The pasta with pumpkin and kale is a warm and creamy dish perfect for autumn and winter. The pumpkin is cooked until it becomes a cream to which we add the kale and then the pasta is cooked like a risotto. Everything is cooked in one pot and in less than 30 minutes, we get a complete dish because at the end of cooking, we add crumbled feta which will give a boost of flavor to this very creamy and delicate pasta. We love to prepare this pasta for dinner because it’s a dish that is pleasant to eat hot especially when it’s colder, and it’s also healthy because it’s rich in seasonal vegetables, not to mention that it’s definitely tasty.
The preparation is very simple: we sauté a chopped onion and add the pumpkin cut into cubes along with some rosemary and chili pepper. We cover with water or boiling broth and let it cook until the pumpkin is soft. We add the kale, cover with water, and then the pasta adding more boiling water or vegetable broth until it is perfectly cooked. We serve the pasta with crumbled feta and olive oil.
For this dish, we used delica pumpkin but of course, you can use other types of pumpkin like butternut or mantovana. Kale is perfect in these warm dishes and we generally love it in soups and broths, but if we want we can replace it with spinach or other leafy greens. As for the pasta shape, we used orzo but naturally, if we have another type of small pasta at home, we can use that like stars or bow ties. And for the feta, we can choose to use it in a vegan version.
Check out also:
- Difficulty: Very Easy
- Cost: Very Affordable
- Preparation time: 5 Minutes
- Portions: 4 People
- Cooking methods: Stove Top
- Cuisine: Soups, Broths and Creams
- Seasonality: Autumn, Winter
Ingredients for Pasta with Pumpkin and Kale
- 12.3 oz small pasta (like orzo)
- 1.76 lbs delica pumpkin
- 7 oz kale
- 7 oz feta
- 4.2 cups water (or vegetable broth)
- rosemary
- chili flakes
- extra virgin olive oil
- salt
Tools for Preparing Pasta with Pumpkin and Kale
- 1 Saucepan
- Wooden Spoon
- Stove Top
How to Prepare Pasta with Pumpkin and Kale
Start preparing the pasta with pumpkin and kale by first cleaning the pumpkin, removing the skin and seeds, and cutting it into cubes.
Pour the olive oil into a large pot/saucepan and add a chopped onion. Let it sauté for a few minutes.
Add the pumpkin and let it flavor for a few minutes.
Flavor with chopped rosemary, chili flakes, and add hot water or boiling broth. Cook covered over low heat for 15-20 minutes until the pumpkin is soft.
Cut the kale into strips after washing, drying, and removing the leaves. Add it to the pot with another glass of hot water or broth.
At this point, add the pasta, adjust the salt, and cook it, adding boiling broth or water as needed.
Plate the pumpkin and kale pasta by adding crumbled feta and a drizzle of olive oil to each plate.
Serve the Pasta with Pumpkin and Kale hot.
Storage, Tips, and Variations
You can store Pasta with Pumpkin and Kale for a couple of days in the fridge. When reheating, just add hot water or broth to make it creamy again.
You can blend the pumpkin with an immersion blender if you prefer an even creamier pasta.
You can add legumes like beans, lentils, or chickpeas to make it similar to kale and chickpea soup.
For a vegan version, replace the feta with vegan feta. Alternatively, you can omit any type of cheese.
You can use any type of pumpkin you prefer, replacing the delica pumpkin with butternut or mantovana pumpkin.
Instead of kale, you can use spinach or chard.
For small pasta, you can choose various shapes besides orzo like stars, bow ties, or peppercorns.
