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Epicurious

3-Ingredient Creamy Pumpkin Pasta

By Dawn Perry

3.9

(5)

Pumpkin pasta in a white oval dish.
Photo by Chelsea Kyle, Food Styling by Molly Baz

In Epi's 3-Ingredient Recipes series, we show you how to make great food with just three ingredients (plus staples like oil, salt, and pepper).

The key to balancing the richness of the cream and the sweetness of the pumpkin in this simple sauce is salty, starchy pasta water. Remember, it should taste "salty like the sea."

Recipe information

  • Total Time

    25 minutes

  • Yield

    Serves 4

Ingredients

1 pound whole wheat short pasta (such as penne, rigatoni, fusilli, or shells)
1 teaspoon kosher salt, divided, plus more
1 1/4 cups heavy cream
3/4 cup pure pumpkin purée
3/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper, divided, plus more

Preparation

  1. Step 1

    Cook pasta in a large pot of boiling salted water, stirring occasionally, until al dente. Drain pasta, reserving 1 cup pasta cooking liquid.

    Step 2

    Meanwhile, bring cream to a simmer in a large skillet over medium-high heat and cook, stirring occasionally, until reduced by half, about 4 minutes. Whisk in pumpkin purée; season with 1/2 tsp. salt and 1/2 tsp. pepper.

    Step 3

    Add pasta and 1 cup reserved pasta cooking liquid to skillet and cook, tossing to coat, until sauce has reduced, 3–4 minutes. Season with remaining 1/2 tsp. salt and 1/4 tsp pepper. Top with freshly ground pepper before serving.

TagsPastaPasta ShellsItalian AmericanItalianEuropeanPumpkinSquashVegetableMainSideDinnerNut FreeVegetarianQuickEasyWeeknight Meals30 Minutes or Less5 Ingredients or FewerSimmerEpicurious

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