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Pumpkin Alfredo

Pumpkin Alfredo is a creamy Italian-American pasta made with pumpkin puree and parmesan for a velvety orange-cream sauce. You simmer the pumpkin with heavy cream, melt parmesan until smooth, then toss with fettuccine and loosen with reserved pasta water for silky coating.
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Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 20 minutes
Total Time 30 minutes
Servings: 4 servings
Course: Main Dish
Cuisine: Italian-American
Calories: 850
Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients
  

Fettuccine
  • 1 lb fettuccine
Pumpkin Alfredo base
  • 1 cup pumpkin puree
  • 1.5 cup heavy cream
  • 4 tbsp unsalted butter
  • 4 clove garlic, minced
  • 1.5 cup parmesan, freshly grated
  • 0.5 cup pasta cooking water
  • 0.25 tsp nutmeg
  • 0.25 tsp white pepper
  • 1 fresh parsley and extra parmesan for serving
  • 1 salt to taste

Equipment

  • 1 sheet pan

Method
 

Cook the pasta and save pasta water
  1. Bring a large pot of well-salted water to a boil, then cook the fettuccine until tender. Reserve 1 cup pasta cooking water before draining.
Make the pumpkin-cream sauce
  1. Melt the butter in a large skillet over medium heat. Sauté the minced garlic for 1-2 minutes, until fragrant.
  2. Add the pumpkin puree and heavy cream to the skillet. Simmer for 4-5 minutes, stirring occasionally, until glossy and slightly thickened.
  3. Reduce the heat to low, then add the parmesan in handfuls. Stir continuously until each addition melts into a smooth, creamy sauce.
Toss, season, and serve
  1. Sprinkle in the nutmeg and white pepper. Stir until evenly distributed.
  2. Add the drained pasta to the skillet. Toss to coat the fettuccine in the sauce.
  3. Add reserved pasta water a splash at a time to loosen the sauce as needed. Continue tossing until the sauce clings to the pasta.
  4. Season with salt to taste. Serve immediately with fresh parsley and extra parmesan on top.

Notes

For the smoothest Alfredo, keep the heat on low while melting parmesan so it doesn’t separate. Refrigerate leftovers in an airtight container for up to 3 days; rewarm gently with a splash of milk or reserved pasta water to restore the texture. Freezing is not recommended for the creamiest result. For a lighter option, swap heavy cream for half-and-half and use slightly less pasta water only if the sauce stays too thin.