Spicy Squash With Pasta Recipes

PASTA WITH BUTTERNUT SAUCE, SPICY SAUSAGE AND BABY SPINACH

Steps:

• Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add butternut squash and cook until soft.
• Remove squash with a slotted spoon and place in a blender, blend until smooth.
• Add pasta to the boiling water and cook according to package directions for al dente, reserving at least 1 cup of the pasta water before draining.
• Meanwhile, in a large deep non-stick skillet, sauté sausage over medium heat until browned, breaking up with a spoon as it cooks. When cooked through, set aside on a plate.
• Reduce heat to medium-low and melt the butter, sauté the shallots and garlic until soft and golden, about 5 - 6 minutes.
• Add pureed butternut squash, season with with salt and fresh cracked pepper and add a little of the reserved pasta water (I used about 1 cup) to thin out the sauce to your liking.
• Add baby spinach and stir in parmesan cheese and sage. Toss in cooked pasta and sausage and mix until well coated.
• Serve with additional parmesan cheese on the side if desired.

SPICY BUTTERNUT SQUASH PASTA WITH SPINACH

Steps:

• Bring a large covered pot of heavily salted water to a boil.
• Meanwhile, in a 12-inch ovenproof skillet with high sides and a tight-fitting lid (or a Dutch oven), heat the oil over medium-high until shimmering. Add the squash and season with salt, cumin and red-pepper flakes. Cook, stirring every minute, until squash becomes browned in spots and feels just tender, 6 to 8 minutes.
• Meanwhile, heat the oven to 400 degrees. Add the pasta to the boiling water and cook, uncovered, until not quite al dente, 3 to 4 minutes less than the package instructions. (It should be a little too firm to the bite.) Reserve 1 cup of the pasta water and drain. If the pasta is done before the squash, then stir in a drizzle of olive oil so that it doesn't stick together.
• When the squash is just tender, add the broth. Bring to an active simmer, cover and cook, stirring occasionally, until the squash is soft and easily mashable, 10 to 12 minutes. Turn off the heat, then use a potato masher or the back of a wooden spoon to crush about half of the butternut squash and leave the rest chunky. Season the squash to taste, keeping in mind that salty Parmesan will be added soon.
• Add the cooked pasta to the skillet along with 1 cup reserved pasta water and 1/2 cup grated Parmesan, stirring vigorously to combine. Stir in the spinach one handful at a time until it shrinks down a little.
• Sprinkle the top with the remaining 1/4 cup Parmesan, the mozzarella and jalapeño, then place in the oven, on a sheet pan if you are worried about dripping. Cook until the top is melted and browned in spots, 12 to 15 minutes. Drizzle with olive oil, top with parsley and serve.

SPICY SQUASH PASTA

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 400 degrees. If using pumpkin or calabaza, cut into wedges; if using butternut squash, cut in half. Remove seeds; reserve for another use. Drizzle with oil; season with salt and pepper. Place squash, cut side up, on a rimmed baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Bake 10 minutes. Flip squash; bake until very tender, 40 to 50 minutes more. Let cool slightly, about 10 minutes. Scoop flesh into a medium bowl; discard skins.
• Heat 2 tablespoons oil in a medium skillet over medium heat. Add garlic, a large pinch of salt, red pepper flakes, and 3/4 teaspoon each thyme, sage, and rosemary. Cook, stirring, until garlic is golden and fragrant, about 5 minutes. Add squash; cook, stirring and mashing with a spoon, until heated through.
• Meanwhile, bring a large pot of water to a boil. Add a pinch of salt. Add pasta; cook until al dente. Drain well.
• Heat remaining oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add cooked pasta, parsley, and remaining thyme, sage, and rosemary. Season with salt. Toss to combine; cook until heated through.
• Divide pasta evenly among serving bowls. Top with squash mixture and ricotta, dividing evenly. Garnish with parsley; drizzle with oil. Serve with Parmesan.

