Spicy Korean gochujang pairs wonderfully with creamy pumpkin in this quick and easy fall pasta dish.

Craig brings to the table both culinary expertise and professional experience gathered from his time in various restaurants. He is a passionate reader of food media and a devoted cook, having honed his skills in recipe testing and development throughout his culinary education and restaurant career.

Food & Wine / Photo by Victor Protasio / Food Styling by Jennifer Wendorf / Prop Styling by Claire Spollen

Pumpkin, cream, and gochujang blend seamlessly with tomato paste to create a rich, spicy, and satisfying pasta alla vodka. Use paccheri pasta to soak up as much sauce as possible; its large tubes are perfect for holding the hearty flavors of the dish. Gochujang, the savory Korean chili paste, balances the sweetness of the pumpkin; feel free to adjust the quantity to suit your taste preferences and spice tolerance. If you like, add chopped fresh cilantro or scallions for an extra touch of color.

Vodka sauce is a flavorful tomato-based sauce that uses vodka instead of wine, providing an enhanced complexity, acidity, and richness. The addition of cream gives it an incredibly luxurious texture.

You can substitute vodka with other types of alcohol like white wine, red wine, brandy, or sherry. If you prefer to avoid alcohol altogether, you can use chicken broth, vegetable broth, or even apple juice as a replacement. 

It’s important to reserve a significant amount of pasta cooking water for this recipe, as it helps in thinning out the pumpkin. Make sure to save more pasta water than you anticipate needing to guarantee you have sufficient amounts available.

For storage, keep the sauce in an airtight container in the refrigerator, where it will last for up to four days.

12 ounces of paccheri or rigatoni pasta

1/2 teaspoon of kosher salt, plus additional for the pasta cooking water

3 tablespoons of unsalted butter

1 medium yellow onion, chopped (approximately 1 1/4 cups)

4 garlic cloves, finely chopped

1/4 cup gochujang

2 tablespoons tomato paste

1/2 cup vodka

1 cup canned pumpkin

1 cup heavy whipping cream

2 ounces Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese, grated, plus additional for garnish (approximately 1/2 cup)

1 teaspoon fish sauce (optional)

Cracked black pepper

In a large saucepan or pot, bring salted water to a boil and cook the pasta according to the instructions on the package until it reaches an al dente texture, which should take around 10 to 12 minutes. After cooking, drain the pasta, but make sure to reserve 1 1/2 cups of the cooking water.

While the pasta is cooking, melt some butter in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the onion along with a pinch of salt, and sauté, stirring frequently, until the onion is softened and translucent, which should take about 8 to 10 minutes. Add the minced garlic during the last minute of this cooking time.

Next, add the gochujang and tomato paste to the skillet. Cook over medium heat while stirring constantly until the mixture darkens in color, which will take around 2 minutes. Pour in the vodka and continue to stir, scraping up any browned bits that have settled at the bottom of the pan. Cook until most of the alcohol has evaporated, approximately 2 minutes.

Incorporate the pumpkin and cream into the mix, allowing it to simmer over medium heat. Next, introduce the cooked pasta, cheese, and half a cup of the reserved pasta cooking water. Continue cooking, stirring frequently, until the sauce becomes glossy and clings to the pasta. Adjust the consistency by adding the pasta cooking water, two tablespoons at a time, as needed, which should take around three minutes. Once finished, remove from heat and stir in the fish sauce, if desired. Serve the dish evenly in four bowls, topping it with additional grated Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese and a sprinkle of cracked black pepper.