Description
Comfort meets culinary adventure in this Warm & Spicy Pumpkin Pasta Bake, blending rich autumn flavors with creamy textures. Irresistible layers of pasta, pumpkin, and bold spices promise a soul-warming meal that invites you to savor each comforting bite.
Ingredients
Scale
Main Ingredients:
- 12 ounces (340 grams) penne or fusilli pasta
- 1 can (15 ounces or 425 grams) pure pumpkin puree
Cheese and Vegetables:
- 1 cup (240 milliliters) ricotta cheese
- 1 cup (240 milliliters) mozzarella cheese
- 1/2 cup (120 milliliters) Parmesan cheese
- 1 small onion, diced
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 cup (240 milliliters) fresh spinach (optional)
Spices, Liquids, and Topping:
- 1 teaspoon cayenne pepper
- 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
- 1 teaspoon oregano
- 1/2 teaspoon nutmeg
- Salt, to taste
- Pepper, to taste
- 2 cups (480 milliliters) vegetable or chicken broth
- 1/2 cup (120 milliliters) breadcrumbs
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
Instructions
- Heat oven to 375F (190C), preparing a spacious baking dish with light oil coating.
- Boil pasta in salted water until perfectly tender, then thoroughly drain and reserve.
- Sauté diced onions in olive oil until translucent and fragrant, approximately 3-4 minutes.
- Add minced garlic and fresh spinach to the skillet, stirring until spinach wilts and releases moisture.
- Pour pumpkin puree into the vegetable mixture, blending with broth and aromatic spices.
- Simmer the sauce for 5 minutes, allowing flavors to meld and develop complex undertones.
- Combine cooked pasta with the pumpkin sauce, gently folding in creamy ricotta cheese until evenly distributed.
- Transfer the pasta mixture to the prepared baking dish, spreading it uniformly.
- Sprinkle a luxurious layer of mozzarella and Parmesan cheese across the surface.
- Mix breadcrumbs with a drizzle of olive oil, then scatter evenly over the cheese layer.
- Bake for 25-30 minutes until the top turns golden brown and cheese becomes deliciously bubbly.
- Allow the pasta bake to rest for 5 minutes before serving, enabling flavors to settle and sauce to thicken.
Notes
- Customize spice levels by adjusting the amount of red pepper flakes or using milder spices for sensitive palates.
- Create a gluten-free version by substituting regular pasta with gluten-free alternatives like chickpea or zucchini noodles.
- Boost protein content by adding cooked chicken, turkey, or plant-based protein like white beans or lentils to the pasta mixture.
- Prep ahead by assembling the dish a day in advance and refrigerating, then bake when ready to serve for maximum convenience and flavor melding.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 40 minutes
- Category: Dinner, Lunch
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: Italian
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 6
- Calories: 450
- Sugar: 6 g
- Sodium: 600 mg
- Fat: 18 g
- Saturated Fat: 6 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 10 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 55 g
- Fiber: 5 g
- Protein: 15 g
- Cholesterol: 30 mg