Description
A vibrant and comforting squash and caramelised onion pasta dish featuring roasted butternut squash, sweet balsamic caramelised onions, nutrient-rich kale, and a garlic-nutritional yeast sauce. This wholesome vegetarian recipe combines roasted vegetables with perfectly cooked pasta for a flavorful, healthy meal perfect for any season.
Ingredients
Roasted Vegetables
- 400 g / 14 oz peeled butternut squash or firm pumpkin
- 2 tsp olive oil (for squash)
- Salt and black pepper, to taste
- 1 large red onion, peeled and thickly sliced
- 4 tsp olive oil (for onion)
- 1-2 tsp sugar, adjust to taste
- 2 tbsp balsamic vinegar
Pasta and Sauce
- 3 lacinato kale leaves, destemmed and finely shredded
- 1 large garlic clove, finely diced
- 2 tbsp nutritional yeast
- 200 g / 7 oz penne pasta (GF if needed), wholewheat used here
- 4 tsp olive oil (for garlic sauce)
- A good pinch of chilli flakes (optional, fine Korean chilli flakes used)
Garnish
- Chopped toasted hazelnuts, to serve
Instructions
- Preheat Oven: Heat your oven to 200°C / 390°F and prepare a large baking tray.
- Prepare Squash/Pumpkin: Cut the squash or pumpkin into uniform dice, coat with about 2 tsp olive oil, season with salt and pepper, and spread on about two-thirds of the baking tray.
- Prepare Onion: Coat the sliced red onion in 4 tsp olive oil and place on the remaining third of the same tray. Overlap the onions to keep them moist while the squash is spread out for charring.
- Roast Vegetables: Bake for 30 minutes, stirring both squash and onions midway at 15 minutes. After 30 minutes, the squash should be tender and roasted; remove it from the tray and set aside.
- Caramelise Onion: Season the roasted onions with salt and sugar, drizzle with balsamic vinegar, and return to the oven for an additional 10-15 minutes, stirring halfway through around 7 minutes in, until caramelised and soft.
- Cook Pasta and Kale: Boil penne pasta in plenty of salted water until just short of al dente. About 1.5 minutes before the pasta is done, add finely shredded kale to the pasta water and cook together for one more minute. Reserve 2 tbsp of the pasta cooking water then drain the pasta and kale.
- Prepare Garlic Sauce: Heat 4 tsp olive oil in a non-stick or preferably stainless steel pan over very low heat. Add finely diced garlic and gently fry, stirring frequently to prevent browning, until soft and fragrant.
- Create Emulsion Sauce: Add nutritional yeast, a pinch of salt, and around 2 tbsp of reserved pasta water to the pan. Stir continuously to form a light emulsion which will coat the pasta.
- Toss Pasta and Kale: Add the drained pasta and kale mixture to the pan and thoroughly coat them in the garlic-nutritional yeast sauce.
- Add Roasted Vegetables: Gently stir in the roasted squash and caramelised onions, adjusting seasoning as needed to balance flavors.
- Serve: Divide the pasta between serving bowls, sprinkle with optional chilli flakes for heat, and garnish with chopped toasted hazelnuts for a crunchy finish.
Notes
- Ensure the garlic is cooked on very low heat to avoid bitterness from browning.
- Adjust sugar in onion caramelisation to suit sweetness preference.
- Use gluten-free pasta if dietary restrictions apply.
- To toast hazelnuts, lightly dry roast in a pan or oven until golden and fragrant.
- The reserved pasta water helps bind the sauce and adds creaminess without cream.
