Description
Craving a comforting yet elegant pasta? This Sweet Potato Goat Cheese Sage Pasta delivers creamy, savory satisfaction with roasted sweet potatoes, tangy goat cheese, and crispy fried sage. It’s one of those easy dinner ideas that looks gourmet but comes together with minimal fuss. Perfect for cozy nights, quick meals, or when you need new food ideas with bold flavor. It checks all the boxes for a quick dinner, easy recipe, or vegetarian pasta dish with rich seasonal flair.
Ingredients
12 oz rigatoni pasta
2 medium sweet potatoes, peeled and cubed
3 tbsp olive oil
1/2 tsp smoked paprika
Salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
4 oz goat cheese
1/2 cup reserved pasta water
10–12 fresh sage leaves
1/4 tsp red pepper flakes
2 garlic cloves, finely minced
1/4 cup grated Parmesan or Pecorino cheese
Zest of 1 lemon
Fresh thyme or parsley, chopped
Instructions
1. Preheat oven to 425°F (220°C). Toss cubed sweet potatoes with 2 tbsp olive oil, smoked paprika, salt, and pepper. Spread on a baking sheet and roast 25–30 minutes until golden and caramelized.
2. Boil pasta in salted water until al dente. Reserve 1/2 cup of pasta water, then drain.
3. Heat 1 tbsp olive oil in a skillet over medium. Fry sage leaves for 30–60 seconds until crispy. Transfer to a paper towel to drain.
4. In the same skillet, sauté garlic in sage oil until fragrant (30 seconds). Reduce heat, add goat cheese and a splash of pasta water, whisking until creamy.
5. Add pasta to the skillet, tossing in the sauce. Stir in roasted sweet potatoes and more pasta water as needed. Season with red pepper flakes, salt, and pepper.
6. Serve in bowls, garnished with crispy sage, grated cheese, lemon zest, and herbs.
Notes
Let goat cheese come to room temp for easier melting.
Don’t overcrowd your baking sheet—sweet potatoes need space to roast, not steam.
Use fresh sage for crisping. Dried won’t deliver the same texture or flavor.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 bowl
- Calories: 510
- Sugar: 8g
- Sodium: 360mg
- Fat: 24g
- Saturated Fat: 9g
- Unsaturated Fat: 13g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 58g
- Fiber: 6g
- Protein: 16g
- Cholesterol: 25mg
Keywords: sweet potato pasta, goat cheese pasta, crispy sage, easy pasta dinner, fall recipe