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Pumpkin Feta Pasta Recipe

Pumpkin Feta Pasta Recipe
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★★★★★

5.1 from 27 reviews

This creamy Pumpkin Feta Pasta is a comforting and flavorful dish combining roasted butternut squash, garlic, and tangy Bulgarian feta cheese. Tossed with tender pasta shells and fresh baby spinach, and topped with crunchy walnuts and optional chili flakes, it offers a perfect balance of sweet, savory, and spicy notes. Easy to prepare and ideal for cozy dinners.

Ingredients

Scale

Pasta

  • 360 g pasta shells

Vegetables & Herbs

  • 1 kg butternut squash pumpkin, peeled and diced into 2cm cubes
  • 8 garlic cloves, unpeeled
  • 8 sprigs thyme, leaves separated
  • 2 big handfuls baby spinach

Cheese

  • 180 g Bulgarian feta cheese (block)

Nuts & Seeds

  • 1 handful walnuts, roughly chopped

Oils & Seasonings

  • ¼ cup extra virgin olive oil, plus extra for drizzling
  • Salt, to taste
  • Black pepper, to taste
  • Chili flakes, optional, for topping

Instructions

  1. Preheat Oven: Preheat your oven to 200°C (400°F) to ensure it’s hot enough to roast the pumpkin and soften the feta beautifully.
  2. Prepare Pumpkin and Garlic: Peel and chop the butternut squash into 2cm cubes and place them in an oven-safe dish along with the unpeeled garlic cloves and thyme leaves.
  3. Season and Oil: Drizzle extra virgin olive oil over the pumpkin mixture, then season with salt and pepper. Toss everything together so the oil evenly coats the ingredients.
  4. Add Feta: Place the entire block of feta cheese in the center of the dish, nestled among the pumpkin cubes. Sprinkle additional thyme leaves and a drizzle of olive oil on top of the feta to enhance flavor.
  5. Roast: Put the dish into the preheated oven and roast for 25 minutes, or until the pumpkin is tender and the feta has softened and started to melt.
  6. Cook Pasta: About 10 minutes before the roasting time is up, start cooking the pasta shells in heavily salted boiling water. Reserve some pasta water before draining.
  7. Mash Garlic: Remove the dish from the oven, peel the roasted garlic cloves from their skin, and use a fork to mash them directly in the oven dish with the roasted pumpkin and softened feta.
  8. Mix in Feta: Break up the softened feta and stir it thoroughly into the pumpkin mixture to create a creamy base for the sauce.
  9. Add Spinach: Incorporate the fresh baby spinach leaves into the mixture, allowing the residual heat to wilt them slightly.
  10. Combine with Pasta: Add the drained pasta shells to the oven dish. Pour in a good splash of the reserved pasta water and gently toss everything together until a creamy sauce forms. Add more pasta water if the sauce is too thick.
  11. Garnish and Serve: Sprinkle chili flakes and crumbled walnuts on top right before serving to add a spicy kick and satisfying crunch.

Notes

  • You can substitute baby spinach with kale or arugula for a different leafy green flavor.
  • If you prefer less spice, omit the chili flakes or use a milder paprika instead.
  • Reserve pasta water carefully as it helps bind and thicken the sauce.
  • Walnuts can be toasted lightly to enhance their nuttiness before adding.
  • This dish can be made gluten-free by choosing gluten-free pasta shells.

Nutrition

Keywords: Pumpkin pasta, feta pasta, roasted butternut squash, vegetarian pasta recipe, creamy pasta sauce

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