butternut squash pasta with garlicky kale
I am back- It’s been a minute. I’ve been juggling a few different priorities as of late and trying to identify what brings value to my life, but that’s a conversation for another day!
I’m excited to share this recipe with you. I discovered this recipe in an attempt to reduce my food waste and soon realized it was a bit of an internet phenomenon. A couple of years ago I had some three-day-old butternut squash soup in my fridge that I could not eat as soup for one more day. Little did I know that it would be the starter to one of my favourite fall pasta recipes. At the time, I took the leftover soup that had thickened and tossed it with some egg white pasta I had in my pantry. It was delicious, surprisingly creamy and filling.
I’ve since modified the recipe to taste a little more like a pasta sauce vs. soup, although made in a very similar way. I often pair the pasta with garlicky kale because a) health b) it looks pretty in pictures and c) garlicky kale is fantastic. I by no means claim this to be a Mac and Cheese alternative because it has neither of those ingredients and it simply is not. It is, however, a deliciously cozy fall recipe that combines the sweetness of the squash at this time of year with the heat from the garlicky kale. I want to try it next time with some toasted breadcrumb on top to give it a nice crunch.
Butternut Squash Pasta
Ingredients
1 tbsp olive oil
1 tbsp butter
1 onion, diced
1 clove of garlic, roughly chopped
1 medium butternut squash, peeled and chopped in 2-inch pieces
½ tsp nutmeg
⅛ tsp ground sage
1 tsp salt
2 cups vegetable broth
2 tbsp cream (Optional)
Method
Heat oil and butter in a large pot over medium heat
Add garlic and onions and cook for 5-7 minutes until onions are softened
Add squash and spices and cook for another 6-8 minutes
Pour in the broth, bring to a boil and simmer for 30 minutes until the squash has completely softened
While the squash is simmering, boil a large pot of water and cook the egg white noodles as per the instructions. Drain and set aside.
After 30 minutes, blend in a high powered blender for 30-45 seconds until smooth (make sure you allow for the steam to release from the blender)
Add the cream, blend for another 10 seconds and then pour back into the pot
Mix the pasta gently into the sauce and stir to coat
Garlicky Kale
Ingredients
1 tbsp olive oil
1 bunch kale- washed, de-stemmed and roughly chopped (make sure it’s nicely dried, so it doesn’t get soggy in the pan)
2 cloves garlic, minced
½ tsp salt
Method
Heat oil in a medium pan on medium high heat (I usually use a stainless steel skillet for this)
Add in garlic and cook for 2 minutes until aromatic. You’ll want to watch that it doesn’t burn
Add in the kale and cook for 5 minutes until the kale gets a little crispy
To serve, scoop a healthy serving of pasta into a shallow bowl, top with garlicky kale. I always love it with a dollop of cottage cheese and freshly ground pepper.
