Penne with Butternut Squash and Goat Cheese Recipe

This penne with butternut squash and goat cheese is as filling as it is delicious, packed with flavour thanks to a simple homemade pesto, roasted butternut squash and creamy goat cheese.

📝 Ingredients

• 500 g butternut squash flesh (cut into 2.5cm (1 inch) pieces)
• 2 tbsp olive oil
• pinch salt and black pepper
• 45 g pine nuts
• 50 g fresh basil
• 2 cloves garlic
• 30 g hard cheese (Parmesan or vegetarian if required)
• 65 ml olive oil
• salt and black pepper (to taste)
• 300 g penne pasta
• pinch salt
• 125 g goat’s cheese

👨‍🍳 Instructions

1. 1--- Make the roasted butternut squash ---
2. 2Preheat the oven to at 220C (200C fan).
3. 3Put the butternut squash chunks in a non-stick roasting tray. Drizzle with oil and season with salt pepper.
4. 4Roast for 20-25 mins until the edges are browned and the insides are soft.
5. 5--- Make the pasta ---
6. 6When the butternut squash has been in the oven for 10 minutes, put the pasta on to cook in plenty of boiling water until al dente.
7. 7--- Make the pesto ---
8. 8Meanwhile, warm a pan over a medium heat and add the pine nuts. Toast for a couple of minutes until golden. Keep an eye on them and keep shaking/stirring as they can easily burn.
9. 9Remove the pine nuts from the pan and allow to cool in the mortar or blender bowl.
10. 10Add the garlic and a pinch of salt and pepper. Pound with the pestle (or pulse in the blender) until coarsely crushed.
11. 11Add the basil. If you're using a pestle and mortar then add a little at a time. If you're using a blender, you can add all at once. Pound with the pestle or pulse with the blender to a coarse mixture.
12. 12Add the cheese and olive oil. Pound/pulse again until you have a pesto. I like to keep it coarse, but you can break it down as much as you like.
13. 13--- Put everything together ---
14. 14Drain the pasta and return to the pan. Add the pesto and stir through.
15. 15Serve to plates. Scatter the roasted butternut squash pieces on top, dot with goat’s cheese and finish with more black pepper.