My Roasted Butternut Squash Pasta with Kale is a hearty pasta dish featuring colorful fall vegetables. This tasty dish is packed with flavor and nutrition!
In my humble opinion, there are few things better than a hearty bowl of pasta. Some of my favorite pasta dishes are my Red Pesto Pasta with Eggplant and my Orecchiette Pasta with Sausage and Kale.
When the weather changes and we start to feel a little chill in the air, there’s just something so comforting about curling up with a piping hot bowl of pasta. And it that pasta dish just happens to incorporate my favorite fall vegetable butternut squash, then that just makes it even better!
My Roasted Butternut Squash Pasta with Kale is a celebration of fall flavors and ingredients. Packed with colorful and nutritious ingredients, this rustic pasta dish is sure to please the whole family.
Roasting the squash at a high temperature gives it a lovely golden brown crust. It also intensifies its flavor, making this pasta dish so tasty!
The sweet butternut squash is a nice complement to the slightly bitter kale. Salty parmesan cheese and crunchy pine nuts complete the dish. This healthy pasta dish is a celebration of fall colors, flavors, and textures!
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Why You'll Love This Dish
- So tasty- packed with fall flavors and ingredients
- Easy to make- while the squash is roasting, make the sauce, then toss it all together; a simple weeknight meal
- Healthy- packed with nutritious ingredients like butternut squash and kale
- Kid-friendly- this pasta dish is a great way to get your kids to eat their veggies
Doctor's Tips
This hearty pasta dish is packed with nutritious ingredients!
- Kale- is a superfood packed with vitamins, minerals and antioxidants! Read my post about the nutritional benefits of kale.
- Butternut squash is packed with nutrients like vitamin A and fiber. Read my post about the nutritional benefits of butternut squash.
Ingredients
- Butternut squash- you can dice up a butternut squash or buy it pre-diced to save time
- Pasta- I use penne but any similar shaped pasta will work
- Thyme- fresh thyme adds earthy flavor; you can substitute 1 teaspoon dried thyme
- Kale- I like to use Tuscan (lacinato) kale for its mild flavor and tender leaves but you can substitute curly kale or other greens like Swiss chard.
- Pancetta- I like to use pancetta, which is Italian bacon but is not smoked like American bacon; if you can't find it, you can substitute bacon
- Olive oil
- Garlic
- Red pepper flakes- can adjust the amount to desired heat level
- Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese- I like to use fresh parmigiano cheese and grate it rather than buying pre-grated cheese
- Pine nuts- add a nice crunch; toast them for extra flavor
- Kosher salt and black pepper
Ever wonder how to choose the right shaped pasta for your dishes? Read my post on Ziti vs. Penne vs. Rigatoni Pasta- What's The Difference?
How to Make Roasted Butternut Squash Pasta with Kale
- Step 1- toss the diced butternut squash with olive oil and fresh thyme and roast it in the oven. You can also roast the butternut squash in the air fryer.
- Step 2- while the squash is roasting, sauté garlic and pancetta with olive oil in a skillet. Add Tuscan kale and stir until wilted.
- Step 3- add the cooked pasta to the skillet along with freshly grated Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese and some pasta water to create a sauce. Toss to combine.
- Step 4- stir in the roasted butternut squash. Sprinkle on some more grated cheese, a drizzle of olive oil, and the toasted pine nuts for extra flavor and texture. Dig in!
Chef's Tips
- Because the sauce is made with just olive oil, cheese, and pasta water, you want to use a good-quality Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese and grate it yourself rather than using pre-grated cheese from a container.
- When you drain the pasta, be sure to reserve some of the starchy pasta water. You will use this to create the sauce for this dish.
- To save time, the butternut squash can be roasted up to 3 days in advance and stored in the fridge until you're ready to make the rest of the dish.
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Recipe
Roasted Butternut Squash Pasta with Kale
Equipment
Ingredients
- 12 ounces penne pasta
- 5 cups (24 ounces) diced butternut squash
- 1 tablespoon fresh thyme
- ½ teaspoon kosher salt, divided use
- ¼ teaspoon black pepper
- 3 tablespoons olive oil, divided use
- 2 ounces pancetta, diced (can substitute bacon)
- ¼ teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 bunch (8 ounces) Tuscan kale, chopped
- ½ cup (1.5 ounces) freshly grated Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese
- 2 tablespoons pine nuts, toasted
Garnishes:
- olive oil, grated Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 400°F.
- Cook the pasta according to package directions. Reserve 1 ½ cups cooking liquid before draining. Set aside.
- Toss the squash, thyme ¼ teaspoon of the salt, pepper, and 1 tablespoon olive oil together on a baking sheet. Spread the squash out in single layer. Roast in oven 15 to 20 minutes until golden brown and tender. Remove from oven. Alternatively, you can also roast the butternut squash in an air fryer at 375°F for 12-14 minutes.
- Meanwhile, heat the remaining 2 tablespoons olive oil in large skillet over medium heat. Add pancetta. Cook 2 to 3 minutes or until crispy, stirring occasionally. Add red pepper flakes and garlic; cook and stir 1 to 2 minutes or until fragrant. Add kale; season with remaining ¼ teaspoon salt. Cook until wilted, about 5 minutes, stirring frequently.
- Add the cooked pasta to the skillet along with the ½ cup grated Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese and 1 cup of the reserved pasta water. Toss to combine all ingredients well. Add more of the reserved pasta water as needed to form a sauce that coats the pasta. Gently stir in the butternut squash.
- Transfer to serving bowl and sprinkle the toasted pine nuts on top. Garnish with a drizzle of olive oil and some more grated cheese.
Notes
- Because the sauce is simply made with just olive oil, cheese, and pasta water, you want to use a good-quality Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese and grate it yourself rather than using pre-grated cheese from a container.
- To save time, the butternut squash can be roasted up to 3 days in advance and stored in the fridge until you're ready to make the rest of the dish.
- When you drain the pasta, be sure to reserve some of the starchy pasta water. You will use this to create the sauce for this dish.
Nutrition
About the author
Dr. Sonali Ruder
Meet Dr. Sonali Ruder aka The Foodie Physician- ER doctor, chef, culinary creator & mom.
Nia Hayes - ShunCy says
Butternut squash is one of the biggest stars of fall harvest. It's an excellent source of fiber and provides beta-carotene, vitamin C, magnesium, potassium, copper, phosphorus, tryptophan, zinc, omega-3 fatty acids and more.
If you're looking for a different way to enjoy butternut squash, try this Penne with Roasted Butternut Squash and Kale recipe.