‘Tis the season once again to make the transition from the yellow and zucchini squash of summer….to the rich, sweet squash of fall. Of course, my favorite of those is the beautiful butternut. They were in abundance this week at our market (see the photo below!), so I happily brought a few home. They look so cute sitting on the counter…and even more delicious cooked up!
Some of you may remember me posting (and raving) about my take on Whole Food’s “butternut crab bisque” last season. But instead of beginning the season with another soup, decided that my first butternut recipe this season would a recipe I had bookmarked to try — “roasted butternut and bacon pasta”. I mean, really, with a title like that — who can resist? Throw in some sage, pine nuts, fresh parmesan, and a little extra butter, and OH MY WORD.
Delish.
The sweet+salty+smoky flavors come together beautifully. And aside from the bacon (see the tip below for subbing in turkey bacon), it’s pretty healthy! AND…I must point out that the gorgeous warm colors make this a perfect autumn meal. Definitely a delightful way to begin butternut season!
Roasted Butternut & Bacon Pasta
Ingredients
- 1 butternut squash, about 1½ lb (750 g), halved, seeded, peeled, and cut into bite-sized cubes
- 1 yellow onion, diced
- 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
- 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
- kosher salt and freshly ground pepper
- ½ lb (250 g) orecchiette, penne, or fusilli
- 5 slices thick-cut apple wood-smoked bacon, chopped
- 2 tablespoons chopped fresh sage
- ¼ cup (1½ oz/45 g) pine nuts, lightly toasted
- ½ cup (2 oz/60 g) grated Parmesan
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 400°F (200°C). On a rimmed baking sheet, toss together the butternut squash, onion, and oil, then spread it in a single layer. Cut 1 tablespoon of the butter into bits and dot the squash evenly. Season with salt and pepper. Roast, rotating the pan front to back about halfway through cooking, until the squash and onion are golden and tender, about 45 minutes.
- Bring a large pot three-fourths full of generously-salted water to a boil, add the pasta, and cook until al dente, according to package directions. Drain, reserving 1 cup (8 fl oz/250 ml) of the cooking water. Cover the pasta to keep it hot. While the pasta is cooking, heat a large sauté pan over medium heat. Add the bacon and sauté until most of its fat is rendered and the bacon is crisp on the edges but still chewy at the center, about 4-5 minutes. Pour off all but 1 tablespoon fat and return the pan to medium-high heat. Add the sage and sauté for 30 seconds. Add the squash and cook, stirring occasionally, until heated through, about 2 minutes. Stir in the pine nuts.
- Add the hot pasta, the remaining 2 tablespoons butter, and ¼ cup (2 fl oz/60 ml) of the hot pasta water and stir to combine. If the pasta seems dry, stir in a little more pasta water. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Transfer to a warmed serving dish and sprinkle the cheese over the top. Serve right away.
Notes
Did you make this?Let me know how it turned out in the comments below!
Ali’s Tip:
If you’d like to substitute in turkey bacon in place of regular, go for it! You may just need to add in an extra tablespoon of butter for sauteing the sage and veggies.
I dont know why (I am just weird) for some reason I dont like orriechete pasta, since I know they are called ‘little ears’ somehow that is what I think of all the time! :P But butternut squash and bacon and parmesan? Oh yes, those are awesome. :) Great recipe!
This looks amazing and so quick and easy! I love butternut squash, pasta and bacon. I am going to have to make this. Maybe add in a dash of cream too!
What a beautiful dish! I have quite a few butternut squash from my garden, and I’m happy to try some new recipes (instead of making even more puree!)… Will be giving this one a try.
Great recipe! With the bacon addition, I bet I could even get my son to eat it. Will definitely give it a try. Thanks!
I make a similar pasta (CI) version, also using orechiette. Love it!
this dish is so pretty. all the color combo blends so well together :) your pictures are so stunning! thank you for sharing.
This is beautiful! We just ate some amazing roasted butternut squash lasagna with browned sage butter and cheese in a restaurant. This looks like the same flavors!
Here is another variation, from Cooking Light – I made it last week, delicious and so decadent!
https://find.myrecipes.com/recipes/recipefinder.dyn?action=displayRecipe&recipe_id=10000000592277
This looks wonderful. Very hearty and autumnal.
That looks really good :) the love the colors and the flavor combination!