Butternut Squash Pasta

This is a perfect pasta for a cool fall day. It takes minimal ingredients, comes together quickly, and tastes so comforting and delicious. It has the texture of a nice alfredo with the nutty, buttery flavor of the squash, and salty savory kicks from the bacon bits. The rigatoni pasta is perfect because each piece of pasta gets filled and coated with the sauce. It’s also inherently nutrient dense, and the addition of spinach and red pepper gives it just a little more.

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Butternut Squash Pasta

Creamy butternut sauce with bacon and parmesan over rigatoni

Author: Leah Porche, Leah Porche, RDN, LDN

Ingredients

Squash prep

• 1 teaspoon olive oil
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
• 1 Butternut squash
• 1/2 cup water

For the sauce and pasta

• 3 slices bacon chopped
• 1 onion minced
• 4 garlic cloves minced
• 1/4 cup roasted red peppers diced
• 1 cup heavy cream
• 1 cup spinach chopped
• 1 lb rigatoni
• 1 cup reserved pasta water
• 1 cup shredded Parmesan cheese
• 1 tsp crushed red pepper

Instructions

Squash Prep

• Slice squash in half lengthwise, scoop out seeds.
• Drizzle with oil and seasonings.
• Place flesh side down in 9×13 baking dish, add water.
• Cook on high in microwave for 8-15 minutes, checking every few minutes for fork tenderness.
• When cooked set aside to cool.

For the sauce and pasta

• Place 3.5-5 qt skillet on medium high heat, add bacon, cook until browned.
• Add onions, cook for 5 minutes, add garlic and cook for an additional 2-3 minutes.
• Add red peppers, stir to combine.
• Meanwhile cook pasta according to package Al dente instructions, remembering to reserve 1 cup pasta water.
• Then, scoop squash from peel into blender, pour in any remaining water as well.
• Add cream and blend just until smooth, 10-30 seconds.
• Reduce skillet to medium, add squash sauce.
• Pour pasta liquid into blender container, gently swirl to gather squash mixture, then pour half into skillet.
• Stir to combine.
• Add pasta, spinach, and cheese.
• Stir to combine.
• Use additional pasta water as needed get preferred sauce thickness.
• Serve immediately.
• Option to top with additional shredded Parmesan and red pepper flakes.