Creamy Butternut Squash Pasta with Kale Chips and Hazelnuts
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}Move over marinara, there’s a new sauce in town! Butternut squash transforms into a silky sauce by using an immersion blender. No immersion blender? No problem. Use a regular blender or food processor to achieve super smoothness. Martha & Marley Spoon paired it with crunchy kale chips and toasted hazelnuts to add even more crunch and contrast to the creamy pasta. Cook, relax, and enjoy!
Cook Time:30 min
Prep Time:20 min
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}Total Time:50 min
Servings: 2
Ingredients:
1 medium yellow onion (6–8 oz)
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}1 large clove garlic
12 oz diced butternut squash
1 oz roasted hazelnuts
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}? oz Parmesan (0.75 oz)
8 oz curly kale
? tsp crushed red pepper (0.02 oz)
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}1 packet vegetable broth (0.34 oz)
1 lb penne (use ½)
coarse salt
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}olive oil
freshly ground pepper
Preparation:
Preheat oven to 400ºF and bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Halve, peel, and chop onion. Peel and finely chop garlic. Cut butternut squash cubes into ½-inch pieces. Coarsely chop hazelnuts. Grate Parmesan.
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}Remove stems from kale and tear leaves into large pieces. Spread out on a rimmed baking sheet, drizzle with 2 tablespoons oil and season with salt. Bake until crispy, about 15 minutes
Heat 1 tablespoon oil in another large pot over medium-high. Add onion and sauté until golden, 3–5 minutes. Stir in garlic and half to all of the crushed red pepper (depending on your heat preference) and cook until fragrant, about 1 minute.
Add squash, 1 cup water, vegetable broth concentrate, and ½ teaspoon salt to the pot and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to a simmer and cook, covered, until squash is tender, 12–15 minutes. Remove from heat and process with an immersion blender (or in a food processor or blender) until smooth. Season to taste with salt and pepper.
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}Add half of the penne (8 oz) to the boiling water (reserve remainder for another use) and cook, stirring occasionally, until almost al dente, about 10–12 minutes . Reserve ½ cup pasta water and drain.
Return the pot of squash purée to medium heat. Add pasta, ¼ cup pasta water, and ¾ of the grated Parmesan and toss until sauce coats penne. Add more pasta water if needed to loosen, and season with salt and pepper. Divide pasta between 2 bowls and top with kale chips, chopped hazelnuts, and remaining Parmesan. Enjoy!