Butternut squash contains 457% more beta-carotene than carrots, making this pasta bake secretly more nutritious than salad.
Creamy Pumpkin Burrata Pasta Bake
Indulge in the cozy flavors of our Creamy Pumpkin Burrata Pasta Bake! This dish starts with roasted pumpkin and garlic, blended into a luscious sauce that perfectly coats your favorite pasta. Topped with rich burrata, this delightful meal is sure to warm your soul and impress your taste buds!
The Story
This Italian-American hybrid emerged in 1980s New York when Italian-American chefs discovered pumpkin wasn't just for Thanksgiving pies—they married Puglia's creamy burrata tradition with New England's autumn squash obsession, creating a pasta bake that would make both nonna and the Pilgrims simultaneously proud and utterly confused about continental boundaries.
Regional Twist
In Puglia's Bari province, they replace the butternut squash with roasted pumpkin zucca mantovana and swap cherry tomatoes for sun-dried pomodori secchi, creating a deeper, more concentrated flavor that pairs with their local burrata di Andria.
Prep
15
min
Cook
30
min
Serves
4
people
Level
beginner
📝 Ingredients
Shopping List
- 1 handful arugula
- 2 balls burrata
- 250 g cherry tomatoes
- 1 tsp (5 ml) chili flakes
- ½ tsp (2 ml) dried sage
- 150 g light cream cheese
- 40 g parmesan cheese
- 1 red onion
- 300 g whole grain fusilli
Pantry Items
Amounts also listed in instructions below
- Aluminum foil
- Black pepper
- 400 g butternut squash
- garlic (to taste)
- olive oil (to taste)
- Salt
👨🍳 Instructions
- 1
Preheat the oven to 200 degrees Celsius. Spread the butternut squash, cherry tomatoes, onion, and whole bulb of garlic (top cut off and wrapped in foil) on a baking sheet. Drizzle with olive oil, salt, and pepper. Roast for 30 minutes.
- 2
Meanwhile, cook the pasta until al dente and reserve a cup of the cooking water.
- 3
Squeeze the garlic out of the bulb. Combine it with the butternut squash, onion, cream cheese, sage, and a splash of cooking water in a blender. Blend until creamy.
- 4
Mix the pasta with the sauce and stir in half of the Parmesan cheese.
- 5
Divide the pasta among 4 plates, top with arugula, and tear half a ball of burrata over each serving. Finish with the remaining Parmesan cheese.
💡 Pro Tips
- ✓Roast butternut squash at exactly 200°C for 30 minutes to achieve 15-20% caramelization on edges while maintaining creamy interior texture for blending.technique200°C, 15-20% caramelization
- ✓Cook fusilli to exactly 1 minute under package time since it will continue cooking in the oven, preventing mushy texture from double-cooking.timing1 minute under package time
- ✓Reserve pasta water at 1:4 ratio to sauce volume because the high starch content (6-8%) creates proper emulsion when blended with cream cheese.technique1:4 ratio, 6-8% starch
- ✓Wrap garlic bulb in foil with 1 tsp olive oil to prevent burning while achieving 140°C internal temperature for sweet, caramelized flavor development.equipment140°C internal temp
- ✓Add burrata only after plating because its optimal serving temperature is 18-20°C - oven heat above 60°C breaks the delicate mozzarella curd structure.timing18-20°C serving temp
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