Butternut Squash Carbonara Pasta
A creamy and comforting twist on the classic carbonara, featuring butternut squash and parmesan cheese.
Equipment
- Non-stick skillet for cooking and sautéing ingredients.
- Blender to puree the squash mixture.
- Large pot for boiling the pasta.
Ingredients
Main Ingredients
- 6 slices bacon chopped
- 1 Tbsp fresh sage finely chopped
- 1 small yellow onion chopped (about 1 heaping cup)
- 1 butternut squash about 1 3/4 lb, peeled, seeded, and diced into 1/2-inch cubes (around 4 cups)
- Salt and black pepper to taste
- 3 cloves garlic minced
- 1 can 14.5 oz low-sodium chicken broth
- 1 pinch ground nutmeg
- 1/4 cup heavy cream or half and half for a lighter option
- 14 oz dry linguine
- 1/3 cup finely shredded parmesan cheese plus more for serving
Instructions
- In a 12-inch non-stick skillet over medium-high heat, cook the bacon until browned and crisp. Add sage and toss to coat in the drippings. Remove bacon and sage, leaving 2 Tbsp of bacon fat in the skillet. Transfer bacon and sage to a plate lined with paper towels.
- Add onions to the skillet with the drippings and sauté for 2 minutes. Add the squash, season with salt and pepper, and cook for about 7 minutes, tossing occasionally until the onions start to lightly brown. Add garlic and cook for an additional 2 minutes. Pour in the chicken broth, sprinkle in nutmeg, bring to a boil, then simmer until the broth reduces by half, approximately 15 minutes.
- While the squash mixture simmers, cook the linguine in a large pot of salted water until al dente according to package instructions. Drain, reserving 1 cup of pasta water.
- Allow the simmered squash mixture to cool slightly, then transfer it to a blender (reserve the skillet) and add cream. Cover with the lid, leaving the center insert removed. With a folded kitchen towel over the lid, blend the mixture until smooth.
- In the reserved skillet, combine the drained pasta, pureed squash mixture, and 1/4 cup of reserved pasta water. Cook over medium heat, tossing and adding more pasta water to thin the sauce as needed, until the sauce coats the pasta, about 2 minutes.
- Toss in 1/3 cup parmesan, season with salt and pepper to taste. Plate the pasta and serve topped with parmesan, bacon, sage, and additional pepper.
Notes
For a vegetarian option, omit the bacon and use vegetable broth instead of chicken broth.