Can I freeze the sauce?

Absolutely! Store the sauce in an airtight container and freeze for up to 3 months. Thaw overnight in the fridge and reheat in a small saucepan on the oven before serving.

What if I don't have a blender?

You can use an immersion blender or food processor , but your sauce might not be quite as smooth. Still delicious though!

What is the best pasta shape to use?

Honestly, you could really use ANY pasta here, but I like short pasta like fusilli, rotini or gemelli. The specific one I use here is the ‘organic fusilli corti bucati’ pasta from Trader Joe’s.

What should I serve with this butternut squash pasta?

If you want to keep things vegetarian serve with a big salad + a roasted veggie or loaf of garlic bread or I love to serve this with balsamic grilled chicken or pork tenderloin .

How could I make this vegan?

Either omit the feta or use a vegan feta alternative. I’m not 100% sure how vegan feta will roast/caramelize in the oven so keep an eye on it!

Roasted Butternut Squash Feta Pasta Recipe

Description

The perfect balance of earthy, subtly sweet, tangy and herbaceous, this butternut squash feta pasta will have you coming back for forkful after forkful!

Ingredients

Units Scale

3 cups cubed butternut squash (about 1/2 small butternut squash), cubed in 1/2-inch chunks
1 small sweet onion, chopped into 1-inch chunks
1 red bell pepper, chopped into 1-inch chunks
6 cloves garlic, root ends trimmed off
8oz block feta
3 tablespoons olive oil
1 teaspoon each kosher salt, black pepper and dried thyme
pinch of red pepper flakes
1lb short pasta (like fusilli, gemelli, penne, cavatappi or rotini)
2 1/2 cups starchy pasta water
2 tablespoons butter
For serving: parmesan cheese, fresh basil or thyme

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Instructions

Roast the veggies: preheat oven to 450 degrees F. Grease or line a large rimmed sheet pan with a silicone baking mat. Use a sharp knife to cut off the root end of the garlic cloves, but keep the peel on. This makes it easier to squeeze the roasted garlic out of its peel. Arrange cubed butternut squash, bell pepper, onion, garlic cloves and the block of feta on the baking sheet. Drizzle feta and veggies with the olive oil. Sprinkle with salt, pepper, dried thyme and red pepper flakes. Use your hands to toss the veggies to get them evenly coated with oil and seasonings. Roast veggies, garlic and feta for 20-22 minutes until tender and caramelized around the edges.
Boil the pasta: while the veggies are roasting, bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Cook the pasta according to package instructions, making sure to reserve at least 2 ½ cups starchy pasta water during the last minute of cooking time.
Blend the sauce: place cooked veggies and cheese in a high-powered blender. Squeeze the garlic cloves out of the skin. Add 1 ½ cups starchy pasta water. Blend on high until the mixture is very smooth, adding water as needed until the sauce is silky and the consistency of a thin soup. I use a total of 2 ½ cups water, you may need a little more or less.
Toss it up: drain the pasta and return it to the pot. Add the butternut squash feta sauce and butter, tossing until everything is evenly coated.
Serve: serve hot topped with freshly grated parmesan cheese, fresh herbs and a crack of black pepper.

Notes

Store leftovers in an airtight container for up to 4 days.
Refer to above blog post for ingredient information, step-by-step photos and answers to frequently asked questions!

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Nutrition

Serving Size: 1/6 recipe
Calories: 524
Sugar: 7.1 g
Sodium: 569 mg
Fat: 20.2 g
Carbohydrates: 70.2 g
Fiber: 4.5 g
Protein: 16.5 g
Cholesterol: 43.9 mg