It’s pumpkin season, and I don’t know about you, but my absolute most favorite pumpkin dish isn’t pie, or any other pumpkin dessert for that matter, it’s this brown butter pumpkin pasta Alfredo. I love my sweets, but this savory preparation with nutty brown butter and pumpkin does me in every. single. time.
Put a pot of water on the stove to boil. Once boiling, season liberally with salt (it should taste like the ocean) and add your pasta and cook till just under al dente package instructions. Before you drain your pasta, make sure to reserve some starchy pasta water to finish the dish. While the water/pasta is working, make your sauce.
For the sauce, melt your butter in a wide, deep skillet over medium/medium low heat and let it brown. You will see the butter start to froth and the butter solids develop tiny little brown specks — that means it’s working! Be careful not to let the butter burn (butter solids turn more black).
Once butter is browned, add cream, whisk to combine and bring to a simmer. Make sure not to boil!
Add your Parmigiano cheese and pumpkin, whisk to combine, return to a low simmer and reduce the heat to low.
Add salt and pepper to taste and your nutmeg. Freshly grated makes a big difference here. A little bit typically goes a long way with nutmeg, but I find that the addition of the pumpkin can handle a little more. You can always add, you can’t subtract, so if you’d like, add a little at a time until it tastes the way you want.
Drain your just-under-al dente pasta, add to the sauce with a splash of pasta water, and toss to coat. Continue tossing until the pasta has reached al dente, then serve with more freshly grated parm and another little sprinkling of nutmeg and enjoy!
I'm a big eater, a huge fan of pasta (and mac n cheese), and I'm on a mission to prove that indulgence and balance can exist well together without silly restrictions or dieting. Life's too short to eat bad food!
