Ziti with Butternut Squash Ricotta
Original Kaboose.com recipe and photography by Rosemary Black
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This delicious pasta casserole makes a great vegetarian entrée on Thanksgiving, or for any day as a substantial side dish. To bump up the fiber content, try making it with whole wheat pasta.
Ingredients
- 1 small butternut squash
- 1 medium onion, chopped
- 3 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 1/2 cups chicken broth
- 2 teaspoons salt, or more to taste
- 1/2 teaspoon dried sage
- 1 pound ziti or penne
- 3 tablespoons chopped fresh Italian parsley
- 1 cup ricotta cheese
- 1/2 cup freshly grated parmesan cheese (add more if you like)
- 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
Cooking Instructions
- With a sharp knife, cut the butternut squash in half lengthwise. Scoop out the seeds and peel the squash. Cut it into 1-inch sqaures. You’ll have approximately 2 cups of diced squash.
- In a large nonstick skillet over medium heat, sauté the chopped onion in the olive oil, stirring occasionally for 5 minutes or until golden.
- As the onion cooks, coarsely chop the diced squash in a food processor. Don’t over process as you don’t want the squash to be pureed. Stir the chopped squash into the skillet. Add 1 cup of the chicken broth, salt and sage. Simmer for 8 minutes or until squash is tender but not mushy.
- Meanwhile, in a large pot of salted, boiling water, cook the ziti according to package directions. When it is al dente, drain the ziti.
- Return the pasta to the pot and stir in the parsley and ricotta cheese. Mix well.
- Add the squash mixture, the 1/2-cup parmesan cheese, and the remaining 1/2-cup chicken broth. Mix well. Spoon into a large serving bowl. Top with additional parmesan cheese before serving, if desired.
Substitution(s)
- You can use penne or another short, tube-shaped pasta in this dish.
- You can use a 1/2 package of frozen diced butternut squash if you like, in place of the fresh butternut squash.
Make-Ahead
Make this dish several hours ahead of time and store, tightly covered, in the refrigerator. About one hour before serving, remove the dish, and let it stand at room temperature for about half an hour. Then reheat in a 350-degree oven for half an hour, or until very hot.
20 minutes
Ready In:
40 minutes
Baking Time: 20 minutes
How kids can help
Kids can help by measuring the ingredients and stirring the ricotta into the pasta.
Related Recipes:
Carrot Souffle
Nutty Butternut Squash
Cranberry-Filled Stuffing Patties
Caramelized Sweet Potato Fries
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