Cilantro Pesto Pasta with Roasted Pumpkin & Honey
Incredible cilantro pesto pasta with roasted pumpkin, honey and a sprinkle of red chili flakes. This vegetarian pumpkin pesto pasta recipe is a delicious, fall take on regular pesto pasta with the addition of sweet & spicy roasted pumpkin, pepitas and plenty of cozy spices. Enjoy on its own or with your favorite proteins for the perfect main dish or side!
Servings 4 servings
Calories 491cal
Ingredients
- For the honey roasted pumpkin:
- 3-4 cups cubed pumpkin
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 tablespoon honey
- ½ teaspoon chili powder
- 1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
- ¼ teaspoon cayenne pepper
- Freshly ground salt and pepper
- For the pesto:
- 1 heaping handful cilantro (about 1 small bunch cilantro)
- 2 cups spinach
- 1/2 cup roasted pistachios (unsalted is best)
- 2 tablespoons roasted pumpkin seeds (pepitas)
- 1 small garlic clove
- 2-3 tablespoons olive oil
- 2 tablespoons water to thin the pesto
- 1 tablespoon fresh lime juice (from ½ lime)
- 1/4 teaspoon salt, plus more to taste
- Freshly ground black pepper
- For the pasta:
- 10 ounces cavatappi pasta (or pasta of choice)
- To garnish:
- 1-2 tablespoons honey
- Roasted pumpkin seeds (pepitas)
- ½ teaspoon red chili flakes (add ½ teaspoon more if you like it a little more spicy!)
- Freshly ground salt and pepper
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F. Line a large baking sheet with parchment paper.
- Place pumpkin cubes on the prepared pan. If you don’t know how to cube a pumpkin, refer to this tutorial. Drizzle with olive oil and sprinkle with honey, chilli powder, garlic powder, cayenne pepper and salt and pepper. Use tongs or clean hands to toss the pumpkin with the spices and honey so that it’s evenly coated. Roast for 30-35 minutes or until pumpkin cubes are fork tender, flipping halfway through to ensure even cooking.
- While the pumpkin is roasting, you can make the pesto: add the spinach, cilantro, pistachios, pepitas, garlic, olive oil, water, lime juice, salt and pepper to a food processor and process until smooth, scraping down the sides and processing again, as necessary.
- Next cook your pasta according to the directions on the package. When done, drain and add to a large bowl and stir in the pesto so that all the noodles are coated. Finally add in the roasted pumpkin. Drizzle with honey and garnish with roasted pepitas and red chili flakes. Taste and add salt and pepper as necessary. Give it a small toss again and then enjoy. This recipe is fabulous with grilled chicken or bacon tossed in, or with salmon. Serves 4 as a main or 6 as a side. Enjoy!
Notes
Feel free to use butternut squash cubes or sweet potatoes instead of pumpkin.
If you want a little tang, feel free to add ¼ cup of goat cheese crumbles to the pasta. Fresh grated parmesan on top is also fabulous.
Keep the recipe nut free but using all roasted pepitas, instead of pistachios, in the pesto itself.
Nutrition
Serving: 1serving (based on 4) | Calories: 491cal | Carbohydrates: 68.7g | Protein: 14.1g | Fat: 18.9g | Saturated Fat: 2.6g | Fiber: 5.1g | Sugar: 10g