Roasted Pumpkin and Tomato Pasta
Blend your vegetables. That is the whole secret behind this Roasted Pumpkin and Tomato Pasta, and also the reason your kids are about to eat pumpkin, carrot, red pepper, and onion without knowing it and love it. Sugar pumpkin, vine tomatoes, red pepper, carrot, onion, and a whole head of roasted garlic go into the oven until soft and slightly charred, then straight into the blender with heavy cream until they become the silkiest, most deeply flavored pasta sauce you have ever made from scratch.
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Servings: 5
Calories: 595kcal
Ingredients
Roasted vegetables
- 4 vine ripe tomatoes roughly chopped
- 1.5 cups sugar pumpkin peeled and cubed
- 1 yellow onion roughly chopped
- 2 small carrots cut small
- 1 red pepper roughly chopped
- 1 head of garlic top cut off
- 2 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
- 2 teaspoon onion powder
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- ½ teaspoon smoked paprika
- 1 teaspoon dried basil
- 1 teaspoon dried oregano
- 1 teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon red pepper flakes
Sauce and pasta
- ¾ cup heavy cream or half and half
- ¾ cup Parmigiano Reggiano freshly grated, plus more for serving
- ½ cup pasta water but reserve 1.5 cups to be safe
- 1 lb rigatoni
For topping
- Burrata optional but strongly recommende
Instructions
Roast the vegetables
- Preheat your oven to 375F. Line a large sheet pan with parchment paper. Add the chopped tomatoes, pumpkin, onion, carrots, and red pepper to the sheet pan. Drizzle with olive oil and sprinkle the onion powder, garlic powder, smoked paprika, dried basil, dried oregano, salt, and red pepper flakes over everything. Toss until evenly coated.4 vine ripe tomatoes, 1.5 cups sugar pumpkin, 1 yellow onion, 2 small carrots, 1 red pepper, 2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil, 2 tsp onion powder, 1 tsp garlic powder, ½ tsp smoked paprika, 1 tsp dried basil, 1 tsp dried oregano, 1 tsp salt, ½ tsp red pepper flakes
- Cut the top off the head of garlic to expose the cloves. Drizzle with a little olive oil and wrap loosely in a piece of parchment. Place on the sheet pan alongside the vegetables.1 head of garlic
- Roast at 375F for 40 to 50 minutes until the vegetables are completely soft, slightly charred at the edges, and the garlic cloves are golden and tender when pressed. Let cool for 5 to 10 minutes before blending.
Cook the pasta
- While the vegetables roast, bring a large pot of well-salted water to a boil. Cook the rigatoni according to package instructions until al dente. Before draining, reserve at least one and a half cups of pasta water. Drain and set aside.1 lb rigatoni
Blend the sauce
- Squeeze the roasted garlic cloves directly out of their skins into a blender. Add all the roasted vegetables and any juices from the sheet pan. Add the heavy cream. Blend on high for 60 seconds until completely smooth and silky. For an extra smooth sauce run it through a fine mesh strainer before adding to the pan.¾ cup heavy cream or half and half
Finish the sauce
- Pour the blended sauce into a large pan over medium heat. Stir in the freshly grated Parmigiano Reggiano until fully melted into the sauce. Add the pasta and pasta water a quarter cup at a time, stirring between additions, until the sauce is loose and silky enough to coat the pasta. Taste and adjust salt and red pepper flakes as needed. Remember the Parmigiano adds salt so taste before reaching for the salt shaker.¾ cup Parmigiano Reggiano, ½ cup pasta water
Combine and serve
- If the sauce looks too thick, add another splash of pasta water and toss again. Transfer to a serving dish or individual bowls. Tear the burrata over the top and serve immediately while the pasta is hot and the burrata is still cool and creamy.Burrata
Video
Notes
Nutrition facts are only estimates.
Storage
Store leftover pasta and sauce together in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. The pasta will absorb the sauce as it sits and will be thicker when reheated. Add a splash of water or cream and stir over medium-low heat until loosened. Store the burrata separately and add fresh when serving rather than storing it on the pasta. The sauce alone freezes beautifully for up to 3 months. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator and reheat gently on the stovetop.
Nutrition
Calories: 595kcal | Carbohydrates: 80g | Protein: 18g | Fat: 23g | Saturated Fat: 11g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 2g | Monounsaturated Fat: 8g | Cholesterol: 47mg | Sodium: 653mg | Potassium: 708mg | Fiber: 6g | Sugar: 9g | Vitamin A: 5290IU | Vitamin C: 49mg | Calcium: 195mg | Iron: 2mg
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