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Brussels Sprouts And Butternut Squash Pasta

Brussels sprouts and butternut squash pasta with caramelized roasted vegetables and silky brown-butter garlic-sage sauce tossed with rigatoni. Golden squash cubes and charred sprouts cling to the pasta, finished with parmesan and toasted hazelnuts for crunch.
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Prep Time 20 minutes
Cook Time 35 minutes
Total Time 55 minutes
Servings: 4 servings
Course: Main Dish
Cuisine: Italian-American
Calories: 650
Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients
  

Rigatoni or penne
  • 1 lb rigatoni or penne
Butternut squash and Brussels sprouts
  • 2 cup butternut squash, cubed
  • 2 cup Brussels sprouts, halved
Sauce and aromatics
  • 0.5 cup unsalted butter
  • 4 garlic, minced
  • 1 tbsp fresh sage, chopped
  • 2 tbsp olive oil
  • 0.5 cup pasta water
Toppings
  • 0.25 cup hazelnuts or walnuts, toasted
  • 1 cup parmesan, grated
Seasoning
  • salt and pepper to taste Use to taste.

Equipment

  • 1 sheet pan
  • 1 cast iron skillet

Method
 

Roast the vegetables
  1. Heat oven to 425F. Toss the butternut squash cubes with olive oil, salt, and pepper, then spread on a sheet pan.
  2. Roast the butternut squash at 425F for 25 minutes, stirring once halfway, until caramelized and lightly browned.
  3. Toss the halved Brussels sprouts with olive oil, salt, and pepper and spread on a second sheet pan.
  4. Roast the Brussels sprouts at 425F for 25 minutes, stirring once halfway, until caramelized and browned at the edges.
Cook pasta and build brown butter sauce
  1. Cook the rigatoni or penne in salted water until al dente. Reserve 1 cup pasta water before draining.
  2. Melt the unsalted butter in a cast iron skillet over medium heat. Cook until it turns golden and nutty, then add garlic and sage.
  3. Sauté garlic and sage in the browned butter for about 1-2 minutes. Stir until fragrant and the garlic is lightly golden.
Toss and finish
  1. Add drained pasta to the cast iron skillet and pour in the pasta water a splash at a time. Toss until the sauce turns glossy and clings to the pasta.
  2. Fold in the roasted butternut squash and Brussels sprouts. Toss just until the vegetables are coated.
  3. Stir in the grated parmesan and season with salt and pepper to taste. Keep tossing until evenly distributed.
  4. Serve immediately and top with toasted hazelnuts or walnuts. Finish with a final light sprinkle of parmesan if desired.

Notes

Pro tip: roast the squash and sprouts separately so they caramelize instead of steaming. Store leftovers in the refrigerator up to 3 days; reheat in a skillet with a splash of pasta water to loosen the sauce. Freezing isn’t recommended because the squash can soften further. For a dairy-reduced option, use part-skim parmesan or replace a portion of parmesan with nutritional yeast, keeping the brown-butter base.