This roasted butternut squash pasta is Fall in a bowl! with roasted butternut squash, pancetta, sage, walnuts and Pecorino cheese, all combined with hearty rigatoni pasta. Easy enough for a weeknight meal, too!
4cupsfresh butternut squash, peeled, seeded and cut into 1/2-inch dice (*See Note 1 below)
1Tablespoonextra virgin olive oil
Salt and freshly ground pepper
1Tablespoonunsalted butter
1Tablespoonextra virgin olive oil
3ozpancetta, diced (or bacon), about 1/2 cup
4-8fresh sage leaves, torn (*see Note 2 below)
2shallots, thinly sliced
1/3cupwhite wine, (or use a splash more chicken broth)
1/2cupchicken broth
10ozrigatoni pasta, or penne or other short pasta
2Tablespoonsbutter
1Tablespoonextra virgin olive oil
1/3cupwalnuts, chopped
2TablespoonsPecorino cheese, grated (or Parmesan), plus more for serving
1/4-1/3cupheavy whipping cream, (optional)
Salt and freshly ground pepper
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Instructions
Preheat oven to 350F (not fan assisted). Cube the butternut squash and scatter onto a baking sheet. Drizzle with 1 Tablespoon olive oil and season with salt and pepper. Roast in pre-heated oven until the squash is tender, but still holds its shape, about 25-30 minutes. Remove from oven and use a spatula to loosen the squash from the pan, then set aside.
Bring a large pot of water to a boil. When boiling, salt generously, then add the pasta to cook to al dente.
Meanwhile, add 1 Tablespoon butter and olive oil to a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the pancetta and cook, stirring, until starting to brown, about 3-5 minutes. (*If using bacon, remove some of the excess fat from the pan before proceeding).
Add the sage leaves and shallots to the skillet and cook, stirring, another 2-3 minutes or until the shallots start to brown. Add the roasted butternut squash and cook, stirring another 1-2 minutes. Add the white wine and allow to simmer with the squash for about 2 minutes, then add the chicken broth. Simmer another 2 minutes, then reduce the heat to low and keep warm until the pasta is cooked.
When the pasta is ready, transfer the pasta from the pot directly to the skillet using a spider strainer or large slotted spoon, reserving the pasta water. Increase the under the skillet heat to medium. Add 1 Tablespoon olive oil, the walnuts, pecorino and 2 Tablespoons butter. Season with some salt and freshly ground pepper. Stir to combine. Drizzle in the cream, if using. Simmer a few minutes to thicken the sauce, or if the skillet is too dry, add some of the pasta cooking water to the skillet to loosen.
Serve immediately, garnished with additional Pecorino cheese.
Notes
Note 1: Frozen butternut squash is not recommended, as it tends to get mushy when roasted. If you can find pre-cubed fresh butternut squash, that is ideal. Otherwise, peel a small butternut squash, then I like to microwave it whole for 4-5 minutes. Allow to cool a bit, then cut into slices and cube. It makes cutting much easier!Note 2: Sage can be a powerful flavour, so adjust the amount of sage to your taste and how much you enjoy that flavour. I find 4-5 fresh sage leaves is plenty, for my taste. I do recommend fresh sage leaves, but if you have everything except the sage, you can certainly use dried sage leaves to taste (start with 1/2 teaspoon and go from there). Be sure to read the notes above this Recipe Card, for more tips on making this recipe.