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Pumpkin Sage Meatballs

Pumpkin sage meatballs in a creamy pumpkin sauce with parmesan and warm nutmeg, simmered until juicy and cooked through. Golden-browned meatballs get finished with crispy sage for a pasta or polenta meal.
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Prep Time 20 minutes
Cook Time 30 minutes
Total Time 50 minutes
Servings: 4 servings
Course: Main Dish
Cuisine: Italian-American
Calories: 860
Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients
  

For meatballs
  • 1.5 lb ground pork or beef Use a blend if you like; 80–90% lean works best for tender meatballs.
  • 0.3333333333 cup pumpkin puree
  • 0.3333333333 cup breadcrumbs Plain or Italian-seasoned both work; adjust salt if needed.
  • 0.25 cup parmesan Freshly grated melts best for binding and flavor.
  • 1 egg
  • 1 tbsp fresh sage, minced Minced sage goes into the meatball mix.
  • 3 cloves garlic, minced
  • 1 tsp salt
  • 0.5 tsp pepper
For pumpkin cream sauce
  • 1 cup pumpkin Use pumpkin puree/thick pumpkin for a smooth sauce.
  • 1 cup heavy cream
  • 3 cloves garlic For sauce—minced or finely chopped so it softens quickly.
  • 0.5 cup parmesan
  • 0.25 tsp nutmeg
  • 0.5 tbsp fresh sage Use extra sage for crispy frying on top.

Equipment

  • 1 cast iron skillet

Method
 

Make the meatballs
  1. In a bowl, mix ground pork or beef, pumpkin puree, breadcrumbs, parmesan, egg, minced fresh sage, minced garlic, salt, and pepper just until combined.
  2. Roll the mixture into 1.5-inch meatballs and place them on a plate while you heat the pan.
Brown and simmer
  1. Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat and brown the meatballs in batches until golden on the outside, then remove to a plate.
  2. Lower heat to medium and sauté garlic in the same skillet, then stir in pumpkin, heavy cream, parmesan, and nutmeg.
  3. Simmer the pumpkin cream sauce for 5 minutes until slightly thickened and fragrant.
  4. Return the browned meatballs to the sauce and simmer 15 minutes until cooked through.
Finish and serve
  1. Fry fresh sage until crisp and use it to top the meatballs along with parmesan.
  2. Serve immediately over pasta or polenta while the sauce is warm and the sage stays crisp.

Notes

Pro tip: Don’t overmix—stop as soon as the ingredients come together to keep the meatballs tender. Refrigerate leftovers in a sealed container up to 3 days; reheat gently on the stove with a splash of cream or broth. Freezing is yes—freeze meatballs and sauce (without the crispy sage) up to 2 months, then thaw and rewarm; refry sage fresh for topping. For a lighter option, use half-and-half in place of heavy cream, knowing the sauce will be slightly thinner.