Spaghetti noodles cooked with garlic, pancetta, kale, and sage in a creamy pumpkin sauce. This pumpkin kale pasta carbonara is so delicious and a fall twist to the classic pasta dish.
Ingredients
1 pound spaghetti pasta (reserve about 1 cup pasta water)
2 tablespoon olive oil
3 garlic cloves, minced
4 ounces diced pancetta
4-5 sage leaves
4 cups shredded kale
3 large eggs, beaten
1 cup grated parmesan cheese (or shredded cheese of choice)
¼ cup pumpkin puree
½ cup reserved pasta water
¼ teaspoon salt, more to taste
Pinch of crushed red pepper for serving
Parmesan cheese for topping
Finely chopped parsley for topping
Directions:
Cook a pound of pasta in boiling water according to the direction on the package, about 8-10 minutes, until the pasta is tender to your liking. Drain the pasta but reserve about a cup of the pasta water. You’ll want to use it later for the sauce. Run the pasta through cold water to prevent the pasta from continuing to cook and sticking to each other.
In a large skillet, add olive oil over medium heat, and allow it to warm for about a minute. Toss in minced garlic and cook the garlic until they become aromatic and slightly browned. Stir in diced pancetta to the skillet and cook for 2-3 minutes before adding sage leaves. Once the sage leaves start to shrink and become slightly crispy, add kale. Cook until the kale starts to soften and become tender.
Add the drained pasta to the skillet and gently toss to incorporate all the ingredients. Allow the pasta to warm for about 2-3 minutes over medium heat.
While the pasta is warming up, whisk together eggs and parmesan cheese or shredded cheese of your choice. Slowly pour the mixture into the skillet and quickly toss the pasta, or stir, to prevent the eggs from scrambling . Continue to toss or stir until the eggs become creamy and thick. Add pumpkin puree and stir to incorporate into the noodles. Thin the sauce by adding the pasta water until the thickness of the sauce is to your liking. There will leftover pasta water.
Season the pasta with salt and crushed red pepper. Garnish with finely chopped parsley and parmesan cheese (or shredded cheese).
Serve the pasta warm.
Recipe by Cooking with a Wallflower at https://cookingwithawallflower.com/2016/10/29/pumpkin-kale-pasta-carbonara/