Roasted Butternut Squash Pesto Pasta

It’s October.

By this time, I have typically made stews or a soups, whipped up at least a batch or two of apple baked goods. But this year, it’s been very slow because the weather lately has been summer like (no complaints here). I feel as though this is the perfect transitional dish to close that summer-fall gap.

Let’s break this pasta dish down a bit shall we?

First, it couldn’t be easier. Boil some water and cook the pasta, roast a butternuts squash, throw all the pesto ingredients into your food processor and then toss everything together with some chopped walnuts. The whole process takes less than 30 minutes and left overs are the thing that dreams are made of.

Fresh, filling and nutrient-dense.

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October 19th 6:30pm-8:00pm

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Sauteed Mushrooms & Goat Cheese Crostini with Fresh Herbs
Fire Roasted Tomato Soup with Smoky Chickpeas
Arugula Tossed with Creamy Maple Tahini Dressing
Roasted Sweet Potatoes, Black Bean & Fried Quinoa Skillet
Apple Crisp with Coconut Ice Cream

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Roasted Butternut Squash Pesto Pasta

For Squash:
1 ½ pounds butternut squash
1 tbsp. olive oil
1 tsp. kosher salt

For Pesto:
4 cups lightly packed fresh basil
1 cup raw walnuts
½ cup extra virgin olive oil, more for drizzling
1/2 cup Parmesan cheese (optional and can be omitted for a vegan pesto)
juice of one lemon (about 2 tbsp.)
1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
Freshly ground black pepper

For Pasta:
10 ounces pasta (you could always substitute zucchini noodles for low-carb version)

Garnish: toasted, chopped walnuts (optional)

Preheat oven to 425 degrees. Use a vegetable peeler to peel squash, then halve it lengthwise and scoop out seeds. Dice squash flesh into 1-inch pieces, place on a baking sheet, and toss with olive oil and season generously with salt and pepper. Spread pieces into an even layer, making sure there is space between them. Roast, stirring squash pieces once or twice, until golden brown and tender, about 25 minutes.

Meanwhile, bring a large pot of water to a boil. Cook pasta according to package directions.

In a food processor, pulse together basil, walnuts, olive oil, Parmesan (if using) lemon juice and salt until mixture is smooth.

Drain past. Toss pasta with pesto and serve topped with squash and chopped walnuts.