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Pumpkin Feta Pasta Recipe

Pumpkin Feta Pasta Recipe
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★★★★★

4.7 from 16 reviews

This Pumpkin Feta Pasta is a creamy, savory dish that beautifully combines roasted butternut squash with tangy Bulgarian feta cheese, garlic, and fresh thyme. Tossed with spinach, crunchy walnuts, and a touch of chili flakes, it’s a perfect comfort meal that’s both hearty and flavorful.

Ingredients

Scale

Pasta and Vegetables

  • 360 g pasta shells
  • 1 kg butternut squash pumpkin, peeled and chopped into 2cm cubes
  • 2 big handfuls baby spinach
  • 8 garlic cloves, in their skins

Cheese and Nuts

  • 180 g feta cheese (Bulgarian feta recommended)
  • 1 handful walnuts

Herbs and Seasonings

  • 8 sprigs thyme (leaves separated)
  • Salt and pepper, to taste
  • Chilli flakes, optional, for garnish

Oils and Other

  • ¼ cup extra virgin olive oil, plus extra for drizzling

Instructions

  1. Preheat Oven: Preheat your oven to 200°C (400°F) to get ready for roasting the pumpkin and garlic.
  2. Prepare Pumpkin and Garlic: Peel and chop the butternut squash into 2cm cubes and place them in an oven-safe dish. Add the garlic cloves still in their skins, thyme leaves, and the ¼ cup of extra virgin olive oil. Season with salt and pepper, then mix everything so the oil coats the pumpkin and garlic evenly.
  3. Add Feta: Place the block of feta cheese in the center of the dish, arranging the pumpkin mixture all around it evenly. Season the feta with additional thyme leaves and drizzle a little extra olive oil over it.
  4. Roast: Place the dish in the oven and roast for 25 minutes until the pumpkin is tender and the feta has softened.
  5. Cook Pasta: When the pumpkin has about 10 minutes left to cook, start boiling the pasta in heavily salted water according to package instructions. Reserve some pasta water before draining.
  6. Mash Garlic: Remove the oven dish from the oven. Gently peel the garlic cloves from their skins and mash them in the same tray with a fork, combining with the roasted pumpkin and softened feta.
  7. Combine Ingredients: Break up the roasted feta cheese and stir it into the mashed pumpkin and garlic mixture. Add the baby spinach and top the mixture with the cooked pasta and a generous splash of reserved pasta water.
  8. Create Sauce: Mix everything thoroughly to create a creamy sauce. If the sauce is too thick, add more pasta water until you reach your desired consistency.
  9. Serve: Garnish with chili flakes and sprinkle with crumbled walnuts just before serving to keep them crunchy and add texture.

Notes

  • Using Bulgarian feta adds a rich tangy flavor, but any feta cheese will work.
  • Save pasta water to adjust the consistency of the sauce as needed.
  • Roasting the garlic in the skins mellows out its flavor and makes it creamy when mashed.
  • Chilli flakes are optional; add them to taste for a little heat.
  • Walnuts provide a crunchy contrast; toast them lightly for extra flavor if desired.
  • This dish is vegetarian but can be adapted to vegan by substituting feta with a plant-based cheese alternative.

Nutrition

Keywords: pumpkin pasta, feta pasta, butternut squash recipe, vegetarian pasta, creamy pumpkin sauce, roasted garlic pasta, autumn recipes

Find it online: https://cookedbycleo.com/pumpkin-feta-pasta-recipe/