It can be a struggle to think of new ways to cook things, and every year I end up making pumpkin soup when I buy the obligatory pumpkins around halloween. Until I made this delicious pumpkin pasta recipe!

This recipe is something a bit different, and it was really, unexpectedly delicious. Pumpkins can be a hassle to prepare, but it is worth it in the end for this meal. The sweetness of the pumpkin goes beautifully with the savoury pancetta and rosemary.

I use pennoni pasta (like penne but larger) which caught the little nuggets of pumpkin and pancetta really well, but large shell shaped pasta would work well too.

Ingredients, Substitutions and Variations

Fresh pasta – as I said, I used Pennoni but you can use any fresh pasta you like. In fact, this recipe will work with dry pasta too – just cook according to packet instructions.
Pancetta – cubed smoked bacon would work too.
Pumpkin – you could use frozen pumpkin pieces for this too – add at the same time in the recipe.
Madeira – optional. You could use white wine, or switch for vegetable or chicken stock.
Rosemary – use fresh rosemary if you can.
Double cream – double cream is better than single cream for this recipe.
Goats cheese – optional, but wonderful.

Pumpkin Pasta Top Tips

Get ahead You can make the pumpkin pasta sauce in advance and keep in the fridge for 5 days. Reheat thoroughly before adding pasta and serving.
Make it a bake This would make a delicious pasta bake – put it in an ovenproof dish, top with sliced goats cheese and bake until the cheese is golden and bubbling.
No pumpkin? It’ll work perfectly with butternut squash too.