This pasta dish is tossed with earthy kale pesto and sweet, caramelized roasted acorn squash, then topped with garlicky breadcrumbs for an irresistible crunch. Enjoy as a hearty, yet vegetarian fall main dish, or as a side.
Course Main Course
Cuisine American
Keyword pasta
Prep Time 10 minutesminutes
Cook Time 30 minutesminutes
Total Time 40 minutesminutes
Servings 6
Calories 644kcal
Ingredients
For the Kale Pesto:
½cuptoasted walnuts
½ cupgrated Parmesan cheese
2garlic cloves, roughly chopped
2cupslacinato (dinosaur) kale leaves, washed, stemmed, and slivered
10sage leaves
½cupextra-virgin olive oil
1tablespoonlemon juice
½teaspoonkosher salt
½teaspoonfreshly ground black pepper
For the Pasta:
12-poundacorn squash, halved lengthwise stem to stem, insides scooped out and discarded
¼cupextra-virgin olive oil, divided
½ + ⅛ teaspoon kosher salt, divided
¼teaspoonfreshly ground black pepper
1poundlong strand pasta , such as linguine, fettuccine, bucatini, spaghetti
½cuppanko breadcrumbs
1garlic clove, grated or pressed
Parmesan, freshly grated, for serving
Instructions
For the Kale 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.
For the Pasta:
Preheat the oven to 400°F and line a large sheet pan with parchment paper or foil.
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.
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.
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.
To 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.