Lean into cozy fall nights with this quick and easy Gemelli Pasta with Caramelized Pears and Gorgonzola Sauce. Tender corkscrew pasta blankets with a velvety cream sauce and dotted with sweet, juicy caramelized pears is a weeknight dream come true.

Pasta with pears and gorgonzola cream sauce in a skillet


This post is sponsored by Pasta Garofalo®. The opinions and text are all mine.

Gemelli Pasta with Caramelized Pears

As much as we love to go out for a nice dinner, we would much rather not leave the house when the weather turns colder. Staying in with a big bowl of homemade pasta and a crisp salad is our go-to when we can’t bear the cold. 

And this Gemelli Pasta with Caramelized Pears and Gorgonzola Cream Sauce is one of our favorite fall meals because it’s super quick to get on the table. Made with Pasta Garofalo®, this dish is seriously restaurant worthy in every sense of the word.

Pasta Garofalo is a gourmet pasta you can find at your local Fresh Market, online or several other online retailers. Made in Italy, it’s created with 100% highest-quality Durum Wheat Semolina and the brand is more than 200 years old. It’s superior quality makes it a must have in my pantry for an enhanced mealtime experience without leaving the house.

How To Make Gemelli Pasta with Pears

One of my favorite things about this pasta with gorgonzola and pears is that it cooks quickly. On the table in just 30 minutes, you can round out the dinner with a crisp, seasonal salad for a bit of freshness.

  1. Cook the pasta in a big pot of salted water until al dente.
  2. Drain (reserving 1 cup of the pasta water) and set aside.
  3. While the pasta cooks, make the sauce.
  4. Melt the butter in a saucepan over medium heat.
  5. Add the shallots and garlic. Cook until softened.
  6. Stir in the cream and bring to a simmer.
  7. Add the nutmeg, gorgonzola and parmesan, stir until smooth.
  8. Stir in the lemon and zest.
  9. Simmer for 5-10 minutes until slightly thickened.
  10. Melt the remaining butter in a skillet over medium high heat.
  11. Add the pears to the pan and saute until softened.
  12. Stir in the brown sugar and toss the pears to coat.
  13. Remove from the heat.
  14. Add the pasta to the sauce and toss to coat. (If the sauce still seams thin, stir in a bit of the pasta water to thicken.)
  15. Top the pasta with the pears and serve immediately with crumbled gorgonzola.
Pasta with pears in a gray bowl with a skillet above it.

What To Serve With Gemelli Pasta

We love to keep things simple because the flavors in this pasta are out of this world. A crisp Wedge Salad or seasonal salad will usually due the trick.

If you’re looking for something a little more hearty, top with sliced chicken cutlets or serve with a side of garlic knots and broccoli rabe.

Pasta on a fork with a bowl below.

Can I use other pasta shapes?

You can certainly use any shape pasta you want with this recipe. Pasta Garofalo® has a wide variety of pasta shapes like linguine and Orecchiette. They also have both regular and Organic pasta varieties to choose from.

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Get the Recipe: Gemelli Pasta with Caramelized Pears and Gorgonzola Sauce Recipe

Yield: 6
Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cook Time: 15 minutes
Total Time: 25 minutes
Easy and quick Gemelli Pasta with Caramelized Pears with Gorgonzola Cream Sauce is a spectacular dinner for elegant weekends or simple weeknight dinners!
5 from 2 votes
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Ingredients

  • 1 pound Gemelli Pasta
  • 8 tablespoons salted butter, divided
  • 2 shallots, finely minced
  • 2 garlic cloves, minced
  • 1 1/2 cups heavy cream
  • 1/2 cup milk
  • 6 ounces gorgonzola cheese, crumbled (plus more for garnish, if desired)
  • 1/4 cup grated parmesan cheese
  • 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
  • 1/2 teaspoon fresh black pepper
  • 1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
  • Juice and zest of 1 lemon
  • 3 Bosc pears, cored and thinly sliced
  • 2 tablespoons dark brown sugar
  • 1/4 cup chopped pecans

Equipment

  • skillet

Instructions 

  • Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil over high heat.
  • Add the pasta to the water and cook until al dente, approximately 8 minutes.
  • Drain the pasta, reserving 1 cup of the cooking liquid, and set aside.
  • While the pasta is cooking, melt 4 tablespoons butter in a large skillet over medium heat.
  • Stir in the shallots and garlic. Cook until softened and fragrant.
  • Whisk in the heavy cream and milk. Turn the heat to low and bring to a simmer.
  • Stir in the cheeses, salt, pepper and nutmeg. Cook, stirring constantly, until smooth. Stir in the lemon juice and zest; keep warm.
  • In a separate skillet, melt the remaining butter over medium high heat.
  • Add the pears to the skillet and cook until softened.
  • Stir in the sugar and toss the pears to coat. Remove from the heat.
  • Add the pasta to the sauce in the skillet and toss to coat.
  • Top the pasta with the pears and sprinkle with crumbled gorgonzola.
  • Top with the pecans. Serve immediately.

Notes

Best served immediately after cooking.
Calories: 519kcal, Carbohydrates: 77g, Protein: 13g, Fat: 18g, Saturated Fat: 11g, Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g, Monounsaturated Fat: 5g, Trans Fat: 1g, Cholesterol: 46mg, Sodium: 407mg, Potassium: 348mg, Fiber: 6g, Sugar: 16g, Vitamin A: 559IU, Vitamin C: 5mg, Calcium: 107mg, Iron: 1mg
Author: Kellie
Course: Dinner, lunch
Cuisine: American, Italian