Pumpkin Gouda Stuffed Shells (Printable View)

Golden pasta shells filled with pumpkin and smoked Gouda, baked in rich brown butter sage Alfredo sauce

# What You'll Need:

→ Pasta

01 - 24 jumbo pasta shells
02 - 1 tablespoon kosher salt for pasta water

→ Pumpkin & Gouda Filling

03 - 1.5 cups pumpkin purée, unsweetened
04 - 1 cup whole milk ricotta cheese
05 - 1.5 cups smoked Gouda cheese, shredded
06 - 0.5 cup finely grated Parmesan cheese
07 - 1 large egg
08 - 1 tablespoon fresh sage, finely chopped
09 - 0.5 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg
10 - 0.5 teaspoon garlic powder
11 - 0.75 teaspoon kosher salt
12 - 0.5 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
13 - Pinch cayenne pepper
14 - 2-3 tablespoons heavy cream or milk as needed

→ Brown Butter & Sage Alfredo Sauce

15 - 6 tablespoons unsalted butter
16 - 8-10 fresh sage leaves
17 - 2 cloves garlic, minced
18 - 1.5 cups heavy cream
19 - 0.75 cup finely grated Parmesan cheese
20 - 0.25 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg
21 - 0.5-0.75 teaspoon kosher salt
22 - 0.5 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
23 - 0.25 cup low-sodium vegetable or chicken broth

→ Assembly & Topping

24 - 0.75 cup smoked Gouda cheese, shredded
25 - 0.25 cup finely grated Parmesan cheese
26 - Extra sage leaves for garnish
27 - Freshly ground black pepper for serving

# How To Make It:

01 - Preheat oven to 375°F. Lightly grease a 9x13-inch baking dish with butter or nonstick spray.
02 - Bring large pot of water to boil. Add 1 tablespoon kosher salt and jumbo shells. Cook until just barely al dente, 1-2 minutes less than package directions. Drain and rinse under cool water. Lay shells on lightly oiled tray to prevent sticking.
03 - In large bowl, combine pumpkin purée, ricotta, smoked Gouda, Parmesan, egg, sage, nutmeg, garlic, salt, pepper, and cayenne. Stir until smooth. If very stiff, add heavy cream or milk a little at a time to loosen. Taste and adjust seasoning. Cover and refrigerate.
04 - In medium saucepan, melt butter over medium heat. Add sage leaves and cook, swirling, until butter foams and browns, 4-6 minutes. Butter should smell nutty with brown specks. Remove from heat. Lift out sage leaves and drain on paper towels. Reserve for garnish.
05 - Return brown butter to low heat. Add garlic and sauté 30-60 seconds until fragrant. Stir in heavy cream. Bring to gentle simmer over medium-low heat.
06 - Reduce heat to low. Gradually whisk in Parmesan, allowing each addition to melt before adding more. Season with nutmeg, salt, and pepper. If sauce is too thick, whisk in broth, a splash at a time, until pourable but still creamy. Keep warm.
07 - Spread 0.5-0.75 cup Alfredo sauce on bottom of prepared baking dish.
08 - Fill each shell with 2-3 tablespoons pumpkin filling. Arrange stuffed shells, open side up, in single snug layer in dish.
09 - Pour most of remaining Alfredo sauce evenly over and around shells. Top with shredded Gouda and grated Parmesan. Scatter reserved crisped sage over top.
10 - Cover dish loosely with foil, tenting to avoid sticking. Bake 20 minutes. Remove foil and bake 10-15 minutes more until bubbling and lightly golden. For more color, broil 1-3 minutes at end, watching closely.
11 - Let rest 5-10 minutes before serving. Drizzle with reserved Alfredo and garnish with fresh sage, black pepper, and extra Parmesan. Serve 3-4 shells per person with green salad, roasted vegetables, or crusty bread.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • The smoked Gouda adds a quiet richness that makes people pause mid-bite and ask what makes it taste so good.
  • It looks wildly impressive but comes together with pantry staples and one really goodcan of pumpkin.
  • You can make it entirely ahead and bake it whenever you need to feel like a genius without lifting a finger that day.
  • The brown butter sage Alfredo is the kind of sauce you'll want to bottle and drizzle on everything.
02 -
  • If you overcook the shells even a little, they'll split when you try to fill them, so set a timer and stay close.
  • Brown butter can go from nutty to burnt in seconds, so pull it off the heat the moment it smells like toasted nuts and has those brown flecks.
  • Let the dish rest after baking or the filling will ooze everywhere and you'll be chasing pumpkin across the plate.
03 -
  • Grate your own Parmesan and Gouda instead of using pre-shredded, it melts smoother and doesn't have that weird anti-caking powder.
  • Taste your filling before stuffing the shells and adjust the salt, it should be well-seasoned because pasta dilutes flavor.
  • If the Alfredo gets too thick while it sits, whisk in a splash of broth or pasta water to bring it back to life.
  • Use a small spoon or a piping bag to fill the shells if you want to feel fancy and avoid messy fingers.
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