Are you searching for a pasta dish that is the very essence of autumn? A perfect and sophisticated balance of sweet, salty, and savory flavors that looks and tastes like it came from a rustic Italian trattoria? This incredible, from-scratch Orecchiette with Pancetta, Roasted Pumpkin, and Broccoli Rabe is a true restaurant-quality meal that celebrates the absolute best of the season.
This isn’t just another pasta recipe; it’s a guide to mastering a stunning dish built on classic Italian techniques. We’ll show you how to build layers of incredible flavor, from sweet, caramelized roasted pumpkin to crispy, salty pancetta and pleasantly bitter broccoli rabe. The final secret is in creating a luscious, creamy sauce without a single drop of cream, using just a splash of starchy pasta water. This is a show-stopping dinner that is sure to impress.
Table of Contents
Table of Contents
Recipe Overview: The Perfect Fall Pasta
What makes this Pumpkin and Pancetta Pasta so spectacular is its perfect, cheffy balance of flavors and its wonderful combination of textures. This dish is a masterclass in the classic Italian trio of sweet, salty, and bitter. The sweetness comes from the tender, caramelized roasted pumpkin. The saltiness comes from the rich, crispy jewels of pancetta. And the pleasant bitterness of the tender broccoli rabe provides the perfect, sophisticated counterpoint that balances the entire dish. All of these delicious components are captured in the “little ear” cups of orecchiette pasta, coated in a simple, glossy pan sauce.
| Metric | Time / Level |
| Total Time | 1 hour |
| Active Prep Time | 25 minutes |
| Difficulty Level | Intermediate |
| Servings | 4-6 |
The Essential Ingredients for This Italian-Style Pasta
This recipe uses a handful of fresh, seasonal ingredients to create its signature sophisticated flavor.
- The “Holy Trinity” of Fall Flavors:
- Sweet (Roasted Pumpkin): It is crucial to roast the pumpkin (or butternut squash) first. This simple, hands-off step caramelizes the squash’s natural sugars and creates a much deeper, sweeter, and more intense flavor than simply boiling or steaming it.
- Salty (Pancetta): Pancetta is a classic Italian cured pork belly (think of it as an unsmoked bacon). When you render it in a skillet, it becomes wonderfully crispy and salty, and it releases its flavorful fat, which becomes the delicious foundation of our pasta sauce.
- Bitter (Broccoli Rabe): Also known as rapini, broccoli rabe has a wonderful, complex, and pleasantly bitter flavor, similar to a mustard green. It is the perfect, sophisticated green to balance the sweetness of the pumpkin and the richness of the pancetta.
- The Pasta: Orecchiette, which means “little ears” in Italian, is the perfect pasta shape for this dish. Each little cup-like piece is a perfect vessel for scooping up the small, delicious components of the sauce—a piece of pumpkin, a crumble of pancetta, and a bit of broccoli rabe—in every single bite.
- The “Secret” Sauce Ingredient: The reserved, starchy pasta water is the magic ingredient that brings the entire dish together, creating a creamy, glossy sauce without any cream.
Step-by-Step to the Perfect Fall Pasta
This recipe has a few moving parts, but it comes together beautifully. Follow these detailed steps for a perfect result.
Step 1: Roast the Pumpkin and Prep the Greens
Step 1: First, preheat your oven to 375°F (190°C). On a baking sheet, toss the 2 cups of diced pumpkin with a drizzle of olive oil and a pinch of salt. Roast for about 20 minutes, until the pumpkin is tender and has beautiful, golden-brown caramelized edges.
Step 2: While the pumpkin is roasting, bring a large pot of heavily salted water to a boil. Set up a separate bowl of salted ice water.
Step 3 (Blanch & Shock): Drop your prepared broccoli rabe into the pot of boiling water and let it cook for just 30-60 seconds. Immediately remove it from the boiling water with a slotted spoon and plunge it into the salty ice water. This crucial step, called “blanching and shocking,” is the secret to a perfectly crisp-tender and vibrant green vegetable. Once cooled, remove the broccoli rabe from the ice water and squeeze out any excess water.
