Description
This Cheesy Baked Pumpkin Pasta is a comforting and wholesome dish featuring whole wheat pasta baked in a creamy pumpkin puree sauce enriched with savory bacon, fresh rosemary, and a blend of Pecorino Romano and mozzarella cheeses. It’s a perfect fall-inspired meal that marries hearty pasta with seasonal flavors, delivering a deliciously cheesy and slightly sweet twist.
Ingredients
Scale
Pasta and Sauce
- 8 oz Delallo uncooked whole wheat pasta (or gluten-free pasta)
- 2 slices center cut bacon (chopped or pancetta)
- 1 shallot (minced)
- 15 oz homemade pumpkin puree (or canned pumpkin)
- 1 cup reduced-sodium chicken broth
- 3 tbsp grated Pecorino Romano cheese
- Salt and fresh black pepper (to taste)
- 1/2 tsp fresh rosemary (chopped)
Topping
- 1/4 cup shredded Pecorino Romano cheese
- 1/2 cup shredded part-skim mozzarella (recommended: Polly-O)
Instructions
- Preheat and Prepare Baking Dish: Preheat the oven to 375°F. Spray a 9×9-inch baking pan with oil spray to prevent sticking.
- Cook Bacon and Shallot: In a medium saucepan over medium heat, add the chopped bacon and sauté until it becomes golden and crispy, about 3 to 4 minutes. Add the minced shallot and cook for an additional 1 minute until fragrant and softened.
- Make Pumpkin Sauce: Stir in the pumpkin puree, reduced-sodium chicken broth, chopped fresh rosemary, and 3 tablespoons of grated Pecorino Romano cheese. Season with salt and fresh ground black pepper to taste. Let the sauce simmer gently for about 8 to 10 minutes, allowing the flavors to meld and the sauce to thicken slightly.
- Cook Pasta: While the sauce simmers, bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Cook the whole wheat pasta according to the package directions until al dente. Drain thoroughly.
- Combine Pasta and Sauce: Add the cooked pasta to the pumpkin sauce in the saucepan and mix thoroughly to coat all the pasta evenly with the creamy sauce.
- Assemble in Baking Dish: Transfer the pasta and sauce mixture into the prepared baking dish and spread it evenly. Sprinkle the top with the remaining shredded Pecorino Romano cheese and the shredded part-skim mozzarella evenly over the surface.
- Bake: Cover the baking dish (use aluminum foil or a lid) and bake in the preheated oven for 25 to 30 minutes, or until the mozzarella cheese is melted and the edges of the pasta are lightly browned and bubbly.
- Rest and Serve: Remove from the oven and let the dish cool for about 5 minutes to allow it to set. Divide the baked pumpkin pasta into 4 equal servings and serve warm.
Notes
- You can substitute gluten-free pasta for whole wheat pasta to make the dish gluten-free.
- Homemade pumpkin puree provides a fresher taste but canned pumpkin puree works perfectly well.
- Use reduced-sodium chicken broth to control the salt level in the dish.
- For a vegetarian version, omit the bacon and use vegetable broth instead of chicken broth.
- Fresh rosemary can be substituted with dried rosemary, but reduce the quantity to half as dried herbs are more concentrated.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 generous cup
- Calories: 307 kcal
- Sugar: 5 g
- Sodium: 237 mg
- Fat: 7 g
- Saturated Fat: 4 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 3 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 49 g
- Fiber: 8 g
- Protein: 16 g
- Cholesterol: 14 mg
