A Fall-inspired aglio e olio recipe with gnocchi, broccoli rabe, and pumpkin. Elegant comfort food at it’s finest, with an easy garlic sauce made with ingredients you already have in your pantry!
How to cook broccoli rabe - with step by step photos
Heat 2 tablespoon olive oil in a saute pan or shallow pot large enough to hold the cooked pasta and veggies over medium heat. Roughly chop the broccoli rabe, season with salt (photo 1), and cook it in the oil for 6-8 minutes until bright and tender (photo 2).
You can serve the broccoli rabe as a side dish just like this, but I enjoy adding it to pasta since it is such a healthy superfood and that special, bitter flavor tastes great with pasta.
How to cook pumpkin for pasta
Preheat the oven to 350F. Cut the pumpkin in half lengthwise (photo 1). Scoop out the seeds with a spoon (photo 2). Place cut side down on a baking sheet (photo 3). Bake 30 minutes.
Let the pumpkin cool. Then, peel and cube. The peel should come off easily with your fingers.
Step by step pumpkin gnocchi
Save 1 ½ cups of pasta water before draining the gnocchi. Cook per the directions on the package.
Prepare your ingredients. To easily peel your garlic, smash the cloves with the side of your knife. Then peel and rough chop.
Heat ⅓ cup of olive oil over medium heat in a large pot big enough to hold the cooked pasta and veggies. Add the garlic and cook until fragrant. Do not let the garlic burn or brown, but golden is OK. Add the red pepper flakes and turn the heat down to low.
Carefully add the 1 ½ cups of reserved pasta water to the olive oil. Season with 1 teaspoon of salt and simmer for 5 minutes, until the liquid is reduced by ⅓.
Add the strained gnocchi to the olive oil sauce. Turn off the heat. Add the parmesan, parsley, and broccoli rabe. Mix well.
Add the roasted pumpkin. Gently toss to mix.
Serve immediately with plenty of extra parmesan.
Looking for more delicious weeknight pasta recipes? Here are some of my favorites:
- Spicy Tahini Baked Penne with Broccoli & Spinach
- Super Green Pesto Pasta Salad
- Pasta with Basil, Tomato, Arugula, & Pine Nuts
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Aglio e Olio Gnocchi with Broccoli Rabe & Pumpkin
Ingredients
- 1 sugar pie pumpkin
- 1 bunch broccoli rabe or rapini, roughly chopped
- 1 lb. gnocchi
- ⅓ cup good olive oil + 2 tbsp
- 8 large garlic cloves smashed and roughly chopped
- ½ teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
- ½ cup minced fresh parsley
- 1 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese plus extra for serving
Instructions
- Preheat to 350F.
- Cut the pumpkin in half lengthwise. Scoop out the seeds with a spoon. Place cut side down on a baking sheet. Bake 30 minutes.
- In the meantime, heat 2 tablespoon olive oil in a saute pan or shallow pot large enough to hold the cooked pasta and veggies over medium heat. Add the broccoli rabe, season with salt, and cook the broccoli rabe for 6-8 minutes until bright and tender. Remove and set aside.
- Add the gnocchi to the boiling water and cook according to the directions on the package. Save 1 ½ cups of pasta water before draining.
- Heat ½ cup of olive oil over medium heat in a large pot big enough to hold the cooked pasta and veggies. Add the garlic and cook until fragrant. Do not let the garlic burn or brown, but golden is OK. Add the red pepper flakes and turn the heat down to low.
- Carefully add the 1 ½ cups of reserved pasta water to the olive oil. Season with 1 teaspoon of salt and simmer for 5 minutes, until the liquid is reduced by ⅓.
- In the meantime, the pumpkin should be ready. Remove from the oven, peel, and cube.
- Add the strained gnocchi to the olive oil sauce. Turn off the heat. Add the parmesan, parsley, and broccoli rabe. Mix well.
- Add the roasted pumpkin. Gently toss to mix. Serve immediately.
SHANIKA
I've never tried making or eating gnocchi, but this dish looks so amazing! Broccoli rabe is a fave of mine and I love the tip on making it right! It came out great! Will definitely be making this dish often.
Candice
So glad you enjoyed it, Shanika! Broccoli rabe is one of those unique flavors not everyone likes, definitely a love or hate kind of thing. I have a friend who it's her favorite veggie of all time, and I always try to treat her with a special dish like this.
Sara
We LOVE aglio e olio, and gnocchi! This is such a comforting and brilliant fall dish. What a perfect step-by-step guide for everything, too. This is definitely going on the seasonal rotation! Thank you!
Candice
That makes me so happy to hear, Sara... glad to hear it's going in the seasonal rotation!
Kate
The colors in this recipe are so beautiful, I love the combination of orange and green. Very seasonal and looks beautiful. Plus, it was delicious!
Candice
Makes me so happy to hear, Kate! Glad you enjoyed.
Rebecca Blackwell
This recipe is pure fall comfort food in all its glory. Seriously so delicious. Next time I make it, I'm going to try it with butternut squash just for kicks. I'm sure it will be just as yummy. Thanks for a great recipe!
Candice
LOVE the idea to try it with butternut squash next time... it will be great! And glad to hear you enjoyed it... fall comfort is so important!
Anne Lawton
Broccoli rabe is one of my favorite veggies, I love that the combination of ingredients in this dish, it's just perfect for the fall. So we made it the day after I saw it in my email, and we loved it! Great recipe. Can't wait to make it again.
Candice
This makes me so happy to hear, Anne! Broccoli rabe isn't for everyone, but for those of us who love it, this dish is a favorite! Glad to hear you enjoyed it!
Jacqui Debono
This was gorgeous! And even better, everyone loved it. Such an interesting, fancy, flavor combination... felt like an inexpensive way to enjoy a fancy, restaurant-quality meal. And your photographs are beautiful!
Candice
Thank you so much for your kind words, Jacqui! Glad to hear you enjoyed it.
Colleen
Not only does this look incredibly delicious, but it's beautiful, too. And healthy. A winner in every way. Pinned, tried, loved.
Candice
So glad to hear you loved it, Colleen!
Michelle
These flavors go so well together. What a beautiful meal for fall. I love broccoli rabe especially when it is sauteed like this. This is a great idea to serve with gnocchi. Will definitely be making this again!
Candice
Glad to hear you enjoyed it, Michelle!
Ben
That looks really good. I would have never thought to pair pumpkin with broccoli rabbe, so I had to give this a try. It was great. Will be making again.
Candice
That is wonderful, Ben! So glad to hear you'll be making it again. It's a great one, especially during Fall when pumpkins are abundant!
Patti
I love aglio e olio, but I have never considered using gnocchi, but it is the perfect choice because of how the garlic oil sauce sticks to it. I love the use of broccoli rabe an pumpkin, too. Amazing flavor combination. I will be making this often.
Candice
Thank you so much for sharing this with me, Patti... glad to hear you enjoyed it!