Roasted Delicata Squash Pasta with Goat Cheese
The recipe and photography for this post was provided by Carolyn Hodges of The Dinner Shift.
If you haven’t shopped the winter squash display at your local Heinen’s yet, now is the time! While I’m a huge fan of butternut and acorn squash, there are a few lesser-known varieties that you should definitely try this season. Be on the lookout for delicata squash, a smaller oblong-shaped squash with yellow and green stripes. As its name suggests, delicata squash has a “delicate” skin that is completely edible when cooked, which means you don’t need to peel it (so it’s perfect for quick meals).
One of my favorite ways to prepare any type of winter squash is simply to roast it with olive oil, salt and pepper. Serve roasted squash as a simple no-fuss side dish or incorporate it into salads, grain bowls and pasta. In this recipe, I’m pairing roasted delicata squash with a sturdy pasta (bucatini) and a mild goat cheese sauce to allow the sweetness of the squash to really shine. Serve this alongside a simple green salad with a vinaigrette. And while it’s hearty enough to stand on its own, this pasta would be delicious topped with roasted chicken.
Roasted Delicata Squash Pasta with Goat Cheese
Ingredients
- 2 small delicata squash (about 2 ½ lbs. total)
- ½ large red onion, sliced into 1-inch moons
- 2 Tbsp. olive oil
- ½ tsp. fine sea salt
- Freshly ground black pepper
- 3 garlic cloves, minced
- 16 oz. De Cecco bucatini pasta
- 1-2 cups reserved pasta water
- 5.5 oz. Silver Goat Cheese log, crumbled
- ¼ cup grated Parmesan cheese
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 425°F. Spray a sheet pan with nonstick cooking spray.
- Bring 5 quarts of water to boil for pasta.
- Wash the squash well. Cut off the stem and root ends, then carefully cut squash in half lengthwise. Scoop out seeds, then cut each half into 1-inch moons. Place the squash and onions on the sheet pan and toss in the olive oil, sea salt and freshly-cracked black pepper to taste.
- Transfer the pan to the preheated oven and roast for 25 minutes. Remove pan from oven and sprinkle with minced garlic. Toss everything together then return to oven for 5 more minutes (keep an eye on this so the garlic doesn’t burn). Remove from oven and set aside.
- Cook pasta according to package directions. Remove 1-2 cups of pasta water before draining and set aside. Drain pasta and return to pot. Add goat cheese, Parmesan and ½-1 cup of the pasta water. Use a wooden spoon or tongs to toss pasta until goat cheese is melted and the sauce coats the pasta evenly, adding more pasta water if needed.
- Add the roasted vegetables to the pasta and gently toss to combine. Salt to taste if necessary. Serve topped with freshly-cracked black pepper.
