Description
Creamy Pumpkin Cottage Cheese Pasta combines pumpkin purée, cottage cheese, Parmesan, garlic, and warm nutmeg into a smooth, cozy sauce. It’s an easy fall pasta dinner that comes together in about 25 minutes.
Ingredients
Scale
For the Pasta
- 8 oz fettuccine or linguine
- Salt, for pasta water
- Fresh sage leaves, for garnish
- Grated Parmesan cheese, for garnish
For the Sauce
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 cup canned pumpkin purée, not pumpkin pie filling
- 1 cup full-fat cottage cheese
- 2 tablespoons grated Parmesan cheese
- ½ cup reserved pasta water, plus more as needed
- ¼ teaspoon ground nutmeg
- Salt and black pepper, to taste
Instructions
- Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Cook the fettuccine or linguine until al dente according to package directions.
- Before draining, reserve at least ½ cup of pasta water. Drain the pasta and set aside.
- While the pasta cooks, heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the minced garlic and sauté for about 1 minute, until fragrant.
- Add pumpkin purée, cottage cheese, Parmesan, nutmeg, and a splash of reserved pasta water to a blender or food processor.
- Blend until completely smooth and creamy.
- Pour the pumpkin cottage cheese sauce into the skillet. Reduce heat to low and gently warm the sauce.
- Add more reserved pasta water as needed until the sauce reaches a creamy consistency.
- Add the cooked pasta and toss until evenly coated.
- Season with salt and black pepper to taste.
- Serve immediately with fresh sage and extra grated Parmesan.
Notes
- Use 100% pumpkin purée, not pumpkin pie filling.
- Full-fat cottage cheese produces the creamiest sauce.
- Blend the sauce thoroughly for a smooth texture.
- Do not boil the sauce after adding the cottage cheese; warm it gently over low heat.
- Save extra pasta water because the sauce thickens as it sits.
- Add spinach, mushrooms, chicken, or crushed red pepper flakes for an easy variation.
- Nutrition values are approximate and can vary by pasta and cottage cheese brand.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 15 minutes
- Category: Dinner
- Method: Stovetop
- Cuisine: American / Italian-Inspired
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 serving, about ¼ of recipe
- Calories: 375 kcal
- Sugar: 5 g
- Sodium: 410 mg
- Fat: 13 g
- Saturated Fat: 5 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 7 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 49 g
- Fiber: 4 g
- Protein: 17 g
- Cholesterol: 25 mg