Winter Harvest Pasta Recipe with White Wine Sauce is hearty, delicious, and nutritious with a wonderful earthiness from butternut squash and kale.
You can serve this as a main dish or side.
WINTER HARVEST PASTA RECIPE
You may think of spring and summer when you think of an abundance of fresh produce. And you wouldn’t be wrong. However, the fall and winter harvests are more than pumpkin and apples. There are plenty of nutrient-dense, delicious vegetables available during the fall and winter.
I think of fall and winter vegetables as being hearty and comforting. Naturally, they pair nicely with warm spices which may include cinnamon, mace, nutmeg, cloves, coriander and cumin seeds.
WINTER HARVEST VEGETABLES
Here’s a list of a few vegetables that are harvested during the fall and/or winter.
- Acorn Squash
- Apples
- Artichokes
- Arugula
- Beets
- Broccoli
- Brussels sprouts
- Butternut Squash
- Cabbage
- Carrots
- Cauliflower
- Collard greens
- Endive
- Escarole
- Fennel
- Radishes
- Sweet Potatoes
- Turnips
WINTER HARVEST PASTA INGREDIENTS
- Greens. Kale holds up well with the other veggies in this salad. You could also use spinach or arugula.
- Vegetables. I used butternut squash. It’s easily available. However, you can use any roasted root vegetable. Try acorn squash, Brussels sprouts, carrots, sweet potatoes, or pumpkin.
- Pepitas. Pepitas are pumpkin seeds, but they only come from certain types of pumpkins and don’t require shelling. You can substitute walnuts, almonds, pinenuts, or sunflower seeds.
- Cheese. Goat cheese or blue cheese would add a nice touch.
As well, Parmesan tends to be salty. Therefore, I used unsalted butter to balance out the saltiness of the Parmesan cheese. If you find the pasta isn’t salty enough, you can always add more salt after you taste test at the end.
WHILE YOU’RE HERE, CHECK OUT THESE RECIPES
Caramelized Shaved Brussels Sprouts
Toasted Pecan Brie Brussels Sprout Bites
Roasted Winter Vegetable and Pesto Quinoa Bowl
Sheet Pan Roasted Chicken, Butternut Squash, Brussels, and Carrots
Parmesan Roasted Cabbage with Pine Nuts
Pomegranate Avocado and Pine Nut Roasted Broccoli Salad
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Winter Harvest Pasta with White Wine Sauce
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Save To Your Recipe BoxIngredients
- 4 ounces bacon thick-cut
- 1 and ½ cups butternut squash cubed
- 4 and ½ tablespoons olive oil divided
- 2 cups lightly packed lacinato kale torn into 1-inch pieces
- 3 tablespoons pepitas aka shelled pumpkin seeds
- 12 ounces pasta I prefer cavatappi or orecchiette
- 3 cloves garlic minced
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon pepper
- ¼ teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
- ¾ cup white wine
- 6 tablespoons butter unsalted
- Freshly chopped parsley for garnish
- Freshly grated parmesan or romano cheese for garnish
Instructions
- Heat the bacon in a pan over medium-high heat. Cook until the bacon is browned and crisp, but not burnt. Let the bacon cool on a paper towel and set aside.
- Once the bacon has cooled, chop the bacon into bite-sized pieces. Discard the bacon fat but keep the pan nearby as you will use it for the sauce.
- Heat the oven to 400 degrees. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Toss the butternut squash with one tablespoon of olive oil and spread evenly on the baking sheet.
- Bake the squash for 25-30 minutes, stirring every 10minutes. (During the last 8-10 minutes of baking, you will add the kale and pepitas to roast).
- While the squash is baking, cut or rip 1-inch pieces of kale and place them into a bowl. About 10 minutes before the squash is about to come out of the oven, toss the kale and pepitas with ½ tablespoon of olive oil.
- Remove the baking sheet from the oven and stir the squash one last time. Add the kale and pepitas on top, spreading lightly and evenly. Roast for8-10 minutes or until kale is slightly crispy and butternut squash is nicely browned.
- Cook the pasta according to the package directions. Drain and aside in a large bowl.
- Heat the original pan over medium heat and add the remaining 3tablespoons of olive oil. Add the minced garlic and cook for about one minute or until fragrant.
- Add the salt, pepper, red pepper flakes, and wine. Stir well for 2-3minutes.
- Add the butter and let it melt. Stir to combine all ingredients.
- In a large bowl, combine the pasta, butternut squash, kale, pepitas, and chopped bacon. Pour the sauce over the pasta and toss lightly.
- Serve warm with freshly chopped parsley and freshly grated parmesan or romano cheese as garnish.
Nutrition
Cindy says
This is exactly what a was looking for- a seasonal cozy comforting dish. Highly recommend!
Robin Donovan says
My whole family loved this dish!