Brown Butter Pumpkin Pasta
If there’s ever been a dish that screams cozy fall vibes, it’s this Brown Butter Pumpkin Pasta. The nutty richness of brown butter paired with creamy pumpkin purée, fresh herbs, and a touch of heat from chili flakes makes it luxurious without being fussy. It’s the kind of meal that feels elegant enough for guests but is simple enough to throw together on a weeknight.
The sauce is velvety smooth thanks to mascarpone and heavy cream, balanced with Parmesan and a little Cajun kick for depth. Toss it with malfadine (those pretty ribbon-shaped noodles) and you’ve got comfort food with a seasonal upgrade. Bonus points: it comes together in under 30 minutes.
Before You Get Started
- Use unsalted butter so you can control the salt in your sauce.
- Make sure your pasta water is well-salted and save some before draining—it’s liquid gold for finishing the sauce.
- Brown butter can go from perfect to burnt quickly, so stir and watch closely once it starts foaming.
What You Need To Make Brown Butter Pumpkin Pasta
You’ll find the exact amounts in the recipe card, but here’s the essentials:
- Malfadine (or mafaldini) pasta
- Unsalted butter for browning
- Pumpkin purée, mascarpone, and Parmesan cheese for the creamy sauce
- Fresh rosemary and sage
- Red chili flakes and Cajun-inspired seasoning blend
- A splash of heavy cream and reserved pasta water to pull it all together
How To Make Brown Butter Pumpkin Pasta
1
Cook pasta until al dente, reserving a cup of pasta water.
In a skillet, brown butter until nutty and golden. Add rosemary and sage.
2
Whisk in pumpkin purée, mascarpone, and cream until smooth.
Stir in Parmesan, chili flakes, and seasonings. Adjust to taste.
3
Toss pasta directly into the sauce, adding pasta water as needed.
Serve hot with extra Parmesan, chili flakes, and herbs.
Brown Butter Pumpkin Pasta
Ingredients
- 2 sticks unsalted butter
- 2 Tbsp fresh rosemary chopped
- 2 Tbsp fresh sage chopped
- ½ –1 cup heavy cream adjust to taste
- ½ can pumpkin purée about 7–8 oz
- ½ container mascarpone cheese about 4 oz
- ½ cup grated Parmesan cheese plus more for serving
- ½ –1 tsp red chili flakes to taste
- 1 lb malfadine or mafaldini pasta
- Reserved pasta water about 1 cup
Seasonings:
- 1 tsp Cajun seasoning
- 1 tsp Badia Complete Seasoning
- ½ tsp garlic & herb seasoning
- Salt & black pepper to taste
Instructions
Cook the pasta
- Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Cook malfadine pasta according to package directions until al dente. Reserve 1 cup of pasta water before draining.
Make the brown butter
- In a large skillet or Dutch oven, melt the butter over medium heat. Continue cooking until the butter foams, turns golden brown, and smells nutty (about 5–7 minutes). Stir often to prevent burning.
Add herbs & aromatics
- Stir in the chopped rosemary and sage. Let them sizzle in the butter for 1–2 minutes until fragrant.
Build the sauce
- Lower the heat slightly and whisk in the pumpkin purée, mascarpone cheese, and heavy cream. Stir until smooth and creamy.
Season & flavor
- Mix in Parmesan, red chili flakes, Cajun seasoning, Badia, garlic & herb seasoning, salt, and pepper. Taste and adjust seasoning as needed.
Finish with pasta
- Add the cooked pasta directly into the sauce, tossing to coat. Add splashes of reserved pasta water until the sauce clings to the noodles with your desired thickness.
Serve
- Plate immediately with extra Parmesan, a sprinkle of chili flakes, and fresh herbs on top.
