Spaghetti carbonara, but with some of my favorite type of squash mixed into the sauce? Works for me! I did some of the prep work the night before (chopping the bacon, roasting and blending the squash, grating the cheese), which made this pretty easy on the day.
Ingredients:
- 2 cups cubed butternut squash
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 1/4 teaspoon pepper
- 1/4 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg (I skipped this)
- 3 large eggs
- 3/4 cups freshly finely grated parmesan cheese, plus extra for topping
- 1/2 pound spaghetti (I used a chickpea based gluten-free one)
- 8 slices bacon, chopped
- 4 garlic cloves, minced
- extra salt + pepper for taste, if needed
- fresh herbs for sprinkling
Preheat your oven to 425 degrees. Line a baking sheet with parchment. Toss the squash with olive oil, salt, pepper, and nutmeg, spread on the prepared sheet, and roast for 15 minutes. Toss, then bake for an additional 15 minutes, or until tender/easy to pierce with a fork. I bought frozen/pre-cut squash that was in fairly tiny chunks, so it didn’t need a full half hour.
Toaster oven sized!
Puree the squash in a food processor. Once smooth, add in the eggs and cheese and process again.
While the squash is cooking, boil a large pot of water and cook the pasta according to the package directions. When ready, drain.
While the squash and pasta are cooking, cook the bacon in a large skillet over medium heat. Cook until nice and crispy, then remove the bacon to a plate lined with paper towels to drain. When the pasta is just about done cooking, toss the minced garlic into the bacon grease and cook for a minute, until fragrant.
Probably could have drained SOME of that grease..
Add the pasta and use kitchen tongs to coat the pasta well in the bacon grease. Remove the pan from the heat.
Pour the squash mixture into the pasta and stir for 3-4 minutes until the heat from the pasta/pan cook the eggs in the squash mixture. Toss the bacon into the mixture.
Serve with extra cheese and/or any herbs you like!
Butternut Squash Carbonara
From How Sweet Eats.
- 2 cups cubed butternut squash
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 1/4 teaspoon pepper
- 1/4 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg (I skipped this)
- 3 large eggs
- 3/4 cups freshly finely grated parmesan cheese, plus extra for topping
- 1/2 pound spaghetti (I used a chickpea based gluten-free one)
- 8 slices bacon, chopped
- 4 garlic cloves, minced
- extra salt + pepper for taste, if needed
- fresh herbs for sprinkling
Preheat your oven to 425 degrees. Line a baking sheet with parchment. Toss the squash with olive oil, salt, pepper, and nutmeg, spread on the prepared sheet, and roast for 15 minutes. Toss, then bake for an additional 15 minutes, or until tender/easy to pierce with a fork.
Puree the squash in a food processor. Once smooth, add in the eggs and cheese and process again.
While the squash is cooking, boil a large pot of water and cook the pasta according to the package directions. When ready, drain.
While the squash and pasta are cooking, cook the bacon in a large skillet over medium heat. Cook until nice and crispy, then remove the bacon to a plate lined with paper towels to drain. When the pasta is just about done cooking, toss the minced garlic into the bacon grease and cook for a minute, until fragrant, then add the pasta and use kitchen tongs to coat the pasta well in the bacon grease. Remove the pan from the heat.
Pour the squash mixture into the pasta and stir for 3-4 minutes until the heat from the pasta/pan cook the eggs in the squash mixture. Toss the bacon into the mixture. Serve with extra cheese and/or any herbs you like!
sparecake 