Pumpkin + Soyrizo Pasta with a Walnut-Sage Crumble

We spent the last week cruising through Alaska.  My first ever cruise + first time going to Alaska.  The big headline - cruises are crazy.  We had such a good time and we spent good quality time with family.  There were lots of belly laughs + we’ve got the photos to prove it.  But holy cow - a cruise is a wild place.  There are just so many activities going on all day, and so many activities happening at one time.  I could hardly keep it all straight.  I am proud to say I gave the cruise everything I had - I enjoyed all the amenities, gambled a little, had a few more cocktails than I typically would, took part in all the games + trivias + dance parties (including a version of the Newlywed Game where Jordan and I really stepped out of our comfort zones), and said yes to all the experiences that came my way.  Except eating ice cream at 10am - that I did a hard pass on but I saw lots of people getting down on some more morning cones.  Like I said - the cruise is a wild place.

The highlights

  1. The silent disco on the cruise the first night.  Despite not feeling great, the beats + dancing with family put me in the best mood ever.  I wanted to stay on that dance floor for hours.

  2. Seeing the Alaskan coastline + doing a little hike in the town of Skagway.  The water was just so beautiful + the most unique shade of blue.  It honestly reminded me of Banff it was so gorgeous.

  3. Seeing puffins in the wild doing the cutest little swim + dive routine in their pod.  It was fascinating to watch.

 
 

Needless to say, I lived the cruise life + really treated myself, and I so enjoyed all the good food + all the dirty martinis that came my way.  In that same vein, it made me miss my kitchen.  Having the opportunity to get back in my home kitchen + back to ending the day trying a new recipe was something I was so looking forward to.  And how lucky that this week also gave us our first tastes of Fall?  Seemed like the perfect time to dive back into the world of pumpkin.  I also had my first pumpkin spice latte of the season as soon as I got off the cruise ship, so I think my tastebuds are ready for all the Fall things.

This pasta checked all the boxes.  A thick pumpkin sauce, the perfect hit of spice from the chorizo (pumpkin + chorizo is seriously a 10/10 pairing), savory, cheesy, and just so good.  And the walnut sage crumble on top?  Holy cow - I never want another pumpkin pasta without it.  It was such a good dinner, and one that has the whole “I’m sad it’s gone” effect when you eat the last bite.  It hit the spot for a cozy dinner at home + got me excited to be cooking again.  I think this might be one recipe we definitely reach for again this holiday season!

 
 

For the pasta

  • 2 tbsp EVOO

  • 1 shallot, diced

  • 3 garlic cloves, minced

  • 1-12-ounce package of soyrizo

  • 1 tbsp tomato paste

  • 1-15 ounce can of pumpkin

  • salt + pepper

  • 1/2 tsp red pepper flakes

  • 1/8 tsp nutmeg

  • 1/2 c. heavy cream

  • 1/2 c. parmesan + more for garnish

  • 1 lb. dried pasta, like rigatoni or cavatappi

For the walnut crumble

  • 1.5 tbsp butter

  • 1/2 c. walnuts, roughly chopped

  • 2 tbsp fresh sage, chopped

  • pinch of salt

For the walnut crumble - Start by placing a small skillet over medium heat. Add in the butter + let it cook until it begins to bubble. Add in the walnut, sage, and a pinch of salt. Let the nuts toast for 5-8 minutes, stirring regularly and reducing the heat to medium-low after about 2 minutes. Stir regularly. The sage should be crispy + toasted. Remove the walnut mixture from the skillet + let it rest on a plate at room temperature.

For the pasta - Place a large skillet over medium heat + also place a large, salted pot of of water over high heat. Add the EVOO to the skillet. Add in the shallot + garlic, and cook for 3-4 minutes. Add in the soyrizo + cook with the veggies for about 10 minutes. Stir the mixture regularly + break up the soyrizo with a spatula as it cooks. Stir in the tomato paste + cook for 2 minutes. Add in the pumpkin puree, a pinch of salt + pepper, the red pepper flakes, and the nutmeg. Reduce the heat to medium low + cook for about 5 minutes. Stir in the cream + parmesan, stirring to incorporate the cheese and cream with the pumpkin. Keep the sauce uncovered over low heat.

Move to cooking the pasta - cooking the noodles until they add al dente. After the noodles have finished cooking, add a half cup of the pasta water to the pumpkin pasta + bring the sauce back to a simmer. Proceed to drain the noodles + mix them into the pumpkin sauce. Cook to thoroughly coat the noodles. Reduce the heat back to low + cover the skillet. Cook for 10 more minutes.

Spoon the pasta into warm bowls. Sprinkle some of the walnut crumble + a pinch of extra parm on top of the pasta. Grab a fork and enjoy.

Lesley ZehnerComment