Butternut Squash Pasta | Creamy & Flavorful Recipe | AnitaCooks.com

Preheat the oven to 425°F (220°C).

Wash the butternut squash, pat it dry, and poke holes all over with a fork.

Wrap the squash in foil and place it on a lined baking sheet with parchment paper or foil.

Cut the top off a head of garlic to expose the cloves, drizzle with olive oil, wrap in foil, and place on the baking sheet with the squash.

Bake both the squash and garlic in the oven for 45 minutes.

After 45 minutes, remove the garlic; it should smell fragrant and be done. Cook the squash for an additional 45 minutes.

Check the squash for doneness; it should be soft and a knife should slide in easily.

Once cool enough to handle, scoop out the seeds and flesh of the squash, using about 3/4 of it for the sauce.

While the squash is baking, toast 0.5 to 0.75 cups of pine nuts in a pan over medium-low heat, stirring frequently until golden and fragrant. Transfer to a bowl and set aside.

About 20 minutes before the squash is done, bring a large pot of water to a boil.

Once boiling, add 2 tsp salt and 1 lb of tubular pasta, stirring occasionally until tender. Reserve 2 cups of the cooking liquid before draining the pasta.

In the same pot, add 2 tbsp olive oil and 0.5 tsp red pepper flakes, letting them sizzle for a few seconds.

Add the butternut squash flesh, stir for a minute, then add the roasted garlic and salt, mixing well before turning off the heat.

Puree the mixture with an immersion blender or transfer to a regular blender, adding reserved pasta water until you achieve a creamy sauce.

Add the cooked pasta to the sauce, along with about 1 cup of the reserved cooking liquid, mixing until well combined. Adjust the consistency with more liquid if necessary.

Taste and adjust the salt as needed; the sauce should coat the pasta nicely and be creamy and shiny.

Squeeze fresh lemon juice into the pasta for brightness, if desired.

To make a gremolada, finely chop Italian parsley, add lemon zest, a little lemon juice, and salt, mixing well.

Taste the pasta and sauce before adding fresh grated garlic to the gremolada, if desired.

Serve the pasta topped with toasted nuts for crunch, and optionally add parmesan cheese.

Equipment Needed

Spice Level:

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