Pumpkin Alfredo Pasta with Crispy Bacon and Sage

Lauren Dirkschneider November 20, 2018 Bacon, Dinner, fall, fall dinner, Pasta, Pumpkin

It’s that wonderful time of year again! After suffering through all of the hot summer miles, runners everywhere are crushing their fall goal races, followed by enjoying the relief that comes with cooler temperatures and reduced mileage. Part of my personal post-marathon recovery always includes indulging in the things that I try to limit during training. This means comfort food, more social events, and the ability to enjoy a glass of wine on a Friday night (no long run in the morning)!

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I created this recipe as part of my annual attempt to embrace pumpkin without the pumpkin spice and sugar, which almost always comes out in the form of a pasta (see my recipe from last year for Pumpkin Lasagna). Combined with the fact that I am in a total indulgence mood, this became quite the comfort food recipe! If you love pumpkin but are getting sick of sweet pumpkin desserts, this is for you!

Pumpkin Alfredo Pasta with Crispy Bacon and Sage

Time: 30 minutes
Serves: 2

Ingredients:

½-¾ lb pasta of choice* (see notes)
3 slices bacon, chopped
1 tbsp butter
10-15 fresh sage leaves
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 cup half and half
1-1 ½ cup pureed pumpkin** (see notes)
1 cup freshly grated parmesan, plus more for serving
1 tsp kosher salt
½ tsp pepper
¼ tsp ground nutmeg

*This recipe makes enough sauce for ¾ lb of pasta, however, if cooking for two people you might have leftovers.
**If using canned pumpkin puree, use 1 cup. If using fresh, use 1 ½ cups.

Directions:

Get a pot of water boiling for the pasta, salt the water, and cook the pasta to al dente according to directions. Reserve about ¼ cup of the cooking liquid then drain the pasta and set aside.
While water comes to a boil, in a separate saute pan, saute the chopped bacon over medium-low heat until crispy, about 4 minutes. Remove with a slotted spoon and set aside.
Discard all but 1 tbsp of the bacon grease. Add the butter to the saute pan. Once the butter is melted, add the sage leaves and fry until they are crispy, about 2 minutes. Remove the sage leaves and set aside. During this process, the butter should be starting to lightly turn brown- be careful that it does not burn.
Add the garlic and saute for about 1 minute, stirring frequently.
Increase the heat to medium then add the half and half, pumpkin, salt, pepper, and nutmeg. Bring to a gentle simmer, whisking frequently. Simmer for about 5 minutes (the pasta should be just finishing up around this time), until the sauce starts to thicken.
When the pasta is finished cooking, add the pasta and 1 cup of parmesan cheese. Stir vigorously until the pasta is coated and the cheese is melted. If the sauce is too thick or the sauce is not adequately coating the cheese, add a small splash of the pasta cooking liquid.
Top with crispy bacon, crispy sage leaves, grated parmesan, and freshly ground pepper and enjoy!

Note: To make this recipe vegetarian, eliminate the bacon completely and use 2 tbsp. butter instead of 1 tbsp.

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Lauren Dirkschneider

Lauren is a born and raised Minnesotan, currently living in Nebraska. She has been a lifelong athlete who picked up running during grad school, and hasn't looked back since! When she is not running you will find her in the kitchen making some amazing food, kayaking, knitting, or checking out local breweries.

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