The countdown to Thanksgiving is on which means…I’ve gotta use up all my pumpkins soon!
I snagged a few from the yard to carve with the kids for Halloween, but I’ve still got a couple small cooking pumpkins that I need to get to before the squirrels do, and this is THE dish to do it.
Pumpkins are rich in vitamins and minerals. They’re loaded with vitamin A – great for skin and eye sight, along with vitamin C and E. It’s also an excellent source of potassium and fiber… an all around good gourd to gobble.
It IS fall, so food that’s comforting is high priority right now and nothing screams comfort more than pasta.
I don’t eat it often, but when I do, I want it to be worth it. For me, that means it’s insanely delicious, but also healthy and this dish checks the boxes.
You only need a handful of ingredients: onion, garlic, pumpkin, vodka, kale, cream, (check out my vegan hack further down in this post) pasta and a little bit of seasoning.
I know greens in pasta might sound a little too healthy, but it’s centered around an eating principle I adopted over a decade ago that’s changed my eating habits forever.
The author of “The Beauty Detox Solution” suggests eating greens (typically a salad) with every meal to guarantee optimal nutrition, no matter what you’re eating.
I got in the habit of taking a seemingly unhealthy food (hamburger, pasta, stir fry) and putting it on top of greens – arugula, spinach, kale…
So, if I didn’t start my meal with a salad, I was guaranteed to get my greens in with my main dish, by putting it on top of greens. To this day, I eat pasta on top of arugula or spinach and it’s still so satisfying.
For this dish I decided to combine the two, but chose a green that’s a little more structured and holds up well when warmed and that is… kale.
You’ll start by making your pasta according to instructions.
I love Banza’s chickpea pasta. It’s gluten-free, a great source of protein and has great texture.
You can choose any pasta, of course, but note certain shapes will grab more of the sauce which is a good goal.
You’ll then, warm your olive oil and butter in a large pot, and add in garlic and onion.
Add your vodka and let it simmer until the liquid reduces down a little.
Add your pumpkin puree, either canned or fresh pumpkin that you’ve cooked, and kale.
Then to give it some creaminess, I like to add in my secret, vegan ingredient….
…full fat coconut cream. You take this canned good, pop it in the fridge overnight and you get this thick, creamy substance.
I use it to make vegan frosting, vegan whipped cream, dips, literally any dish that calls for cream.
I have a dairy intolerance, so I am always looking for alternatives and this has been a wonderful hack for me.
Once your pasta is done cooking, you’ll add it to your pumpkin vodka sauce along with a cup of the pasta water to thin it out a little.
Serve it up with some fresh parmesan of your choice, maybe some fresh parsley too and… enjoy.
The pumpkin flavor is the strongest note. You’ll get a tiny bit of heat from the chili flakes and some richness from the cream WITHOUT any coconut flavor.
The texture is so perfect with the soft, earthy greens and pasta mixed together.
It’s truly an indulgent dish full of health and nutrition… without any guilt.
Happy Fall!
Creamy Pumpkin Vodka Pasta with Kale
- 2 tablespoons vegan butter
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 3 garlic cloves, finely chopped
- 1 medium white onion, finely chopped
- 1 teaspoon red chili flakes
- 1/4 teaspoon salt (to taste)
- 1/4 teaspoon pepper (to taste)
- 1 cup vodka
- 1 bunch kale (3-4 cups)
- 2 cups pumpkin puree (fresh, cooked or canned)
- 3/4 cup full fat coconut cream, chilled
- 24 ounces pasta
- 1 cup pasta water (salted)
- garnish- fresh parmesan, fresh parsley
Directions:
- Place full fat coconut cream can in refrigerator for a few hours, or ideally overnight. Open and scoop out thick portion, discard any liquid.
- To cook pumpkin, cut small pumpkin in half, scoop out seeds, lightly grease the inside and place face down onto a baking sheet, cook on 350 degrees for 40-50 minutes or until skin is soft. Let cool, scoop out pumpkin into a bowl and set aside.
- Cook pasta according to instructions, save 1 cup of pasta water to add to the sauce (I cook two, 16 oz boxes of pasta, but do not use all of it).
- In a large pot warm olive oil, add butter, let it sizzle, then add onion and garlic, salt, pepper, chili flakes let onion soften.
- Add vodka and let simmer on low for a few minutes, then add chopped kale, pumpkin, coconut cream and simmer for a minute.
- Take pumpkin vodka sauce off stove and add pasta and 1 cup of pasta water to thin it out slightly. Stir.
- Plate with parmesan, fresh parsley and enjoy!
NOTES:
*Use bagged kale for a time saver and canned pumpkin purée (not pumpkin pie ).
*I only use about 18-24 ounces of pasta, but cook two 16 ounce boxes. Does not have to be precise. Store leftovers.
