Roasted Pumpkin Feta Pasta Recipe

When you think of pumpkins, it's very likely that your first thoughts will be of Halloween and of plump orange jack-o'-lanterns carved with spooky faces. When Autumn comes, this popular seasonal ingredient can be found absolutely everywhere, not just as decoration but also on menus and dinner tables in savory dishes, sweet desserts, and even drinks. But did you know that pumpkins, which are often thought of as a vegetable, are actually botanically classified as a fruit? Biologically, any produce that contains seeds is considered to be a fruit, so this also includes ingredients such as tomatoes and avocados; the more you know!

This roasted pumpkin feta pasta recipe, brought to you by Tasting Table recipe developer Jennine Rye, is made by roasting chunks of pumpkin and a block of feta in the same oven tray, before mixing them together to make a delicious sauce that is sweet, savory, and super creamy. Roasted garlic, thyme, and fresh sage give the sauce an extra kick, and spinach and cooked pasta are added to finish off this dish, along with a sprinkling of toasted pine nuts. This pumpkin feta pasta recipe is both warming and comforting; the perfect meal for a chilly Autumn evening.

To begin this roasted pumpkin feta pasta recipe, first you will need to gather the ingredients. You will want pumpkin, feta, garlic cloves, sage, thyme, nutmeg, olive oil, salt and pepper, and spinach. You will also want penne pasta and pine nuts to complete the dish.

Preheat the oven to 375 F.

Place the block of feta in the middle of a large baking dish and surround it with the cubed pumpkin and garlic cloves.

Add the sage leaves, fresh thyme, and ground nutmeg, drizzle the olive oil over everything, and season liberally with salt and pepper.

Roast in the oven for 30 minutes until the pumpkin is soft.

Meanwhile, heat up a large pot of salted water until boiling, and then cook the pasta for 10 minutes until al dente, or according to the instructions. Reserve 1½ cups of pasta water.

When the pumpkin is soft, remove the baking dish from the oven.

Remove roughly half of the cubed pumpkin and set to one side.

Remove the roasted garlic cloves from their skins.

Mix the garlic in with the feta and the cubed pumpkin.

Use the reserved pasta water to make a smooth sauce.

Add the spinach to the pan.

Add the cooked pasta to the pan.

Stir everything together until the spinach has wilted and the pasta is coated in the pumpkin feta sauce.

Stir in the reserved cubed pumpkin.

Serve topped with toasted pine nuts, as well as crispy sage leaves and further feta if desired.

This roasted pumpkin feta pasta can be served as a meal in its own right. Filling and comforting, it is everything you could want from an autumnal pasta dish. For a fresh addition, a simple side salad of dressed lettuce leaves makes a great accompaniment; nothing fancy is necessary. It also makes a wonderful side dish that can be served alongside roasted chicken thighs or lamb chops; the lamb particularly pairs well with the strong flavors of the feta.

If you happen to have any leftovers and are looking for something a little more interesting than simply reheating the meal in the microwave, why not try using this pasta dish in a frittata? Frittata di pasta is a delicious way to use up any leftover pasta; all you need to do is whisk up some eggs, then add them to an oiled pan along with the leftover pasta, and cook it like a normal frittata. It is a simple way to create a whole new meal with leftovers, and once you've tried this crispy and gooey dish you'll never want to eat leftover pasta any other way!

No matter how hard we plan and prep, there will come times when a specific ingredient can't be found in the kitchen cupboards or on any supermarket shelves. That doesn't mean that this recipe is off the cards, as there are many different ways it can be adapted. For example, if you are unable to source pumpkin it's possible to use butternut squash instead, which, unlike other types of pumpkin, is often found year-round in supermarkets. You could also try using some different varieties of pumpkin to see how the flavors differ; if you can get your hands on a Long Island cheese pumpkin you're in for a treat. 

We used penne for this recipe, but it works well with any short pasta. If you have a variety of different pasta shapes lying around, this is a great way to use up what you already have in the cupboards. If you enjoy a pasta dish but can't digest gluten, substituting the pasta for a gluten-free variety is a simple swap. You can also switch up the flavor of the dish by adding other herbs and spices. Oregano goes well with the feta and smoked paprika pairs well with roasted vegetables. If you enjoy a bit of heat, you can add some chili flakes to this dish to take it up a notch or two.