Description
A creamy and comforting Butternut Squash Feta Pasta, combining roasted butternut squash and tangy feta cheese for a delicious sauce served over chunky pasta. This easy baked pasta dish is perfect for a cozy weeknight meal.
Ingredients
Scale
Vegetables and Cheese
- 1 butternut squash, peeled and diced into 1-inch chunks
- 8 ounces feta cheese
- 3 sprigs of fresh thyme, finely chopped
Seasonings and Oil
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
- 1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
Pasta
- 1 pound pasta (chunky shape)
Instructions
- Preheat Oven: Preheat your oven to 425°F (220°C) to prepare for roasting the butternut squash and feta.
- Combine Ingredients: Place the diced butternut squash and feta cheese into a 9×13 baking dish or a large sheet pan.
- Season and Oil: Drizzle the feta and squash with 2 tablespoons of olive oil. Sprinkle with kosher salt, ground black pepper, crushed red pepper flakes, and finely chopped fresh thyme to evenly season the mixture.
- Bake the Squash and Feta: Put the baking dish in the preheated oven and roast for 40 minutes, or until the butternut squash is tender and cooked through.
- Cook Pasta: While the squash roasts, cook 1 pound of chunky pasta in very salty boiling water according to package directions. Drain the pasta and set aside, reserving 1 cup of the pasta cooking water.
- Blend the Sauce: Stir the reserved pasta water into the roasted butternut squash and feta mixture. Using an immersion blender or stand blender, blend the mixture until mostly smooth to create a creamy sauce.
- Toss Pasta with Sauce: Combine the cooked pasta with the butternut squash and feta sauce, mixing well to coat all the noodles evenly.
- Store and Reheat: If storing leftovers in the refrigerator, keep the pasta covered for up to 3 days. When reheating, add a tablespoon of water to loosen the sauce and prevent it from drying out.
Notes
- The pasta shape should be chunky or tubular to hold the sauce well.
- For a spicier dish, increase the crushed red pepper flakes to taste.
- Use an immersion blender for easier blending directly in the baking dish.
- Adding reserved pasta water helps to loosen the sauce and improve its texture.
- Leftovers keep well refrigerated for up to 3 days.
