Creamy Pumpkin Pasta with Rosemary Almond Breadcrumbs

The most delicious creamy pumpkin pasta there ever was. Bucatini pasta tossed in a luxurious pumpkin sauce that’s flavored with rich pumpkin, sweet cinnamon, cayenne for a little heat, mascarpone cheese, honey, and lots of freshly grated parmesan cheese. And made even better with crunchy rosemary almond breadcrumbs. All of the flavors, all of the textures…it is divine.

Creamy Pumpkin Pasta

Creamy Pumpkin Pasta

creamy pumpkin pasta – the details

I could not think of a better combination of flavors than this creamy pumpkin pasta and rosemary almond breadcrumb duo. It’s simple to make, yet has a few key elements.

First off, let’s talk ingredients. You can use any pasta you’d like, but if you can find bucatini, grab it! It’s a long pasta with a hollow center and keeps a really nice bite to it once cooked. The sauce clings on to it really well and I just love how it works in this recipe. Any other long pasta like spaghetti or linguine would be a close second.

The other main ingredient I want to point out is the parmesan. For any pasta really, but especially one as special as this, try to find a real chunk of parmesan cheese to freshly grate by hand. It melts better in the pasta and tastes really pure.

Creamy Pumpkin Pasta

Creamy Pumpkin Pasta

You’ll start by making the breadcrumbs. It’s an extra step to make homemade breadcrumbs, but trust me it’s worth it for this pasta.

Find a fresh loaf of Italian bread and pulse a couple of slices in the food processor along with some almonds. These get fried in olive oil that’s been infused with rosemary. The rosemary crisps up and gets crumbled right in with the crumbs. It’s the most intoxicating combination of flavors that work SO well with the hints of cinnamon, mascarpone, and parmesan running throughout the pasta.

Plus, the creamy consistency of the sauce paired with the crispy crumbs is such a wonderful combination of textures.

Creamy Pumpkin Pasta

For the pasta, once you drop the bucatini in the water, the sauce comes together in just the amount of time it cooks. Shallots cook first in melted butter, then a little creamy goes in as the base, and then you’ll whisk in the pumpkin puree, honey, cinnamon, and cayenne.

A big ladle of pasta water helps loosen the sauce up as it continues to simmer. The pasta goes directly from the pot of water to the skillet (a little extra water dripping over is okay) and then the final touches are stirred in – mascarpone & parmesan cheeses. Both add to the overall luxurious quality of the sauce.

Next time you’re in the mood for a pasta night, make sure to whip this one up! You will love it!! (Or try this pumpkin risotto, it is JUST as good.)

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Creamy Pumpkin Pasta with Rosemary Almond Breadcrumbs

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creamy pumpkin pasta made with bucatini and a sweet & savory sauce then topped with rosemary almond breadcrumbs 

servings: 4

 

Ingredients

Scale

Rosemary Almond Breadcrumbs

  • 4 oz fresh italian bread, roughly chopped
  • ½ cup sliced almonds
  • ¼ cup olive oil
  • 1 large sprig of rosemary
  • kosher salt

Creamy Pumpkin Pasta

  • ¾ lb bucatini (or any pasta)
  • 4 tbsp butter
  • 2 small shallots, finely minced
  • ½ cup heavy cream
  • ¾ cup pumpkin puree
  • 1 tbsp honey
  • ½ tsp cinnamon
  • ¼ tsp cayenne pepper
  • ½ cup freshly grated parmesan cheese, plus more for topping
  • ¼ cup mascarpone cheese
  • freshly cracked black pepper

Instructions

  1. Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil.
  2. For the breadcrumbs, pulse the bread in a food processor until roughly chopped. Add the almonds. Continue to pulse until coarse crumbs are formed. Heat a 12” skillet over medium heat. Add the olive oil. Once hot, add the rosemary. Fry for a minute or so until crisp on both sides. Transfer the rosemary to a plate lined with paper towels.
  3. Add the breadcrumb mixture to the oil. Turn the heat to medium-low. Toast for about 8 minutes, stirring often, until golden and crisp. Transfer the crumbs to the plate. Season with a pinch of salt. Crumble the rosemary over top. 
  4. Drop the bucatini in the boiling water. Stir well and cook for 2 minutes less than the package’s instructions. Wipe out the skillet and return it to medium heat. 
  5. Add the butter and let it melt. Add the shallots and cook for 2 minutes, stirring often. Season with a pinch of salt. Pour in the cream. Bring to a simmer, then whisk in the pumpkin, honey, cinnamon, and cayenne. Simmer for a minute. 
  6. Ladle in 1 cup of starchy pasta water from the pasta pot. Bring to a simmer again and let cook for a minute or so until starting to thicken. Drain the pasta and add it straight to the sauce. Stir for a couple of minutes until the sauce clings to the pasta. 
  7. Lastly, stir in the mascarpone and parmesan cheese. Continue to stir as the cheeses melt. Season with salt and freshly cracked black pepper to taste. Plate the pasta with the breadcrumbs and lots of parmesan cheese over top. 

Creamy Pumpkin Pasta

3 thoughts on “Creamy Pumpkin Pasta with Rosemary Almond Breadcrumbs

  1. I made this on a whim the same night I first saw the recipe and omg. I though maybe it would be too “sweet” for my boyfriend who always decries honey in savory recipes, but it’s one of his favorite pastas now. Soooo creamy and delicious and reheats well over the stove with a bit of added water. I subbed pecans for almonds and ricotta for mascarpone because that’s what I had on hand. This is the perfect fall pasta, you should make it immediately!!

  2. Trying my very first recipe of yours & I haven’t got to cooking the pasta stage yet – but the aromas & the sneak preview taste of the rosemary almond crumb has convinced me this recipe will impress my family & I can’t wait to try the meal once all the steps are finished ☺️

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