Pumpkin Pasta Alla Vodka – tender pasta in a creamy, silky pumpkin cream sauce topped with crispy prosciutto and brown butter sage leaves.
This Pumpkin Pasta Alla Vodka is delicious, decadent, loaded with fall flavors and one you won’t want to miss this fall season.
Creamy, tomato pumpkin sauce tossed with your favorite pasta finished with crispy prosciutto and sage leaves crisped in brown butter.
A perfect dinner all season and my new fall obsession. It’ll soon be yours too.
Homemade vodka sauce is quicker than you may think and packed with so much flavor.
The whole meal comes together in about 30 minutes, making it an easy weeknight meal you can enjoy anytime.
WHAT’S IN PUMPKIN ALLA VODKA PASTA?
- prosciutto
- pasta and reserved pasta water
- butter
- whole fresh sage leaves
- extra virgin olive oil
- onion
- salt and black pepper
- garlic clove
- tomato paste
- red chili flakes
- vodka
- pure pumpkin puree
- heavy whipping cream
- parmesan cheese
how to crisp PROSCIUTTO:
Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
Line a baking sheet with parchment and place prosciuto on without overlapping.
Bake 10-12 minutes or until lightly crisp then remove from the oven. Cool to room temp, break into pieces then set aside.
HOW TO MAKE PUMPKIN PASTA ALLA VODKA:
Bring a large pot of salted water to a full boil. Add pasta and cook per package directions. Reserve 1 to 1 1/2 cups of pasta water then drain.
To a large skillet with deep sides or dutch oven add butter. Simmer on low until lightly browned (but not burned) then place whole sage leaves in.
Cook sage 3-4 minutes until crisp then remove from the skillet leaving the butter in the skillet.
To the same skillet add 1 tablespoon of olive oil and the onions.
Season with salt and pepper. Cook 2-3 minutes over medium heat or until softened then add the garlic and cook 1-2 minutes.
Add tomato paste and cook 3-4 minutes letting the the color darken then stir in the red chili flakes.
Add pumpkin puree and cook a couple of minutes until combined.
Next slowly pour in the vodka scraping any browned bits from the bottom of the pan. Cook 2-3 minutes (the longer it cooks the more the alcohol cooks off).
Blend in the heavy cream then slowly add the parmesan cheese stirring until completely blended.
Add cooked pasta to the pasta sauce. Toss gently to coat, streaming in a little of the reserved pasta water as needed to make the sauce creamy.
Taste and adjust for salt and pepper. Serve topped with prosciutto bits, crispy sage leaves and a sprinkle of parmesan cheese.
TIPS AND VARIATIONS:
- Remember to reserve some pasta water. It will thin out the sauce a bit and make it super creamy.
- For meat lovers, add spicy italian sausages to the sauce.
- Vegetables can be added as well, such as sauteed mushrooms, spinach and zucchini.
- Add more fresh herbs such as basil or thyme.
- Leftover pumpkin puree can be used to make these Pumpkin Peanut Butter Dog treats (my dog LOVES them!)
WHAT TO SERVE WITH PUMPKIN PASTA ALLA VODKA:
Garlic Herb Butter (on your favorite bread)
LOOKING FOR MORE PASTA RECIPES?
Penne Alla Vodka with classic vodka sauce
20 Minute Italian Sausage Tortellini
4-Ingredient, 15 Minute Basil Pesto Pasta
Check my site for more fall recipes. Enjoy!
Let’s be friends on FACEBOOK and INSTAGRAM where you’ll find all my recipes and a peek into my daily life.
Be sure to follow me on PINTEREST for every one of recipes plus the best recipes from my favorite bloggers!
You can also SUBSCRIBE ⇓ for all the latest recipes directly into your email box.
If you tried this Pumpkin Alla Vodka Pasta or any other recipe on the blog, don’t forget to leave a comment and star rating!
Pumpkin Pasta Alla Vodka
Ingredients
- 4 ounces prosciutto
- 8 ounces pasta (variety of your choice) PLUS 1 - 1 1/2 cups pasta water
- 3 tablespoons butter
- 6-8 whole sage leaves
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 small onion diced
- salt and black pepper
- 1 large garlic clove peeled and minced
- 3 tablespoons tomato paste
- 1/4 teaspoon red chili flakes or more to taste
- 1/4 cup vodka
- 1 cup pure pumpkin puree
- 1 cup heavy whipping cream
- 1/2 cup parmesan cheese plus more for serving
Instructions
CRISPY PROSCIUTTO:
- Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Line a baking sheet with parchment and place prosciuto on without overlapping. Bake 10-12 minutes or until lightly crisp then remove from the oven and set aside.
PASTA:
- Bring a large pot of salted water to a full boil. Add pasta of your choice and cook per package directions. Reserve 1 to 1 1/2 cups of pasta water then drain.
PUMPKIN PASTA SAUCE:
- To a large skillet with deep sides or dutch oven add butter. Simmer on low until lightly browned (but not burned) then place whole sage leaves in.
- Cook 3-4 minutes until crisp then remove from the skillet reserving the butter in the skillet.
- To the same skillet add 1 tablespoon of olive oil and the onions. Season with salt and pepper. Cook 2-3 minutes over medium heat or until softened then add the garlic and cook 1-2 minutes.
- Add tomato paste and cook 3-4 minutes letting the the color darken then stir in the red chili flakes.
- Add pumpkin puree and cook a couple of minutes until combined.
- Slowly pour in the vodka scraping any browned bits from the bottom of the pan. Cook 2-3 minutes.
- Blend in the heavy cream then slowly add the parmesan stirring until it's completely melted.
- Add cooked pasta to the pasta sauce. Toss gently to coat, streaming in a little of the reserrved pasta water as needed to make the sauce creamy and smooth.
- Taste and adjust for salt and pepper. Serve topped with crispy prosciutto, crispy sage leaves and a sprinkle of parmesan cheese