Pumpkin Parmesan Pasta

This recipe was created in collaboration with Parmigiano Reggiano. #ParmesanAmbassador #SponsoredPost

Pumpkin Parmesan Pasta – How to Love Cooking

Pumpkin Parmesan Pasta

I bet when you dream about your favorite fall foods related to pumpkin you rarely think of parmesan cheese and pumpkin together.

If you have a skeptical look on your face right now, sit tight. In the next few paragraphs, I am going to do my best to open your mind because OH MY GOODNESS THIS PASTA.

I was so thrilled to collaborate with Parmigiano Reggiano for this recipe! Parmesan cheese is one of my favorite ingredients in the world. Whether it’s a main component of your meal or a flavorful garnish, it adds a wonderful nutty, salty, creamy note to any dish.

Want to know if you’re enjoying the real stuff?  Authentic Parmigiano Reggiano will have “Parmigiano Reggiano” stamped in dots on the outside of the rind. Make sure to check for it at your grocery store!  Another interesting tidbit I learned is that due to the aging process of the cheese, real Parmigiano Reggiano is naturally lactose-free! (Not that I needed a good reason to eat it by the brick…Kidding…Kind of.)

Pumpkin Parmesan Pasta – Zoom in to see the dots! Authentic!

Naturally, I wanted to make a pasta dish where the cheese could really shine. Since it’s autumn right now in Chicago, and everyone is in the mood for fall flavored meals, I thought, why not share a simple and delicious Pumpkin Parmesan Pasta with you all.

This recipe only has ten, I repeat, ten ingredients. Many of the ingredients are probably already in your home! It also comes together in roughly 40 minutes, so it’s perfect for lunch or an easy weeknight dinner. But honestly, it’s so delicious that it would be a decadently satisfying weekend dinner, too.

If you want to be super efficient, prep the ingredients for the sauce before you begin boiling the pasta. Finely dice the onions, measure the liquids, and grate that wonderful cheese. I cannot overstate how preparing your ingredients saves time and stress while cooking. Plus, you’ll feel like you’re on a cooking show as you gracefully toss in your measured ingredients.

Pumpkin Parmesan Pasta – How to Love Cooking

I use a very fine cheese grater to grate the Parmesan. The finer it is grated, the more easily it can melt into your sauce to help create that silky smooth texture. Silky smooth is the name of the game, folks.

I make the sauce while the pasta boils. Then, I simply add the pasta to the sauce pan, and stir to coat the noodles in a gorgeous blanket of cheesy, autumn-flavored goodness.

Pumpkin Parmesan Pasta – How to Love Cooking

The end result is a fabulous, flavorful Pumpkin Parmesan Pasta dish that warms your heart and soul. If it sounds like I’m exaggerating about how yummy this is, I’m not.

This pasta is beyond good. It’s ever so slightly sweet from the onions, pumpkin, and nutmeg. The Parmigiano, sage, chicken stock, and milk make it perfectly savory and creamy. I ate it no less than three times last week and I am making it again this week…and probably the week after that.

Have I convinced you to take a chance on Pumpkin Parmesan Pasta? I certainly hope so!

Thank you to Parmigiano Reggiano for providing me with the delicious cheese for this recipe! (Powered by BrandBacker.)

Did you make this?? Please let me know in the comments below or tag me on social media #howtolovecooking! I’d love to know how it went for you!

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Pumpkin Parmesan Pasta

Make sure to try this hearty, creamy, and cheesy Pumpkin Parmesan Pasta this fall! It's a simple and delicious pasta, perfect for the season.

Course Main Course

Cuisine American, Italian

Prep Time 20 minutes

Cook Time 20 minutes

Total Time 40 minutes

Servings 4

Ingredients

• 8 oz. Pasta (I used shells, but rotini, orichiette or any kind of spiral shaped pasta would be wonderful!)
• 1 TBS Butter
• 1 TBS Olive Oil
• 1/2 Yellow or Vidalia Onion (Finely diced)
• 1 Cup Chicken Stock or Broth
• 1/2 Cup Milk or Cream (I use evaporated, but feel free to use what you have on hand.)
• 1/2 Cup Canned Pumpkin Puree (Not pumpkin pie filling!)
• 3/4 Cup Freshly Grated Parmigiano Reggiano
• 1/8 tsp. Dried Sage
• Pinch Ground Nutmeg (Or two pinches if you want a stronger nutmeg flavor.)
• 1/4 tsp. Salt (Optional or to taste)
• 1/8 tsp. Ground Pepper

Instructions

For the Pasta:

1. Fill a pot with water about 3/4 of the way. Season the water with a generous pinch of salt and bring to a boil. Add 8 oz. of pasta and cook until al dente. Usually 8-10 minutes, for best results follow the package instructions.

2. When the pasta has finished cooking, drain it, reserving about 1/2 cup of pasta water.

For the Pumpkin Parmesan Sauce:

1. In a large pot or saute pan, add the butter and oil, and bring to medium heat. Once the butter has melted, add the finely diced onion and cook until soft and translucent, about 5-7 minutes. Season with a pinch of salt and pepper. 

   (Keep an eye on the heat. We don't want the onions to get brown as that may make the sauce bitter.)

2. Add the chicken stock and pumpkin to the cooked onions. Stir until the pumpkin is well mixed in, and simmer for 2-3 minutes. 

3. To achieve a silky texture, carefully spoon the sauce into a blender and pulse until smooth. If you're using a large pot, you could also use an immersion blender. (Hot liquids expand when you blend them, so you may want to blend it in batches. Use a towel when using a blender, just in case the liquids leak.) 

4. Pour the sauce back into the pan, and bring to medium low heat.

5. Add the milk, sage, nutmeg, 1/2 cup of the freshly grated Parmesan cheese, and stir until smooth and creamy (1-2 minutes).

6. Taste for the salt and pepper at this point. The chicken stock/broth, pasta water, and Parmesan contain salt, so your sauce may not need any additional seasoning. It's really to your preference.

7. Add the pasta to the sauce and stir to coat the noodles. Add the pasta water 1/4 cup at a time until your sauce reaches the desired thickness.

8. Remove from heat, serve, and top each portion with the remaining 1/4 of freshly grated Parmesan cheese. Add more if you like! Enjoy!