Description
This Butternut Squash Feta Pasta is a creamy, comforting dish that combines roasted butternut squash and tangy feta cheese, blended into a velvety sauce and tossed with pasta. With warming spices like thyme and red pepper flakes, it’s a perfect autumn-inspired meal that’s both simple to prepare and full of flavor.
Ingredients
Scale
Vegetables and Cheese
- 1 butternut squash, peeled and diced into 1-inch chunks
- 8 ounces feta cheese
Seasonings and Oil
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
- 1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
- 3 sprigs of fresh thyme, finely chopped
Pasta
- 1 pound pasta (chunky shape, such as penne or rigatoni)
Instructions
- Preheat the Oven: Preheat your oven to 425°F (220°C) to prepare for roasting the squash and feta.
- Combine Squash and Feta: In a 9×13 inch baking dish or on a sheet pan, place the peeled and diced butternut squash together with the feta cheese.
- Season and Oil: Drizzle the olive oil evenly over the squash and feta. Sprinkle kosher salt, ground black pepper, crushed red pepper flakes, and chopped fresh thyme evenly on top, ensuring the flavors are well distributed.
- Roast the Mixture: Bake in the preheated oven for 40 minutes, or until the butternut squash is tender and slightly caramelized.
- Cook the Pasta: While the squash roasts, cook the pasta in a large pot of very salty boiling water following the package instructions until al dente. Drain the pasta, 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 transferring to a stand blender, blend the mixture until mostly smooth and creamy.
- Toss Pasta with Sauce: Combine the blended squash sauce with the cooked pasta, ensuring the pasta is evenly coated.
- Serve or Store: If refrigerating leftovers, add a tablespoon of water when reheating to loosen the sauce. The pasta can be stored in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.
Notes
- Use a chunky pasta shape like penne or rigatoni to catch the creamy sauce well.
- Adjust red pepper flakes for preferred spice level.
- For a smoother sauce, blend longer or add more reserved pasta water as needed.
- Leftovers reheat best with a splash of water or broth to prevent the sauce from drying out.
- You can substitute fresh thyme with dried thyme if fresh is unavailable; use about 1 teaspoon dried.
