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Skillet of Spicy Brown Butter Pumpkin Rigatoni
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4.91 from 11 votes

Spicy Brown Butter Pumpkin Rigatoni

This Spicy Brown Butter Pumpkin Rigatoni is the perfect way to enjoy a good plate of creamy pasta for the entire family. Enjoy pasta that comes completely loaded with pumpkin flavor married with savory spices, a nutty brown butter flavor, and of course with the amazing texture of rigatoni.
Prep Time10 minutes
Cook Time25 minutes
Total Time35 minutes
Course: Main Course
Keyword: brown butter, creamy, dinner, easy, gluten-free, homemade, meatless, pasta, pumpkin, spicy, vegetarian
Servings: 4 servings
Author: Shanika

Ingredients

PASTA:

  • 1 (16 oz.) package organic rigatoni pasta (You can use your fave pasta shape/type; See Notes for GF option.)
  • 1 tablespoon Extra virgin olive oil

SAUCE:

  • 4 Tbsps unsalted butter
  • 3 garlic cloves, minced
  • 1 cup organic heavy cream
  • ¼ cup vegetable stock
  • 2 Tbsps white cooking wine
  • 1 teaspoon red pepper flakes (Plus, more if needed)
  • 1 teaspoon sea salt
  • Pinch of ground cinnamon
  • Pinch of ground Allspice
  • ½ teaspoon dried basil
  • ½ teaspoon dried oregano
  • ½ teaspoon smoked paprika
  • 1 cup kale, chopped
  • 1 cup 100% pumpkin puree (Not pie filling!)
  • ½ cup grated parmesan
US Customary - Metric

Instructions

BOIL THE PASTA:

  • To begin, cook pasta according to packaging. NOTE: rigatoni pasta doesn’t take a long time to cook, usually 8-10 minutes (however, you should cook at 6-8 minutes or so—‘al dente’).

TO MAKE THE BROWN BUTTER:

  • In a large 12-inch skillet over medium-high heat, melt the butter, stirring occasionally and letting it cook for 3-4 minutes, until dark bits begin to form and the entire butter becomes fragrant and darker. Set aside and let cool completely.

TO MAKE THE SAUCE:

  • In the same skillet, add the minced garlic, sautéing until fragrant, about 1-2 minutes. Add the salt, cinnamon, basil, oregano, red pepper flakes, smoked paprika, and allspice, stirring everything together. Whisk in the heavy cream, veggie stock, white cooking wine, and pumpkin puree, until everything thickens and becomes smooth with no lumps visible. Stir in the chopped kale.
  • Reduce the heat to low and let the sauce simmer for 3-4 minutes until it thickens more and the kale has wilted and cooked. Stir in the grated parmesan until it has melted and the sauce is even more creamy.
  • Add in the cooked pasta and stir until everything is well coated.
  • Remove from heat and serve immediately with your favorite side or on it's own.
  • Bon Appetit!

Notes

  • STORAGE: Any leftovers can be kept in a tightly sealed container and refrigerated for up to 3-4 days.
  • SPICES/HERBS: If desired, you can reduce the amounts slightly. Please know that this recipe is bold in flavor, so feel free to adjust based on your tastebuds.
  • GLUTEN-FREE OPTION: To make this dish GF, simply use Gluten-Free pasta and ensure that all other ingredients are GF-friendly. 
  • DAIRY-FREE OPTION: To make this sauce dairy-free, simply use vegan butter instead of the regular butter. Then swap the cream with full-fat coconut milk or coconut cream. And use your favorite dairy-free shredded cheese or nutritional yeast instead of parmesan. 
  • PASTA: You can use Jumbo shells or long pastas like Pappardelle, Fettuccine, etc. if desired, however, I would recommend tossing with tongs to ensure that pasta is fully manageable and fully coated. Otherwise, the traditional penne or rigatoni pasta works perfectly too!