It’s been a while since I’ve had any time to cook for myself at home. I haven’t been home much lately and when I have I’ve been studying for an exam for work. I finally got some time back to myself over the weekend and I got to try some new recipes.
One of my favorites was this butternut squash spaghetti I tried. It was actually super easy to make and it’s a relatively healthy option. I’m a big pasta fan, but I also enjoy being able to button my jeans.
This dish is pretty quick to make and is great for lunch al desko.
Here’s everything you need for butternut squash spaghetti:
1 medium butternut squash, peeled and diced
3 tablespoons olive oil
8 sage leaves
12 ounces whole wheat linguine
1 1/2 cups water or vegetable broth
1/4 cup diced yellow onion
2 cloves garlic, minced
1/8 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1/4 cup freshly grated parmesan cheese
Salt & Pepper
First things first, bring a large pot of water to boil. Salt the water and add in the butternut squash to cook until it’s soft, like 12-15 minutes.
While the squash is cooking, go ahead and fry your sage leaves. Heat the olive oil in a small skillet over medium-high heat. Add in a few leaves at a time and cook until they are crisp, but still bright green. This took me about 30 seconds. Then set them on a paper towel to drain and season with salt.
Next use a large slotted spoon to remove the squash from the water and place in your blender. You can go ahead and add your pasta to the already boiling water to cook 7-10 minutes.
Puree the squash until it’s smooth and add in your water or broth until it’s a smooth, thick consistency. You can just add water if it’s still not quite the right consistency for you.
In a large deep skillet, heat 1 tablespoon olive oil over medium-high heat. Add in your onion and garlic to cook for 3-5 minutes, until soft. Then add in your squash puree and stir in parmesan cheese. Season the sauce with nutmeg and salt and pepper. Just season it to taste, which may be a little more or less nutmeg than the recipe calls for.
Next add in your spaghetti and stir until the pasta is well coated. Chop two of the sage leaves to mix into the pasta. You can serve the remaining fried sage leaves with your pasta and maybe some extra parmesan cheese for good measure.
I also highly recommend serving this with a giant glass of red wine.
