Sweet, spicy, and tangy, this 30 minutes pasta dish is loaded with flavor and a perfect weeknight meal!
Please tell me that we’re not over butternut squash yet, because I just don’t think that I can be. I love it to much. I’m still keeping a permanent stock of it in my pantry. I know right now, we’re all about how many sugar highs we can give ourselves in the next two weeks, and while I’m right there with the best of you, I really crave some savory foods too.
And quick ones! We need fast dinners to make sure we have enough time for all of our cookie and sweet baking, trading, and eating. We spent most of Saturday with some friends making a bazillion pierogies, and then just as many sugar cookies. And now my kitchen will be covered in frosting and sprinkles for all of eternity. Because kids decorating cookies is an adventure allll of it’s own. It was the second time I did it with them in a three day period, and it’s one of my favorite activities to do with them. They love it.
And I love that I can eat sugar cookies for breakfast, lunch, dinner, and second dinner, considering they’re my favorite cookie for always this time of year! But once the cookie inhaling is done, we still need to eat a normal dinner, right? Well my kids do anyways, my dinner was more cookies and wine. A solid holiday dinner if you ask me!
So, quick and easy is where it’s at sometimes, and this butternut squash alfredo is just the thing. This meal comes together in just 30 minutes and is delicious! With a little hint of heat from the chipotle pasta, the sweet squash, and the tang from the pom arils, it’s a perfect balance of flavors and will be sure to please!
Sweet, spicy, and tangy, this 30 minutes pasta dish is loaded with flavor and a perfect weeknight meal!
Ingredients
- 2 TB olive oil
- 1/2 cup chopped yellow onion
- 3 garlic cloves, minced
- 2 cup cubed butternut squash
- salt and pepper
- 2 TB butter
- 2 TB flour
- 2 cup milk (I used 2%)
- 1 cup Parmesan cheese, freshly grated
- 1/4 teaspoon nutmeg
- 1 pound chipotle pasta*
- pomegranate arils (optional)
Directions
- In a large skillet with deep walls, heat the olive oil over medium heat. Add the onion and cook until translucent, about 4-5 minutes.
- Stir in the garlic and squash. Crack some pepper and salt in. Cover, and stirring occasionally, cook until the squash is soft, about 10 minutes.
- Remove the mixture to a large bowl and mash until smooth and creamy.
- Cook the pasta until al dente.
- In the same deep skillet over medium-high heat, melt the butter. Whisk in the flour until golden brown and bubbly, about 2 minutes.
- Whisk in the milk, and heat until it begins to steam. Stir in the Parmesan cheese and nutmeg, and a dash of salt and pepper.
- Once the sauce is smooth, reduce the heat to low, and stir in the mashed butternut squash mixture, until blended and creamy.
- Pour over the cooked pasta and toss until combined. Garnish with pomegrate arils. Enjoy!
Notes
*If you can't find chipotle flavored pasta, and still want the heat in this dish, I would recommend, mincing up a chipotle in adobo, and cooking it in with the squash and garlic. If you don't want the heat, regular fettuccine would be just as delicious!