SPAGHETTI SQUASH BOATS WITH SPICY SAUSAGE

Steps:

• To make the spaghetti squash, preheat oven to 350 degrees F and cut squash right down the middle. Scoop out all the seeds and place cut side down on a baking sheet lightly sprayed with oil. DO NOT PIERCE WITH A FORK!! Many recipes say to do this, but we are using these cuts of squash later as bowls so you want them to remain intact.
• Bake squash in the oven for 45 minutes until tender.
• Meanwhile, drizzle oil into a large skillet and saute onion and garlic until fragrant, about 2 minutes. Add turkey sausage and cook until crumbled and lightly brown, draining if necessary, then add chicken broth, tomatoes, half and half, red pepper flakes, salt and pepper. Bring everything to a boil then cover and allow flavors to simmer on low to medium heat until spaghetti squash is ready.
• Remove squash from the oven and scrape out all the strands of spaghetti using a fork. Add all the spaghetti squash to your skillet along with a 1/4 cup of cheese. Toss well until cheese is melted and squash is fully coated with sauce.
• Transfer squash mixture into your now scraped out squash bowls and top with the rest of your cheese. Place them back in the oven for about 3 to 4 minutes until cheese is melted and squash is heated through.
• Top with basil, serve and enjoy!

SPAGHETTI SQUASH WITH SPICY MEAT SAUCE

Steps:

• Heat oven to 400 degrees. Slice spaghetti squash in half lengthwise and scrape out the seeds. Rub 1/2 tablespoon olive oil onto the cut side of squash and season with salt and pepper. Place cut side down on a large, rimmed baking sheet and cook for 45 to 60 minutes, until tender all the way through.
• Heat 1 tablespoon olive oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium heat. Add onion and carrot and cook for 2 minutes. Add turkey and garlic and cook until turkey is cooked through, breaking into pieces with a wooden spoon. Season with salt and pepper and add Italian seasoning.
• Add tomato paste and crushed tomatoes and stir well to combine everything. Reduce heat and simmer 5-10 minutes. Add red pepper flakes and more salt and pepper if necessary.
• Scrape out insides of spaghetti squash with a fork. Serve topped with meat sauce and Parmesan cheese.

SPICY CHICKEN AND BROCCOLI WITH SQUASH PASTA

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C). Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
• Place chicken thighs and sausage links on the baking sheet. Season chicken lightly with salt and pepper.
• Bake in the preheated oven until chicken is no longer pink in the center, about 25 minutes. Cool until easily handled, 5 to 10 minutes. Pull chicken apart. Slice sausage links.
• Heat 2 tablespoons olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add broccoli; cook and stir for 3 minutes. Stir in tomatoes, cherry peppers, jalapeno pepper, and garlic; cook until tomatoes soften, about 3 minutes. Stir in chicken and sausage slices.
• Cut yellow squash into noodles using a spiralizer. Add to the skillet. Drizzle remaining 1 tablespoon olive oil over squash; toss with tongs until heated through, about 1 minute. Season with salt, pepper, and Italian seasoning. Melt butter on top.

SPICY PORK AND BUTTERNUT SQUASH RAGU

Steps:

• Combine first 5 ingredients in bottom of a 6- or 7-qt. slow cooker. Sprinkle ribs with salt, garlic powder and pepper; place in slow cooker. Cook, covered, on low until pork is tender, 5-6 hours., Remove cover; stir to break pork into smaller pieces. Serve with pasta. If desired, top with Parmesan cheese., Freeze option: Freeze cooled sauce in freezer containers. To use, partially thaw in refrigerator overnight. Heat through in a saucepan, stirring occasionally.

BUTTERNUT SQUASH + SPINACH PASTA

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 400 degrees.
• Arrange the cubed butternut squash pieces on a baking sheet and drizzle with olive oil and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Roast in the oven until the squash starts to turn golden, about 15-20 minutes.
• Meanwhile, cook the pasta according to package directions.
• In a large skillet, heat 2 tablespoons of olive oil, the minced garlic, and salt over medium heat. Add the diced onion and saute until translucent.
• Next, add the broth, vegan parmesan cheese, and red pepper flakes. Simmer over low heat to combine the flavors.
• Drain the pasta, then add it to the skillet.
• Finally add the butternut squash and spinach to the skillet, cooking for a few more minutes until the spinach begins to wilt.
• Serve with more vegan parmesan cheese, toasted pine nuts and red pepper flakes if desired!

