Creamy Butternut Squash Pasta with Bacon & Brussel Sprouts
PIN IT!This seasonal and delicious creamy butternut squash pasta with bacon and brussel sprouts is the perfect anytime meal!
Despite a mountain of boxes and a terrifying level of clutter in some of the rooms, this new place is *almost* starting to feel like home. I still wake up with a slight confusion as to where I am, but most of that fades as soon as I hear the loud-bellied squawk of the cranes outside of our pond. I don’t know how, but we lucked out with a rental house right on a quiet little pond, complete with hammock swing, fenced in backyard and fire pit. I foresee so many epic outdoor parties there this summer.
Well, once we make some local friends, that is. Since I’m working remotely again, this time with an actual home office, I’m thinking it’ll be a little harder to make friends than usual. For one, Oscar isn’t the best conversationist and two, well, it’s just me in this little house. Luckily most of E’s new colleagues are young and cool, so I’m relying on him to be our “friend maker.”
So if anyone knows anyone in Charleston looking to add a quirky, funny, traveling weirdo to their clique, give me a ring!
All joking aside, I’m really excited about this next chapter. Not only for our new location, but for my career. I was so unsure of how to run a business when I did this for 3 years, and I’ll be honest, I failed pretty miserably at it. However, I’m viewing this thing a little differently now. Maybe it’s because I’m out of my 20’s and now all responsible and shizz at 30 or the fact that I’m desperate, either way, I’m ready to take this thing by storm.
It also helps that I have a steady paycheck coming in from my other job, so I’m not as reliant on food to pay the bills.
Which is totally helpful. However, segwaying to food, if I had to rely on anything to bring in the bacon, it’s this creamy butternut squash pasta. Creamy butternut squash sauce, crispy pan-friend brussel sprouts and, you guessed it, BACON.
Although it’s a little decadent, the butternut squash is actually the star player. You don’t need as much cream or butter, but every bite is as creamy and mouthwatering as the last. Even though we’re on the tail end of winter, my old home (and many other states up North) are facing another downfall of snow, so this is the ultimate meal to enjoy after shoveling.
Or for us down south, a great meal to enjoy on the screened in porch while a cool breeze blows in. Sorry – I just had to.
Creamy Butternut Squash Pasta with Bacon & Brussel Sprouts
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Serves about 6. Sauce adapted from Two Peas and Their Pod.
Prep time: 10 minutes
Cook time: 40 minutes
Total time: 50 minutes
Ingredients:
For the sauce:
- 1 medium butternut sauce, peeled and seeded
- 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
- Salt and pepper
- 1 1/4 cup low-sodium chicken broth
- 1/4 cup heavy cream
For the brussel sprouts:
- 4 slices bacon
- 1 small red onion, peeled and sliced thinly
- 1 pound brussel sprouts, stems cut and thinly sliced
- Dash of salt and pepper
For the pasta:
- 1 box penne (whole wheat or regular)
- 1/4 cup shredded parmesan
- Fresh greens for garnish
Directions:
- Preheat oven 400 degrees F. Line a 9 x 13 baking pan with foil and add the butternut squash, flesh side up. Drizzle with olive oil and add salt and pepper. Roast for about 45 – 55 minutes, or until flesh is tender when pricked with a fork. Remove from oven and let cool slightly.
- Once squash cooled enough to handle, scoop the flesh out with a large spoon and place into a food processor or powerful blender. Pour in chicken broth and blend. Gradually add cream (about 1 tablespoon at a time) until sauce is thick and creamy. Season with salt and pepper.
- Meanwhile, bring a large pot of water to a boil. Add pasta and a dash of salt. Cook until al-dente, about 7 – 8 minutes. Rinse and set aside.
- Heat a large skillet over medium high heat. Add the bacon and cook until crispy on both sides, about 4 minutes on each. Remove from pan and place on a paper towel lined plate. Once drained, chop into bite size pieces. Reserve about 2 tablespoons bacon grease, discarding the rest. Add the onions and cook until fragrant, about 3 minutes. Add the brussel sprouts and cook on medium high heat until browned and slightly crispy, about 5 – 6 minutes.
- In a large bowl, mix the pasta, brussel sprout mixture, bacon and sauce, tossing to coat. Serve with additional salt and pepper and sprinkled parmesan cheese. Garnish with greens.
Nutritional information per serving (about 1 cup):
Calories: 379.5
Fat: 14.6 grams
Carbohydrates: 67 grams
Fiber: 4.6 grams
Protein: 15.8 grams
Weight Watchers Points: 12
Claire
Tags:brussel sprouts, creamy butternut squash, easy pasta, healthy pasta, quick and easy pasta, squash pasta
