Description
This Baked Feta and Butternut Squash Pasta with Sage and Garlic is a comforting and flavorful one-pan meal blending the sweetness of roasted butternut squash with creamy feta cheese, aromatic sage, and a touch of hot honey. Perfect for an easy yet elegant dinner, it features tender pasta tossed in a luscious sauce made directly in the baking dish, creating a rich and satisfying dish with minimal cleanup.
Ingredients
Units
Scale
Roasted Vegetables & Cheese
- 5 cups Butternut Squash (approximately 1 large butternut squash)
- 1/2 cup Olive Oil, plus more for drizzling
- 2 hefty pinches Kosher Salt (just shy of 1/2 tsp)
- 1 hefty pinch Red Pepper Flakes (optional)
- 1 8 oz block Feta Cheese
Pasta & Seasoning
- 1 lb Pasta such as rotini, orzo, or ditalini
- 10 leaves Fresh Sage, minced
- 3 cloves Garlic, finely minced
- 1 tablespoon Hot Honey (regular honey can be used)
- Fresh Cracked Black Pepper, to taste
Instructions
- Preheat and prepare squash: Preheat your oven to 400°F. Toss the peeled and cubed butternut squash with ½ cup olive oil, 2 hefty pinches of kosher salt, and several grinds of fresh black pepper. Place the squash evenly in a baking dish.
- Add feta and season: Place the 8 oz block of feta cheese in the center of the squash in the baking dish. Drizzle the feta with a bit of olive oil, sprinkle with red pepper flakes if using, and add more fresh cracked black pepper.
- Bake squash and feta: Bake the dish for 30 minutes at 400°F. Then carefully stir or move the butternut squash pieces to prevent burning on the bottom without disturbing the feta. Increase oven temperature to 450°F and bake for an additional 5-10 minutes until the feta is slightly browned and golden.
- Cook pasta: While the squash and feta bake, bring salted water to a boil and cook 1 lb pasta until al dente. Reserve 2 cups of pasta cooking water before draining the pasta.
- Combine and flavor: Remove the baking dish from the oven. Immediately stir in minced garlic, minced sage leaves, and hot honey into the baked feta and squash mixture. Add the drained pasta and 1 cup of the reserved pasta water. Stir well to combine all ingredients into a creamy sauce.
- Adjust sauce consistency and season: If the pasta seems too dry, gradually add more pasta water, a little at a time, until the sauce reaches a smooth, creamy consistency. Taste and season with additional salt, black pepper, and honey if desired.
Notes
- You can substitute regular honey if you prefer milder sweetness instead of hot honey.
- Be careful not to burn the butternut squash when baking; stirring halfway helps.
- Any short pasta like rotini, orzo, or ditalini works well to hold the sauce.
- Adding reserved pasta water is key to creating a silky sauce that clings to the pasta.
- Feel free to omit the red pepper flakes or hot honey for a milder dish.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1/4 recipe
- Calories: 520 kcal
- Sugar: 8 g
- Sodium: 680 mg
- Fat: 22 g
- Saturated Fat: 8 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 12 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 58 g
- Fiber: 6 g
- Protein: 18 g
- Cholesterol: 25 mg
