Frugal Foodie Mama: Brown Butter Pumpkin Alfredo

Thursday, November 1, 2018

Brown Butter Pumpkin Alfredo

This creamy & decadent Brown Butter Pumpkin Alfredo sauce with fettuccine is perfect fall comfort food...



This creamy & decadent Brown Butter Pumpkin Alfredo sauce with fettuccine is perfect fall comfort food.









Up until today's post, I had never made brown butter before... or used it in a recipe. And honestly? I have no clue why. For some odd reason, I had always been intimidated by the thought of making it. 






Maybe it is because I had it in my head that making brown butter was some sort of delicate, fancy French cooking technique that I was sure to mess up. (I mean, the French do refer to it as beurre noisette- sounds fancy, right?) But that couldn't be farther from the truth, you all.






Brown butter is so super easy to make! It literally consists of one ingredient- unsalted butter. And if you can simply swirl butter in a pan for a few minutes, then can you too can successfully make brown butter. ;) Looking back, I feel silly now that I avoided trying to make it for so long. 






For my very first recipe on the blog using brown butter, I decided to add it to a decadent, creamy homemade Alfredo sauce. But this isn't just any Alfredo sauce, folks. It is a dreamy, comforting pumpkin Alfredo sauce that is perfect for fall...











This creamy & decadent Brown Butter Pumpkin Alfredo sauce with fettuccine is perfect fall comfort food.








So why use brown butter in this Alfredo recipe and not just simply melt the butter & be done with it? The brown butter adds a deeper level of richness that plain melted butter just doesn't. 






Plus, brown butter tends to have a nutty flavor that pairs perfectly with the pumpkin in this cheesy pasta sauce. 








This creamy & decadent Brown Butter Pumpkin Alfredo sauce with fettuccine is perfect fall comfort food.








A few tips for making this rich & creamy Alfredo sauce:



  • I simply paired this homemade Brown Butter Pumpkin Alfredo Sauce with fettuccine, but it would also be amazing served over gnocchi or cheese ravioli. 
  • Not a big fan of pumpkin? Trying swapping out the pumpkin puree in this sauce for pureed butternut squash instead.
  • You could totally skip the crispy sage leaves, but as your friend I have to strongly advise against that. ;) Trust me- the crispy sage is a game changer for this dish.
  • When it comes to the Parmesan cheese in this sauce, don't skimp! This sauce deserves a good quality shredded or shaved Parmesan cheese. My personal favorite to use in this sauce is Sartori Shaved Classic Parmesan.








This creamy & decadent Brown Butter Pumpkin Alfredo sauce with fettuccine is perfect fall comfort food.















Yield: Serves 6-8 

Brown Butter Pumpkin Alfredo

prep time: 10 mins cook time: 30 mins total time: 40 mins

ingredients:


  • 3 tbsp unsalted butter
  • 3-5 garlic cloves, peeled & minced
  • 1 cup of pumpkin puree
  • 2 cups of heavy cream
  • 1 cup shredded or shaved Parmesan cheese, + additional cheese for garnishing
  • Salt & pepper, to taste
  • 8-10 fresh sage leaves
  • 3 tbsp olive oil
  • 8-12 oz of cooked fettuccine noodles

instructions

Heat a large skillet over medium-low heat. Add in the butter. Continuously swirl the butter in the pan until it becomes light brown in color & smells nutty- about 3-5 minutes.

Turn the heat up to medium-high and add in the minced garlic. Saute for about 2 minutes. Using a whisk, add in the pumpkin puree and heavy cream. Turn the heat down to medium & continue simmering until thickened. Once thickened add in the Parmesan cheese & whisk until smooth.

While the sauce is simmering, prepare the fettuccine according to the package directions & drain. 
Heat the olive oil in a small skillet over medium-high heat. Once heated, add in the sage leaves & cook 2-3 seconds per side until crispy. Immediately transfer to a paper towel lined plate & sprinkle with a little kosher salt. Set aside.

Once the sauce is ready, add in the cooked pasta and toss well. Serve topped with additional Parmesan cheese & the crispy sage leaves. Enjoy!

Store any leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days. 
Created using The Recipes Generator











Have you made brown butter before?
What are some of your favorite recipes to use it in?







Looking for even more recipes using browned butter? Then be sure to check out the recipes from my fellow food blogger friends below...






Love the richness & nuttiness of brown butter? Then be sure to try out this collection of 12 Brown Butter Recipes


















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