Description
This Pumpkin Carbonara is a creamy and comforting twist on the classic Italian pasta dish, combining the rich flavors of pumpkin puree, crispy bacon, and Parmesan cheese to create a luscious autumn-inspired meal that is perfect for cozy dinners.
Ingredients
Scale
Pasta and Sauce
- 1 cup pumpkin puree
- 1/2 cup freshly grated Parmesan, plus more for serving
- 3 large egg yolks
- Freshly ground black pepper, to taste
- Kosher salt, to taste
- 1 lb. spaghetti or bucatini
Bacon
- 6 slices thick-cut bacon, cut into 1-inch pieces
Instructions
- Prepare the pumpkin sauce: In a medium bowl, whisk together pumpkin puree, grated Parmesan, and egg yolks. Add several cranks of freshly ground black pepper to season the mixture well.
- Cook the pasta: Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add the spaghetti or bucatini and cook until al dente according to the package instructions. Before draining, reserve about 1 ½ cups of the pasta cooking water for later use.
- Cook the bacon: While the pasta is cooking, heat a large skillet over medium-low heat. Add the bacon pieces and cook them until they are crispy. Use a slotted spoon to remove the bacon and drain it on a paper towel-lined plate. Keep the bacon grease in the skillet.
- Toss pasta with bacon grease and sauce: Add the drained pasta to the skillet with the bacon grease, tossing to coat well. Warm the skillet gently over low heat if needed to loosen the grease, then remove the pan from heat before adding the pumpkin mixture. Thin the pumpkin sauce by mixing in ¾ cup of reserved pasta water, then add it to the pasta and toss thoroughly. Add additional pasta water, one tablespoon at a time, if needed, to achieve a creamy sauce consistency. Stir in the crispy bacon pieces, tossing to combine all flavors evenly.
- Serve: Plate the pasta, topping each serving with extra freshly grated Parmesan and a few more cranks of black pepper for added flavor and presentation.
Notes
- Reserve pasta water to adjust the sauce consistency and make it creamy without adding extra fat.
- Use thick-cut bacon for a hearty, crispy texture and rich flavor.
- Make sure to remove the skillet from heat before adding the egg-yolk based sauce to prevent scrambling.
- Parmesan should be freshly grated for best melting and flavor integration.
- This recipe serves 4 people.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 serving (about 1/4 of recipe)
- Calories: 520 kcal
- Sugar: 3 g
- Sodium: 750 mg
- Fat: 22 g
- Saturated Fat: 8 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 12 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 56 g
- Fiber: 5 g
- Protein: 22 g
- Cholesterol: 185 mg
