This Creamy Keto Pumpkin Alfredo Sauce with Rosemary and Turkey is a savory use for all of that pumpkin puree sitting in your pantry. Whoever said pumpkin puree is only for pumpkin spice lattes?! Combine savory seasonings of garlic, sage, and rosemary with pumpkin puree, cream and parmesan cheese to create a lovely fall savory sauce. Add ground turkey, and pair with zucchini noodles or cooked spaghetti squash for a delicious dinner that's keto friendly, gluten free, and full of savory fall flavor.
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If you've been here for a while, you know that fall is officially our favorite season. Between Halloween, crisp leaves, cozy sweaters, and PUMPKIN EVERYTHING we are happy campers. Pumpkin is truly such a versatile ingredient that can be found in so many pantries. While there are tons of sweet applications for this fall favorite, we are so in love with this creamy pumpkin alfredo sauce with rosemary and turkey.
It's the ideal dinner! It's completely gluten free, keto and low carb friendly. The best part is you probably have all the ingredients on hand already! Fresh rosemary in this sauce is such a nice added touch. The sauce on its own is incredibly delicious, but adding ground turkey turns this into a protein packed meal you will want to enjoy over and over again. When you're cooking for vegetarians, you could simply cook the turkey separately so that everyone can enjoy what they want.
Ingredients
- Butter
- Ground turkey
- Fresh rosemary
- Rubbed dried sage
- Ground nutmeg (optional, but trust us!)
- Garlic
- Heavy whipping cream
- Pure pumpkin puree
- Water
- Parmesan cheese
- Pink Himalayan salt and fresh ground pepper, to taste
- Cooked spaghetti squash noodles, zucchini noodles, or other low carb noodles of choice
Can I Use Ground Chicken Instead?
Certainly! You could technically leave the meat out if you want and it would be just as delicious. We of course love the protein that this adds to make it a full meal however. This meal is also delicious with leftover shredded turkey after Thanksgiving! Mix it up, and have fun!
What Spices and Seasonings Do I Need?
For this recipe we went for a very savory profile. We used dried sage, some salt and pepper to taste, fresh rosemary, and just a pinch of nutmeg! Also necessary is garlic, fresh is best, but you can substitute about 1 teaspoon of garlic powder if you want instead. The nutmeg might sound a little weird, but it add such a lovely, warm complexity to this sauce we think you will love!
What Noodles Should I Use For This Creamy Keto Pumpkin Alfredo?
You can use any noodle or noodle replacement you want for this dish. If you are cooking for the family and they don't eat low carb, or you don't eat low carb yourself, don't worry. Just cook up your favorite pasta to go with it! Fettuccine or spaghetti would be our top suggestions. We used a fettuccine substitute made with konjac powder that is super low in carbs, and we get it at Costco.
Some people love shirataki noodles. We wish we had a brand that we loved as much as we love the Healthy Noodle brand we buy at Costco that we could buy online, but we haven't found it yet. We're just not as crazy about shirataki noodles, but some people really love them! If we don't have any of our favorite noodles, we usually serve this with spaghetti squash or zucchini noodles. Another suggestion we have gotten for low carb and keto diets are hearts of palm noodles, so we will have to try that soon!
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Instructions
Heat your cast iron skillet over medium heat. Mince your garlic and fresh rosemary. Set aside.
Start by melting half of the butter in a hot skillet. Add your ground turkey and brown it. Add some salt and pepper to season the meat. After the meat is cooked thru, remove from the pan and set aside. If cooking for vegetarians, wash the skillet before moving to the next step.
Now, add the remaining butter to the skillet and brown your garlic, being careful not to burn. Move around frequently for about 30 seconds, until your garlic is really fragrant. Add in your dry seasonings (nutmeg and sage) and some of your fresh chopped rosemary, then immediately add in your pumpkin puree to prevent anything from burning. Add in your heavy whipping cream and stir until well mixed.
At this point, the sauce will be too thick. Add in your water. Next, add in your shredded parmesan cheese, and stir until everything is well combined. Now, it will need to simmer for maybe 10 minutes until the cheese is melted. You will want to stir the sauce often so that the cheese doesn't stick or burn to the bottom of the skillet.
Now, add back in your cooked ground turkey, stir to combine, and taste! At this point you can add salt if it still needs some. Most recipes we tell you to salt as you go, but in this particular instance you want to wait til the end since you are adding multiple sources of salt with the parmesan and salted cooked turkey.
Garnish with parmesan cheese and some fresh rosemary. Try not to eat it all in one sitting!
If you get a chance to try this recipe, let us know what you think, would ya?! Leave us a comment, or catch up with us on Facebook or Instagram, or pin to your favorite Pinterest board for later. We love sharing your versions of our creations over on Instagram @afullliving!
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Until Next Time,
Briana & Chamere
📖 Recipe
Creamy Keto Pumpkin Alfredo Sauce with Turkey and Rosemary
Ingredients
- 4 tablespoon unsalted butter, divided
- 1 lb ground turkey
- 6 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 tablespoon fresh rosemary (plus more for garnish)
- 1 teaspoon sage
- pinch of nutmeg (optional, but recommended!)
- ½ cup heavy cream
- ½ can pumpkin puree
- 1 cup water
- 5 oz shredded parmesan cheese (plus more for garnish)
- salt and pepper to taste
Instructions
- Melt half of your butter in a hot skillet. Add your ground turkey and brown it, season it with salt and pepper. After the meat is cooked thru, set aside.
- To the skillet, add your remaining butter. Add in your garlic, and toast until fragrant, about 30 seconds, being careful not to burn. Add in your sage, rosemary, and nutmeg. Add in the heavy cream and pumpkin puree. Stir until mixed, then stir in your water slowly until it reaches your desired consistency.
- Next add in your shredded parmesan cheese, reserving some for topping. Stir frequently over medium heat until all the cheese is melted. Now, add back in the ground turkey. Add a pinch of salt and pepper to taste (if necessary).
- Serve with noodles or noodle replacement of choice, garnish with parmesan cheese and rosemary. Enjoy!
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