Pumpkin Pasta Sauce Recipe
Creamy pumpkin pasta with crispy pancetta and rosemary bread crumbs is fall comfort food at its best: rich, velvety, and ready in just 30 minutes.
Servings: 8 servings
Ingredients
For the Pasta and Sauce
- 1 pound DeLallo shellbows pasta or pasta of your choice such as rigatoni, penne, or orecchiette
- 1 tablespoon DeLallo olive oil
- ½ cup yellow onion finely chopped
- 3 garlic cloves finely chopped
- ¼ teaspoon paprika
- 1 tablespoon fresh sage leaves finely chopped
- 1 15-ounce can pumpkin puree not pumpkin pie filling
- 1 cup vegetable broth or chicken broth
- 1 cup heavy cream
- Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
- pinch of nutmeg
- ¾ cup freshly grated Parmigiano cheese plus more for serving
For the Pancetta Bread Crumbs
- 8 ounces pancetta diced
- 1 –2 teaspoons olive oil as needed for frying
- 1 cup ciabatta bread torn into small pieces
- 1 tablespoon fresh rosemary finely chopped
Instructions
Make the Pancetta Bread Crumbs
- Heat a large skillet over medium heat. Add pancetta and a drizzle of olive oil. Cook until crispy, about 5–6 minutes. Transfer pancetta to a paper towel-lined plate, leaving the drippings in the pan.
- Add the torn ciabatta bread and rosemary to the skillet. Toss in the pancetta drippings until golden brown and toasted, 5–7 minutes. Remove from heat and set aside. Stir pancetta back in with the bread crumbs.
Cook the Pasta
- Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Cook pasta until al dente according to package directions. Reserve ½ cup of pasta cooking water before draining.
Make the Sauce
- In a large skillet or sauté pan, heat olive oil over medium heat. Add onion and cook until softened, 5 minutes. Stir in garlic, paprika, and sage. Cook another 1–2 minutes until fragrant.
- Add pumpkin puree, broth, and heavy cream. Stir to combine, then season with salt, pepper, and nutmeg. Let simmer 5–7 minutes, stirring occasionally, until slightly thickened.
- Stir in Parmigiano cheese. Taste and adjust seasoning.
Combine
- Add cooked pasta to the sauce, tossing to coat. If needed, add a splash of reserved pasta water to loosen the sauce.
Serve
- Divide pasta among bowls and top generously with pancetta bread crumbs. Sprinkle with more Parmigiano if desired.
Notes
- Pumpkin puree: Make sure to use pure pumpkin, not pie filling- that contains sugar and other ingredients.
- Pasta shapes: Short, ridged pasta holds the sauce best—shellbows, rigatoni, or penne.
- Make it vegetarian: Skip pancetta and toast the bread crumbs in butter or olive oil.
- Extra flavor: Add a sprinkle of red pepper flakes if you like a little heat.
Nutrition
Serving: 8g | Calories: 500kcal | Carbohydrates: 47g | Protein: 16g | Fat: 27g | Saturated Fat: 13g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 3g | Monounsaturated Fat: 10g | Trans Fat: 0.04g | Cholesterol: 59mg | Sodium: 485mg | Potassium: 245mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 3g | Vitamin A: 641IU | Vitamin C: 1mg | Calcium: 154mg | Iron: 1mg