Crucial Pro Tip: Do not discard the boiling water! We will use this same flavorful water to cook our pasta.
Part 2: Cook the Pancetta and Build the Sauce Base
Step 1: In a large sauté pan, coat the bottom with a thin layer of olive oil. Add the 3/4 cup of diced pancetta and the pinch of red pepper flakes. Place the pan over medium heat and cook the pancetta, stirring, until it is brown and crispy.
Step 2: Add your beautiful, roasted pumpkin to the pan with the pancetta. Add about 3/4 cup of the reserved, hot broccoli rabe cooking water to the pan. Let the mixture simmer for about 2 minutes, until the water has reduced by half.
Part 3: Cook the Pasta and Finish the Dish
Step 1: While the sauce base is simmering, add the 2 cups of orecchiette to your reserved pot of boiling broccoli rabe water. Cook the pasta until it is al dente, which is about 1 minute less than the cooking time on the package directs.
Step 2: Use a slotted spoon to transfer the cooked pasta directly from the pot to your sauté pan with the pancetta and pumpkin. Add the blanched broccoli rabe to the pan as well.
Step 3 (The Secret to a Creamy Sauce!): Add about 1/2 cup of the starchy pasta cooking water to the sauté pan. Cook everything together over a medium-high heat for about 1 minute, tossing and stirring vigorously, until the water has mostly evaporated and has combined with the pancetta fat and the pasta starches to create a beautiful, creamy, and glossy sauce that clings to the pasta.
Step 4: Drizzle with a little more olive oil and sprinkle with the 1/2 cup of grated Parmesan cheese. Toss vigorously one last time.
Serve the pasta immediately in warm, shallow bowls. Sprinkle each serving with a little more grated Parmesan and a topping of toasted green pumpkin seeds.
The Best Savory Pumpkin and Pancetta Pasta (with Orecchiette!)
A hearty and flavorful fall-inspired pasta dish. This recipe features orecchiette pasta tossed with a savory combination of roasted butternut squash, crispy pancetta, and blanched broccoli rabe. A simple pan sauce is created by simmering the ingredients with the starchy pasta water. The dish is finished with a generous amount of grated Parmigiana cheese and a sprinkle of toasted green pumpkin seeds for crunch.
Ingredients
- 2 cups diced peeled cheese pumpkin or butternut squash (about 8 ounces)
- Extra-virgin olive oil
- Kosher salt
- 1/2 bunch broccoli rabe, tough lower stems removed, cut into thirds
- 3/4 cup pancetta, cut into 1/2-inch dice
- Pinch of red pepper flakes
- 2 cups orecchiette pasta
- 1/2 cup grated Parmigiana cheese, plus more for topping
- 1/4 cup green pumpkin seeds, toasted
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 375°F. On a sheet tray, toss the diced pumpkin with olive oil and salt. Roast for about 20 minutes, until soft.
- Bring a large pot of well-salted water to a boil. Blanch the broccoli rabe for about 1 minute, then immediately transfer it to a bowl of ice water to stop the cooking. Reserve the boiling water. Once cool, squeeze the excess water from the broccoli rabe.
- In a large sauté pan with olive oil, cook the pancetta and red pepper flakes over medium heat until the pancetta is brown and crispy.
- Add the roasted pumpkin to the pan with the pancetta, along with about 3/4 cup of the reserved broccoli rabe cooking water. Simmer for about 2 minutes until the water reduces by half.
- Meanwhile, cook the orecchiette in the reserved boiling water until al dente, about 1 minute less than the package directs.
- Transfer the pasta from the pot to the sauté pan using a slotted spoon. Add the blanched broccoli rabe and about 1/2 cup of the pasta cooking water.
- Cook for about 1 minute, tossing, until the water has evaporated and the sauce clings to the pasta.
- Remove the pan from the heat. Drizzle with olive oil and sprinkle with the grated Parmigiana cheese. Toss vigorously.
- Divide the pasta among dishes, sprinkle with more grated cheese, and top with the toasted green pumpkin seeds.
Notes
- This recipe uses multiple cooking methods to build layers of flavor: roasting the squash, blanching the broccoli rabe, and crisping the pancetta.
