Kale and squash are two of my kitchen staples in the fall and winter. In fact, they have already been so heavily in rotation around here that you’d think I was on a mission to see how quickly I can burn myself out. (For the record, I’m not even close.)
While they are a perfect match in salad, sometimes a girl just wants pasta – kale pesto pasta with roasted butternut squash and mint to be exact. The kale lends its signature grassy flavor to the pesto, which is captured by the curves and grooves of al dente fusilli. The deeply roasted butternut squash provides caramelized sweetness and the mint a hit of freshness.
It couldn’t be easier to make. The only time-consuming part? Roasting the squash. Get that started first or cook it a day or two in advance if that works better for you.
The only cheffy part is blanching the kale. “Blanching” just means giving an ingredient a quick dunk in boiling water before cooling it down quickly, typically in a bath of ice water. That quick cooling process is termed “shocking”; anyone who has ever dunked themselves in an ice bath understands.
After you have those two steps squared away, the pesto comes together in the time it takes to boil the pasta. Fast, easy and satisfying, this pasta is the perfect weeknight dinner.
Nutrition bits…
- Like all vegetables, kale and butternut squash are nutrient-dense powerhouses.
- Among others, kale is high in vitamins A, K and C; the B vitamin folate, antioxidants, and the minerals phosphorus, potassium, calcium and zinc. It is also a decent source of protein (3 grams per serving) and fiber (2.5 grams per serving). These properties mean it is great for things like eye health, blood clotting, strengthening your immune system, lowering cholesterol, preventing cancer, regulating your blood sugar, and improving digestion.
- Among others, squash is high in vitamins A and C; and the minerals potassium, magnesium and calcium. It is also high in fiber (3 grams per serving). These properties mean it is great for eye health, strengthening your immune system, improving blood pressure, regulating blood sugar, and improving digestion.
- Disclaimer: You don’t need to know any of the above details and there is no need to put any particular plant on a pedestal. They are all good. Eat a variety of vegetables and fruits and you’ll get everything you need.
- Pasta: I’m full-on team carb and believe pasta can be a part of a healthy diet. I often bulk out my bowl of pasta by burying a few handfuls of greens under my portion, or by mixing it with other vegetables like the butternut squash here. All that extra fiber helps fill me up in a way I enjoy and slows down digestion in general. No blood sugar crashes. Sometimes I use whole grain pasta and sometimes I don’t. It doesn’t matter much nutritionally. Choose the pasta you enjoy.
Check out me making this live here.
Kale Pesto Pasta with Roasted Butternut Squash and Mint
Special equipment needed…
- Food processor
Ingredients
For Roasted Butternut Squash…
- 1 lg butternut squash, peeled and cut into 1-2 inch chunks
- Evoo
- Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
- Granulated garlic
For Pesto…
- 1 bunch lacinato kale (curly is probably okay but I haven’t tested it), de-ribbed
- 1 fat garlic clove, very roughly chopped
- ½ cup toasted almonds (425 for ~13 min)
- ½ – 1 cup grated parmesan (how much you want depends on taste and how finely grated it is – start with the smaller quantity and adjust according to your taste)
- Evoo (around ½ cup)
- Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
For pasta…
- 1 lb pasta of choice (I like fusilli, cavatappi, or bow-ties here)
- ½ cup fresh mint leaves (basil or parsley would also be nice)
- Zest of 1 lemon
- Additional parmesan for serving
Method
- Preheat oven to 425 and line two sheet trays with parchment paper. Distribute squash between the two pans, drizzle with evoo and season to taste with kosher salt, black pepper and granulated garlic. Roast for 40 minutes, flipping the vegetables and rotating the sheet tray halfway through. Cool on sheet trays.
- Meanwhile, bring a large pot of water to boil and salt generously.
- Using tongs, submerge the de-ribbed kale into the boiling water for 30 seconds – 1 minute. Remove the kale with tongs and transfer to strainer sitting within another bowl so you don’t drip water all over your kitchen. Run the blanched kale under cold water until completely cool.
- Return the water to a boil, drop the pasta and set a timer according to the package directions. You are looking for al delta (as always).
- Ring out the kale using a kitchen towel or a pair of clean hands to get it as dry as possible. It will have shrunk down into the size of a tennis ball. Give this a rough chop.
- In the bowl of a food processor, pulse the garlic and toasted almonds until pebbly. Next, add in the rung-out kale and process until it looks like clumpy sand, scraping down the sides once. With the motor running, stream in olive oil, about ½ cup total. It should look a little wet. Next, stir in the parmesan by hand and taste for seasoning. It will probably need ½ tsp kosher salt and some freshly ground black pepper but feel free to add more salt it you think it needs it. It should be quite salty because it will be flavoring the pasta.
- Drain the pasta, reserving ~1/2 cup of the pasta water. Return the pasta to the warm pot and add about half of the kale pesto* and ¼ cup of the hot pasta water. The starchy pasta water will help adhere the sauce to the pasta. Toss, toss, toss, adding more pesto and pasta water to taste. You want every noodle to be nicely coated.
- To serve: Layer the pesto pasta, butternut squash and mint leaves in a serving bowl. Top with lemon zest. Enjoy warm or room temperature. The finished pasta holds well in the fridge for several days.
Serves: 4-5 people
*Extra kale pesto can be slathered on toast, used to top a grain bowl, spooned over eggs, mixed with yogurt for a savory dip, spooned over roasted broccoli or cauliflower, spooned over mozzarella or burrata and served with bread – sky is the limit!