Creamy and crave-worthy, this baked butternut squash pasta is the epitome of comfort food. It’s a cozy dish that’s simple, yet extremely flavorful thanks to the “it” veggie of the season plus onions, garlic, toasted hazelnuts and gooey Parmesan cheese. Make this recipe tonight or pin it for your holiday spread – or, if you’re anything like us, you’ll have no problem making it for both occasions (or more!).
Baked Butternut Squash Rigatoni
Servings 5
Calories 671 kcal
Ingredients
- 1/2 cup hazelnuts
- 4 Tbsp. extra-virgin olive oil, divided, plus more for drizzling
- 2 large shallots, finely chopped
- 3 garlic cloves, thinly sliced
- 1/2 tsp. crushed red pepper flakes
- 1 small butternut squash, peeled, halved, seeded, cut into 1/2-inch cubes (about 6 cups)
- 4 cups low-sodium chicken broth or stock
- 1 lb. rigatoni
- Kosher salt
- 2 oz. Parmesan, finely grated (about 1½ cups), divided, plus more for serving
- 1 cup basil leaf
Instructions
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Preheat oven to 350 F. Arrange hazelnuts on baking sheet and toast for 5 minutes. Once cooled, finely chop hazelnuts and drizzle with olive oil.
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In cast iron pot, heat 2 tablespoons olive oil. Add shallots and cook until golden brown and soft, around 8 minutes. Add garlic and red pepper and cook until fragrant and garlic is soft.
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Stir in squash. Add stock and bring mixture to boil. Reduce heat to simmer and cook until squash is tender, around 10 minutes.
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In another pot, bring salted water to boil. Add pasta and cook until al dente. Drain pasta and rinse with cold water.
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Once cooled, transfer squash mixture into blender and add 2 cups of Parmesan. Puree until smooth.
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Pour 1 cup squash puree onto 13x9 baking dish and spread all across. Add a layer of pasta then pour remaining sauce on top.
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Top with another 1/2 cup Parmesan, cover with foil and bake 15 minutes. Uncover and raise temperature to 425 degrees F and continue baking until the top has dark spots around, 12 minutes.
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Add basil, hazelnuts, salt and olive oil. Stir to combine and layer with more parmesan and pepper.
Recipe Notes
Order the ingredients you need to make this fall-inspired recipe at Vitacost.com!
Nutrition Facts
Baked Butternut Squash Rigatoni
Amount Per Serving (1 g)
Calories 671
Calories from Fat 225
% Daily Value*
Fat 25g38%
Saturated Fat 5g25%
Cholesterol 8mg3%
Sodium 260mg11%
Potassium 1049mg30%
Carbohydrates 93g31%
Fiber 8g32%
Sugar 7g8%
Protein 24g48%
Vitamin A 16433IU329%
Vitamin C 34mg41%
Calcium 262mg26%
Iron 4mg22%
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.