Squash and Sprouts Butter Parmesan Pasta

Squash and Sprouts Butter Parmesan Pasta is prepared with both brussels sprouts and butternut squash, making this pasta dish perfect for a cool, autumn evening dinner! Utilizing frozen veggies, this pasta is not only super delicious, but it comes together quite quickly with very little prep work too!

Who doesn’t love a 30-minute meal? In this recipe, I’m going to show you how you can transform a bag of frozen butternut squash and a bag of frozen brussels sprouts into a delicious Squash and Sprouts Butter Parmesan Pasta! Are you ready, Dear Reader? Usually, I buy it fresh veggies and will take the time to peel it and chop it. But, the frozen type makes life so much easier.

Squash comes in various shapes and sizes; types and flavours too.  You can use several types of squash in this dish, which is why I didn’t include a squash name in the title of the recipe. I used butternut squash because we are familiar with it and we love the taste and texture.  I would also consider using acorn squash; it would be tremendous in this dish.  There’s already a recipe here at Lord Byron’s Kitchen for Roasted Acorn Squash.

You can also use delicata squash, kabocha, or regular cooking pumpkin.  Delicata and kabocha are a little harder to find, depending on where you live, but pumpkin, acorn, and butternut squash can be found just about anywhere.  If you can locate a delicata, you might be happy to learn that you can eat the skin too.  No need to peel it away!

I know it’s probably easy to sell you on trying squash in pasta, but what about brussels sprouts? It just may be the most hated vegetable! If you hate brussels sprouts, I’m begging you to give them one more try! I love them, so once the photographs were taken, this pasta did not last long! I know I have said this about some other vegetables too, but I think brussels sprouts are one of my favourite vegetables. That is clearly evident with the number of times Brussels sprouts have been used in recipes here at Lord Byron’s Kitchen! How about you? Do you love them or do you hate them?

BRUSSELS SPROUTS RECIPES

John.e and I love recipes with Brussels sprouts. In fact, I made a carbonara with them and it was amazing. Personally, I loved the Brussels Sprouts Coleslaw, but my all-time favourite is the Spicy Pan Seared Brussels Sprouts with Corn and Caramelized Onions. Wow!

Someone once told me that Brussels sprouts are only good when cooked with bacon. I love bacon, but I don’t usually cook bacon with my sprouts. But, this time, I’m giving it a go with pancetta which is an Italian-style bacon. It isn’t smoked like Canadian bacon, so you get more of a pork flavour from it.

Did you know that you can make soup with brussels sprouts? Oh, yes indeed! It’s quite delicious too. If you’re curious, take a look at my Brussels Sprouts Soup recipe right here!

INGREDIENTS NEEDED TO PREPARE THIS RECIPE

The following is a list of the ingredients needed to prepare this recipe. For exact amounts and measurements, refer to the printable recipe card located near the bottom of this post.

• Brussels Sprouts – Normally, I would tell you to buy fresh brussels sprouts, but in the case, I’m encouraging you to grab a bag of the frozen sprouts at your local grocery store. They work quite well in this recipe!
• Butternut Squash – Like the sprouts, save yourself some time and buy the frozen type.
• Olive Oil
• Salt and Ground Black Pepper
• Pasta
• Salted Butter – You can use unsalted butter. Just taste for seasoning and add more salt if needed.
• Garlic – Use fresh garlic for best results.
• Parmesan Cheese – If you can afford it, but the good stuff!
• Parsley

HOW TO MAKE SQUASH AND SPROUTS BUTTER PARMESAN PASTA

Preheat your oven to 400 degrees F. Toss the frozen brussels sprouts and frozen butternut squash with the olive oil, salt, and ground black pepper. Spread the veggies out onto a baking sheet and roast for 25 minutes. While the veggies are roasting, prepare the pasta according to the package instructions, but cook for two minutes less than what the package recommends. Drain and set aside.

Next, place the butter into a large skillet. Turn the heat to medium low. Allow the butter to melt. Once the butter starts to bubble, use a whisk to keep the butter moving. Continuously stirring until the butter has turned a deep amber colour. Don’t walk away from the bubbling butter. It will burn very easily. The butter will bubble and will form a thick, white foamy/frothy top. Keep whisking slowly. This is normal and will soon evaporate.

Next, add the garlic and stir into the butter. The garlic will sizzle and pop. The butter is quite hot, so it’s important to move quickly. Once the garlic has browned slightly, add the cooked pasta and toss well with the butter. Turn off the heat. Next, add the roasted brussels sprouts and butternut squash. Add the parmesan and parsley. Toss gently to incorporate all of the elements of the recipe together. Plate and garnish with more parmesan. Serve immediately.

PARMESAN CHEESE

I know a wedge of parmesan – even a small one – can be anywhere from 12 to 20 dollars. So, you can use other cheeses that will save you a few bucks. My go-to cheese if I can’t get good parmesan is pecorino romano. It has a very similar taste and texture.

I have another option that’s a little outside the box, but don’t knock it until you try it! Have you heard of nutritional yeast? It’s quite good and is an ingredient many vegans will use as a parmesan alternative. Nutritional yeast is a deactivated yeast commonly used as an ingredient in creamy, dairy-free cheese substitutes. You can often find it used as a topping for foods like my Doritos Cool Ranch Popcorn.

I’ve also used it in my Homemade Ranch Seasoning, which is great stirred into buttermilk to make a salad dressing. Or into sour cream for a very tasty ranch dip! I’ve also used it in this Garlic Bread recipe. Honestly, Dear Reader, it’s delicious!

HOW TO REHEAT LEFTOVER PASTA

Reheating leftover pasta is always a risk because overcooked pasta can easily become gluey and not very satisfying to bite into. Whenever you are reheating pasta that has a cream sauce the best way to combat a not-so-favourable texture is to add more fat. The same rule can be applied when reheating pasta tossed in butter, oil, and pasta water. Here’s how I do it.

Add a teaspoon of butter to a skillet with a splash of milk or water. Over medium heat, allow the butter to melt. Once melted, add the leftover pasta to the skillet and place a lid on it. Wait for 2 minutes and then use tongs to toss the pasta, loosening it up and mixing that melted butter into the pasta. If it’s still too dry, add another splash of milk or water and put the lid back on for another minute or two.

Toss again and continue to do this until the pasta is fully reheated and the sauce has transformed its way back to a glistening consistency. Plate, garnish, and get it into your belly!

QUESTIONS?

If I have not answered all of your questions in the text above, don’t hesitate to reach out to me! You can contact me by sending me a message in the comments section further down the page. I will try my best to answer as soon as possible! You might reach me even faster by following me on Facebook and sending me a private message. Scroll down below the recipe card to find my Follow Me on Social Media box and never miss another recipe!