Fall Pasta Recipes You'll Love — Jessie Barnes Bernhardt

We're heading to Minneapolis in a few weeks to visit family and I'm so excited. A trip to Minneapolis in the fall has become a tradition for us. Kyle went to school there and since we met 4 years ago, we've visited his family there every year around this time (starting right a few months after we started dating). I'll be the first one to admit, the first time we went I did not have high hopes for the city. Growing up on the East Coast, I really didn't know much about the Minneapolis/ St. Paul area and I just wasn't sure what to expect. I was pleasantly surprised when I realized how great the city was during our first trip.

One of the best parts about Minneapolis is the food scene. There are a ton of incredible restaurants. Being that it's the midwest, there are so many places with incredible comfort food options and let's just say I always bring my stretchy pants. One of the best meals I've had there (and possibly ever?!) was at a nondescript Italian restaurant nestled in a St. Paul neighborhood. We feasted on pasta until we couldn't fit anymore in our bellies and it was marvelous.

I wasn't always a huge pasta person. It was a food that I felt indifferent about for most of my life, I could take it or leave it, but I think the pasta at this restaurant changed me forever. Over the past few years, it's become one of my favorite things to cook. I love how versatile it is as a base. You can add a ton of ingredients together, or keep it as simple as garlic and butter. It's absolutely delicious either way.

Fall flavors and seasonal vegetables are a lovely addition to pasta dishes. I love using butternut squash, pumpkin, browned butter and even brussels sprouts. There are so many ways to tweak pasta recipes and make them fit your taste perfectly. Swap out the vegetables for your favorites, or add more on top of what's already there.

If you need some help getting started or some inspiration, here are 5 pasta recipes from some of my favorite bloggers that I'll be cooking over the next few months.