This acorn squash pasta is made with a creamy, puréed roasted squash sauce tossed with spaghetti and kale. Perfect for fall and winter dinners!
I've been eating lots and lots of winter squash this year.
I love it so much!
We've been enjoying our favorite winter squash dishes, such as butternut squash lasagna, butternut squash quiche and spaghetti squash marinara.
This year, though, was all about acorn squash. Friends dropped off a massive amount of acorn squash, and we've been cooking it constantly.
Recently, I shared a recipe for acorn squash pasta sauce, and today I'm going to show you my favorite way to use that pasta sauce.
This acorn squash pasta is made with squash, spaghetti and kale, and is one of my favorite cold-weather meals.
Want more winter squash ideas? Try making air fryer acorn squash, kabocha squash soup, spicy butternut squash soup, butternut squash risotto, spaghetti squash gratin and this salmon spaghetti squash bake.
How to Make the Sauce
Start by roasting the acorn squash and an onion in oil and spices.
This is the part that gives the sauce lots of flavor, so roast it until the squash is nice and caramelized.
Next, blend the acorn squash with some milk and cheese.
This is a pretty thick mixture, so add extra milk if needed.
Add butter to a large saucepan.
Melt the butter and whisk in flour.
When the butter absorbs the flour, start pouring in the blended squash. Whisk, whisk and whisk some more.
At this point, I like to add a splash of vinegar to the sauce. It needs just a little acidity.
How to Make Acorn Squash Pasta
Meanwhile, bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. I usually do this part while I'm roasting the squash.
Add spaghetti and a few handfuls of kale to the water.
When the pasta is tender, add the spaghetti and kale to the pasta sauce.
Toss it all together.
Add a little cheese and toss some more.
Can I Use Spinach Instead of Kale?
You sure can!
Spinach doesn't need to boil in the pasta water for nearly as long, though, so just add the spinach to the pasta water a minute or two before the pasta is done cooking.
Can I Make This Acorn Squash Pasta Ahead of Time?
The sauce can be prepped ahead of time, yes!
Just reheat it before tossing it with the pasta and kale.
Acorn Squash Pasta with Kale
Equipment
Ingredients
Acorn Squash Pasta Sauce:
- 2 pounds acorn squash, halved with seeds + membrane removed
- 1 onion, peeled + cut into wedges
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 teaspoon sea salt
- 1 teaspoon paprika
- 1 teaspoon red chili flakes
- ¼ teaspoon nutmeg, freshly grated
- 1 cup milk
- 2 tablespoons butter
- 1 tablespoon flour Use gluten-free AP flour if needed
- ¼ ounce wine vinegar
Pasta:
- ½ pound spaghetti Use gluten-free spaghetti if needed
- 4 ounces kale, destemmed + cut into small, bite-size pieces Or use 2-3 large handfuls of kale
- 2 ounces Parmesan, freshly grated
Instructions
Acorn Squash Sauce:
- Preheat oven to 400°F.Place squash + onions on a baking sheet or oven-safe pan in a single layer. With squash flesh-side up, drizzle oil over squash and onions. Sprinkle with salt, paprika, chili flakes and nutmeg. Place squash flesh-side down.Roast 20-25 minutes or until tender.
- After cooking, carefully scoop the squash out of the peel. (You may need to allow the squash to cool down for a few minutes.)Add half the vegetables and all the milk to a blender basin. Blend until creamy. Add the remaining veggies and blend again.
- Add butter to a large pan and melt over medium heat. Whisk in the flour until it is completely absorbed by the butter.
- Add the puréed squash to the pan with the butter. Cook over medium heat for about two minutes, stirring often, and then remove from heat. Stir in the vinegar.Make Ahead: If desired, you can stop here, refrigerate the sauce, and reheat before using. Use sauce within four days.
Acorn Squash Pasta:
- While the squash roasts, bring a large pot of heavily salted water to a rolling boil. Add both the spaghetti and the kale to the water. Cook spaghetti according to package directions.Add the cooked spaghetti and kale to the pasta sauce and toss to coat. Add the Parmesan and toss again. Serve immediately.
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