Pasta With Kale Pesto and Roasted Butternut Squash
Published November 24, 2009
Andrew Scrivani for The New York Times
- Total Time
- 45 minutes
- Rating
- Comments
- Read comments
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Ingredients
1 ½ pounds butternut squash
½ cup extra virgin olive oil, more for drizzling
¾ teaspoon kosher salt, more for squash
Freshly ground black pepper
1 small bunch (about ½ pound) lacinato kale, center ribs removed
8 ounces pasta (penne rigate works well)
⅓ cup toasted pine nuts
2 large garlic cloves, roughly chopped
Finely grated zest of 1 lemon
Freshly squeezed lemon juice, to taste
Grated Parmesan cheese, for serving
Nutritional analysis per serving (2 to 3 servings)
94 grams carbs; 1 milligram cholesterol; 854 calories; 29 grams monosaturated fat; 10 grams polyunsaturated fat; 6 grams saturated fat; 49 grams fat; 12 grams fiber; 547 milligrams sodium; 18 grams protein; 9 grams sugar
Note: The information shown is Edamam’s estimate based on available ingredients and preparation. It should not be considered a substitute for a professional nutritionist’s advice.
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Preparation
- Step 1
Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Use a vegetable peeler to peel squash, then halve it lengthwise and scoop out seeds. Dice squash flesh into 1-inch pieces, place on a baking sheet, and toss with olive oil and season generously with salt and pepper. Spread pieces into an even layer, making sure there is space between them. Roast, stirring squash pieces once or twice, until golden brown and tender, about 30 minutes.
- Step 2
Meanwhile, bring a large pot of salted water to a boil; have ready a bowl of ice water. Drop kale into boiling water and cook for 45 seconds. Use tongs or slotted spoon to transfer kale to ice water. Bring water in pot back to a boil, adding more if necessary so there is enough to cook pasta.
- Step 3
Drain kale well, then wrap tightly in a dry kitchen towel and squeeze thoroughly to remove any excess moisture. Roughly chop leaves. When water in pot comes back to a boil, cook pasta according to package directions.
- Step 4
In a food processor, pulse together kale, nuts, garlic, salt and lemon zest until mixture is smooth and salt has dissolved. With motor running, slowly drizzle in the oil until fully incorporated. Taste and add more salt dissolved in a little lemon juice, if necessary.
- Step 5
Drain pasta, reserving a little cooking water. Toss pasta with kale pesto and some pasta cooking water if necessary to help it coat pasta. Add cheese, lemon juice and salt to taste. Serve topped with squash and more cheese.
Private Notes
Comments
Time saving/work saving tip: place the kale in the colander you will use for the pasta, and boil 3-4 cups of water in electric (or not electric) kettle, then pour over the kale; remove quickly to towel. Toast the nuts in the pasta pot before adding the pasta water, all while the squash roasts in the oven (on a parchment-lined baking sheet). Easy cleanup and less juggling. I've used the pour-over method for many recipes to just wilt greens and it is just fine.
NYT, you literally just told us not to cook with pine nuts: http://www.nytimes.com/2015/10/19/opinion/making-pesto-hold-the-pine-nut...
Just made with walnuts. Flavor is an excellent fit with the recipe.
Thank you Carol from 9 years ago. Wilting the kale in a colander with boiling water sooo easy. I added basil to my kale to reduce the tart taste of the pesto I as many others roasted chunks of purple onion with the squash. Turned out to be a colorful, delicious dish.
Melissa Clark never fails to amaze me--this is delicious and easy. I'm also so grateful to the readers for all their comments--often so useful.
I’ve made this recipe, as written, countless times, Here’s how to save time: Buy bagged, pre-washed kale (stems and all) and steam it until stems are soft(ish). No need to squeeze out excess water. Just put the steamed kale right into the food processor. You don’t need to chop garlic you’re putting in a food processor. Now go do something fun with the 15 minutes you just got back!