It’s pumpkin season. It’s pasta season! Let’s get after both with this spicy cajun pumpkin fettuccine.

Can you believe I’m sharing another pasta dish on the heels of another just a few weeks ago? Who am I?

I’m a girl that can now eat pasta, and I’m embracing the heck out of it.

If you knew me when, you knew that despite having tolerance for other more general forms of gluten, pasta – I couldn’t do. Let’s just say that the effects were unpleasant. So I tip-toed my way into dinner in Italy last spring, thinking when in Rome, it would be what it would be. But wouldn’t you know one plate of linguini with clams later that I was FINE. Like, totally fine. And speaking to some gluten-less tolerant friends, they’ve all had the same experience.

Light bulb.

What if it wasn’t ALL pasta, but certain types of pasta? Since coming home, I’ve become quite particular about the pasta I’m buying and it turns out anything made in the motherland (ie, Italy) does just swell by me.

With this newfound knowledge, I started getting grabby with any imported, Italian-made pasta I could find.

Luckily, the folks at Zingerman’s Deli have quite the selection of artisan pasta to choose from, so I grabbed some of all shapes and sizes and threw together dish after dish with nary a concern.

But what, exactly makes this different? You’ve heard me get on my soapbox before about the quality of US foodstuffs compared to what I’ve eaten anywhere else in the world and that is exactly what makes this so different. It’s not only in the ingredients, but in the process and Italy takes it seriously enough to do it right. It is an art, after all.

In short, using high-quality semolina (rather than ordinary wheat flour) and very particular water combined with a slow, gently kneaded dough pressed through bronze (not teflon) dies and dried in special machines are all necessary for the perfect strand of pasta, which weirdly actually has more gluten than regular wheat pasta. Try some and you’ll certainly taste and feel the difference (both from a texture perspective, and if you’re like me, a tummy perspective).

(For more info on the entire process behind artisan pasta making, check out this blog post by Zingerman’s)

Now, this dish. While most people think of pumpkin for sweets (breads, cakes, etc) , I love using it this time of the year for savory dishes and each year it seems I come up with a new favorite. This spicy cajun pumpkin fettuccine is this year’s.

The inspo for this comes slightly from the cajun fettuccine I made years ago, but I love this version because it’s decidedly fall and the pumpkin adds creaminess without adding actual cream. This can be made veggie or carnivore friendly, and the latter has in some blackened chicken and andouille sausage for a true cajun kick.

Whichever way you go, it’s so gourd you won’t believe it!

Looking for more? Check out last year’s favorite five spice pumpkin pasta. MMMMM!

Shop Zingerman’s Deli’s pasta palooza sale and stock up on your favorite artisan pastas!

Spicy Cajun Pumpkin Fettuccine

October 12, 2023

Servings: 2

Prep: 5 min

Cook: 25 min

Total: 30 min

Difficulty: Easy

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Spicy Cajun Pumpkin Fettuccine is a chicken and sausage pasta with a cajun-inspired pumpkin sauce base that can easily be made vegetarian.

By: Chrissy

Ingredients

4 ounces artisan fettuccine noodles, uncooked
4 boneless, skinless chicken thighs
2 links smoked andouille sausage, sliced on a bias
2 TB extra virgin olive oil
2 TB blackened seasoning
1 cup chopped yellow onion
4 cloves garlic, minced
1 tsp chili powder
1 tsp hot Hungarian paprika
1/2 tsp fine sea salt
1 tsp dried oregano
1/2 tsp cayenne pepper
1/2 cup canned pumpkin puree
1/2 cup chicken or vegetable stock
2 TB plain, nonfat Greek yogurt (optional)
parlsey, to garnish
hot sauce, to serve

Directions

Step 1 Cook the fettuccine according to package directions. Set aside.
Step 2 Season the chicken thighs on both sides with the blackened seasoning.
Step 3 In a large saute pan, add the olive oil and cook the chicken, thighs in a single layer, 3-4 minutes on each side until cooked through. Add the sausage to the pan at the same time to let brown while the chicken cooks.
Step 4 Once the chicken has cooked, remove the chicken and sausage from the pan. Set aside to let the juices redistribute, about 5 mintues. Slice on a bias.
Step 5 Add the onion, garlic and spices, and cook until the onions are soft, about 4-5 minutes. Add the pumpkin puree, stock and yogurt and mix well.
Step 6 Transfer the sauce to either a deeper pot and using an immersion blender, puree until smooth. Alternatively, transfer to a stand blender and puree until smooth.
Step 7 Add the sauce back to the saute pan, as well as the chicken, sausage and cooked noodles. Toss until all combined, and garnish with parsley. Serve immediately.