CREAMY ROASTED BUTTERNUT SQUASH PASTA WITH SAUSAGE AND SPINACH

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 400 F.
• In a large bowl, toss cubed butternut squash with olive oil, salt, and pepper.
• Spread the squash on a parchment paper-lined baking sheet in one layer, without overcrowding.
• Roast in the preheated oven at 400 F for 30 minutes. Remove from oven.
• In a medium skillet, heat 1 tablespoon of olive oil on medium heat.
• Add crumbled sausage and cook for about 10 minutes, regularly stirring, until the sausage is cooked through. Remove from heat and set aside.
• Tip: Cook the sausage while the butternut squash is being roasted.
• In a separate, large skillet, heat 1 tablespoon of olive oil together with minced garlic and spinach over medium heat. Cook, occasionally stirring, for about 5 or 7 minutes until spinach starts to wilt.
• Add heavy cream. Bring to a brief boil, then immediately reduce to simmer (boiling but not intensely). Add shredded Parmesan cheese. Keep stirring the sauce with the Parmesan cheese on low to medium boil (simmer) until the cheese melts. Remove from heat.
• Season with salt to taste, about 1/4 teaspoon of salt. No salt might be necessary if the sausage is very salty.
• Tip: Use your judgment about whether to add salt or not based on how salty the sausage is. Make the cream sauce while the butternut squash is being roasted.
• Cook pasta al dente in boiling water according to package instructions. That usually means cooking pasta in boiling water for about 7 to 11 minutes. Drain.
• To a large skillet with the creamy spinach sauce, add drained cooked pasta and cooked sausage. Stir. Season with salt and pepper, if desired.
• Top the pasta with roasted butternut squash. Stir the squash in, or leave it on top.

SPICY SPAGHETTI SQUASH

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).
• Place each squash half cut side down on a cookie sheet and bake uncovered for about 45 to 60 minutes or until a fork goes easily into the shell. Allow to cool and scoop out the strands of squash with a large spoon and set aside.
• Heat the oil in a skillet over medium high heat. Add the onion, garlic and scallions and saute for 2 minutes. Add the turkey and cook for 4 minutes. Add the tomatoes and wine and bring to a boil, lower the heat and simmer for 20 minutes.
• Add the capers, oregano, red pepper flakes and parsley; simmer for 5 minutes. If the squash has cooled too much, reheat it in the microwave, covered for 2 to 3 minutes. Top the squash with the sauce and serve.

SPICY SQUASH WITH PASTA

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Line a baking sheet with a Silpat (French nostick baking mat). Season squash with salt and pepper, and place, cut side up, on baking sheet. Bake 10 minutes. Turn cut side down, and bake until tender when pierced with the tip of a knife, 20 to 30 minutes more. Remove squash from oven, and let stand until cool enough to handle, about 10 minutes. Scoop out flesh, discarding skins; set aside.
• Bring a large pot of water to a boil; add salt. Add perciatelli, and cook until al dente, according to manufacturers' directions.
• Meanwhile, in a medium skillet, heat 2 tablespoons oil over medium heat, add garlic, a large pinch of salt, red-pepper flakes, 1/2 teaspoon thyme, 1/2 teaspoon sage, and 1/2 teaspoon rosemary. Cook until garlic is golden and fragrant about 5 minutes. Add reserved squash, and heat through.
• In a second large skillet, heat remaining 2 tablespoons oil over medium heat. When pasta is done, drain well, and add to pan with oil. Add parsley and remaining 1/4 teaspoon each of thyme, sage, and rosemary. Season with salt, and toss to combine.
• Place ricotta in a large dollop in the center of the serving platter. Top with squash mixture. Cover with pasta. Sprinkle with Parmesan cheese, and serve immediately.