- Reserving and using the starchy water from cooking the vegetables and pasta is a key technique for creating a light, flavorful sauce that clings to the orecchiette.
- Finishing the pasta in the pan with the other ingredients allows it to absorb all the flavors of the dish.
Storage and Make-Ahead Tips
This elegant pasta dish is at its absolute best when it is served fresh, right after it is made.
- Make-Ahead: You can get a huge head start on this recipe by preparing all your components in advance. The pumpkin can be roasted and the broccoli rabe can be blanched and shocked up to 2 days ahead of time. Store them in separate, airtight containers in the refrigerator. This turns the final dish into a super-fast, 15-minute assembly and cook job.
- Storage: Store any leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.
- Reheating: To reheat the pasta, it is best to do so in a skillet over a low heat with a generous splash of broth or water to help loosen up the sauce and bring back its creamy consistency.
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Creative Recipe Variations
- Use a Different Protein: If you’re not a fan of pancetta, this pasta is also absolutely fantastic with an equal amount of crumbled, browned sweet or hot Italian sausage.
- Make it Vegetarian: For a delicious and hearty vegetarian version, you can simply omit the pancetta and sauté the pumpkin and broccoli rabe in olive oil. You can add one can of drained and rinsed cannellini beans to the pasta at the very end for an extra boost of protein.
- Use a Different Green: If you can’t find broccoli rabe or are not a fan of its bitter flavor, you could easily substitute it with about 4 cups of chopped Lacinato (dinosaur) kale, which you can sauté with the pancetta, or you can stir in a few handfuls of fresh baby spinach at the very end.
Enjoy Your New Favorite Fall Pasta!
You’ve just created a truly special pasta dish that is a perfect harmony of sophisticated, restaurant-quality flavor and cozy, comforting textures. This Orecchiette with Pancetta, Pumpkin, and Broccoli Rabe is a testament to the power of a simple, technique-driven meal to create something truly extraordinary. It’s a rewarding and deeply satisfying recipe that is sure to become a new fall favorite.
We hope you enjoy every last, delicious bite!
If you enjoyed making this recipe, please leave a comment below or share it with a friend who loves an impressive pasta dish!
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
Q1: What is the difference between broccoli and broccoli rabe?
While their names are similar, they are two completely different vegetables! Broccoli rabe, also known as rapini, is actually a member of the turnip family. It has thinner stalks, smaller florets, and is much more leafy than standard broccoli. Its flavor is also very different; it has a wonderful, complex, and pleasantly bitter and peppery taste that is a beloved staple in Italian cooking.
Q2: What does it mean to “blanch and shock” a vegetable, and why is it important?
Blanching and shocking is a classic, professional cooking technique. Blanching is the process of cooking a vegetable very briefly in a large amount of boiling, salted water. Shocking is the process of immediately plunging that cooked vegetable into a bowl of ice water to stop the cooking process completely. This is the absolute secret to a vegetable that is perfectly crisp-tender, not mushy, and has a beautiful, vibrant, locked-in color.
Q3: What is pancetta, and is there a good substitute?
Pancetta is a type of Italian-style bacon that is made from pork belly that has been salt-cured but, unlike American bacon, is unsmoked. It has a deep, rich, and savory pork flavor. If you cannot find it, the best substitute would be a thick-cut, high-quality bacon.
Q4: What is the secret to a creamy pasta sauce without using any heavy cream?
The secret is the starchy pasta water! The water that your pasta has cooked in is full of wonderful, dissolved starches. This starchy water, often called “liquid gold” by Italian chefs, is the perfect, natural emulsifier. When you add a splash of it to your pan with the other fats and cheeses and toss it vigorously, it helps to create an incredibly creamy, luscious, and glossy sauce that clings perfectly to every noodle.
Q5: Can I use a different kind of pasta instead of orecchiette?
Of course! This rich and hearty sauce is fantastic with any medium pasta shape that has plenty of nooks and crannies to catch all the delicious little bits of pumpkin, pancetta, and broccoli rabe. Try it with small shells, fusilli, or cavatappi