Butternut Squash Pasta with Toasted Breadcrumbs

Butternut squash pasta twirled onto a fork

Butternut Squash Pasta with Toasted Breadcrumbs

This roasted butternut squash pasta is made with garlic olive oil and chickpeas. It's sprinkled with salty toasted breadcrumbs instead of cheese, to keep things vegan. An easy weeknight dinner.

Prep Time 5 minutes

Cook Time 35 minutes

Total Time 40 minutes

Servings

Ingredients

Butternut Squash Pasta

1 lb (454 g) butternut squash, cubed (about ½-inch) (about 3 cups)
6 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil, divided
¾ teaspoon fine sea salt, divided
½ to ¾ teaspoon red pepper flakes
6 cloves garlic, minced
1 red onion, diced (about 2 cups)
8 oz dried spaghetti (gluten free if needed)
3 cups baby spinach
1 (15 oz/14 fl oz/398 ml) can chickpeas, rinsed (see note 1)
Black pepper (to taste)
Flat leaf parsley (for garnish)

Toasted Breadcrumbs

2 teaspoons extra virgin olive oil
3 tablespoons breadcrumbs (gluten free if needed)
¼ teaspoon onion powder
¼ teaspoon fine sea salt

US Customary - Metric

Instructions

Preheat: Preheat oven to 400°F (200°C).
Roast Squash: Scatter squash on a parchment lined baking sheet. Drizzle with 1 tablespoon of the olive oil and toss to coat. Sprinkle with ¼ teaspoon of the salt. Bake until golden brown, 30 to 35 minutes, flipping halfway.
1 lb ([adjustable]454[/adjustable] g) butternut squash, cubed (about ½-inch), 6 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil, divided, ¾ teaspoon fine sea salt, divided
Toast Breadcrumbs: Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium-low heat. Add breadcrumbs and onion powder. Cook, stirring frequently, until golden brown, about 3 minutes. Transfer to a small bowl and stir in salt.
2 teaspoons extra virgin olive oil, 3 tablespoons breadcrumbs, ¼ teaspoon onion powder, ¼ teaspoon fine sea salt
Cook pasta: Bring a large pot of salted water to boil. Cook pasta al dente, according to package directions. Reserve ¾ cups of pasta water before draining.
8 oz dried spaghetti
Make sauce: Meanwhile, give the skillet a quick wipe, add the remaining 5 tablespoons olive oil and red pepper flakes. Warm over medium-low heat. Add red onion and cook until translucent, about 5 minutes. Add garlic and cook until slightly golden at the edges, about 2 minutes. Reduce heat to low to keep warm.
6 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil, divided, ½ to ¾ teaspoon red pepper flakes, 1 red onion, diced, 6 cloves garlic, minced
Combine: Add pasta to sauce and toss to coat. Stir in spinach, chickpeas, ½ cup of the reserved pasta water, and the remaining ½ teaspoon salt. Cook until the spinach is wilted and chickpeas are warm, about 2 minutes. If needed, add up to an additional ¼ cup of reserved pasta water to bring everything together. Scatter in the butternut squash, taste and season with salt and pepper. Garnish with parsley and toasted breadcrumbs.
3 cups baby spinach, Black pepper, Flat leaf parsley, 1 (15 oz/14 fl oz/398 ml) can chickpeas, rinsed

Notes

Chickpeas: You can use home-cooked chickpeas instead of canned: 1 can (15 oz/14 fl oz/398 ml) = 1.5 cups of cooked chickpeas.

Nutrition