This Japanese inspired miso pumpkin sauce pasta dish only requires a few simple ingredients, yet it is very luscious and elegant. The velvety pasta sauce is loaded with amazing aroma of pumpkin. Incorporating a hint of miso paste not only makes the pasta more unique, but also adds another layer of flavor to the dish.
What’s also amazing about this miso pumpkin pasta is that not a single drop of heavy cream is added! Yes, you can make creamy pasta sauce without cream. Even if you are not a huge fan of pumpkin, you will love this dish!
Ingredients (serves 1):
- 1 serving pasta
- 100-120g pumpkin, peeled
- 50g onion
- 1-2 cloves garlic
- 20-25g pancetta
- 1 tsb white miso paste (approximately 6-8g)
- 100ml unsalted stock
- Parmesan cheese to taste
- salt, pepper to taste
Notes:
- Substitute for pancetta: bacon, Guanciale
- Choice of stock: Japanese dashi stock, chicken stock, vegetable stock
Instructions:
Heat about 1/2 tsb oil in a pan, add sliced pancetta, saute over medium heat until browned, and fat is rendered. Transfer to a plate.
Add chopped onion, cubed pumpkin, minced garlic, stir-fry for 3-5 minutes.
Pour in about 80 ml water, cook pumpkin until fork tender. It takes about 5 minutes for 1 cm cubes.
Transfer everything in the pan (pumpkin, onion, garlic) to a food processor, add stock and miso paste, blend until smooth. Pour mixture back into pan, cook over medium-high heat, stirring constantly, until sauce is thickened.
Add cooked paste, pancetta, handful of grated parmesan, taste and adjust salt & pepper. Stir to coat pasta with pumpkin sauce, remove from heat and serve immediately (feel free to adjust the consistency of sauce according to your preference).
Of course, you would want extra parmesan on top!
The golden, smooth pumpkin sauce looks utterly appetizing. Miso and pumpkin might sound like an odd combination, but once you try, you will be awed.
