Creamy Pumpkin Pasta with Gorgonzola

Key Ingredients in This Recipe

Pumpkins

I use roasted sugar pumpkins (also sometimes referred to as pie pumpkins) rather than canned pumpkin puree as the base of the sauce though 1 can of pumpkin puree can be substituted. Sugar”, “sugar pie” or “pie pumpkins” are the best types of pumpkins to use for baking. This type of pumpkin works best for cooking because it has a smooth, firm and sweet flesh. Larger varieties used for carving often have a much tougher texture and lack the sweetness of the smaller pumpkins. Find more pumpkin recipes here.

Gorgonzola

Gorgonzola is a type of veined blue cheese. If you aren’t a big fan of blue cheeses try this recipe with Gorgonzola dolce. It’s a young, milder and creamy variety of the cheese. The funky gorgonzola cheese contrasts with the creamy pumpkin in this recipe.

Bucatini

Bucatini is in my top 5 pasta shapes. I love how the sauce gets stuck in the hole in the center of the long thick noodles. If you can’t find bucatini, you can easily substitute spaghetti or linguine or even short pastas like macaroni. Bucatini is thicker than spaghetti with a hole in the middle. It’s basically the shape of a pool noodle and is great for soaking up sauces, especially velvety sauces like this one, cacio e pepe or this bucatini carbonara with bacon and peas.

How to Make Creamy Pumpkin Gorgonzola Pasta

1. Roast the pumpkin. Heat oven to 400ºF. Rub the pumpkin quarters in 3 tablespoons of olive oil and place skin-side up on an aluminum foil-lined baking sheet. Roast until the meat is soft and can easily be pierced with a fork, about 40 minutes.
2. Scoop the flesh. Let the pumpkins cool. Use a spoon and scoop the flesh from the skin and set aside. Discard the skins.
3. Sauté the onion. Heat a large saucepan over medium heat, add the remaining oil and heat through. First, add the butter and allow to melt. Next, add the onion and sauté, stirring occasionally, until soft and tender, about 6 minutes. Add the garlic and cook for about 30 seconds then stir in the tomatoes, roasted pumpkin and chicken broth.
4. Simmer sauce. Simmer the sauce for 20 minutes then stir in the honey and cinnamon then season to taste with salt and pepper.
5. Puree the sauce. Let the mixture cool slightly then add to a blender and puree until smooth.
6. Finish the pumpkin gorgonzola sauce. Return the sauce to the pan and simmer for 10 minutes over medium-low heat. Whisk in the cream and remove from heat. Break up the Gorgonzola into pieces then stir in the Gorgonzola until it has completely melted into the sauce. Season with salt pepper and nutmeg.
7. Cook the pasta. Bring a large saucepan or pot of water to a boil over medium high heat. Add salt and return to a boil. Add the bucatini and cook, stirring occasionally, until al dente, about 10 minutes. Reserve 1 cup of the pasta cooking water and drain the pasta. Return the pasta to the pot.
8. Assemble and serve. Add the sauce and stir to combine, then toss with 1/2 cup of the pasta cooking water until a glossy sauce forms. Serve hot.

Tips and Tricks for This Recipe

• For an added benefit to using sugar pumpkins – prior to roasting the them, save the seeds and roast them for a snack.  They are delicious.
• Top this easy recipe with roasted chicken for a more balanced entrée.
• If desired substitute the roasted pumpkin with 1 (15-ounce) can of pumpkin puree.
• Instead of roasting the pumpkins it can also be boiled. Bring a large saucepan of water to a boil and add the pumpkin. Scoop the seeds out of the pumpkin. Next peel and chop the pumpkin into 2″ chunks. Turn the heat down to medium low then. Next, cover and cook until the pumpkin can easily be pierced with a fork, about 20 minutes.

Other Recipes to Try

If you enjoy this gorgonzola pasta recipe, I recommend checking out some of these:

• Maple Roasted Pumpkin Crostini with Blue Cheese and Pumpkin Seeds
• Kabocha Squash Mac and Cheese
• Fall Gnocchi with Butternut Squash, Brown Butter and Pancetta