Description
A creamy and flavorful Butternut Squash Pasta Carbonara enhanced with aromatic rosemary bacon and fresh herbs. This dish combines roasted butternut squash puree with perfectly cooked linguine, eggs, parmesan, and a touch of spice for a comforting yet elegant meal.
Ingredients
Scale
Roasted Butternut Squash and Bacon
- 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
- 2 cups cubed butternut squash (about 1 small squash)
- 2 cloves garlic, smashed
- 2 tablespoons fresh thyme leaves
- 1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
- Kosher salt and black pepper, to taste
- 8 slices thick-cut bacon
- 2 tablespoons chopped fresh rosemary
- 1/2-1 teaspoon cayenne pepper
- 2 teaspoons honey
Pasta and Sauce
- 1 pound dry linguine pasta
- 2 large eggs, at room temperature, beaten
- 1 cup grated parmesan cheese, plus more for serving
- 2 tablespoons salted butter, at room temperature
Instructions
- Preheat and Prepare Bacon & Squash: Preheat the oven to 400°F (200°C). On a baking sheet, toss the olive oil, cubed butternut squash, smashed garlic cloves, fresh thyme, crushed red pepper flakes, kosher salt, and black pepper until evenly coated. On a plate, rub the bacon slices with the chopped rosemary and cayenne pepper, then drizzle with honey. Lay the bacon slices over the butternut squash mixture.
- Roast Bacon and Squash: Place the baking sheet in the oven and roast for 10 minutes. Then flip the bacon slices and roast for an additional 5-8 minutes until the bacon is crisp. Remove the bacon from the sheet and set aside. If the butternut squash needs more time to become tender, return it to the oven for another 10 minutes or until soft.
- Make Butternut Squash Puree: Transfer the roasted squash and garlic to a food processor and puree until smooth. Season the puree with salt and pepper to taste. Roughly chop the crisp bacon slices for topping.
- Prepare Egg-Parmesan Mixture: In a bowl, whisk together the beaten eggs and grated parmesan cheese until well combined.
- Cook Pasta: Boil linguine in salted water according to package instructions until al dente. Before draining, reserve 1 cup of the pasta cooking water. Drain the pasta and return it to the hot pot immediately to maintain warmth.
- Toss Pasta with Sauce: Quickly add the egg and parmesan mixture to the hot pasta, tossing vigorously to prevent the eggs from scrambling. The eggs will thicken and create a creamy sauce. Add the butternut squash puree and butter, tossing to combine thoroughly. Add reserved pasta water a little at a time to thin the sauce to your preferred consistency.
- Serve: Divide the pasta among plates and top each serving with chopped rosemary bacon. Twirl the pasta and serve immediately. Enjoy your comforting, creamy Butternut Squash Pasta Carbonara!
Notes
- Make sure eggs are at room temperature for better sauce consistency.
- Work quickly when adding the egg mixture to hot pasta to avoid scrambling the eggs.
- Adjust cayenne pepper quantity depending on your spice preference.
- The reserved pasta water helps achieve a silky sauce texture—add gradually.
- For a vegetarian version, omit bacon and add extra roasted mushrooms or smoked paprika for flavor.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 serving (approx. 1/6 of recipe)
- Calories: 480
- Sugar: 6g
- Sodium: 620mg
- Fat: 18g
- Saturated Fat: 7g
- Unsaturated Fat: 9g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 58g
- Fiber: 5g
- Protein: 18g
- Cholesterol: 140mg
