Acorn Squash Pasta
Why I Love This Recipe
FEATURING: Acorn squash, onion and garlic. Parsley is optional.
A delicious new way to enjoy your pasta! Our kids love it. We like serving it with a salad on the side or a quick homemade salsa (1-2 tomatoes chopped with 1/2 cucumber or zucchini, 1/4 onion chopped, a pinch of salt and 2 Tbsp of lemon juice).
Ingredients You'll Need
1 large acorn squash, roasted*
2 tablespoons olive oil (1 tablespoon for acorn squash, 1 tablespoon for onions)
1 medium onion, coarsely chopped
2 garlic cloves, finely chopped
½ cup water (or vegetable broth or white wine)
2 ½ teaspoons sea salt (1 teaspoon is for pasta water)
½ teaspoon black pepper
¾ cup almond milk
1 teaspoon red pepper flakes
1 teaspoon fresh parsley, finely chopped (optional)
1 tablespoon finely grated Parmesan (optional)
700 g of pasta of your choice (ex: shell pasta)
Directions
Heat oven to 400 degrees F.
ROAST THE SQUASH: Cut acorn squash in half, scrape out and discard seeds and strings. Rub 1 tablespoon of olive oil on the inside and outside of both pieces of squash. Lay each piece face down onto a sheet pan and bake until tender, about 20-30 minutes.
CARAMELIZE THE ONIONS: While roasting squash, chop onions and garlic. Heat a sauté pan on high heat. Once hot, add 1 tablespoon olive oil. Once oil is hot, add onions, stirring frequently until starting to caramelize (do not burn). Turn down heat to medium low, add chopped garlic, and cook until tender, about 1 minute. Add water (or both or white wine) and reduce liquid by half. Add 1 teaspoon sea salt and 1/2 teaspoon cracked black pepper. Continue to cook until onions are caramelized, golden brown. You may need to add a little water to keep the onions from sticking to the pan. When done, turn off heat and set aside.
COOK THE PASTA: In a large pot, fill 3/4 of the pot with water, add 1 teaspoon sea salt and bring to a boil. Add pasta and cook for 8 to 12 minutes until tender. Strain and set aside.
MAKE THE SAUCE: Acorn squash should be tender by now. Scoop out the flesh and place into a food processor or blender. Add onion/garlic mixture, almond milk, 1 teaspoon Parmesan (optional), 1/2 teaspoon sea salt, and purée.
ASSEMBLE: Pour purée over hot pasta, toss with parsley, Parmesan (optional) and red pepper flakes. Place pasta in a serving dish, sprinkle with more Parmesan (optional) and parsley. Enjoy!
