Fresh pumpkin pasta

This pumpkin pasta is a delicious way to enjoy a touch of fall in homemade pasta with real pumpkin in the dough. It's a lovely seasonal twist that's well worth the effort (plus it's easy to make, too).

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Homemade pasta is maybe not something we have all that often, but we always enjoy it when we do. It was one of the first dishes the kids really got involved in helping to make (after gnocchi) and still do. To be honest, every time I think we should make pasta together more often.

Whether it's making pasta ribbons like I've made the dough into here, or filled pasta like crab ravioli or tortellini in brodo, everyone has a job. And we all happily devour the results. This pumpkin version is another we all enjoy, and it's handily a great way to use any leftover pumpkin puree you may have, too.

Fresh pasta is essentially nothing more than flour and eggs, but you can easily adapt it to add in other flavors and colors. I've made squid ink pasta and spinach pasta which we enjoy, but I'd argue this one is even easier, once you have your pumpkin puree.

I'll be honest, the flavor of pumpkin, as with most additions to pasta dough, is very subtle, but it does add a little something. And it makes a great excuse to lean into the autumnal flavors in how you serve it, if nothing else.

How to make fresh pumpkin pasta

Now I can't begin to suggest this is a quick meal, as it still takes a bit of time to make pasta, but it's not difficult. The pumpkin pasta dough is simply pumpkin puree, eggs, flour and a little salt.

I would normally have more eggs for this sort of quantity, but since pumpkin is relatively moist, you need a little less.

• Mix everything together and kneed a little then wrap and let the dough rest. You can leave it a day or two at this point in the fridge.
• Then start rolling it out. You can do this by hand or use a pasta maker which makes it much more even. I did a little research before I got my Marcato Atlas Pasta Machine and I have to say I love it (not sponsored, it's just it has been well used!)
• Once you roll it out fairly thin, you can either cut into tagliatelle-style strips as I did here, or make whatever shape you prefer.

Cooking homemade pasta

Fresh pasta cooks a lot faster than dried, so you don't have to wait long to enjoy your efforts! It simply takes a minute or two, if you cook it soon after forming. You do have the option of letting the pasta dry, which lets you make it ahead, but it will then take a bit longer to cook.

In both cases, simply bring a large pot of water to a boil and add a handful or so at a time. You don't want to overcrowd the pot or reduce the temperature too much so cook in batches. The pasta will be done when it floats up to the top. I'd suggest if it was dried, you may want to test a piece, though, just to be sure.

If at all possible, I recommend using homemade pumpkin puree for this as it has a much better, more distinct flavor, especially if you roast it. Assuming you will use puree for other things, roast as a half pumpkin, seeds removed and cut side down, until tender. If you won't use that much, you can roast chunks, again until tender, though you'll get more slightly browned edges. Either way, blend into a puree once cool.

Serving suggestions

We really like this served with walnut sauce which really leans into the autumnal flavors. It also works well with a little browned butter, even better with a few pieces of sage crisped up in it, either drizzled on top of the walnut sauce or mixed through instead. I'd also see this working well with a creamy sauce, and of course a pumpkin sauce. Don't forget some freshly grated parmesan on top which goes well, too.

You can also use the pumpkin dough in other forms such as made into lasagna sheets. It would be perfect for a pumpkin lasagna It's a little softer than some homemade pastas, so you might need to use with care, but I think you could use it for filled pastas too. It would pair well with a cheese, mushroom or sausage filling (and pumpkin of course).

However you choose to serve it, this homemade pumpkin pasta is deliciously special, with a lovely gently savory flavor. Yes homemade takes a little more time to prepare, but it really is easy and so worth the effort. Be sure to enjoy while pumpkin is in season!

Try these other homemade pasta dishes:

• Sweet potato ravioli (homemade pasta with a lovely tender sweet potato filling)
• Squid ink pasta with shrimp and tomato (a tasty way to serve homemade squid ink pasta, and also works with ready made)
• Tortelli di zucca, pumpkin ravioli (with pumpkin as a filling rather than in the dough)

Plus get more mains recipes in the archives.

Tools to make homemade pasta:

I use my Marcato Atlas Pasta Machine which works very well. A pasta drying rack can also be useful as you go or particularly if you are planning to dry any leftover (affiliate links).

See some of my favorite cooking tools and ingredients in the Caroline's Cooking Amazon store. 

This post was originally shared in October 2017 and has been updated, primarily with new photos and additional information.

Try some more pumpkin ideas:

Pumpkin Drink Recipes:

"Grown Up" Potter Pumpkin Juice from The Crumby Kitchen
Hot'N'Spicy Pumpkin Margarita from Culinary Adventures with Camilla

Savory Pumpkin Recipes:

Pumpkin and Fish Stew from A Day in the Life on the Farm
Pumpkin Chili from Making Miracles
Pumpkin Crab Soup from Hardly A Goddess
Thai Pumpkin Curry from Palatable Pastime

Sweet Pumpkin Recipes:

Caramel Pecan Pumpkin Bread from The Freshman Cook
Fall Harvest Pumpkin Sourdough Muffins from Cooking With Carlee
Pumpkin Spice Milkshake from Family Around The Table
Pumpkin Spice Thumbprint Cookies from The Bitter Side of Sweet
Pumpkin Spiced Banana Bread from Daily Dish Recipes
Pumpkin Tiramisu from The Redhead Baker

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