A rich brown butter pumpkin alfredo recipe with salty, sage breadcrumbs makes for a comforting bowl of pasta for the Autumn season.
Set out a small mixing bowl, to collect the sage bread crumbs once they’re toasted.
Set a large pot of water over high heat and bring it to a boil.
Chop the sage and measure the rest of the ingredients for the sauce. Organize the ingredients on your work bench so that they’re easily accessible while you cook.
Melt the butter for the breadcrumbs over medium heat in a large frying pan. Add the chopped fresh sage and fry in the butter for 30 seconds. Pour the bread crumbs into the frying pan and stir to incorporate the bread crumbs with the butter. Toast the breadcrumbs in the frying pan, stirring often, until they’re golden in color. About 6-7 minutes.
Remove the frying pan from the heat and sprinkle a pinch of flaky salt over the top of the breadcrumbs. Transfer the breadcrumbs to a bowl and set aside. Let the frying pan cool and then clean out any remaining residue.
While you make the alfredo sauce, boil the pasta in salty water according to the package directions, minus one minute. Before draining the pasta, reserve ½ cup of the pasta water.
To the cleaned pan, add the butter for the pumpkin alfredo sauce and set the pan over medium heat. Melt the butter, stirring occasionally. The butter will bubble and begin to turn a golden brown color. Once the butter is lightly brown, after about 3-4 minutes, add the minced garlic and chopped fresh sage. Cook until fragrant, about 30 seconds..
Add the pumpkin puree to the frying pan and whisk it into the butter until it’s completely mixed in.
Turn the heat to low and pour the whole milk and heavy cream into the frying pan and season the sauce with a pinch of salt. Whisk the cream and milk into the pumpkin and butter mix. Let the sauce simmer for a few minutes until warm.
Add the grated parmesan cheese and shredded gouda to the pumpkin alfredo sauce. Transfer the drained noodles to the sauce and toss to coat them in pumpkin alfredo. Add a 1 tablespoon of the pasta water and let the noodles cook in the sauce for 1 minute to let it absorb. Taste the sauce and add a pinch of salt and freshly ground black pepper. If the sauce looks too thick, add more reserved pasta water a tablespoon at a time until it’s smooth.
Serve the noodles with a handful of the sage breadcrumbs on top and enjoy!