Butternut Squash Feta Pasta

Transform the viral baked feta pasta into the perfect Fall dinner with this Butternut Squash Feta Pasta! This luscious sauce is made with roasted butternut squash, salty feta and thyme. Then it's tossed with chickpea pasta, wilted kale and chicken sausage for a hearty yet healthy meal. It's sure to be loved by everyone!

Servings people

Prep Time 10

Cook Time 50

Total Time 1

Equipment

cutting board
knife
9x13" baking dish
high speed blender
medium pot
colander
large pan
spatula

Ingredients

1.75-2 lbs butternut squash peeled, de-seeded & diced into small chunks*
2 shallots sliced (optional)
4 garlic cloves minced
2 tbsp avocado oil or olive oil
kosher salt & black pepper to taste
8 oz block of feta cheese
1 tbsp fresh thyme leaves
8 oz dry chickpea pasta (or pasta of choice)
1-2 cups reserved pasta water

Optional Add-Ins:

avocado oil or cooking spray
6 oz chopped kale (from about 1 bunch)
1 lb raw mild italian chicken sausage casings removed
kosher salt & black pepper to taste

Instructions

Preheat your oven to 400F. Then, add cubed butternut squash, sliced shallots and minced garlic to a 9x13" baking dish. Drizzle with avocado oil and season with kosher salt & black pepper. Toss to coat.
1.75-2 lbs butternut squash, 2 shallots, 4 garlic cloves, 2 tbsp avocado oil, kosher salt & black pepper
Nestle the block of feta in the middle of the baking dish. Flip once to coat the other side with oil. Sprinkle thyme evenly over everything.
8 oz block of feta cheese, 1 tbsp fresh thyme leaves
Transfer baking dish to the oven to cook for about 40 minutes, or until the butternut squash is fork tender. Allow it to cool slightly.
Meanwhile, cook pasta to al-dente according to package instructions. Be sure to heavily salt the water before adding the pasta. Reserve about 2 cups of the pasta water, and drain the rest off.
8 oz dry chickpea pasta
If you're choosing to add the kale and chicken sausage, bring a large pan to medium heat. Once hot, lightly oil the pan. Then, add the chicken sausage and break apart into small pieces with your spatula. Continue cooking for several minutes, until almost browned through. Then, add kale, stir and cook until wilted. Season with kosher salt & black pepper to taste. Remove from heat and set aside.
avocado oil, 6 oz chopped kale, 1 lb raw mild italian chicken sausage, kosher salt & black pepper
Add the cooked butternut squash and feta mixture to your blender along with 1 cup of the reserved pasta water. Blend until smooth, adding more of the pasta water as needed to get it your desired consistency. Taste and adjust the amount of salt & pepper to taste.
1-2 cups reserved pasta water
Pour the sauce back into the baking dish, along with the cooked pasta, chicken sausage and kale. Stir with a spatula until everything is coated in the sauce. Garnish with extra thyme leaves and fresh cracked black pepper. Enjoy!

Video

Notes

*NOTE: The weight of your butternut squash (before peeling & de-seeding) should be about 1.75-2 lbs. If you're buying pre-cubed butternut squash, you'll want between 1 lb 2 oz - 1 lb 5 oz. The amount doesn't have to be exact, but somewhere in this general range!

Calories: 484kcal

Course: Dinner, Main Course

Cuisine: American, Italian

Diet: Gluten Free

Keyword: Butternut Squash, Chicken Sausage, Fall Recipe, Feta, Gluten Free, Kale, Sauce

Nutrition