This hearty fall pasta dish is tossed with earthy kale pesto and sweet, caramelized roasted acorn squash, then topped with garlicky breadcrumbs for an irresistible crunch.
Fall Pasta Recipes Don’t Get Tastier Than This!
I recently gave my traditional basil pesto recipe a fall makeover, swapping the basil for kale and sage, and the pine nuts for walnuts, and now I want to put this kale pesto on everything. As it turns out, my fall pesto is delish tossed with long strands of pasta and sweet roasted acorn squash.
This simple pasta works great as a main course but could easily be enjoyed as a side. To make, whip up some kale pesto, which comes together in 5 minutes. Then roast some acorn squash rings (skin on), cook the pasta, and toast up some garlicky Panko breadcrumbs.
The last step is to toss the hot tendrils of pasta in the pesto and add it to a large serving bowl with the roasted squash. Top it with fresh grated Parmesan cheese and breadcrumbs for extra umami flavor and crunch!
Enjoy!
PS. This would be a fantastic Thanksgiving pasta option if you prefer less traditional dishes on your holiday table!
Ingredient Notes
The full recipe, with amounts, can be found in the recipe card below.
- Long pasta — Try linguine, spaghetti, or bucatini.
- Kale pesto — To speed up the prep, you can make the pesto several days in advance and store airtight in the fridge.
- Acorn squash — I prefer leaving the skin on because I like the color and texture it adds, but you can easily remove it (I find it’s easier to do this after roasting rather than peeling the whole squash beforehand). FYI, roasting acorn squash makes its skin tender and edible, and since the slices are on the thinner side, so you won’t get a huge chunk of skin.
- Parmesan cheese — Buy a block and grate it by hand using the largest holes on a box grater.
- Panko breadcrumbs — Are lighter and crispier than traditional breadcrumbs.
- Garlic — We’re using just 1 clove so the pasta isn’t too garlicky.
How to Make Acorn Squash Pasta
- Grab your sharpest knife and slice. Cut the squash in half, lengthwise, stem to stem. Use a sturdy spoon to scrape and scoop out the insides and discard them. Slice each squash halve into 1-inch-thick half moon rings.
- Roast until caramelized. Season your squash and roast at 400°F for about 30 minutes or until nicely caramelized.
- Meanwhile, make the kale pesto. Like any pesto, this one is versatile. You could omit the sage if you like, or you experiment with toasted almonds or even pepitas instead of walnuts.
- Cook your pasta. Bring a large pot of water to a boil, then salt it well (like the sea). Add your pasta and cook until al denté and still a bit firm.
- Toast the breadcrumbs. Bring a medium-sized skillet to heat over medium and add your olive oil. Once oil is hot, add the breadcrumbs, grated garlic clove and salt. Stir everything to coat and toast for about 3-4 minutes, stirring frequently and watching so the crumbs don’t burn.
- Assemble. Toss the drained pasta first with the pesto, then more gently with the roasted acorn squash. Top with grated Parmesan and the toasted breadcrumbs before serving.
What to Serve With This Fall Harvest Pasta
If you make this recipe, please let me know! Leave a ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ rating on this recipe below and leave a comment, take a photo and tag me on Instagram with #foodiecrusheats.
Roasted Acorn Squash Pasta Recipe
Ingredients
For the Kale Pesto:
- ½ cup toasted walnuts
- ½ cup grated Parmesan cheese
- 2 garlic cloves , roughly chopped
- 2 cups lacinato (dinosaur) kale leaves , washed, stemmed, and slivered
- 10 sage leaves
- ½ cup extra-virgin olive oil
- 1 tablespoon lemon juice
- ½ teaspoon kosher salt
- ½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
For the Pasta:
- 2 pounds acorn squash , halved lengthwise stem to stem, insides scooped out and discarded
- ¼ cup extra-virgin olive oil , divided
- ½ + ⅛ teaspoon kosher salt , divided
- ¼ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- 1 pound long strand pasta , such as linguine, fettuccine, bucatini, spaghetti
- ½ cup panko breadcrumbs
- 1 garlic clove , grated or pressed
- Parmesan , freshly grated, for serving
Instructions
- Make the pesto. Add roughly chopped garlic, toasted pine nuts and finely grated Parmesan cheese to the bowl of a food processor and process until smooth. Add the kale and sage, and pulse until chopped. While the processor is running, drizzle the olive oil through the shoot until the mixture is emulsified and smooth. Add the lemon juice, salt and pepper, and whiz again. Taste for seasoning and adjust to your liking.
- Preheat the oven to 400°F. Line a large sheet pan with parchment paper or foil.
- Prep the acorn squash. Cut the squash in half lengthwise, stem to stem. Use a sturdy spoon to scrape and scoop out the insides and discard them. Slice each squash halve into ½-inch thick half-moon rings.
- Roast the acorn squash. Add the squash rings to a large bowl, along with 2 tablespoons of the olive oil, ½ teaspoon of salt, and the pepper. Toss evenly to coat, then turn squash out into an even layer on the sheet pan. Roast for about 30 minutes, or until nice and caramelized.
- Cook the pasta. Boil the pasta in a large pot of salted water, until al denté and still a bit firm.
- While pasta cooks, toast the breadcrumbs. Bring a medium-sized skillet to heat over medium and add the remaining 2 tablespoons of olive oil. Once oil is hot, add the breadcrumbs, the remaining ⅛ teaspoon of salt, and the grated garlic clove. Stir everything to coat and toast for about 3-4 minutes, or until golden brown, stirring frequently throughout and watching so the crumbs don't burn.
- Assemble. Drain the pasta and add to a large serving bowl. Add the pesto and toss well to coat. Add the squash, toss gently, then top with freshly grated Parmesan and toasted breadcrumbs.
Nutrition
More Fall Pasta Recipes to Try
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Nicki
Hi! Could we sub spinach for kale?
Yes, for sure Nicki!
Red
The kale with sage pesto was great and I’m not a fan of squash but cooked this way I actually liked it. Thanks!
So glad you liked it Red.