Brown Butter Pumpkin Pasta
Brown Butter Pumpkin Pasta is the ultimate fall comfort food. With nutty brown butter, creamy pumpkin purée, mascarpone, and fresh herbs, this elegant pasta dish is cozy, flavorful, and perfect for weeknight dinners or entertaining
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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.
