. I used light coconut milk, made 1.5x the sauce, and threw in about 1 lb of boneless/skinless chicken breast strips at the end that I had cooked separately for some protein. Super easy and sooo yummy. I don’t keep vodka on hand and didn’t want to buy a whole bottle so I subbed chicken broth, no problem. Another winner.. would be great for a girls night! Thanks Tieghan!!
Yum!! Nothing better than fresh sage 🙂 xTieghan
Caution: in my one time experience of making the Brown Butter Pumpkin Alla Vodka Tortellini, I think a major error in the recipe is adding the garlic alongside the shallot. Before my shallot became close to caramelizing, the garlic burned. We threw away the entire sauce and had our tortellini in butter, bacon bits and the sage. If I make the sauce again I will add garlic after shallot begins to brown and brown a lot more sage leaves. (Because crunchy sage leaves are just so good!)
I appreciate your comment a lot as I plan on making it this weekend and can avoid this issue. However, did that really lend itself to leave a one star review?
Hi there, I am so sorry that this did not turn out the way you hoped! Please let me know how I can help . xTieghan
Perfect fall pasta. Only thing I’d do next time is quadruple the fried sage, because it was so good. Also added some chopped pecans for extra crunch, and we were in heaven with this pasta and a little Pinot. Thanks again, Tieghan!
Hi there! Thanks so much for giving this recipe a try, I’m so glad to hear you enjoyed it! xTieghan
Yup. I’m totally making this.
Sounds delicious and a perfect way to use up some of our backyard pumpkin patch! What would you suggest to make this gluten free? Would gnocchi be a good substitute?
Whole Foods has a gorgeous gluten free cheese tortellini!
Looks amazing! I can’t wait to try! Do you think Italian sausage would pair well with the pasta? I love your recipes so much and just bought your book!❤️
Oh my. That sounds like a fabulous idea fire my meat eating hubby.
Janet – we cooked Italian sausage and sliced it up/mixed it in at the end and it complemented the meal very well.
Hi Tieghan! Is it possible to cook your own pumpkin puree? Unfortunately, we can’t buy it here in Germany :/ Thanks in advance 🙂
Yep! https://www.inspiredtaste.net/35527/easy-pumpkin-puree-recipe/. I’m also in Germany, so this is what I plan to do.
I cooked my own pumpkin & it worked well.
Hi Tieghan, I asked you this yesterday but I didn’t get a response….Have I unintentionally done something with my computer or have you’ve removed the option to pin your recipes (to Pinterest)? Kindly confirm.
Andrea — I just pinned the recipe. I found the P on one of the pictures of the dish. Hope this helps.
I was also able to pin. The pic below the recipe has a pin link on the top left.