Spaghetti Carbonara with Pumpkin
There is nothing better in the world than spaghetti carbonara, and my spaghetti carbonara with pumpkin is the perfect ode to fall. The creamy sauce coats the pasta with a hint of pumpkin, making every bite better than the last.
Spaghetti Carbonara with Pumpkin
Although this recipe is not a traditional Italian carbonara, I used the same technique with very few ingredients and no heavy cream. The sauce’s creaminess comes from the egg, parmesan cheese, and pumpkin puree mixture. With only 5 ingredients, this quick and simple dish will be on the table in less than 30 minutes.
Ingredients Needed To Make Spaghetti Carbonara with Pumpkin~
- Bacon (thick cut and sliced into 1/4 in cubes)
- Spaghetti
- Eggs
- Pumpkin Puree
- Grated Parmesan Cheese
- Reserved Pasta Water
- Ground Black Pepper
- Salt
Notes For Success~
- When building the sauce, make sure that the pan is off the heat to avoid scrambling the eggs.
- The hot spaghetti and pasta water will cook the eggs enough to make the sauce safe to eat.
- If you forget to save the pasta water or run out of pasta water, no worries, you can use lukewarm water in its place, and you will still have a similar result.
- Pasta water is full of starch that helps thicken the sauce without adding flour.
How to Serve Spaghetti Carbonara with Pumpkin~
- As a Main Dish: Serve alongside a crisp Greek Salad or a bright Kale Ranch Salad to lighten up the richness of the pasta.
- For a Cozy Weeknight Dinner: Pair with buttery roasted green beans or Sesame Foccacia Bread to soak up every last bit of sauce.
- Dinner Party Main: This pasta shines with a shaved Brussels Caesar salad, a bottle of chilled white wine, and a simple dessert like lemon olive oil cake for a complete, crowd-pleasing meal.
- Make-Ahead: The sausage and pepper sauce can be made ahead and reheated. Just boil fresh pasta and add burrata before serving.
If you make my spaghetti carbonara with pumpkin recipe, be sure to leave a comment and/or give this recipe a rating! Above all, I love to hear from you guys and always do my best to respond to each and every comment. And, of course, if you do make this recipe, don’t forget to tag me on Instagram or TikTok! I love seeing the recipes you make!
Spaghetti Carbonara with Pumpkin
Ingredients
- 4 strips thick cut bacon (cut into 1/4 in pieces)
- 10-16 oz Spaghetti (a box)
- 3 egg yolks
- 1 whole egg
- 1 cup pumpkin puree
- 1/2 cup grated parmesan cheese
- 1/4 tsp ground black pepper
- 1/4 tsp salt
- 2 cups of reserved pasta water
Instructions
- Heat a large frying pan to medium heat. Add in the bacon that has been cut into 1/4-inch cubes. Fry until crispy about 8 minutes. Turn off the heat and leave the pan to use for later. pull the crispy bacon bits out of the pan and set aside for later.
- In a medium-sized bowl add in the 3 egg yolks and 1 whole egg, 1 cup of pumpkin puree, 1/2 cup of grated parmesan cheese, 1/4 tsp of cracked black pepper, and 1/4 tsp salt. Mix well and set aside.
- In a pot cook the spaghetti in salted water to al dente as directed on the package. Before you drain the pasta make sure to reserve 1-2 cups of the pasta water (this will be an important part of building the sauce later)
- Add the cooked spaghetti to the pan with the bacon fat tossing the pasta in the fat. Add in the sauce mixture and toss to mix into the pasta. Add pasta water in 1/4 cup increments to the pasta and mix then repeat until you have reached the desired creamy consistency. Add the bacon bits back into the pasta, toss, and serve immediately with extra parmesan cheese and cracked black pepper. Enjoy!
