| Level: | Easy |
| Total: | 30 min |
| Active: | 30 min |
| Yield: | 4 servings |
Ingredients
- Kosher salt
- 8 ounces penne
- 1 small butternut squash (about 1 pound)
- 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
- 4 ounces pancetta, diced
- 3 cloves garlic, sliced
- 1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes
- 1 tablespoon chopped fresh marjoram
- 1/4 cup grated parmesan cheese
Instructions
- Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add the pasta and cook as the label directs for al dente. Reserve 1 cup cooking water, then drain.
- Meanwhile, peel the butternut squash and shred on the large holes of a box grater. Combine the olive oil and pancetta in a large dutch oven over medium-high heat. Cook, stirring occasionally, until lightly browned, 4 to 5 minutes. Add the garlic and red pepper flakes and cook, stirring, until lightly toasted, about 1 minute. Stir in the marjoram, then the shredded squash and 1/2 teaspoon salt. Cook, stirring, until the squash is just tender, 3 to 5 minutes.
- Add the pasta and 3/4 cup of the cooking water to the dutch oven. Cook, tossing, until the pasta is coated with the sauce, 1 to 2 minutes, adding the remaining cooking water as needed. Season with salt. Divide among bowls and top with the parmesan.
Nutrition Facts
| Calories | 430 |
| Total Fat | 16 grams |
| Saturated Fat | 5 grams |
| Cholesterol | 25 milligrams |
| Sodium | 696 milligrams |
| Carbohydrates | 57 grams |
| Dietary Fiber | 4 grams |
| Protein | 15 grams |
| Sugar | 5 grams |
Reviews
Added mushrooms. Next time I’ll add more herbs, felt this lacked a little extra flavor. But definitely getting saved!
A simple recipe that makes a thin sauce to cover the penne. A great use of Butternut Squash as well. I’m sure you could use this recipe for other winter squash and maybe even summer squash. I also used it with just bacon. Best with Pancetta or thick bacon.
We really enjoy this dish and have made it several times. Love that we have a way to incorporate butternut squash without a lot of prep/roasting time and it’s a great way to sneak squash into a dish for the skeptics. This can run a little salty so watch the seasoning.
I usually have a habit of under-seasoning, but the saltiness from the pancetta and the parmesan were perfect. I love that we were able to cook a whole butternut squash without having to roast it for hours in the oven. A new favorite recipe, for sure
I liked it – really great taste – used broken lasagna noodles instead of penne because I wanted to get rid of the box 🙂
Not good. There aren’t many recipes that are total failures. We had soup and salad instead.