Pumpkin Carbonara

By Makinze GoreUpdated: Sep 17, 2024

Approved by the Delish Test Kitchen

4.8

5 Ratings

PHOTO: DOAA ELKADY; FOOD STYLING: BROOKE CAISON

Yields:

4 serving(s)

Prep Time:

10 mins

Total Time:

45 mins

Cal/Serv:

739

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preview for Pumpkin Carbonara Makes The Classic Dish Even More Comforting

Classic spaghetti carbonara gets a seasonal twist in this recipe with the addition of fall’s flavor superstar: pumpkin. Adding pumpkin puree gives a creamy, silky, and subtly sweet boost to the otherwise simple sauce. Paired with bacon and plenty of Parmesan, this under-an-hour pasta dinner is one of our top savory pumpkin recipes of all time.

This meal is plenty filling all on its own, but if you really want to go all out for date night or an extra-special weeknight dinner, we recommend serving this pasta alongside some of our favorite fall sides. Some of our top choices: our simple spinach salad, our roasted fennel, our homemade cornbread (or pumpkin cornbread, if you really love the theme), or our roasted green beans.

Made this? Let us know how it went in the comments below!

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Ingredients

Directions

1. Step 1In a medium bowl, whisk pumpkin, Parmesan, and egg yolks together. Add a few cranks of black pepper.
2. Step 2Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add pasta and cook until al dente according to package directions. Reserve about 1 ½ cups of pasta water, then drain.
3. Step 3Meanwhile, in a large skillet over medium-low heat, cook bacon until crispy. Remove bacon with a slotted spoon and drain on a paper towel-lined plate. Reserve bacon grease in skillet.
4. Step 4Add drained pasta to skillet with bacon grease, tossing to coat. Return skillet over low heat to warm grease, if needed, then remove from heat before adding pumpkin mixture. Add ¾ cup of pasta water to pumpkin mixture to thin it out, then add to pasta and toss to coat. Add additional pasta water, 1 tablespoon at a time, as needed to create a creamy sauce. Add bacon and toss.
5. Step 5Top with more Parmesan and black pepper to serve.