Description
This Homemade Pumpkin Pasta is everything you’re looking for in a delicious fall pasta recipe. Fresh, al dente pasta made with pureed pumpkin and nutmeg, then coated in a homemade butter sauce infused with fresh sage leaves and garlic. Serve with vegan garlic bread for the ultimate comfort meal.
Ingredients
Pasta
- 125 grams 00 flour
- 125 grams of semolina flour
- 1/4 cup + 2 tablespoons liquid egg substitute (at room temperature)
- 3 tablespoons pumpkin puree
- Pinch of nutmeg
- Pinch of black pepper
- About 50ml warm water, or as needed
Sauce
- 4 tablespoons vegan butter
- 20 fresh sage leaves, finely chopped
- 4 cloves garlic, finely minced
Instructions
Pumpkin Pasta Dough
- Start with room temperature Just Egg. About 30 minutes before starting this recipe, set the Just Egg or similar egg substitute on the kitchen counter to allow it to warm to room temperature.
- Whisk the dry ingredients together. In a large bowl, whisk the 00 flour and semolina flour until well combined.
- Add the wet ingredients. Form a well in the center of the flour mixture and add in the Just Egg, pumpkin puree, black pepper, and nutmeg.
- Form a rough pasta dough. Using a fork, mix the wet ingredients into the flour until you can’t mix anymore. The pumpkin pasta dough mixture should be thick, chunky, and on the dry side.
- Slowly add water. Using clean hands, add the warm water a tablespoon or two at a time, until a smooth pasta dough forms.
- Knead the pumpkin pasta dough. Turn the pasta dough out onto a clean, floured work surface. Knead the dough until the dough springs back when you poke it with your finger.
- Rest the dough for 15 minutes. Once the pasta dough is soft and pliable, form the dough into a smooth-shaped ball. Wrap it tightly in plastic wrap or reusable wrap, then let it rest at room temperature for 15 minutes.
How to Roll Out Pasta with a Pasta Machine
- Prep your work area. Once the pasta is rolled into thin long sheets, you will need a place to rest the pasta. We recommend flouring a clean work surface or lightly dusting a few lint-free linen kitchen towels and setting them aside for this purpose.
- Unwrap and divide the dough. Unwrap the dough and cut it into 8 equal pieces so that it’s easier to work with. Take 1 piece and wrap the rest back up in the plastic wrap.
- Feed the dough through the rollers. Lightly dust your piece of dough with flour. Set your pasta machine selector to “0” and feed a portion of dough through the rollers. Repeat this process twice with the same piece of dough, then fold the ends of the dough inward, allowing the pasta to become a rectangular shape. Once the pasta is in a rectangular shape with sharp edges, feed it through the machine three more times to get it as thin as possible. If it begins to stick at all, dust the pumpkin pasta dough with additional flour.
- Adjust the thickness as needed. In most standard pasta machines, setting 0 or 1 is the thickest setting and 9 or 10 is the thinnest. You will need to adjust the thickness of your pasta depending on the type of pasta you are making. For example, when we make our Herbed Ricotta Ravioli, we like to use setting 7 and when we make fettuccine (like we did in this pumpkin pasta recipe), we like to use setting 5. Begin by running the pasta through on setting 1, then setting 2, and increasing until your desired consistency is reached.
- Cut the pasta. Lightly dust the pasta dough once more, add the cutting rollers onto the pasta machine, then feed the pasta through one last time to cut the pasta into your desired shape.
- Lightly dry the pasta. As you cut the pasta, set it aside on the dedicated floured work surface and let it dry out slightly (for about 30 minutes) before cooking.
How to Roll Out Pasta by Hand
- Unwrap and divide the dough. Unwrap the dough and cut it into 8 equal pieces so that it’s easier to work with. Take 1 piece and wrap the rest back up in the plastic wrap.
- Roll the pumpkin pasta dough into one long piece. Flour a clean work surface, then roll the pasta dough into one long piece.
- Fold each end of the dough inward. Take both ends of the pasta dough and fold them inwards to meet each other.
- Roll out the dough again. Roll the dough into a large rectangle that is so thin you can see your hands through it.
- Cut the pasta. Lightly sprinkle the pumpkin pasta dough with flour, then cut the dough into your ideal shape.
- Set the pasta aside to dry out. Once the pasta is cut into your desired shape, let the pasta sit out for about 30 minutes until slightly dried out.
Cooking Instructions
- Cook the pasta. Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Once the water boils, generously salt the water, then add in the fresh pumpkin pasta and cook for 2-4 minutes, depending on the pasta’s thickness (thinner pasta will take less time to cook and vice versa).
- Drain the pasta. Cook the pasta until al dente, then drain, reserving 1/2-1 cup of pasta water. Then, add the al dente pasta back into the pot.
- Make the sage butter sauce. While the pasta cooks, prepare the sauce. Heat a medium or large skillet over medium heat. Once hot, add the vegan butter and heat until melted. Allow the butter to cook in the pan for 3-4 minutes, then add the sage and garlic and cook for 2-3 minutes, or until fragrant. Remove from the heat until the pasta is ready.
- Combine the sauce and pasta. Pour the sage butter sauce over top the freshly cooked pasta and gently toss until well coated. Add some of the reserved pasta water as needed to add body to the creamy sauce.
- Serve. Immediately serve your creamy vegan pumpkin pasta while warm with vegan parmesan cheese, red pepper flakes, and additional fresh herbs, or as desired.
Notes
- Serve with vegan garlic bread for the ultimate comfort meal.
- If you would like to prep this dough in advance, after kneading the dough, wrap it in plastic wrap and place it into the refrigerator. Remove it from the refrigerator and allow it to come to room temperature before using.
- Once cooked, homemade pasta can be refrigerated in an airtight container for up to 3 days. To prevent sticking, keep the pasta coated in pasta sauce or a light drizzle of olive oil.
- In order to achieve super-thin, authentic pasta, a pasta machine is a worthwhile investment. We own the MARCATO Atlas 150 Pasta Machine. If you have a KitchenAid Stand Mixer, consider investing in the pasta attachment.
- Prep Time: 45 minutes
- Cook Time: 3 minutes
- Category: Entree, Pasta
- Method: Stovetop
- Cuisine: Italian